Light Monkey Customer Service Review

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I also just read the full thread and missed the part about the customer being called a "Bitch." That's more than enough in my book to take my business elsewhere. I have annoying clients-- never enough for me to tell them to "STFU" or call them a " whiney bitch."

That's definitely your perrogative, but to eliminate the chance of buying an excellent product because you don't like something the owner said is silly. Light monkey has a long history of exceptional customer service and exceptional products. They generally treat their customers exceptionally well. This seems to be a solitary incident, and to be honest, even if I read all of Sergey's emails I'm sure there's more to the story. He's obviously on a mission to give LM a bad name. Now he's posting his fb messages on the internet. I'm sure he's posting everywhere he can. And that really makes me question his story. Whenever I see someone so fervently posting all over the internet about how awful a company is, I usually assume there's way more to the story and I doubt that's any different here. The guys at LM are good guys but as you see Corey won't mince his words. You piss him off and there's a chance he'll tell you what he thinks. It might not be good for most businesses, but it's not really hurting them in any way. Whoever said the customer is always right probably never worked in customer service. Corey probably should've been nicer, but sometimes you just want to tell people what you think no matter the repercussions.
I've emailed back and forth all week with Corey and Mandy at LM about a product I had questions on. Their responses were professional and they responded quickly. I ordered the product Wed night and it will be here today. As a general rule most of us that have dealt with LM put their customer service in the same vein as DRIS, Shearwater, and Underwater Light Dude.

Have you boycotted Chic-fil-a since the owner is very openly homophobic and gives to religious groups that are anti-gay? It seems most people don't care cause they like they're chicken. I like LM's chicken, so I don't care if Corey called Sergey a name. I'll still buy their chicken.
 
That's definitely your perrogative, but to eliminate the chance of buying an excellent product because you don't like something the owner said is silly. Light monkey has a long history of exceptional customer service and exceptional products. They generally treat their customers exceptionally well. This seems to be a solitary incident, and to be honest, even if I read all of Sergey's emails I'm sure there's more to the story. He's obviously on a mission to give LM a bad name. Now he's posting his fb messages on the internet. I'm sure he's posting everywhere he can. And that really makes me question his story. Whenever I see someone so fervently posting all over the internet about how awful a company is, I usually assume there's way more to the story and I doubt that's any different here. The guys at LM are good guys but as you see Corey won't mince his words. You piss him off and there's a chance he'll tell you what he thinks. It might not be good for most businesses, but it's not really hurting them in any way. Whoever said the customer is always right probably never worked in customer service. Corey probably should've been nicer, but sometimes you just want to tell people what you think no matter the repercussions.
I've emailed back and forth all week with Corey and Mandy at LM about a product I had questions on. Their responses were professional and they responded quickly. I ordered the product Wed night and it will be here today. As a general rule most of us that have dealt with LM put their customer service in the same vein as DRIS, Shearwater, and Underwater Light Dude.

Have you boycotted Chic-fil-a since the owner is very openly homophobic and gives to religious groups that are anti-gay? It seems most people don't care cause they like they're chicken. I like LM's chicken, so I don't care if Corey called Sergey a name. I'll still buy their chicken.

If you noticed, 4 of December, I was going to stop all this by writing to him:
“Corey, your life - your way. You are not right, and double you cannot admit it. I'm not agree with you. Pity you.”

But he didn’t want that, as his reply was:
“Please post some more reviews on different social media boards, it seems to be increasing our daily sales!”

I wrote many times: “I LIKE product I have from LM!”
At the beginning I was not even complain about quality of lock screw steel, I just INFO to LM.
Simple answer from any of them like: “Thanks for info, we’ll think what we can do with this… SORRY!” and all would be over.

But answers were like “rinse properly”; “change it by yourself, it’s your option” and finally from Corey: “I can see you are a whiny bitch idiot... return it to DGE and we will refund them.”

What do you think? One could swallow it, but I didn’t and I will not.

Even after this insulation I wrote to Corey, trying to clarify and to give him a chance to solve his mistake:

“Dear Corey

I DO like the product.
Each time during night dive briefing we announced: «below the boat there will be the best powerful strobe 8600LM made by Light Monkey in US»
The small detail I started to info you is, of course, a cosmetic one.
In our business at the beginning I had similar feelings when we received complains in Guest Comments after each safari about small things. The main work was done excellent, but clients noticed small details, which for us was less then 1% important. First reaction was like yours (but I never allow myself to pronounce or to write it). After sometime I changed my mind about such a complains. Now me all the team a happy to receive negative feedback, as now we take it as possibility to improve what we do and we do (of course it is not about stupid empty complains like «my roommate was snoring».).
Now my boat has 3 times more positive reviews than any other boat.
So, I sent info about not stainless steel screw to your company’s support, meaning that for you it is also important to receive real feedbacks and technical facts after using.
The reaction of your managers was not professional at all and finally yours was to say emotional is to say nothing.
I spend time to write all these to you as I do believe in small businesses with excellent products to be thriving.
Keep waiting for apologies from you.”

The rest you know.

Of course, I posted info as widely as I can and I’ll continue do it.

Correctly, only about two exact points:
- the small detail is made out of not stainless steel
- unacceptable owner’s behavior.

Never about products and company in general.
 
LM.JPG
 
Sergey: If you really wanted to stop you wouldn’t have send another message to LM. While I agree with your main observation and disagree with LM’s response, you seem to enjoy this mess.
No, I don't
 
Sergey: If you really wanted to stop you wouldn’t have send another message to LM. While I agree with your main observation and disagree with LM’s response, you seem to enjoy this mess.

Just because he doesn't take a bitch-ass response in the shorts and walk away doesn't mean he enjoys it.

It has happened to me before that I really wanted to like a company or a product, but something has happened that could ruin that for me.

I have faced the decision: "Do I walk away with a bad taste in my mouth - which I share with others, forevermore? Or do I keep going back to the well, hoping for an amicable resolution, so that I CAN go forward still liking this company/product?"

I have never found it to be an enjoyable position to be in.

I have been in business for myself for over 20 years now. I have had customers that I wanted to get rid of. Have gotten rid of. I have NEVER found it justified to call a customer names. I generally don't find it justified (or useful) to call anyone names at all. But especially not as a business owner, dealing with a customer.

If someone REALLY deserves it, then even MORE that I am NOT going to give them the satisfaction of taking their business elsewhere and also be able to say that it was because I dealt with them in an unprofessional way.
 
ScubaBoard can be quick to judge harshly when there is a conflict between a "favorite" and a ScubaBoard outsider.

I have been on the "shafted" end of that baloney myself, in the past. I don't support that kind of discrimination or cliquishness or whatever you would call it.
 
Just because he doesn't take a bitch-ass response in the shorts and walk away doesn't mean he enjoys it.

It has happened to me before that I really wanted to like a company or a product, but something has happened that could ruin that for me.

I have faced the decision: "Do I walk away with a bad taste in my mouth - which I share with others, forevermore? Or do I keep going back to the well, hoping for an amicable resolution, so that I CAN go forward still liking this company/product?"

I have never found it to be an enjoyable position to be in.

I have been in business for myself for over 20 years now. I have had customers that I wanted to get rid of. Have gotten rid of. I have NEVER found it justified to call a customer names. I generally don't find it justified (or useful) to call anyone names at all. But especially not as a business owner, dealing with a customer.

If someone REALLY deserves it, then even MORE that I am NOT going to give them the satisfaction of taking their business elsewhere and also be able to say that it was because I dealt with them in an unprofessional way.
True to form.
 
They generally treat their customers exceptionally well. This seems to be a solitary incident, and to be honest, even if I read all of Sergey's emails I'm sure there's more to the story.

1. I don't look to do business with folks who "generally" treat their customers exceptionally well, particularly when dealing with small businesses. If I want average customer interaction it ain't hard to find. If a small niche company is only "generally" treating their customers exceptionally well, then the question that begs to be asked is why they are not "always" treating their customers exceptionally well. As it has been mentioned, DGX was able to get it right and they did so on behalf of LM...what is so hard about this for LM.

2. What makes you so "sure there's more to the story"?

He's obviously on a mission to give LM a bad name.

No, I don't think the OP is doing anything to give LM a bad name, they have done that themselves in this instance. Don't place blame where it doesn't belong.

Now he's posting his fb messages on the internet. I'm sure he's posting everywhere he can. And that really makes me question his story.

The OP has been transparent about the events. Have you requested/read the email exchange? If not then you are just talking out your arse as a LM fanboy. It is his prerogative to broadcast his experience with this company...if they wanted positive press then they should have engaged their client in a way that inspires it. Instead, LM added further insult to injury by being crass about the fact that OP had posted his experience on the internet by insinuating that it was good free advertising. Perhaps it is...there is a saying: "Even bad press is good press",

The guys at LM are good guys but as you see Corey won't mince his words. You piss him off and there's a chance he'll tell you what he thinks.

Every bit the reason for this thread. Businesses have folded for much less of a reason.

A business owner should not act in a way towards customers/clients that he would not expect or accept his employees to act towards customers/clients.

Why would anyone want to do business with a company that has the risk of verbal onslaught by the owner and their ego? Particularly if that company isn't the only supplier of the sought after products/services?

It might not be good for most businesses, but it's not really hurting them in any way.

Then why are you so concerned about the matter and then why are you responding to the folks that have said they will purchase products from other companies[/QUOTE]

Corey probably should've been nicer, but sometimes you just want to tell people what you think no matter the repercussions.

Corey didn't need to be nicer, he just needed to be more professional. You mention "no matter the repercussions"...well that is what the OP has levied by posting here and elsewhere...and this is also those folks choosing to take their money to other businesses as well.

As a general rule most of us that have dealt with LM put their customer service in the same vein as DRIS, Shearwater, and Underwater Light Dude.

Well, I have never heard of a similar situation arising with DRIS, Shearwater, or Underwater Light Dude. Perhaps that is why you don't find folks broadcasting negatively about them on the internet.

Have you boycotted Chic-fil-a since the owner is very openly homophobic and gives to religious groups that are anti-gay? It seems most people don't care cause they like they're chicken.

I know people who are actively boycotting Chic-fil-a for the very reasons you mentioned. The only reason why most folks who disagree with the owner of Chic-fil-a's stance are still purchasing from them is because people are generally lazy and will often take advantage of convenience over putting forth any effort to not patronize a business. Those that the issue strikes a chord with will spend their money elsewhere, and those that are only tangentially moved by the issue will most likely take advantage of the convenience factor. I would not doubt that their is an actual name for this from a psychological standpoint.

I like LM's chicken, so I don't care if Corey called Sergey a name. I'll still buy their chicken.

Well, that explains quite a bit about you, now doesn't it.

-Z
 
Some people just need to be told to STFU.

And a single bad experience shouldn't be enough to discourage a purchase.

All companies (and people) make mistakes; what is important and insightful is how they attempt to fix them.

A problem with a single product would not necessarily discourage me from doing business with a company, but if a customer service representative attacked me in a completely unprofessional manner, then that would pretty much seal the deal.

If those text messages are real, they provide some tremendously important information about the company; enough to allow me to form an opinion. Perhaps the company is no longer being run as it once was?
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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