New standard in gun dealer non-service!

[El Tejon]

I have been purchasing firearms from SAMCO Global Arms for decades now. They have sent me dozens upon dozens of guns over the years. No problems with my money or my licenses over the years. Granted I'm not buying 100s of guns at a time, but every few months I go nuts and buy a firearm from them.

Today I receive a refund notice from SAMCO from an order last month (that I have been waiting on). SAMCO attempted to send a rifle to my home address even though they know darn well that I am never home and all guns are sent to my office.

I call SAMCO. I introduce myself and explain what they did wrong in two languages. No lo evie a mi casa. No estoy alli. Envielo a mi oficina. Just like the other 50 times!!!:banghead:

Get this, the woman on the phone said she was really busy and had no time to reorder my rifle (a Swiss K31) and make a customer happy. As well, all the supervisors were busy. I was welcome to call tomorrow.

Only in the gun business. Only in the gun business could they treat me lower than coins that fall out of a whale's pocket. Only in the gun business could they treat someone who has been doing business with you for nearly 20 years as if I was a bum wanting a free sandwhich. Only in the gun business could they spit on me and think that it is normal.

I am still in shock. Something must be done about these gun dealers and their ways of doing "business." See ya, SAMCO. I'll take my business elsewhere, if anyone else is interested in making money (which I doubt in this industry).:banghead:

 

[ArmedBear]

Only in the gun business. Only in the gun business could they treat me lower than coins that fall out of a whale's pocket. Only in the gun business could they treat someone who has been doing business with you for nearly 20 years as if I was a bum wanting a free sandwhich. Only in the gun business could they spit on me and think that it is normal.

Try the surfing business. Of course, that depends on whether, at any given time, pop culture has decided that surfers are the coolest things since refrigeration, or "so last year." This impacts consumer spending -- strange, really, for a sport that takes a lot of commitment and time to learn, but so it is. Sometimes, they're glad that someone who has a few bucks has actually come into the store. Other times, some pimple-faced kid treats you like persona non grata for wanting to order a board.

Thanks for the heads up. And you ARE doing something by posting this.

 

[El Tejon]

Let's hope so.

Right now I have that stunned, disoriented feeling so coming when dealing with gun sellers. What, who, where, why . . . .

 

[Phil DeGraves]

Haven't dealt with car insurance companies lately, have you? Or lawyers? Or fast food restaurants? Only in the gun business? Get real!

 

[dogtown tom]

She may have been a temp. I would give them another chance.

There are gunshops here in Dallas (Bachman's) that I'll never spend another dime in because of rude treatment by the OWNER. Since a buddy experienced the same treatment there I crossed them off my list.

Edited to add:

Wal Mart, however, has someone at the door to greet me with a smile!

 

[Flintlock Tom]

"I have been purchasing firearms from SAMCO Global Arms for decades now. They have sent me dozens upon dozens of guns over the years. No problems with my money or my licenses over the years."

So decades of good service and "dozens upon dozens" of problem-free transactions all get washed away by one frustrating phone conversation?
You're setting an unreasonably high standard for any vendor to meet.
IMO.

 

[Cougfan2]

I find poor quality customer service is usually a top down issue. If the owners treat their employees shabbily, the employees will treat their customers the same way.

I do think a calm reasoned letter to the President of the company is in order if this might just be a one off issue with the person you were dealing with. I've had business owners THANK ME for telling them about a negative experience with an employee.

 

[El Tejon]

Flintlock, yes, I don't suffer fools gladly. However, I will write them a letter and report back.

If I were a betting man I would bet heavily on being ignored. The gun industry does not have a great repuation for customer service.

 

[Bottom Gun]

You need to ensure the employee you spoke with gets the proper recognition from her management.
No excuse for poor service.

 

[AJ Dual]

Unfortunately I think the firearms buisness is governed by a negative self-selecting principle.

(And yes, I know there's exceptions, some of them are posters on this board, and I'm thankful for them!…)

In essence, anyone with the business accumen to run a gun store with sterling organization and customer service also has the business accumen to not get into the gun business in the first place.

I don't know it for a fact, but I strongly suspect that those independent dealers who run great stores, have good prices, and have great service also have some sort of compensating factor, or a "catch". Like they live in an area with an unusualy low cost of living, or they're a "kitchen table" FFL with low/no overhead. Or they operate in the midst of an unsualy dense pro-RKBA pocket. Perhaps they are financial secure and "retired" from their first job. Or maybe they have a corner on a specific product, gun, or market that lets them draw on well-heeled customers/buisness from nation-wide.

 

[Odd Job]

Only in the gun business could they treat me lower than coins that fall out of a whale's pocket.

That just got added to my list of must-have and must-use (at least once) sayings.

 

[ArmedBear]

It's also a fact that Federal, State and County licensing, among other things, are barriers to entering the firearms business.

Gun dealers may be personally Pro-2A, but they also benefit directly from gun laws. Were it not for GCA68, we'd likely be buying guns from the local Ace Hardware or even Home Depot.

As it stands, there's limited competition, compared to, say, other sporting goods, tools, or other analogous markets.

 

[El Tejon]

Hey, I remember my dad buying guns from Ace Hardware (long ago when dinosaurs roamed the earf, aka the '70s).

 

[strambo]

I wouldn't say the competition is limited, especially with big chains like walmart/ joes etc.

Small gunstore cannot hope to compete on prices. As it is, profit margins are way, way smaller on firearms than other retail goods. And they cost so much to keep in inventory. I think AJ Dual's statement is more accurate:

In essence, anyone with the business accumen to run a gun store with sterling organization and customer service also has the business accumen to not get into the gun business in the first place.

And, the BATFE can harrass you out of business easily if they feel like it. They just need to find a few inevitable mistakes in the confusing paperwork and pull the FFL.

That doesn't happen in other retail stores (OK, liquor too). There aren't any Federal knick-knack dealer licenses!

 

[Seminole]

Haven't dealt with car insurance companies lately, have you? Or lawyers (emphasis added by Seminole)?

Heh, heh, heh. . . ! Now that's funny!

Go ahead and tell him, El T.

 

[MACDEWY]

I've had good luck with southern ohio gun.

 

[Regolith]

Hey, I remember my dad buying guns from Ace Hardware (long ago when dinosaurs roamed the earf, aka the '70s).

The Ace Hardware in my hometown still sells firearms. They're the only FFL in town.

 

[dm1333]

I stopped buying ammo from Samco a while ago because it was always a hassle and something always went wrong.

 

[arthurcw]

Quote:

Haven't dealt with car insurance companies lately, have you? Or lawyers (emphasis added by Seminole)?

Heh, heh, heh. . . ! Now that's funny!

Go ahead and tell him, El T.

*Snort* didn't catch that the first time.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

Customer Loyalty is turning more flippant these days both from the company's standpoint and the customer's. Samco isn't a mom and pop shop but even still after your steam has blown over go ahead and give samco a call and smooth it over.

 

[elrod]

Personally, I expect good service from someone who hopes I will spend my money at their place of business. I expect that person behind the counter to actually know which end of the gun emits bullets. I expect courtsey, because I have given them courtsey. I will give them a reasonable profit for a reasonable product. After all, they are not government employees. Not yet, anyway.

 

[Harry Paget Flashman]

Hey, I remember my dad buying guns from Ace Hardware (long ago when dinosaurs roamed the earf, aka the '70s).

- El Tejon

Actually, you have the your epochs and eras messed up a bit. This is quite common in younger folks. Dinosaurs were extinct on the Earf before the 70's. I know, I grew up in the 50's and watched their decline due to Global Colding. See? Even Gore got that all wrong.

 

[joplinsks]

Today I receive a refund notice from SAMCO from an order last month (that I have been waiting on). SAMCO attempted to send a rifle to my home address even though they know darn well that I am never home and all guns are sent to my office.

Dumb question, but I presume you clearly notified them to ship this specific order to your office?

 

[gezzer]

SAMCO attempted to send a rifle to my home address even though they know darn well that I am never home and all guns are sent to my office

Not for nothing but just what address is on your FFL's. Most will only ship to that address and so what if ATF says you can specify another address to ship to,.

That sounds like a try at diverting a firearm shipment to me. You think BATFE will be hassle free on that transaction?

 

[2RCO]

Not for nothing but just what address is on your FFL's. Most will only ship to that address and so what if ATF says you can specify another address to ship to,.

Gezzer you beat me to the punch!

Talk about the gun business-- What about Doctors? My wife goes to a doctor that is consistently 2 hours late to appointments. We keep him because he is good at what he does. The service sucks though!