Exceptional Customer Service

[Brian Brown]

I’m one of those people who is quick to complain about poor customer service, and who fails to compliment good customer service when it occurs. So I will now fix that. :o Last week, I ordered SWMBO a 3/8 Crown Pro PM detail gouge from CSUSA. The first time she used it she had a small catch, and the tip broke off. :( I called CSUSA last Thursday afternoon, and they said they would ship out a new one right away, and they would pay the shipping to get the old one back. How often do you hear that? The new gouge arrived on my doorstep this morning. :) I won’t be shipping the old one back. I have to travel through Provo next week, so I will hand deliver the gouge with my compliments on their exceptional customer service. If you have never ordered from CSUSA, I highly recommend them. Many turners have recommended them to me, but I just didn’t think anything good could come out of a Provo business (I went to school there, and I have avoided it like the plague for 25 years :(). My appologies to anyone who lives in Provo.

If you are ever in the area, and haven’t been there, go! When I pulled up outside the first time, I was sure the GPS found the wrong place, but then I walked inside. It is nothing short of the cleanest looking, most professional retail store I have been in. The best part is that everyone there knows turning (even the secretary). They also have a glass case full of the most amazing, drool inducing turnings I have ever seen! There is not much on display in the retail area, but just fill out your order form, and they send a runner to the warehouse.

In short, tough economy, no money to spend on turning, but what little I do spend will probably be at CSUSA. No affiliation, (refer to that Provo thing above) just a happy customer. :)

[Steve Schlumpf]

I've never been to their store but hope to one of these days! Have had nothing but the best of service from these folks and am real happy to hear that they treated you right as well!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Brian,

I am not the least bit surprised! CSUSA is one of my main sources for materials and tools and their customer service takes back seat to no business!

I have had them call me because something was out of stock and ask me if I wanted to order an alternative before they shipped the rest of the order so that I might save on shipping.

Second to none!

No affiliation either. Just a happy customer!

[Ben Gastfriend]

I have to agree with you. The several times I've ordered from them I've had no problems, and the people I've dealt with are very nice.

[Judy Kingery]

Count me in as a very pleased customer as well. Have done business with them for years and they are responsive, quick, just outstanding. And nope, me neither, no affiliation, just a happy customer. It's sure nice to see in this day and age. Jude

[John Fricke]

It's not often these days that "exceptional" and "customer service" are used together. It is nice to hear when a company still cares.

[David Walser]

Brian,

Good on you for sharing a good customer service story. You're right, we don't hear the good ones nearly as often as we hear the complaints.

In that spirit, allow me to repent of not sharing a positive experience with CSUSA that I had about a month ago. In December of 2007, I ordered some pen kits and a set of bushings and drill bits for the kits. Things got too busy at my day job and I didn't get around to using the kits until January of this year -- more than a full year after CSUSA shipped my order. Turns out they had sent me the wrong bushings for the kits. (They had improved the kit, changing the bushing sizes slightly. Included with my shipment were a set of the old bushings.) I called after turning my first pen and noticing the parts did not match up as well as I thought they should have. CSUSA apologized for sending me the wrong set of bushings and mailed me a new set that day -- all at their expense and even though my "warranty claim" was well outside their warranty period. Note: I didn't ask for them to send me a new set of bushings. I'd called to order a new set. Once CSUSA learned why I wanted a new set, they wouldn't let me pay for the new set.

Good people.

[David Walser]

Brian,

I, too, went to school in Provo. Like you, and maybe for some of the same reasons, I couldn't wait to get out of there. Funny thing, two of my three kids are attending school there, now. (The third is going to school up in Rexburg, Idaho.) Some 22 years after I graduated, my feelings about the place have softened quite a bit.

After my kids graduate (soon!?), I might even make a contribution to the school (so they can keep the snow off the sidewalks and such) -- as long as they beat the University of Utah....

[Don Carter]

Brian:
Thanks for your post. I do purchase everything I can from CSUSA. I ordered a lathe from them last year and had shipping damage, not once but twice. They handled my problems with great professionalism and at no expense to me. They are simply the best.

All the best.

Don

[Curt Fuller]

CraftSupplies is an interesting store. But if you're like me, it was pretty disappointing the first time I went there. They might have 10-20% of what is in their catalog actually displayed in the store. The nice thing is that you can order from the catalog at the store counter and they'll get it from the warehouse so you can see it before you buy it. But I agree with Brian, they are overwelmingly nice people.

If you attend the Utah Symposium, Craftsupplies has a huge parking lot sale the day before the symposium with some incredible bargains. But otherwise, it's just a very small store front connected to their warehouse. And they aren't open on saturday or sunday, just in case you were thinking of dropping in on a weekend.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I also have to agree. They have treated me well and have taken care of any problems I have had in short order.

[Phil Hansen]

Living in the 3rd world is not that easy when ordering via the internet. Differences in postal services etc.
I have just ordered some stuff from Craft Supplies and Danny Lange could not have been more helpful. Great service.
Now to see if the post service here can get it to me without screwing up.

[Wally Dickerman]

I started buying my turning supplies from CS back in the middle 80's, not long after they first opened their doors for business. I have always found them to be very good people to deal with.

I have known Dale and Darrel Nish for all of that time and consider them to be good friends.

I wish that I had kept some of their early catalogs. Things have changed a lot in all of those years.

Wally