Problem with Tapco service (Moved to Reviews)

[gumby]

I know that Tapco is a sponsor of this site and that they are generally viewed as a great company to deal with. In the interest of fairness, I need to report my experience with them. I was one of the people who placed an order for 3 HP G1s early on. In the process of building one of these, I discovered that I had a bent gas tube and piston. So on 10/9 I sent Cynthia the email below.

Hi Cynthia,

About a month ago (after much waiting) I received 3 handpicked G1 kits. I recently built the first and discovered that I had a bent gas tube and piston.
After several attempts I was able to get through to your customer service department today. The gentleman that I spoke to instructed me to return my defective gas tube and purchase a US made piston. Despite my repeated comments that I didn't intent to use a US piston, he didn't seem to understand.
All that aside when I was instructed to send the gas tube back, I asked about just purchasing another. Sending it back is a hassle that I'd like to avoid if possible. That wasn't an option either. If necessary I will send them back but I wanted to bring this to your attention.

If you can help with this I'd also like to order the following additional components which you may charge to the same credit card as I used for the first order.
These are:
1-FAL2489 Double recoil springs, ($9.99 each)
1-FAL2015 Fal tool ($6.99 each)
10-FAL2415 Slings ($1.99 each)

thanks for your help,


After a week with no reponse, I forwarded that email to Bill. After another week with no response, I forwarded it to Buddie. To his great credit Buddie responded almost immediately with the following:

Hi Gabe,
I will start trying to figure out what is going on here. Please give me a little time.
Thanks,
Buddie


It's now been two weeks since Buddie sent me that email. I got the part that I needed from Dan@falparts. While I still believe that Tapco is a great company, I'm not so sure that I want to order anything else from them if I can find it elsewhere.

YMMV

[ November 07, 2001: Message edited by: EMDII ]

[UrielUtter]

I know companies aren't perfect. In fact, I have to admit that I've had a MINOR problem or two with Tapco myself. On the other hand, the boys and girls at TapCo try harder than anybody else I've encountered in this industry. They fixed ALL of the errors they made, too, although it took a bit. A couple of weeks seems like quite a while, and maybe they should look at hiring another Customer Service person or two(and if Cynthia reads this, I'll apply for the job if you open it up), but they work their little butts off for us as customers. Give it some time, and especially since you've alerted Buddie, I'm sure you'll be quite pleased with the result. It's not like this is life or death, although inconvenience isn't what gets repeat business. I say give Buddie another quick reminder (via email) and he'll probably have you set up in a matter of days.

[BILL AT TAPCO.COM]

Just as a FYI, we have hired several additional team members in Customer Service and Distribution to help speed up any problem encounters like this and I have to say that they are all learning very quickly and adding more positive features to our already outstanding staff. Thanks for your patience and loyalty. We appreciate it.

Respectfully,
Bill

[gumby]

I just got home and found a box from Tapco. It contained everything that I had asked for. A bit late but they came through for me. If I had known that it was on it's way, I don't think that I would have made the original post.
Thanks Bill, Cynthia, and Buddie.

[gunnut1]

I normally stay out of these types of things but I have to say this. And please understand that I am not pointing fingers.

I have read posts for a while that this company has not done this, that company has not done that, the other company has not the other.

Why is it that people on this board post messages on the board first about whatever company has pissed them off rather than trying to find out from the company what has happened to whatever it is they are mad about? "I can't get through to XYZ company on the phone!" They yell. Do you have a computer? Do you read previous post about this same problem? If you can't get them on the phone then E-MAIL them! How many brain cells does it take to figure that out?

People, you need to try to resolve your disputes with the company BEFORE you start flaming them here. OK, some companies need to be flamed. IO comes to mind. I ordered 10 HK G3 mags from them and 10 from the honored AIM surplus. I ordered them on the same day about 10 minutes apart. Guess whose mags got here first? "AIMs had to arrive first. They are 10,000,000 times better than IO!" everybody will say. WRONGO buckaroos. The mags I ordered from IO arrived in 4 days. I got the AIM mags about 3 days after that! I am not picking on IO or AIM. Will I order from IO again? Yes I will. Will I order from AIM again? Most assureidly! I have read horror stories about their (IO) customer service. Don't know, haven't been there, done that yet. We'll see if the stories are true. I am not saying they are not. I just find it hard to believe that a company can stay in business with an attitude like I have read about.

Give the companies a break folks! Contrary to what each of us would like to believe, you or I are not their only customers. They get backed up. Somebody drops the ball. They are ,in fact, human. They can and will make mistakes! Cut them some slack.

"Hello, this is the FAL-AK outlet store, Can I help you?"

"Yea, damn it, I placed an order for a super duper knooter suppressor for my FAL-AK jamming framis 2 minutes ago on the internet and I don't have it yet! What the hell is the hold up? You people are f&^king me on this deal and I am going to flame your sorry butts to 4000 members of my FAL-AK discussion board if I don't hear the BBT driver knocking on my door in the next 20 nano seconds!"

So what if it takes two weeks. I placed an order with one of the big AK suppliers for some mags. Took them 5 weeks to get them to me. I was going nuts. Would not answer my emails, phone was either busy or no answer. I gripped on this baord and the AK board. Did it make any difference? NO! Did I get my parts? YES. Was I satisfied? YES.

Please cut these good vendors some slack! Carry you problems to the FIRST! If you don't get satisfaction thenh and only then should you bring it here!

Oh yea! Try and use just a little common sense when waiting for your order.

Rant Over!

FLAME SUIT ON!

[ November 08, 2001: Message edited by: gunnut1 ]

[ProGunOne]

I agree with GunNut on trying every avenue to resolve before flaming. I guess I'm lucky but every experience I've had with Tapco, especially Cynthia has been excellent. I think they go above and beyond their call of duty to satisfy their customers. How did the old saying go "Walk A Mile In Thier Shoes?"

[gunnut1]

There is a very good reason to walk a mile in their shoes before you critize someone.
That way your are a mile away and you have their shoes!

[law4fun]

That used to be my signature line Gary....

I agree with your earlier post 1000%...give them a chance and correspond privately with them before flaming here. The last time I checked the majority of us are of consenting adult age and accordingly should act as such.

[redneck whitesox PBR]

Well I have been E-mailing Cynthia about a problem for about a month now. lets see how it turns out.

[Templator]

I've said it before and I'll say it again,.. TAPCO is the best at standing behind what they sell. That's not to say that they don't screw up sometimes,... but when they do, they bend over backwards to make it right. The guy you talked to on the phone is an exception to the rule when it comes to TAPCO. If you encounter such problems again, just tell him to put Cynthia on.

[ November 09, 2001: Message edited by: Templator ]

[B3]

Tapco sells new and used and but mostly surplus parts. I have delt with them on several parts. Not like others I will send anyone to Tapco. If SOG or IO have the parts I tell my friends that they are better off going to Tapco I get parts that are worn, used up, bent beyond use sometimes but that is the nature of some hard to get parts. This represents a small % of what I purchase and they always settle my complant. They replaced a ten dollar part twice. I was just going to order another one and when I told them they replaced it again. Tapco employees stands behind thier company and correct what needs to be corrected -- nothing more. I send my friends there and I will send you there. They even measured a gas piston for me. And, they got back with the answer on the same day. Great People!

[GunHo109]

I too ordered the stock, Handguard, and pistol grip combo. From TAPCO. To no avail they are on backorder. I may try to contact them today and see if I can get something else instead of "waiting". At the time I placed my order, I was not informed that there was a back order. I don't think I was talking to anyone at tapco at the time. So I'm sure they didn't know.

[redneck whitesox PBR]

Originally posted by Redneck Whitesox PBR:
Well I have been E-mailing Cynthia about a problem for about a month now. lets see how it turns out.

UPS came today with the replacement part.
Thanks to Bill and Cynthia for everything !
Their reputation for customer service is well deserved.