Why does customer service in skydiving suck?

[Titanman2789 0]

I know I'm not the only one that has had terrible experiences with this. Let's not get into them but any ideas why customer service is so terrible in our sport?

[Blamey 0]

My experiences have been on par or better than other industries.

[normiss 622]

Agreed.
NEVER has a manufacturer only backed a product for 90 days.

I am repeatedly FLOORED by the customer service in this industry.

[DaVinciflies 0]

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I know I'm not the only one that has had terrible experiences with this. Let's not get into them but any ideas why customer service is so terrible in our sport?

That's a very biased opinion.

There are skydiving companies whose customer service is outstanding, including (but not limited to):

- L&B
- PD
- Chutingstar
- Velocity Sports Equipment

....in my experience.

[Remster 24]

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I know I'm not the only one that has had terrible experiences with this. Let's not get into them but any ideas why customer service is so terrible in our sport?

That's a very biased opinion.

There are skydiving companies whose customer service is outstanding, including (but not limited to):

- L&B
- PD
- Chutingstar
- Velocity Sports Equipment

....in my experience.

I've had very good CS from Sunrise too.

Remster

[pchapman 261]

I dunno. But a few ideas: The sport if full of small businesses set up by people for the love of the activity and not purely as a business investment.

Many DZ's are small relative to other businesses. I've seen river rafting businesses that are absolutely huge and professional compared to the average drop zone.

While there are more full time staff these days, the industry also relies a lot on contracted part time staff. That doesn't mean that, say, your instructor is any less interested in doing a good job, but from jump to jump you may get different instructors with different skill sets and the results become more variable.

Staff are often recruited from within. A girl who isn't jumping much gets a job in manifest -- the DZ doesn't necessarily hire Commerce grads or those with years of retail experience.

Historically, assumptions among skydivers about what is acceptable may be different from other business services -- a construction trailer and a packing tent in a field is enough to be a DZ's facilities, leading to some tandem students looking around in amazement when the arrive to drop a good chunk of money on their day's adventure.

Some of these things have changed over the years, and don't necessarily apply to the largest DZs.

I do see the point about customer service if one is talking about students: if I go into a regular store, I'll get good service whether I'm buying a T-shirt or a $1000 item. I wouldn't get told that staff are overwhelmed with all the big dollar customers so that just maybe, at sunset, they'll be able to have time to squeeze in a T-shirt sale...

[ChrisL 2]

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I know I'm not the only one that has had terrible experiences with this. Let's not get into them but any ideas why customer service is so terrible in our sport?

I'd have to say that my experience (with one single glaring exception) has been 180 degrees opposite of what you have experienced.

I've found all the manufacturers I've had personal dealings with (PD, Aerodyne, RWS/UPT, Bevsuits, BodysportUSA, L&B) and resellers (TSO-D, Gravity Gear) I've dealt with were actually the best customer service experiences I ever had in any industry and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend any of them.

__

My mighty steed

[cocheese 0]

Sometimes shitty service is given to shitty customers. Consume on to others as they consume on to you.

[wildcard451 0]

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Sometimes shitty service is given to shitty customers. Consume on to others as they consume on to you.

I was gonna say - when you are the only common denominator in your shitty dealings...

[rehmwa 2]

In general, for products from the major guys, I've had very good service. Lead times can be quite long for some items, but that's not poor service unless the manufacturer is late to the stated commitment. Most all are very honest if lead times are long.

I've had a couple vendors with poor service, but not nearly as many as I've gotten good service.


Only one vendor did I get terrible service - the product I ordered took over 12 months to arrive (vs advertised 4-6 weeks delivery), and not a single response was sent regarding about 10 notes and phone calls over the period from 6 months to 12. There's no real good excuse for not answering your mail. This vendor has a great product, though IMHO.

edit: deleted one statement that I'm not able to really state for sure

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[TheBachelor 4]

When it comes to manufacturers, I've generally gotten stellar service. Altimaster and Vigil both replaced products with brand new ones even though what I had was out of warranty. As I remember, L&B did something similar.

I do see a lot of complaints about dealers, but I've generally had good (not outstanding) luck there too.

There are battered women? I've been eating 'em plain all of these years...

[demoknite 0]

I have never had bad customer service from a vendor. Actual DZs I have had bad customer service. Small DZs that are too busy to check your paper work and snap at you when you ask whats the next load with three slots so you can jump with your friends. Relatively large places that cant manage to keep the bathrooms clean, etc.
As expensive as skydivng has become, I think it becomes more imperative to have better amenities like packing areas that dont have 3 week old rubber bands and a quarter inch of dirt on the floor. Access to drinking water and a vending machines and a decent place to sit while you wait for loads.
I have also had over the top great customer service too. When you show up to a new place and they ask you what your into and introduce you to a load organizer or at least somone you can jump with. Places that pick you up when you land off and dont give you the third degree. Places with great cafes and toilets that you dont mind actually putting your ass on. I guess its a mixed bag really.

[diablopilot 2]

Because you have all fucked it up and are expecting something to be a business that started out as a sport.

Happy goldfish bowl.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[darkwing 4]

Can you be more specific? My experiences seem to be overwhelmingly contrary to yours.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[rrmtopo 1]

Agree with both observations, have seen some great CS from manufactures but some really shitty service from some vendors and one large online store. It happens.

[Joellercoaster 6]

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I've had a couple vendors with poor service, but not nearly as many as I've gotten good service.

I'd put it that way too.

It hasn't always been outstanding, and very occasionally it's been crap (big entities as well as little ones), but I'd say on average it's been pretty great.

(I have no service provision interest in skydiving by the way, I can say this exclusively as a consumer.)

--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

[mjosparky 3]

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Because you have all fucked it up and are expecting something to be a business that started out as a sport.

Happy goldfish bowl.

+1

Skydiving used to be a sport........ it is now a “recreational activity”. Same thing happened to skiing a few years ago.

Welcome to “mainstream”.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[scottd818 0]

i just got my first new rig and i gotta say that everybody at infinity and liquid sky are awesome. There customer service is absolutely top notch!! i cant say enough good things about them and there products!!

[feuergnom 22]

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I know I'm not the only one that has had terrible experiences with this. Let's not get into them but any ideas why customer service is so terrible in our sport?

cause sometimes people are just plain tired of other people who feel entitled to have and get everything in no time for no money?????

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666

[mjosparky 3]

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I know I'm not the only one that has had terrible experiences with this. Let's not get into them but any ideas why customer service is so terrible in our sport?

cause sometimes people are just plain tired of other people who feel entitled to have and get everything in no time for no money?????

No more phone calls......we have a winner.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[jcd11235 0]

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Skydiving used to be a sport........ it is now a “recreational activity”. Same thing happened to skiing a few years ago.

Welcome to “mainstream”.

Sparky

I would argue that it began as a recreational activity and evolved into a sport. How long had skydiving been around before skydivers began having skydiving competitions?

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[mjosparky 3]

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Skydiving used to be a sport........ it is now a “recreational activity”. Same thing happened to skiing a few years ago.

Welcome to “mainstream”.

Sparky

I would argue that it began as a recreational activity and evolved into a sport. How long had skydiving been around before skydivers began having skydiving competitions?

But that is not the way I see it….and it was my post.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[jinlee 0]

- L&B - Great customer service.

I sent them a 5 year old Alti-Track broken and needed the jump data once it was repaired. Received a brand new unit with all the jump data in 2 weeks. FREE - no charge whatsoever.

[likestojump 3]

I think that the problem is that although skydiving is expensive, the margins are nowhere near as impressive as the price suggests :( Some customers may feel that because they are paying a few thousand dollars for the product, they are entitled to A+ Premium service, but (and a big one at that) - how many of them are paying the actual list price ? Most people nickel and dime until blue in the face, so not too many actually allow their dealer to make the margin that selling at MSRP would allow them.

Bottom line - it's an expensive hobby with very high liability for vendors, and low margins.

And for a personal pet peeve - it's getting harder and harder to fight the urge to slap people when they bitch about how much the riggers charge for their work. I see a disproportionately larger amount of complaints about rigging prices than about he AFF pricing.
Instructors get their full pay, and sometimes even get tipped. Riggers usually just get their pre-determined fee + some amount of suggestions of how the customer would really like their gear ready for this, and not the following weekend. Sometimes the rigger may get some form of thank you for a save, but don't count on it (maybe I am just sour - 4 saves last year, - 3 saves this year in total got me two verbal thankyou's.)

[demoknite 0]

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Sometimes the rigger may get some form of thank you for a save, but don't count on it (maybe I am just sour - 4 saves last year, - 3 saves this year in total got me two verbal thankyou's.)

What else would you like?