You call that customer service?

Ray B · Post by **Ray B** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:29 pm

So now we have to buy $20+ shipping worth of glue to fix the bait?
No thanks. You guys think that spro is doing such a great job? I think they are gouging you for another $20. They should pay for thr glue kits and send them to the stores that carry them. Then have the stores fix them at no charge. That would be decent customer service instead of making you pay for the product to fix THEIR mistake.

Swimbait Wannabe · Post by **Swimbait Wannabe** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:12 pm

I lost 3 fins on mine the first day out. They emailed me a nice form letter outlining how best to take care of my bait. You know inspect it every few casts. They even had some b.s. on how the bait swims exactly the same way with or without fins. Mine sure fished like crap once the fins fell off that is for sure. How about you make a good bait so I can fish it and not have to worry about it falling apart???????!!!!!!!!!! What a joke. Got pissed and called em. Not sure who I talked to but he said that "some" had gone out with bad glue, they weren't sure how many. I was waiting to hear something like "hey we will send you a new one" or "I'll send you some fins and glue a.s.a.p" . Nothing, he said that stores should be carrying replacment fins and glue kits soon. WTF?? So I have to buy stuff to fix a defective bait that you made. Guess I get what I pay for. I'll stick to the original tool.

basstamer · Post by **basstamer** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 4:04 pm

I have to admit I was pretty surprised when they told you where you could BUY the glue to fix the problem-I am HUGE on customer service and very unforgiving of a place or product if they do me wrong and/or at least dont do everything in their power to make it right. Sounds like these guys are not living up to it.....I remember recently we had a floatation problem with a new frog bait and that companies rep came on here and said he'd replace any bad ones-now THAT is customer service and that right there causes me to be a repeat customer.
Scott

Kevin Evans - Kap · Post by **Kevin Evans - Kap** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 7:21 am

[quote]BBZ-1
I seen your reply and with a little research this is what I found.
Customer service dont get much better than this

A wise woman once said,

â€œForest, lifeâ€™s like a box of chocolates, you just never know what your gonna getâ€

Brian Linehan · Post by **Brian Linehan** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 8:17 am

Guys, give SPRO a break. They made a good product that unfortunately hit the market with a few flaws. They are trying real hard to do the right thing as well as fix the problem. Give them a chance.

Guyle · Post by **Guyle** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 8:26 am

Why should the customer have to make the repairs? Good customer service would replace the whole bait and fix the defective ones themselves.

SHAFT · Post by **SHAFT** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 3:13 pm

I agree Guyle , I sell construction supplies and I could not ask a customer to fix his skil saw out on the job site he just bought yesterday ! I would deliver him a new one . Sh#t happens Its how you correct the sh#t that people remember , not the problem !

Auggie Dog · Post by **Auggie Dog** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 3:51 pm

Gentlemen,

I just couldn't stand by one this one. Let me start by saying I don't know this person so please don't think I am just standing up for a buddy. With that said...come on fellas'....cut this guy a little slack.

You are stomping all over a small start-up company that had a real bad piece of luck. You are not bashing Berkley or BASS here. This is not a giant company with a department for all issues including the money to finance a recall of a defective bait. It sounds to me that they are trying to do the right thing by explaining what happened and tell you the best way to fix it so you can use the bait the way it is supposed to be used. From here, it sounds like everyone wants a recall on the first batch but at what cost? I'm sure a move like that would put a small operation out of business and what good would that do anyone.

It seems to me this goes beyond whether the darn glue sticks or not. This is about a people like you and me who are trying to make a go of it and had a problem. Do you want to put them out of business over a little glue problem? Sure, it is frustrating to spend the $$$ on a product and have it fail but don't you have to look at the big picture in this instance?

It seems that the big issue is why do you have to pay $20.00 (the cost really isn't the issue here) for a glue kit to fix a bait worth way more than that. Go out right now and open any compartment on your boat and tell me how much money is sitting in there. Not all of them.....just one. Now tell me how much of that have you actually used in the last 6 months. I know not all of us have a boat, I am just trying to make a point. Before everyone piles on

...let me say that I know we work hard for our money and we don't want to throw it away but I don't see that in this case. I choose to look at it like I am supporting a fellow fisherman that had the guts to go out on the financial limb to give us a product that will help us be better fishermen. You can't expect everything to be perfect at first but as long as you know they are trying their best to give us a great product, you can feel good that your money was well spent. I go to the tackle shop before a tourney and spend big bucks on lures (can you say Lucky Craft?!) that I will sometimes only get to use once or twice before I hang it on a rock or in a brushpile and break it off and have another tied on without thinking twice. We will strip off $40.00 worth of line between tournaments and chalk it up to the "price of being competative". We will spend $100.00 in gas for one day on the lake PREFISHING for a tournament that is two weeks away!!!

Why do we get in such a twist over something like a glue kit that, it seems to me, we will get to use more than once. All brands of swimbaits get tears in them. I mostly use Missionfish swimbaits and I think that glue will probably work great for the hook hole that gets all torn up after a few fish whack it.

I work in the gas industry and to put this in similar terms...this is like the people that sit in line for 20 minutes at the COSTCO to get gas 5 cents less a gallon than the station across the street, which saves them a whopping $1.00 on a 20 gallons fill-up, and then drives 5 miles up the road to drop $6.00 on a "triple shot" mocha at the Starbucks. It just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Why don't we try to look at "the glass is half full" side of this and support one of our own who had a problem and can use a little understanding to get through it? Get some glue, fix your bait the way Bill laid it out for you and go catch an 8lber on it. My guess is you will actually feel good about it and THAT is something we can all use....don't you think?

I guess this ran a little long so I will say this is just my .04 cents

Auggie Dog

MIKE TREMONT · Post by **MIKE TREMONT** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 4:15 pm

I know nothing about the lure except what I've read here. I believe there's always a risk when buying anything or putting something on the market for that matter.
I think we the consumers are burned way to much because a product is put on the market prior to being tested completly. All those prototype baits may have been glued with the good stuff, but it sounds like in the manufacuring process someone was trying to save a buck and both the consumer and Spro are taking it the shorts. That's if they (Spro) didn't take the calculated risk to use the glue that isn't holding up.
If it were my name out there I would be taking care of it on my dime. There are a few products that have been released here latley that have failed, but the poeple that have thier name on the product have stepped up to make things right. I think in the long run that will improve thier bottom line?

JJCJR · Post by **JJCJR** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 4:17 pm

For all dealers that purchased BBZ-1 Swimbaits from Western Plastics, you have already received a letter from us stating you will receive one bottle of Pros Soft Bait Glue and one bottle of the Kicker at no charge from us. In addition, we will be send out retrofit kits to all dealers for the lures they have sold when they become available. Retrofits can easily be accomplished in the store.

Bill Siemantel spent the day with the Western Plastics employees teaching them how best to retrofit the BBZ-1. The repairs are effective. Now all inventory a dealer receives from Western Plastics has been retrofitted and 100% inspected.

As for lure already on the market, We will be happy to retrofit any BBZ-1s purchased at the retail level anywhere in the countryl at no charge. If you send the lures in question to:

New lures can be purchased at www.anglersarsenal.com

Western Plastics
8183 Center St.
La Mesa, CA 91942

They will be retrofitted to your satisfaction...no questions asked.

Thank you for working with us.
John Cassidy
Western Plastics
Lures and fishing products.

Brian Linehan · Post by **Brian Linehan** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:44 am

How is this situation any different than a Chevy/Ford recall for some random part? Think about it, you guys are complaining about $20 for a glue kit. What is your time worth when you have to take a car in for a recall? Add the fuel you use to get to/from the dealer. My point is that Sh+t happens and they are doing the best they can. Just cut them some slack.

Blue_R70 · Post by **Blue_R70** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:50 am

Auggie Dog wrote:...come on fellas'....cut this guy a little slack. You are stomping all over a small start-up company that had a real bad piece of luck. You are not bashing Berkley or BASS here. This is not a giant company with a department for all issues including the money to finance a recall of a defective bait.

Spro is hardly a small start-up company. They've been a pretty established name in the industry for quite a while...

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