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Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4236
Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Some of you may remember a little incident involving my attempt to purchase an FD-14 from a GC back in the first week of May. Here's a link, FD-14 at GC . The good news is that the guitar is at least in the OFC, the bad news was I couldn't get the bad taste out of my mouth for a week, so for the second time in my life, I skipped the chain of command.
After waiting said week to cool down, and failing to do so, I sent a letter (4 pages) explaining in a professional tone of voice my displeasure with the obvious lack of ethics displayed by their employee to the CEO of GC. Less than a week later, the manager of the store contacted me in an effort to make things right.
Admittedly, I did not go easy on him. I explained the significance of that particular instrument to an Ovation fan and flatly informed him that he was unlikely to able to find another one. He seemed genuine in his desire to rectify the situation and so, warning him that he was setting himself a difficult task, we entered negotiations.
Long story short: Not surprisingly, there was no FD-14 to be found. But today, I received a 2002 Ovation Collector's (told you I'd get another some day) and of all things a Country Artist LX! I really did not want to sell the one I had, but I need to do some horsetrading to pay for three projects at the mothership.
So to sum up, I get to keep a CA LX; I gain a 2002 Collector's; and I get to flip a very nice guitar to maintain my guitar fund (for now anyway :rolleyes: ) In return, GC received from me two instruments in trade that would normally have gone to eBay. It would be unseemly to go into details, but suffice to say that I came out very well in the deal, and I believe the manager when he says he arranged this trade with a deficit to himself.
In the interest of fairness, I have to recognize that the manager of the GC went well beyond what I believe most others would have done. I know I pushed pretty hard (in a polite way) and he maintained his good attitude throughout our discussions. It seems only reasonable that since I took stripes out of the salesman at his store on this website, that I formally submit kudos for him as well. I will also send a follow-up letter to the CEO illustrating that my frustration has been appeased.
In the meantime, it's back to the hunt! Someone buy my CA LX (I sweetened the deal a little; 6773LX For Sale ); my wish list ain't filled yet, nor are my coffers, but there be some unsuspecting O's out there with my name on'em just waiting for me to track'em down at the right time, possibly even...and FD-14. :cool: |
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Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 2241
Location: Simpsonville, SC | Nice ending Patch! |
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Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Ending???
Is there ever an end to GAS??? |
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Joined:
June 2008
Posts: 41
Location: Okinawa Japan | Being addicted to crack is better than GAS.....sooner or later crack kills you! |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by acousticd:
Being addicted to crack is better than GAS.....sooner or later crack kills you! With GAS, it'll more than likely be the bride that does one in! ;)
Patch,
Glad to hear ya got all that straightened out!  |
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Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 3411
Location: GA USA | I have only emailed one official complaint to GC, but I got a very good response from it. Their counter guy made me buy a new bass string to replace a defective one I had bought from them. The manager who emailed me back wanted to make it right, but by then, the string manufacturer had already sent me a new set for free, so there was no need.
Glad for the happy ending, Patch. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | I also had to email a GC manager once. I went in to buy a multiple set of strings and the salesman said he couldn't sell them for the tagged price. The same price tag was on all the boxes and the shelf. He tried to sell me a smaller set for almost the same price. I didn't make a scene, but just wrote the manager through the GC website. After an apology, I got the 6 sets for free. I have to get back to using them up on guitars.
I noticed recently that the website still has a FD-14 listed for sale cheap at the Independence store. |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4833
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Good news doesn't get near as much mileage as bad. Nice to see you posting the good news. |
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Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969
| Glad to hear it worked out. Seems that a lot of folks have had positive experiences with managers. Too bad it's not cost effective (high turnover) to have customer service training for their floor staff. |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | I was just there last night to purchase 5 sets of exp strings, and a kyser capo to replace the one that got broken. After getting what I wanted, I showed the guy behind the counter a 15% discount coupon for a single purchase, which I received in the mail, and then he said that he would surely apply it on one of the items. Due to a so-called "glitch" or an error in the computer that he couldn't seem to correct, he called the manager on duty. The manager couldn't fix it either, so they both agreed to apply the discount to all of my purchases. With today's high prices, along with the cost of fuel these days ... discounts are always a warm welcome. :) |
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GC and I have amicably concluded our discussion
