Anybody want to REALLY know what AKA's customer service is about?

[AzrealDarkmoonZ]

I am quite surprised at the letter, since every dealing I have had with anyone associated with AKA has been helpful to the extreme.

I have called several times in regards to my Viking, talked with a tech for several minutes on possible fixes, did not care to spend some time with me to make me feel satisified. That being said I have never talked to Eileen at any length.

Also, I find several interesting things in this thread, mainly peoples different change in buying habits from this, before you judge may I ask that you call up AKA, or one otheir dealers. In my opinion the Viking is one of the best bang for the buck markers. AKA proved that to me at IAO, when I just walked between Palmer and AKA admiring the markers and talking to them and then I was able to shoot their markers there, and that made them several sales.

Az

[cledford]

Originally posted by AzrealDarkmoonZ

Also, I find several interesting things in this thread, mainly peoples different change in buying habits from this, before you judge may I ask that you call up AKA, or one otheir dealers. In my opinion the Viking is one of the best bang for the buck markers. AKA proved that to me at IAO, when I just walked between Palmer and AKA admiring the markers and talking to them and then I was able to shoot their markers there, and that made them several sales.

Az

I am generally very impressed with AKA products. I think that for the most part they turn out an excellent markers and parts. Their business sense (attitude or what term is best here...) in my opinion has always been what was weak. I posted this in the AKA forum as, but it is worth saying here. AKA seems to project an image that when you buy their product you buying into a family or club - which is how they manage their relationships with customers. Overall, I get a sense that they have a perception that they (AKA) is doing us a favor by selling to us, not that we're doing them a favor by purchasing from them. Couple that with the "family" attitude and if you cross them, watch out! You are disowned! Frankly, I purchased a marker, not a membership to a club. I expect the marker (and accessories) work and work well - based on how much I paid. (If we were talking about a spyder that would be another matter entirely) Furthermore, I expect to be treated like a valued customer, who's time, money and patience is a precious thing to not be squandered. If I were an "easy goin" member of the "family" who wasn't concerned about the marker being down, the non functional $95 dollar investment, or the multiple trips to the post office & shipping fees - this could have gone a while longer, I may have ended up with a SCM that worked, and would have retained my "membership" in the club known as AKA. Unfortunately, I wasn't willing to be laid back beyond a resonable point, or continue to ship things indefinitely around the country on my dime, so I tried to send that message in my letter - "please fix this now, it should have worked, and definitely should have worked the second time, ENSURE it works the next time."

Evidently that is not what is expected of the "family " members. What the don't seem to grasp is that I am a CUSTOMER.

-Calvin

[FallNAngel]

I think you mean "ENSURE it works the next time", right? Either way, what would the timm.. I mean, spyder not working have to do with it? I mean, I know you get what you pay for, but if they sell me a product saying it's going to work, it damn well better. Even moreso if I have to send it in several times to be "fixed".

[cledford]

Originally posted by FallNAngel
I think you mean "ENSURE it works the next time", right? Either way, what would the timm.. I mean, spyder not working have to do with it? I mean, I know you get what you pay for, but if they sell me a product saying it's going to work, it damn well better. Even moreso if I have to send it in several times to be "fixed".

Good call Fixed...

-Calvin

[abunkerer]

whoa! ... Here take your money! we don't want it, and we don't want your bussiness either! ...


I agree with whoever said "send copies of both letters to the president of AKA". Sounds to me like someone was letting their personal life interfere with their good bussiness sense. Executives don't like it when their customer service deptartment giving the customers "attitude".
I'd definately send the letters in and see what happens. You'd probably get a free(working)scm, and whoever sent that ridiculous letter to you will hopefully get canned.

This thread is costing AKA a lot of money, Im sticking with my emag!

[~WarpedRT#2~]

You are all forgetting one important thing. Who cares if he set the SCM wrong? Who cares if he hit it with a hammer and jumped up and down on it? The point is, HOW THEY HANDLED THE PROBLEM. Forget AKA, I wont touch a Viking now. I've heard there are problems with Excals with the noids overheating or something. Either way, forget them.

[Jack & Coke]

That's pretty sad... I think AKA OWES you an apology and should beg you to come back!

They probably had no idea of how much PR damage their insulting letter would generate.

If they had any integrity, they would have gotten off their bums to help solve your problem.

If they were smart, they would have come to terms that they produced a lemon reg and just shipped you a band new SCM (latest generation) - one that was tested and works. You would have been happy and probably posted on the forums about how great their cumstomer service was.

LOL! now look what happened!

I have a lot of guns, and although I have rarely had to deal with any problems, I must say from my experience, the BEST customer service has been DYE. AGE, Tippmann, and BLAST come in a close second place.

Good luck, maybe they'll come to their senses and help you solve your SCM problem...

[cphilip]

Originally posted by abunkerer
...This thread is costing AKA a lot of money, Im sticking with my emag!

They weren't gonna get no money from me anyway.... But then again they weren't gonna get bad mouthed too much from me before this either. I would have a neutral stance on them... up until now.

In this case It comes from a very credible scource. So its gonna hurt very much for them to do this to someone I respect and trust. Up until now Calvin has always been very supportive of them even with the issues he has had. So this is more credible than most any other reports to me.

[Jack & Coke]

Also, you're dealing with company that thinks that a blow forward gun is a short to medium range gun.

Remember this thread?

Automag get no love...

[GT]

Am I the only one that is higly offended at the 1/2 "ace'd" attempt at a refund? it was what 95 bucks and they sent 80ish your way, that my friends is piss poor....

[Muzikman]

Originally posted by Jack & Coke
Also, you're dealing with company that thinks that a blow forward gun is a short to medium range gun.

Remember this thread?

Automag get no love...

AKA started their life as a HUGE hype company. The odd part was that a lot of their hype became true. Mainly that their guns were very efficient. Although I do like the Viking, I was very turned off by them as a company back at the 2002 IAO when I sat through their "Tech class" which was more of a sales pitch. This kinda annoyed me. I wanted to know how their guns worked, not that they can throw a sales pitch. Although I think they still make some decent products and I will continue to use some of them. I will not just suggest AKA products as freely as I have in the past.

[cphilip]

Good point there about refund. I mean if you going to tell someone not to buy your product any more the LEAST you can do is offer to buy the whole marker back. What good does even paying him back for a bad part if it makes the whole marker inoperable?

[Phil]

I am currently considering what my new gun will be. I am trying to decide between another Angel, Viking or New Shocker. This letter is making me seriously consider removing the Viking from my choices.

In my business I deal with hundreds of customers daily and as the General Manager I deal with all of the unhappy customers. First of all the way you were treated was completely unacceptable. Secondly the powers that be are not always aware of how their subordinates act at all times. I would be willing to bet that the owner/manager is not aware of how you were dealt with and would appreciate you bringing it to their attention. If that person worked for me I would fire her immediately and I would send you a free SCM that I personally verified worked correctly.

Just because one employee is bad doesn't mean that the whole company is bad. Call and talk with the person in charge and see what they say and let us know.

[fallout11]

Cledford's nasty return note was signed by Eileen Alexander, head of Sales for AKA.
That's not the work of some surly company flunky....he was stonked by management.

[Phil]

Everyone is a flunky unless its their signature on the paychecks. She should be terminated for sending that letter.