Seaskin Customer Service

[BoltSnap]

Okay, first, let me just be clear that @BoltSnap and I are friends and we like to tease each other. Especially on this subject, where we disagree, perhaps, on what drysuit to buy. What may appear to others as us having real friction is just us engaging in friendly banter.

In this case, I was attempting to rib him by suggesting that he is just a pain in the butt customer that should stick with a vendor that charges a premium but will hold his hand all the way through the process. It was just friendly teasing - though I understand it might not have appeared that way to someone who doesn't know us or our underlying friendship.

Yes, this is the truth that perhaps others don't realize. @stuartv is still buying me a big steak dinner when we meet in VA

Interesting to see others get involved however

Also, I think Seaskin was hit hard by COVID, just like many companies everywhere. I believe they shut the whole factory down for a period, at one point. I think that contributed to the issues I reported early in this thread and also to issues other people have posted about. They simply haven't had the people available to respond to customers even at their usual level.

Excuses, excuses excuses...

 

[stuartv]

Yes, this is the truth that perhaps others don't realize. @stuartv is still buying me a big steak dinner when we meet in VA

Interesting to see others get involved however




Excuses, excuses excuses...

I moved to South Carolina. You're going to have to come down here to get that dinner.

 

[BoltSnap]

I moved to South Carolina. You're going to have to come down here to get that dinner.

Is that better diving?

(The steak is getting bigger...)

 

[stuartv]

Is that better diving?

(The steak is getting bigger...)

Debatable. It is a lot closer to Meg Tooth diving and to Florida...

But, further from the Great Lakes, the Saint Lawrence River, and the New Jersey wrecks.

 

[BlueTrin]

One last thing to add, because it came up this week (IRL).

To ME, Santi has the reputation of being the best drysuit you can buy. Meaning, the best manufacturer.

Between real life and all the people posting here on SB, I would say that I know or know directly of more people that have gotten Seaskin suits than I know that have ordered Santi suits.

I don't know of a single person that got a Seaskin and had to send it back because it flat out did not fit. (but I admit I'm old and have a crap memory, so maybe I'm forgetting...?)

I know 2 good friends (in real life) that ordered made-to-measure Santi drysuits. One of them ordered a MTM BZ400 heated undersuit first and it fit perfectly. He couldn't fit his DUI drysuit on over the BZ400, so he ordered a Santi drysuit to wear over the BZ400 - using the same measurements that had resulted in a BZ400 with a perfect fit. His drysuit was not even close to big enough for him to get it on. And then Santi made him jump through major hoops to prove that it was their fault and not bad measurements. Another friend ordered a Santi suit and undergarment and couldn't wear the undergarment because it was too small in some areas. The suit itself was okay - but then developed a leak in a boot after just over a year and 80 dives and Santi wouldn't do anything about it. And now it is 2 or 3 years old and that same friend is doing a cave class this week in her Seaskin because the Santi is out for repair of the Quick Neck seal system. I don't think her Seaskin has had a single issue in roughly the same amount of time.

And then, this week, we received a Santi suit (at the shop where I teach) we ordered (made to measure) for a customer. It doesn't fit and will have to be returned to be fixed or re-made.

My only point is that, compared to "the best" (or anyone else, i think), Seaskin does a DARN good job of making good quality suits that fit. They are not perfect - but nobody else is perfect, either. Expect to be taken care of as a customer, but don't expect a level of customer service that you haven't paid for.

I ordered a Santi in March 2021.

It got delivered in mid August 2021 with the wrong neck size (45cm vs 40cm)

Santi flatly refused to help me with getting details about my order or even explain how it went wrong, and told me to talk to the person I bought the suit from.

Since then it was sent to the service centre to have the neck adjusted. The service centre was not allowed to cut the neck along the whole length so because it was 5cm too big, cutting the end didn’t work.

So now I am waiting for the service centre to send me a 40cm neck to try before to send the drysuit to be fitted with the new neoprene neck.

Not sure if I’ll dive it this year at this rate.

I know one person who has leak issues with an emotion and couldn’t get them solved after sending it multiple times for repair.

 

[drk5036]

Actually i don't agree at all..
I cannot understand why I must pay 1-2 k more just to get a mail replied.

I don’t understand it either. But that’s the current state of the system. Unless you’d like to start a new drysuit company as affordable as seaskin with good communication skills?

 

[elZub]

@drk5036 let's do it!!!


Back to the topic:
today I Followed suggestions and called seaskin,
they answer at the phone.

unfortunately the guy (richard)... said he's not a technician and could not give me any information.
he said to call next monday if i need info about Nova.

just FYI i still have to get answer to my email since last week even if this Monday I sent a "kindly reminder"

 

[BoltSnap]

@drk5036 let's do it!!!


Back to the topic:
today I Followed suggestions and called seaskin,
they answer at the phone.

unfortunately the guy (richard)... said he's not a technician and could not give me any information.
he said to call next monday if i need info about Nova.

just FYI i still have to get answer to my email since last week even if this Monday I sent a "kindly reminder"

I always get answers and even follow ups to make sure that I got the information I needed when I got in touch with O3. I suppose you get what you paid for and you deserve what you paid.

 

[elZub]

I see...

last week I sent email to Northen divers, also a UK drysuit maker, we started chatting by email all day long... I never felt I was bothering them, probably this Seaskin is a really a small shop who decide to put all effort on make drysuit, cutting out the customer service.
more I read and Dig, and more is going to confirm it.

my question is:

You Have to do the order by yourself.
but in case of problem and warranty issue, does seaskin help and follow the customer during all the process, from gethering all the info, RMA, repair and return?

 

[lexvil]

I see...

last week I sent email to Northen divers, also a UK drysuit maker, we started chatting by email all day long... I never felt I was bothering them, probably this Seaskin is a really a small shop who decide to put all effort on make drysuit, cutting out the customer service.
more I read and Dig, and more is going to confirm it.

my question is:

You Have to do the order by yourself.
but in case of problem and warranty issue, does seaskin help and follow the customer during all the process, from gethering all the info, RMA, repair and return?

You can just go talk to them, many times for the money saved