[pct-l] Reality Inflation

[jjolson@uwyo.edu (Jeffrey Olson)]

I e-mailed feather friends last summer a month or so before I was going to spend a month on the CDT.  I inquired about how long it would take to receive a sleeping bag if I ordered it right away.  Ten days later I got a humorous reply back apologizing that it had taken so long to respond to my query.  I was a little disgusted and dropped the idea of purchasing a bag from them.

I had a similar experience with TA Enterprises who sell high quality replacement poles for tents.  I wanted to upgrade from fiberglass to Easton 7075-T9 for my walrus mosquito tent.  I got the feeling that the owner was not interested in my business.  I tried ordering the poles online, talked to the owner on the telephone, all to no avail.  I did not feel valued, as a customer.  The
guy was nice enough on the phone.  Just no follow through.

The one thing about REI and EMS, is that they have their customer service act down cold.  Perhaps it's the individual owner trying to do it all, or a "loose and friendly" work environment that lets customer service protocols go lax, or allows a slight exaggeration of weights.  Whatever the case may be, there seem to be enough companies out there who have the long view and realize that
a routine, momentary effort and potential short term cost is made up for by the increased business absolute integrity generates.

Even in my "deal hunting" frame of reference, I find I'll pay more to shop at a store where someone has treated me with the utmost respect and honesty.  I'll go back.  But they have to do it once.

Jeffrey Olson
Laramie, Wyoming

Ken Kaplan wrote:

> Having impugned the reputation of Feathered Friends, a word in their favor: they told me the bag would take 6 to 8 weeks to deliver. They had it at my door in 3 weeks. And the quality of workmanship looks very high.
>
> I think forums like this are a better remedy than law suits for this sort of thing. Businesses live and die on reputation, and the internet gets the word out with amazing efficiency. A single offhand remark on a highly specialized newsgroup can bust or boom a company's stock, and sway a lot of buying decisions. That kind of power is a hell of a lot more lightweight than the courts.
> _________________