Unhappy With UPT Customer Service (Was: Vector and Sigma Retrofit)

[catfishhunter 1]

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The information was sent to the USPA on Friday because containers shipping last week were shipping with the mod (and work instructions). They were informed that we would not have the work instructions posted until today however they failed to mention that in the announcement.

Mark Klingelhoefer
United Parachute Technologies

Mark I have PM'd you and Mr. Booth about the magnet update and neither of you have bothered to respond. I now find out my rig needs another update by hapenstance. I would really like the FIRST update to be sent to me and i'll take my rig to my rigger for this one but UPT's service is terrible. Is it because you sent me a rig you built wrong and dangerous and I complained?

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT
Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose.

[catfishhunter 1]

Amazing. No Response. I bought my Vector because of the SkyHook and Mr. Booths reputation even against quite a few folks suggestions.

Almost from the very begining when they built my rig they acted as if it was an inconvienace to THEM to fix my problems. Mark even said if I bitched enough he would have to re-build my rig because of their fuck up. Then the first jump the toggles hang up and luckly I wasn't some low time jumper who didn't panic and chop it. Mark again acted like this was an inconvieance to him to replace them.

After all these issues i asked Mr. Booth and Mark what they where going to do to make this right as the terrible customer service I had been getting was a very poor reflection on their buisness and for somene that just spent several thousand dollars on their equipment I should NEVER had been treated that way.

ya want to know wat they did? I'll tell that part of the story next but hopefully they take a Clue for L&Bs customer service and fucking fix this pissed off customer. I know of 3 folks that DIDN'T buy a vector because of the way i was treated and will continue to make sure no one I know buys one until they man up and apologies and fix their customer service.

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT
Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose.

[divnswoop 0]

Amazing that you don't pick up the phone and call them with your concerns. You PM them on a internet forum and then bitch again that they don't answer your post within one day?

It is a good thing that you are not a "low time jumper" and you got through your toggle hang-up. I am also happy to hear you saved three other people from this potential problem with customer service.

Since this thread is about a new modification to protect people who cannot stay altitude aware, (not whining about other stuff) I would be happy to pay for your modification. 1 386 736 7589 is UPT's number. Try that then *PM* me the cost to have this done by your rigger and I will send you a check.
...It may take me more than one day to respond though cause I don't live on this website.

[catfishhunter 1]

They are big boys let them respond. No one is whining. I have attempted to handle this in private.

I am not quite sure your motivation for your post but bro you should probably stay out of it. I'm not bitching, calling them out is a more suitable term.

There is an old saying about internet message boards. If you are going to live by the boards expect to die by the boards if you don't have your shit straight.

Lastly your offer of money is a another strange re-mark. What was your reasoning for that? I don't expect anything from them except an apologie and a response as wel as the magnet Mod they have been sending out FREE. As a Vector owner who has registered his rig I should have been directly notified of the updates and I shouldn't have to stumble upon them on an internet site.

So again Bro they ARE big boys who live by the boards so let them get their shit straight

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT
Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose.

[JohnDeere 0]

So he should stay out of your problem that you made public?? You made your problem public so you should not have a problem with others comenting on it. So please tell us how they messed up your rig and cuased your toggle to stick. I have 2 custom V3's that were made for me and there service was outstanding! Before and after the sale. Not saying your problems dont exist. Please tell us what they did.

Nothing opens like a Deere!

You ignorant fool! Checks are for workers!

[catfishhunter 1]

The Toggles where made improperly and because of poor quality control I ended up with dangerous toggles that had to be replaced.The colors on my rig where wrong. They even called me BEFORE they built it to make sure and they still did it wrong. The also forgot my custom cut-away pillow and they went 3 weeks over.

When I asked what they where going to do to make it right they instead put the heat on someone else to have me shut up. I did not nor do I wish to cause problems for that person so I am not going to share more of that story but it was total chicken shit.

Hell I wouldn't even be posting this now if they would have just answered the pm's and sent me the magnet updates they are sending everyone else.

When a re-call or service bulletin comes from any other industry the people shown as registered owners are notified.

And as for other's staying out of it I don't need nor am I aksing for anyone else to fix it or try to excuse the poor customer service by attempting to be a smart ass.

I can tell you before the sale they where great as is most people that want your money. The real test of a company is how they handle things when they fuck up. They fucked up and want to take no responsibillty.

If something like this happens in my company I take care if it. The industry I am in is very small as is the skydiving community. I cannot afford to have a single upset customer. Maybe they have money falling from the sky and they don't care if they piss customers off.

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT
Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose.

[slotperfect 7]

In the future, please don't hijack a thread to air your individual and off-topic issues.

Additionally, when you post such complaints in a public forum, asking people to "stay out of it" is an unrealistic expectation.

I can tell you from personal experience that email and the telephone are the best ways to contact UPT.

Good luck resolving your issue.

Arrive Safely

John

[mjosparky 3]

Did you order this rig through PM on dz.com? If not why would you try and handle your complaints on this forum? Does your company conduct business through internet chat rooms?

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if they would have just answered the pm's

Normal channels of communication in the business world would be the phone, email, fax or even snail mail, but not PM for dz.com. You go public with you tirade and then say “but bro you should probably stay out of it”. You are sounding like a spoiled kid who can’t have his way. Pick up the phone and call Booth and quit whining on the net.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[MikeForsythe 0]

Trying to conduct business with a company via PM’s here would not be acceptable by any business. As John said, call or send emails.

UPT does not have “poor quality control” by ANY industry standard. They are an ISO 2001 certified company. The last year that I was there they had something like six complaints for the year. They made over 2,500 containers that year. If all six complaints were valid that would be less than 0.1% error rate. Even by the most stringent six sigma international production standards that would be within the acceptable rate.

At every management meeting that reviews complaints and quality issues, they are addressed not only by what happened but how to prevent a future occurrence. In addition to having a quality control department, you have a general, production, engineering, sales, and quality control managers that oversee product production.

Lastly, who cares that you want an apology, what does that do to get your issue resolved? NOTHING, other than stroke your ego. What is important and should be your goal is to get the issue resolved and I have never known UPT to be unfair. Have they made mistakes, sure, just as every manufacture has, but UPT works hard and takes deserved pride in what they make.

So pick up the phone or send an email to Mark or Rosie, get your rig taken care of and go jump and have fun.

Time and pressure will always show you who a person really is!

[klingeme 0]

John,
I appologize, but I can not find the PM you sent. If you could email me at [email protected] I will have the mod sent our to you.

I have checked my emails and I did not recieve one from you about the mod.

I check DZ.com a couple times a week, however, a direct email is the best way to reach me.

Let me know and I will have the Magnetic Riser Cover mod and the new mod sent out to you.

Mark Klingelhoefer
United Parachute Technologies

[klingeme 0]

Quote

Amazing. No Response. I bought my Vector because of the SkyHook and Mr. Booths reputation even against quite a few folks suggestions.

Almost from the very begining when they built my rig they acted as if it was an inconvienace to THEM to fix my problems. Mark even said if I bitched enough he would have to re-build my rig because of their fuck up. Then the first jump the toggles hang up and luckly I wasn't some low time jumper who didn't panic and chop it. Mark again acted like this was an inconvieance to him to replace them.

After all these issues i asked Mr. Booth and Mark what they where going to do to make this right as the terrible customer service I had been getting was a very poor reflection on their buisness and for somene that just spent several thousand dollars on their equipment I should NEVER had been treated that way.

ya want to know wat they did? I'll tell that part of the story next but hopefully they take a Clue for L&Bs customer service and fucking fix this pissed off customer. I know of 3 folks that DIDN'T buy a vector because of the way i was treated and will continue to make sure no one I know buys one until they man up and apologies and fix their customer service.

John,
I’m sorry you did not receive a response over the weekend, but you posted after we had closed on Friday, and I have just seen the post. We sent you a new set of toggles per your request in June of 2007. I don’t know what you are talking about with me acting like this was an inconvenience in replacing them. I believe we had them in the mail to you the next day, although I never received the picture I requested of the faulty toggles.

I hope we can get this resolved. Please give me a call at (386)736-7589 or email me at [email protected].

Mark Klingelhoefer
UPT

[stayhigh 2]

how about unhappy customer service was: Caused by idiot who thought dz.com PM was best way to communicate with UPT personell..

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[davelepka 4]

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We sent you a new set of toggles per your request in June of 2007. I don’t know what you are talking about with me acting like this was an inconvenience in replacing them. I believe we had them in the mail to you the next day, although I never received the picture I requested of the faulty toggles.

Wow, a real team player. UPT admitted to making a mistake, replaced your toggles in short order, and you couldn't bring yourself to send them a picture?

I'm surprised they didn't ask you to return the faulty toggles, for inspection, and training purposes in the factory, which I think would have been a reasonable request. Instead, all they ask for is an e-mailed photo, and that was too much trouble for you?

And now you publicly complain about them?

[catfishhunter 1]

I'll stop highjacking the thread slot..

Sparky as a matter of fact yes I conduct alot of buisness through the internet as does many many companies. That is why they have a rep on the boards isn't that right Mark.

As for the PM's I would post all the buisness that was conducted with UPT by PM to show a pattern of YES they do conduct buisness by PM's.

And as for poor customer service Mark knows what I am talking about.

Oh and stayhigh KMA YFN.

Oh and thanks for responding Mark now maybe we can actualy fix this huh?

P.S. Maybe you should tell them what you told me when you guys fucked up my rig so they know I wasn't making this shit up.

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT
Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose.

[pilotdave 0]

It's always so much fun to hear the rest of the story.
Dave

[catfishhunter 1]

Quote

Quote

We sent you a new set of toggles per your request in June of 2007. I don’t know what you are talking about with me acting like this was an inconvenience in replacing them. I believe we had them in the mail to you the next day, although I never received the picture I requested of the faulty toggles.

Wow, a real team player. UPT admitted to making a mistake, replaced your toggles in short order, and you couldn't bring yourself to send them a picture?

I'm surprised they didn't ask you to return the faulty toggles, for inspection, and training purposes in the factory, which I think would have been a reasonable request. Instead, all they ask for is an e-mailed photo, and that was too much trouble for you?

And now you publicly complain about them?

The toggles where returned to them and pictures where emailed to them. Oh and it took 2 weeks to get the toggles. My DZO gave me a loaner pair while I waited.

I'll stop highjacking this thread but if Mark wants to post what really happened that would be good

P.S. I keep every email and PM so I can show what when where and how

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT
Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose.

[davelepka 4]

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The toggles where returned to them and pictures where emailed to them. Oh and it took 2 weeks to get the toggles.

Let me get this straight, anyone can go online and post whatever they want? Details can be included or excluded at the will of the poster in order to better serve their purpose? I'm shocked.

Now I'm sitting here thinking that I can no longer believe anything I read online. You can't trust anything you read about topics from toggles to Skyhook mods to (gasp!) customer service....

[RPC1117 0]

I've found quite the opposite to be true about UPT. When I saw that there as a magnet mod on the Vectors, I contacted Mark (via his UPT email, btw) and inquired about them. Within one day he not only had responded, but had shipped out the mod + 3 additional mods to cover anyone at my DZ that may need it. It was a simple fix to do as well. I found their customer service to be great.

If UPT messed up your rig colors, cutaway, etc, why did you take delivery of the rig? Why didn't you have the problems fixed at the beginning before you accepted the rig?

[catfishhunter 1]

Last thing I will post on this and if Mark wants to tell what really happend he can.

Why did I take delivery?

Mark's response was "if you bitch enough i'll have to rebuild your entire rig" He also stated it would take another 3 months or so to re-build.

I went ahead and kept it and when i asked what they where going to do to make it right thats when the communication stopped.

What their last response was I do not wish to share as a third party is involved and they never should have been and do not need to be involved again.

As measure of a company is not how they take care of people when things go right but the opposite, how they take care of people when things go wrong.

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT
Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose.

[PhreeZone 15]

If you purchased though a dealer that is EXACTLY what the dealer is there for. The dealer is the one that should be fighting on your behalf to the manufactor. They made money off the sale of the container, that covers more then just measuring you and faxing the order off to UPT or any one. If you don't want to involve the dealer then you are making this a whole lot more effort on your part then it should be.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[klingeme 0]

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P.S. Maybe you should tell them what you told me when you guys fucked up my rig so they know I wasn't making this shit up.

I said that fixing the mistake would take an entire rebuild of the rig, which we would do if you were that upset, but we would prefer not to rebuild the rig if you could live with the mistake. You chose not to have the rig rebuilt.

There is no way I would have told you 2 months. typically a rebuild goes to cut the day the decision is made, and it is red tagged to be rushed. They typically take about 2 weeks.

Mark Klingelhoefer

[stayhigh 2]

KMA?? YFN??
Kiss My Ass You Fucking Nigger??

that is my best guess...

and i jumped at ogden twice,, and I did not find any short tempered asshole when i was over there. I guess you were staying home at that time....
Thank you for not ruining my wonderful Ogden experience..

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[catfishhunter 1]

Stayhigh get off the crack pipe ya dipshit.No way does the N word come out of my mouth in any form

I have emailed mark and as I said in my last post I am not saying anything else about my issues with UPT unless mark wants to keep talking about it or if things change.

I said what I said and I stand behind what I said. Right wrong or indifferent I said it.

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT
Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose.

[billvon 2,391]

>I went ahead and kept it and when i asked what they where going to do to make it right . . .

"You can't fix the rig. I'm not giving it to you. Now WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO FIX THE RIG?"

I've dealt with people like that before. They see some problem with gear they have bought, and since they wanted it that weekend and it's not perfect, it annoys them to no end. Before anyone can do anything about it, they decide they're going to try to screw the company no matter what happens. To "get them back" so to speak.

Needless to say, simply dealing with the issue is a lot faster, and generally leads to a better outcome.

[klingeme 0]

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Stayhigh get off the crack pipe ya dipshit.No way does the N word come out of my mouth in any form

I have emailed mark and as I said in my last post I am not saying anything else about my issues with UPT unless mark wants to keep talking about it or if things change.

I said what I said and I stand behind what I said. Right wrong or indifferent I said it.

Your kits will ship today at no charge.

Mark Klingelhoefer