Poll - Customer service in the golf industry

[billyg]

Right,

here we go.

Three part poll.

A) Experiences of service- overall good or bad
B) Best manufacturer for customer service (i'm gonna come unstuck here as I'm bound to miss a few- (bespoke, remote Japanese marques aside)- and I left out putter specialists
c) Worst manufacturer etc.

 

[GB72]

First to vote on here so thought I would add some detail.

Small companies, I have found, have given me excellent service. In a close run thing I voted for Orka who have kept in constant contact, given good advice, given me soem great deals and discounts and really seem to want to build a long term relationship. After an issue with one of their club makers they even made me a full set of irons made to my spec to try for a couple of months before I bought them.

Have to also say that I would have voted for GoKart if they were on the list. Nothing is too much trouble for them and, again, they seem to really care what the customer thinks. This has gone as far as picking up my wife's trolley, fitting it with all of the upgraded parts introduced since she purchased and bringing it back all free of charge. Only took 4 days but they also offered a loaner whilst they had the trolley.

My recent dealings with Benross have also been posted on here.

Compare this to the many companies who do not even acknowledge emails. I singled out Titleist because I tried to claim on the guarantee to replace any NXT Extreme that cut up during play with 3 new ones. Took over a month and much chasing to get a result.

I would assume that the companies selling at lower prices have tighter margins but still seem to offer good customer service whilst the larger manufacturers seem convinced that people will continue to buy based on reputation alone.

 

[Parmo]

A - Good
B - Mizuno
C - Hippo due to os4 crap bag

 

[TonyN]

Good,

Only reall bought Callaway stuff, Had a 7 iron that came loose at the hozel, Callaway ummed and arred at fixing it because they said it would have had to deliberatly have been done to come loose but after a small discussion with AG they accepted it was there fault and sent me a brand new 7 iron.

I also bought a callaway stand bag that cost me 60 quid, split on the inside (prob my fault for packing to much in) but I got it swapped on the warrenty for the latest standbag!

 

[Ken_A]

I must admit I have big names in the bag - but for my life in general I use small RELIABLE companies.

I run a small company and I bend over backwards for my customers - I don’t have to but in the end they pay my wages and I am not a turd. The big companies who make you a number and employ people to read the pre-prepared paperwork on how to solve every problem really p155 me off.

I have a big ongoing gripe with a reseller of goods - I will write about it soon until then I can only say that Yess replaced my putter no problem when the shaft started to pitt. It was my fault for not drying it over the winter but they (and AG) where great.

 

[Nico]

I voted for good service because I wanted to be positive. Think its worthwhile relating my tale.

Had a set of (2nd hand) Ping Nickel ISI's which had been discontinued because they were so expensive that they didnt sell.
Had them and rest of my kit nicked from the locker room at my club.
Even tho discontinued they found a set of heads in the USA,flew them to the UK and built them up to my spec,all within 2 weeks!
Contrast that with Titleist who had my driver in stock in the UK and took 6 weeks to deliver. That is not my only poor Titleist experience,rubbish uncaring people!

 

[viscount17]

Couldn't vote for good manufacturer service as I've never dealt directly with any of them.
Voted Hippo worst due to poor quality G350 bag

no online stores to vote on and affordablegolf are I hope, currently dealing with the Hippo bag. Only had it 3 months and linings were coming out and one zip had broken.

 

[viscount17]

stop press: affordablegolf have come through.
Hippo bag returned (posted Tuesday), ag called Thursday pm to finalise details. New Wilson bag expected early next week.

Good one Ryan

 

[forefortheday]

Had very good experiences with Affordable golf,

First time I ordered a wedge for £30 only just started playing so didn't want to spend a fortune they called me to say wedge wasn't in stock so would I like a shop used wedge (they told me it had 1 mark on the back of the face) that should have been £50 got the wedge 2 days later and there wasn't a thing wrong with it!

Also ordered some headcovers (yes I know) again not in stock so would I like the more expensive ones for the same price?

In contrast spent about £250 in DG the other month what did I get?? a "free" headcover for my Cobra dws that I'd just bought!

 

[HTL]

I love Affordable Golf the customer service is awesome and the prices are lowest by far on Wilson Staff gear.

When I bought my new driver a bloke phoned me up for a chat on what shaft I had picked as he thought it would be too soft for me as I had picked a regular shaft with a 9 degree club head. And how right he was I need a stiff shaft for my swing speed.

They are a great website, shame they don’t stock more quality gear instead of a million animal head covers and football tees.

 

[GB72]

Latest poor report from me is on Powakaddy. Emailed them last week about the brake on the Twinline 3 trolley (even if you tighten the bolts the brake still moves and lets the trolley roll away on some hills). Not even had an acknowledgement

 

[billyg]

Well,

it's pleasing to see that so far the overwhelming feeling is that the service side of things looks rosey @ 95%

As far as manufacturers it looks pretty good for Ping and to a lesser extent Mizuno and a few others yet not so good for TM and Titleist.

Make of that what you will.

bill

 

[TonyN]

In contrast spent about £250 in DG the other month what did I get?? a "free" headcover for my Cobra dws that I'd just bought!

Dont you hate that! When I bought my first driver, Cobra F-Speed the guy was like, al throw in this free head cover aswell, no extra charge, You mean the one that cobra sent with the club that says cobra F-Speed???

 

[GB72]

In contrast spent about £250 in DG the other month what did I get?? a "free" headcover for my Cobra dws that I'd just bought!

Dont you hate that! When I bought my first driver, Cobra F-Speed the guy was like, al throw in this free head cover aswell, no extra charge, You mean the one that cobra sent with the club that says cobra F-Speed???

Has improved now but it used to be that if you bought a club in a Direct Golf store then they charged you £10.00 for the head cover.

 

[vig]

I seem to recall that a salesman in DG told me that they would give an extra years "warranty" with club if I bought a head cover ????????

 

[forefortheday]

Told me I would get a 2 year warranty without the headcover!

Yeah right can you imagine going back 14 months after buying the club trying to return it........

"But the 12 year old on work experience told me I could"

And they charged me £4 for a bucket of balls to try some rescues out with!

(Worst of it is I'll be back there next week for a new putter!)

 

[mboy1980]

Titleist don't seem to give a toss about the market outside the USA.

Just try to go on to their website to locate a custom fitter in the UK.

You are unable to find anywhere because you don't have the right "Zip code".Well as far as I'm concerned they can stick their Zip code where the sun don't shine.

Personally I have found Ping to be very good.

 

[viscount17]

fortheday I can only think you have a bad dg up your way.
I've had to exchange a couple of things at dg cambridge and didn't even need the receipt. they just looked it up in their records. they also hand out ball tokens if you even look at a club!

 

[theeaglehunter]

yea I can vouch for that Viscount, when I bought my cart bag from there they honoured the 20% discount that was being offered the previous month because that is when I first enquired about the bag. The customer service there really is brilliant.

 

[backwoodsman]

Found it hard to vote for best as I don't buy that much stuff and as most of it does what it's supposed to & doen't break, I don't have that much need for their "services". Put worst as Taylormade - despite several emails, never got any response at all on the one gripe I have had.