By Daryl Allan
From Sierra Vista, AZ
Jul 18, 2012
| Sorry if I came across as attacking you; that wasn't my intention. I did read the posts and I even put the entire thing as a hypothetical situation to a coworker who actually sided with you in the sense that he would have asked for the discount and would have been offended by his response. That being said, he also stated that posting the private emails up was a bit over the top but that's bridge/water at this point (well, it all kinda is).
Agreed, it's dead. I just felt like Kevin has earned the few of us that feel like I do to post up and share our thoughts. I just can't bring myself to find any offense in his tone. There's certainly no grounds for concluding that anyone was "treated like a total piece of shit" and I just don't see anything that can be construed as "horrific". I've seen horrific customer service.. and THIS aint it! :)
If your post was to genuinely warn people of a possible malevolent merchant, I see your OP as genuine and with good intent. However if you feel that Fixe or Kevin specifically should incur a loss of business due to your experience then I believe your emotions have driven you too far in the wrong direction. Only you know which it was. Either way, you seem upset and although I wouldn't be, I (and others as well) understand and perhaps that's all you needed to hear from the beginning. | 
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By Geir
From Tucson, AZ
Jul 18, 2012
| Daryl Allan wrote: So this entire thing is because of this?? ---------------------- From: Kevin Daniels @ Fixe Hardware To: Me No, Sorry but I cant honor that or I will be honoring something every darn day. kevin THAT is offensive?? Even if i had never dealt with Kevin/Fixe before, if that was the first email I had ever received from him, I think I would have to force myself to find that offensive, rude, or anything less than someone treating me like a person and not insulting me by putting me on some superficial pedestal just to cuddle and pamper me. Unreal.. "move along"
+1000
Additionally, the all-caps title and the use of the adjective "horrific" hardly fits the situation. At worst he was a little bit blunt.
And yes, I read the whole thread.
(Edit to add that I see that Daryl has posted again as I wrote this, another +1) |
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By Daryl Allan
From Sierra Vista, AZ
Jul 18, 2012
| Many folks are talking about using other companies or rather NOT buying from FIXE because of Kenan's experience. I, personally, don't think that any large company would do this:
Re: Your FixeHardware Order
6 messages
Daryl Wed, Jan 21, 2009 at 9:01 PM
To: sales@fixehardware.com
Hi guys,
Somehow the shipping rate went through as the "3 Day Select"
($29.80) and i intended for it to be the "UPS Ground" ($19.53) option.
I selected it but maybe i clicked wrong or something. Is it possible
to change that before billing/shipping?
Thanks,
Daryl
FIXE Hardware Wed, Jan 21, 2009 at 11:14 PM
To: Daryl
howdy
yes i will send it ground and refund you the diffrence
do you need anything else ?
kevin
Daryl Thu, Jan 22, 2009 at 7:30 AM
To: FIXE Hardware
A new drill... lol.. just kidding. No, that will do it this time. How much longer do you think you'll have the hanger special? Just till these are gone? Are there allot left? I wanted to stock up.
Thanks,
Daryl
FIXE Hardware Thu, Jan 22, 2009 at 8:49 AM
To: Daryl
i would get them now
kevin
Just thought I would post something positive..
d |
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By Kenan
Jul 18, 2012
| Geir wrote: +1000 Additionally, the all-caps title and the use of the adjective "horrific" hardly fits the situation. At worst he was a little bit blunt. And yes, I read the whole thread. (Edit to add that I see that Daryl has posted again as I wrote this, another +1)
Alright. I concede that the subject line of the post was dramatic and has probably added unnecessary fuel to the fire. I have edited it in hopes of helping this come to an end. I still feel strongly about what happened, but enough is enough. |
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By Spri
Jul 18, 2012
| Kenan wrote: No, it wasn't just that. Did you read the post? It was his subsequent message that I felt was over-the-top.
Right, but there is a reason that his subsequent one escalated. It's because you were rude in your response:
Wow, I must say that I'm a bit shocked by your response. Could I not just return them and buy them at the discounted price from Mountain Gear?
-Eric
What are you supposed to say to someone that says that they want to buy them from a different company because they failed to compare prices? That's just downright insulting on your part, yet you act like his response is out of the blue. |
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By Red
From Arizona
Jul 18, 2012
| +1 Daryl, Spri, and Geir.
Kenan, you're overreacting. |
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By Red
From Arizona
Jul 18, 2012
| Geir wrote: Additionally, the all-caps title and the use of the adjective "horrific" hardly fits the situation. At worst he was a little bit blunt.
At least he adjusted that. |
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By coreylee
From Berkeley, CA
Jul 18, 2012
| Sounds like you need an attorney. |
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By Russ Walling
From www.FishProducts.com
Jul 18, 2012
| You want HORRIFIC????? Wait till that a-hole at FISH Products drops a steamer in your inbox! That dude is a bastard!!
(Hi Kevin!) |
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By Dave M Snyder
From Joshua Tree, CA
Jul 18, 2012
| Kenan, there wasn't anything rude about his response and he didn't treat you like a "piece of shit" as you said.
I'd delete the thread, it's silly. |
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By Geir
From Tucson, AZ
Jul 18, 2012
| Russ Walling wrote: You want HORRIFIC????? Wait till that a-hole at FISH Products drops a steamer in your inbox! That dude is a bastard!! (Hi Kevin!)
Hahahaha Russ! |
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By Fall Guy
Jul 18, 2012
| I always buy bolts from FIXE and still will but please beat me with a baseball bat if I ever buy one of those POS aliens from them. Mythos and Aliens, there should be a club. |
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By Lukasz M Fidkowski
Jul 18, 2012
| I had a great experience ordering Aliens from Kevin. They were delivered fast and he helped me out when I messed up and forgot to order expedited shipping online (I needed them for an upcoming trip). |
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By Leeroy
Jul 18, 2012
| Dave M Snyder wrote: Kenan, there wasn't anything rude about his response and he didn't treat you like a "piece of shit" as you said. I'd delete the thread, it's silly.
I don't know what century you guys are living in but that kind of customer service is not what it takes to compete in today's market place.
While I agree it wasn't horrific customer service his attitude was certainly bad enough that I'd never give him any more business if I was Kenan.
His follow up in this thread and his attempt to trash the competition with unsubstantiated claims is enough for ME to never buy another piece of Fixe hardware.
It takes more than just being part of the good old boys club to make it these days and Kevin's attitude is one that I see often in brick and mortar gear shops. You notice how well most of those are doing these days. You either compete in the new market place or you spend the rest of your life bitching about how the internet ran you out of business. |
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By Scotty Nelson
From Boulder
Jul 18, 2012
| +1 for Kevin Daniels. So what if he's a little rough around the edges, the man still delivers. |
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By cbr
Jul 18, 2012
| +1 here, too. Ordered some anchors from this guy last year - and when i called to check on the status of the order he was a total a**hole to me as well. Never again.
Fixe has good gear - but they need a new distributor. |
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By DBarton
From CENTENNIAL, CO
Jul 18, 2012
| Delta Bravo wrote: I call bullshit on that, son: Kevin, I got the aliens in the mail today. I also got a MountainGear catalog that has them on sale for $59.99 each! DOH! Will you honor this discount? If so, I'd like to use the difference ($20 each on 3 cams = $60) to get the yellow alien. So maybe you can just send that one my way as well? Hate to be a pain but that's a huge savings, so I'm hoping you'll honor it. Thanks very much, Eric AFTER the transaction you come back with "HONORING" a sale price he had nothing to do with and even lay out just how he could give you free shit. No, it takes a bit more than a 3rd grade education to understand that this is flat out ethically wrong. Not the asking if he'll help you out part, nothing wrong there as long as you're going with the idea that the worse he can say is no. But you essentially demand reimbursement by taking it to the point of asking him to honor another outfits lower price, laying out the best way he facilitate you, and then dropping the 'I'll spray' bomb. All I see from him is typical business methods. A bit heavy on the mark-up? Perhaps. Is he all sensitive and shit? No. Is he more responsible to his retail clients than a direct buy? I would assume so. If I were him I'd just shut down direct sales altogether and be strictly wholesale. I'd still love to hear what biz you're in, btw.
WOW, I am failing to see why you are taking this so personally. As someone who worked in sales and customer service for a few years, I can say that keeping individual customers happy is much more important than holding on to a measly $80. More than that it isn't hard at all to tactfully respond to this sort of request. Anyway, the real issue here is the service. The dude from fixe was a total asshole in the emails and the OP is trying to do the only thing he can, out him in a climbing forum. I fully agree with the OP. Fixe is not legally obligated to honor other sales, but they should be nice to their buying customers at the very least. I would lose my shit as well if someone responded to me this way after I just purchased their product.
When I worked in sales I always tried my best to accommodate every customer that took the time to reach out to me. It is also common for most retailers to share this same sentiment. The customer is always right. There is no business sense in pissing them off.
Delta, what kind of business do you take part in where the bottom line always comes before the customer, banking?
DB |
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By Trad Nanny
Jul 19, 2012
| I don't think anyone can disagree that Kevin's emails were unprofessional. I was going to spend $1000+ with FIXE but I got short unfriendly emails with no capitalization and bag grammar when I inquired. It sent up a red flag and I took my business elsewhere for hardware.
On a general note, I can not believe how many half-ass business people there are in the climbing industry. There's a bunch of morons who can't even return their emails in a prompt fashion. It's disgraceful. I especially loathe when the OR Show comes along and no-one can return any messages for two weeks while they play roller hockey in the SLC convention center. I got customers who want answers now and in this day and age with everyone's email/phone at their hip it should happen. I'm sorry if people are busy but it only takes 15 minutes to sort through emails and get back to someone with an answer. Can't handle the pressure? You get too many emails? Then get the hell out of customer service, you don't belong. Don't get me wrong there are some great ones out there but overall it's a bunch of hippy hacks who can't cut it.
Remember Steve Jobs? Yea, the ultra successful genius behind Apple? That guy was a total cock but he would personally answer customer emails to a billion dollar company in a professional and prompt manner. Lessons to live by. |
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By Eric Coffman
Jul 19, 2012
| I think posting this email exchange was a great way to respond to this company's policies. Dont buy from them again. I have read of more people being dissatisfied with this company's service than those that are happy and maybe this thread will help change that. |
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By Killing In The Name Of
Jul 19, 2012
| Eric Coffman wrote: I think posting this email exchange was a great way to respond to this company's policies. Dont buy from them again. I have read of more people being dissatisfied with this company's service than those that are happy and maybe this thread will help change that.
If finding more negativity than positivity on a subject was criterion for making important decisions, I'd reccommend letting your internet service lapse, it'll allow you more freedom from eye/ear pollution.
Relax, stressed-out and rarely-laid MP users. Take your Ritalin. |
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By NYClimber
From Schenectady, NY
Jul 19, 2012
| I'm still with S.P.L.T. Image on that one. It's a poor display of what customer service should be - for any reason - right or wrong. The guy is unprofessional and should be fired. He's a poor representation to Fixe and it's already costing them a loss of customers that were ready to buy their wares and spend their money - which now will go elsewhere. Maybe Kevin doesn't really give a shit? That's his problem. he has a poor attitude IMO.
As I said - all my cam biz goes to BD - I won't buy dirt from Fixe after hearing this. Too many OTHER good companies out there that DO value their customers and want to keep them and/or treat them well instead. Donating vast amounts of money to any organization or cause doesn't't make up for his serious lack of professionalism. Today you have to kiss customers asses to keep them - too much other good competition out there to be had. I used to own my own tattoo business. Don't think I/we didn't have to cater and kiss a lot of asses to keep our customers and in the end keep them from going to XYZ studio. It's just the way it is out there in today's market.
Christ - 7 pgs later - I think this thread has been beaten to shit! No? |
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By Mike Lane
From Centennial, CO
Jul 19, 2012
| DBarton wrote: Delta, what kind of business do you take part in where the bottom line always comes before the customer, banking? DB
Close.
I'm a plumbing/heating/ac contractor.
However, my primary mission as I am licensed by the State is to uphold the Codes to provide for the general health and safety of the public.
Because of that, I am often working for no profit or even at my expense to rescue people who are going through hard times.
So when I get the post-installation 'I think I'll only pay you half, sue me for the rest' bullshit from a client (the wealthier they are the more this happens), that would be why I get pissy with Mr. Douchy Mcpoopy-pants here, who already has backtracked on his inflammatory statements. |
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By FrankPS
From Atascadero, CA
Jul 19, 2012
| Delta Bravo wrote: Mr. Douchy Mcpoopy-pants
Genuis! That title made me chuckle. |
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By Jake Jones
From The Eastern Flatlands
Jul 19, 2012
| The Dread Pirate Killis wrote: Relax, stressed-out and rarely-laid MP users.
It's not my fault. I'm married. |
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By CaptainMo
Administrator
Jul 19, 2012
| It's pretty clear who in this forum has worked in custy service and who hasn't... I would suspect if Kevin could hop in the ol' time machine and rewrite those emails he would at this point.
SPLT - i think it's funny you picked up on the issue before you dropped the $1k @ FIXE. |
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