Midwest Gun Works

[Marlin32]

Anybody do business with this outfit? Let me tell you my little story.
I emailed Midwest Gun Works about some information and pricing on some work I am thinking about doing, I emailed as the services/prices on the website are not exactly what I was wanting. The reply I got back from them was "Prices on the website"

I replied, Gee thanks, I heard of MGW's lack of customer service I will take my business elsewhere.

Today their reply was "You so lazy...see ya"

I am so upset off I can hardly type on this keyboard. Seriously thinking of driving down there and talking to the smug *** who wrote that.

I am not done with these folks. I will persue this sterling example of customer service until I get satisfaction.

I only bring this up as I thought it some what timely as '86er recently experienced some poor customer service. Is this some sort of trend in the hunting/outdoor industry??

And I just wanted to warn anyone of what they are up against if they do business with MGW.

[Mike D.]

I have purchased a bunch of Browning 1886 parts from them and haven't had any problems. I also use Numrich and Western Gun Parts in Canada. WGP sells me parts that "Winchester" won't.

[kaschi]

While you're there, Marlin32, tell them besides manners they should learn better English in their spare time....

[Hobie]

This topic is easy to hijack... Yes, there is generally a trend to rudeness in the business. Lately, they've been able to name their price on many products without repercussions. Unless the Obama administration says something else about gun control the current downward movement in sales will accelerate as the general economy worsens. The shop at which I work is already getting calls from distributors who've suddenly become more solicitous of their customers. We often get comments from customers about the rudeness of the other local stores (sorry colo native but it is true although I know it isn't YOU). Still, it is sometimes the customer...

This past Monday morning I had a customer come in with a rifle he had purchased from our store. On it was mounted a Leupold scope. He was complaining because it was "all fogged up" and not as clear as it had been. I asked to look through it. Looked sharp to me. I then looked at the objective and ocular lens for cleaning scratches. While I was doing this I mentioned that Leupold had a lifetime warranty and that he would likely get much faster service at less cost going direct to them. He then said it was an over the counter warranty (only Swift permitted that) got upset, snatched his rifle from my hands, and left vowing never to return. All this happened in about 30 seconds to a minute. I was told by my boss and the gunsmith that I'd said nothing incorrect. I never said "no we won't take care of it". I never stopped smiling. I never directly disputed anything he said. SOME customers just can't be pleased. Maybe they've been conditioned by visits to other places.

Re-reading the above, I should say something else. Let me make it clear that I am NOT saying that you are such a customer. It seems to me that if you inquire about work not listed that a better answer might have been something like, "Sorry, but we only do what is listed on the site. We suggest you go to ______." Remember that people tend to be overly brief in e-mails. It is as if they are texting and can't be bothered to type a few words.

I know I recommend alternatives when we can't fulfill the customer's request/need. Sometimes we lose a single sale because we don't have an item in stock but we don't lose a customer! It is always surprising to me that so many businesses don't realize that the only thing that separates their product offering from other stores is SERVICE. Smiling, helpful, pleasant service beats perfunctory processing of a sale every time.

[1886]

Sorry to hear about your frustration. I have dealt with them on several occasions. All interactions were positive. 1886.

[Marlin32]

"... So WTF is that. Why wvwn ask us a ? if your aleady feeling we're lagging. Go bitch somewhere else, your just starting pelosi for no reason. Don't need your kind of business here."

This was last reply from MGW.

I have more contact with customers on a daily basis then MGW could dream of. Couple that with people I have working for me, and take that x6. If I caught wind that any of them interacted with a customer in that manner, they would be gone. So would I.

AND most of these interactions are confrontational to start with! So it is even harder. Not something I am trying to do FOR them, but it is something I am doing TO them. Big difference, yet I wouldn't treat a customer in that fashion.

I would like to send copies of that email to the owners of MGW in a complaint letter, but who knows, might have been an owner sending the email.

[Marlin32]

I received a personal apology today from Jon Warden, owner of Midwest Gun Works.
He was unaware of the email strings I discussed above. I am confident that he handled the matter.
I am impressed that he took the time to personnaly address me and my concerns.

I hope everyone who followed the post reads this one as well.

Thanks for support gentlemen. I am not so sure that someone on this forum may have intervened on my behalf. If that is the case, thank you.

[AJMD429]

Feedback is vital for quality control, and looks like the loop got completed.

I rely on patient feedback constantly, both for assessing my staff as well as myself. All businesses should, and they will do better for it.

[jdad]

I'm in outside sales, in an industry that has no proprietary products. We all have a price. I differentiate myself, from my competition, with service and product knowledge. Too many people think that price is the only issue that customers care about, in a slow economy.