Horrible Customer Service Experience

[Pullmyfinger]

I feel like I'm on Jeopardy.

I'll take mystery dive companies for $500 Alex.


"I am a manufacture, of wings (some of which have been specifically named in previous threads on the subject), wetsuits, masks, and many more items... I have been in the manufacturing industry personally for 8 years and my company for over 25. "


What is IST Diving?

-Mitch

 

[missiegreen]

But you're not above racing into a competitors place of business with this sort of rant.

If my opion of customer service is a rant, then I suppose it was a rant.. Not really though, I had thought we were allowed to express our opions based on experience.. no?

 

[missiegreen]

I feel like I'm on Jeopardy.

I'll take mystery dive companies for $500 Alex.


"I am a manufacture, of wings (some of which have been specifically named in previous threads on the subject), wetsuits, masks, and many more items... I have been in the manufacturing industry personally for 8 years and my company for over 25. "


What is IST Diving?

-Mitch

Mitch, no, we are a manufacture for many OEM's in the industry.. we do not sell to the public or dive shops...

 

[Cave Diver]

I feel like I'm on Jeopardy.

I'll take mystery dive companies for $500 Alex.

 

[Cave Diver]

My issue was this: as a manufacture myself, owing a business, taking care of customers nationally and internationally for years, I would Never, I mean Never, come to a public forum and berate a customer’s point of view.

But it's ok to come in and berate how a competitor handles complaints?

 

[redacted]

for you.. nothing..... if it's done right.... by you or others and cared for properly afterwards.


for the manufacturer?..... it's a liability issue.


I mean imagine if some dumb ass dropped their plate on the exact spot the patch was done and it blew out afterwards during a dive. They manufacturer would be blamed, even if the patch was compromised.


and this thread right here is proof enough of the crap that can come out of something like that....

I doubt if manufacturers are liable for the truth. I see no reason why they have to stop at the simple statement of "we do not recommend repair." I can not believe they have not tested various repair strategies for various damages and have good knowledge of what does not work and what may provide reasonable results. Frankly, I suspect that there are some repairs of some types of damages that they know produce "as good as new" results.

With the price that Tobin is doing repairs for, he is not doing it for the profit. It is just one more example where the Scuba equipment retail industry, in general, has banded together to disservice customers. The very idea that vehicle tires can be safely repaired, even by customers, and BCDs can not be is absurd.

 

[SC_Hoaty]

I figure the tire guys make more profit due to much larger volume, and can afford to fight liability instead of avoiding it by being conservative. I don't see this as disservice. YMMV

 

[cool_hardware52]

I doubt if manufacturers are liable for the truth. I see no reason why they have to stop at the simple statement of "we do not recommend repair." I can not believe they have not tested various repair strategies for various damages and have good knowledge of what does not work and what may provide reasonable results. Frankly, I suspect that there are some repairs of some types of damages that they know produce "as good as new" results.

With the price that Tobin is doing repairs for, he is not doing it for the profit. It is just one more example where the Scuba equipment retail industry, in general, has banded together to disservice customers. The very idea that vehicle tires can be safely repaired, even by customers, and BCDs can not be is absurd.

Go visit your local bike shop with a flatted tire and ask them to put a patch on the inner tube. Not going to happen at least in my experience.

A mechanic has to remove the wheel, remove the tire, inspect the tire casing, find the source of the flat, prep the tube apply the patch, install the tube and tire and test inflate. Some times the the repair will not pass the test, the patch didn't stick, there was *another* hole in the tube etc. That means the mechanic needs to start over.

Compare that to replacing the damaged inner tube with a new tube. Actually a bit less work, but the chances of success the first time are much higher.

In addition there is a real liability issue. Every product liability app I've ever filled out has been quite specific about repairing components vs replacement of same.

Tires? I used to work as a mechanic for a construction company, with many trucks, tractors, trailers, etc.

I don't know of any tire manufacturer that actually does repairs. Some tire dealers do, but they all limit repairs to simple punctures in the thread, anything else, side wall damage, slices etc. and they will refuse.

I've also "plugged" hundreds of punctures with kits purchased at the auto parts with generally very good success, but these kits were never sold by or recommended by the tire manufacturer.


Tobin

 

[Splitlip]

As for bikes, I replace or repair my own tubes.

I have never had a failure with any of my wings, but if it ever does happen, I imagine this will do.

OMS BC Accessories & Repair http://www.OMSdive.com

Ya know, I have no dog in this fight. I cannot however imagine how a luggage handler could damage the bladder. I do get the puckers when a helpful deck hand tries to seat me with the bottom of my cylinder in the PVC boots on cattle boat benches.

Doc..I can't imagine why you did not inflate your wing over night as soon as you received it. I do it as a matter of course, even now that mine are several years old. I naver had a bad bladder, but have found I need to snug down OPV or elbo nut.

 

[halocline]

I remember trying to patch a dive rite bladder once and I couldn't get the patch to stick...I can't remember what material it was. I was in Roatan so there was not much of a choice in patch kits. Anyhow, aqua seal wouldn't stick to it. As long as you can get something to really bond to the bladder I can't imagine what the problem would be.