I had a customer bring back a rod to me today that has never been fished with since he picked it up from me two weeks ago. He came in with about 8'' of rod in one hand and the handle section in the other hand saying he had a warranty claim.

The rod was in his boat and he said whe he left to go fishing in the morning the rod was laying on the floor with the tip broken. He said the rod shouldn't have broke and it must have been defective and said I should build him a new one.

After explaining to him that I that the "air or night time weather" couldn't have possibly caused his rod to break that something or someone caused his rod to break and that it wouldn't be covered under warranty.

Come to find out he had the rod in a rod holder standing up and he parked the boat under his carport and didn't notice that it had broken until he left to go fishing that morning.

Still, after he realized and admitted it was his own fault he still wanted me to replace the rod at no cost to him and said that if he would have bought a rod at Academy he would already have a new one and said he was never going to do business with me again.

All in all if he wouldn't have given me the run around and and lied to me about not knowing how it broke I would have made him another one at a greatly reduced price but after he demanded another one at no charge I explained to him in very nice words that next time he wanted to buy another rod that to please give me a call and I would tell him how to get to Bill Stevens shop and he would build him one just as good as he can get at Academy.

I definately needed a break from building after he left.

Lance,

You might also have told him that if you only had a few dollars and some cheap materials in your line of custom rods you could certainly just give him another one at no charge. But that due to the level of quality and performance and the many hours you had in hand crafting it, you cannot simply give him a freebie for a break that he caused.

Frankly, you haven't lost anything but a headache. That guy is not the sort of client that a custom rod builder wants or needs.

..........

You Beast! I wish I knew how to cut and paste the jumping monkey from the new email software! I can not believe that one found you first! Why didn't you tape the tip back on - then it would have tape on both ends! How many Krispi Creme donuts did you eat last night after the crabmeat stuffed quail?

Excellent point Tom!!!!

Bill in WV

Sending him to Bill would serve him right (the customerr, not Bill)

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

If he has any cash left send him on down! I will give him a deal he can not refuse.

I will not tell him that the rods on the bargain shelf use the RPM building concept -

Not revolutions per minute -

Rods Per Minute!!

They come with a splicing kit and tube of 5 minute epoxy!

Please no hate mail - just having fun! Friday You Know!

Gon Fishn



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/2006 07:05PM by Bill Stevens.

A guy who drives a custom rod into a carport should be fishing with Ugly Stix anyway.

"I explained to him in very nice words that next time he wanted to buy another rod that to please give me a call and I would tell him how to get to Bill Stevens shop and he would build him one just as good as he can get at Academy"

Watch out Lance...Academy may sue you for slander after that remark.


Andy Dear
Lamar Fishing Products

Dear Mr. Dupree. If Mr. Andy Dear attempts to purchase any split grips from your stock I will offer double the price for any he may try to purchase. I will pay cash up front! By the way Mr. Dear did you recently download new Microsoft partnered Email Graphics Programs with Jumping Icons?

Don't knock Ugly Sticks cause when they go out the door they don't come back. I rue the day when my stock of them is gone. Jesse

My point exactly Jesse.

Lance, that bites. Dealing with those types can suck the life out of you. Kinda sounds like my kid. "honest, I woke up and my CD player was all taken apart.. I think the cat learned how to use a screwdriver"

Jesse, you wouldn't happen to have any light to UL Uglies that you'd want to part with by chance?

Hey guys~ the customrod builders just get a few of those type of customers. What about the warrenty departments a Lamiglas and GLoomis to name a few. They get these guys all the time. I believe these companies give a class on company complaints. The class involves how to make the custermer feel proud, that he is a idiot to trying to pull the wool over the companies eyes. When the problem was totally his. So when the guy leave he is smiling and in his hand is a new rod that he just bought. There used to be a warrenty person at a rod manufacture who was known as the Natze (spelled wrong) This person would literally call the guy and idiot for pulling such a stunt. Claiming that his rod broke becouse of a manufcturing defect.. When it was quite obvice it was the customers who was at fault.
Good Wraps Bob

I have had to change the way that I do business as a result of Mr. Dupree's actions!

When a new customer arrives at my door I now have to prequalify him by the following.

Hello my name is Bill Stevens with Gon Fishn Rods - very happy to meet you - what is your name?

Hi Joe who referred you to my shop?

If his answer is Lance Dupree with Swampland Rods!!

HIT THE DOOR BUBBA!!