Finally got my waders back yesterday. They fixed a bunch of pin holes. I only fixed the ones where I noticed there was water on my clothes. I appreciate the fact that they would check them out for free being it was my one year free inspection but my main complaint about the whole thing was THERE LACK OF COMMUNICATION. If anyone has any questions when you send something in, just call them. I got no response using there email, so I called. I paid a lot of money for those waders and didn't even know if they had been lost in the mail or when they had even been sent back. Total of 19 days from sending and receiving themback. I didn't care about the time frame only the fact I didn't know anything till I called them. Call if you have questions.
Simms customer service
- Thread starter jcw355
- Start date
mcnerney
Administrator
Good to hear that Simms repaired your waders. It doesn't surprise me that you didn't get a response from email, I've found that to be pretty common on big companies. If you want a response, give them a phone call.
silver creek
Well-known member
Companies are now monitoring tweets. Use that method to complain to all your friends. You are more likely to get a reply.
JCW,
I believe there may have been some changes in the warranty & repair department. A year ago I could call and speak directly with the 'manager' of that dept. Now I am told by the lady who answers the phone that "there are only 2 persons who are working in the repairs dept. She went on to tell me that the person I was asking for is one of them. I left several voice messages on this fellows voice mail system but have never gotten a reply on those calls. I take this to mean that the guy who was at one time free to take calls is now a laborer on the line.
Although I don't like to see the forum used as a bashing board when someone is less than satisfied with a product or service, I believe that if we begin to gather a multitude of similar complaints it will be time to act as a group.
Acting as a group is not as easy as grousing about something. We would have to determine who to address letters to (I'm talking about real hard copy documents here) and then to have an orchestrated mailing so that all letters of concern and complaint reach the office in question in close proximity of one another. Now, if this sounds like something that could gather support if and when we had more posts regarding dissatisfaction with a company I would be more than willing to join in the campaign. I am old fashioned and I truly believe that when 'letters' like I describe here begin to arrive physically on someones desk they represent much more than a "Tweet". Letters represent people who are upset enough to complain the old fashioned way and such people do get attention in my experience.
Let's see how many voices weigh in on this before we assume that our leading provider of expensive waders has somewhat dropped the ball.
I will watch the thread to see who else is having difficulties of this type.
Ard
I believe there may have been some changes in the warranty & repair department. A year ago I could call and speak directly with the 'manager' of that dept. Now I am told by the lady who answers the phone that "there are only 2 persons who are working in the repairs dept. She went on to tell me that the person I was asking for is one of them. I left several voice messages on this fellows voice mail system but have never gotten a reply on those calls. I take this to mean that the guy who was at one time free to take calls is now a laborer on the line.
Although I don't like to see the forum used as a bashing board when someone is less than satisfied with a product or service, I believe that if we begin to gather a multitude of similar complaints it will be time to act as a group.
Acting as a group is not as easy as grousing about something. We would have to determine who to address letters to (I'm talking about real hard copy documents here) and then to have an orchestrated mailing so that all letters of concern and complaint reach the office in question in close proximity of one another. Now, if this sounds like something that could gather support if and when we had more posts regarding dissatisfaction with a company I would be more than willing to join in the campaign. I am old fashioned and I truly believe that when 'letters' like I describe here begin to arrive physically on someones desk they represent much more than a "Tweet". Letters represent people who are upset enough to complain the old fashioned way and such people do get attention in my experience.
Let's see how many voices weigh in on this before we assume that our leading provider of expensive waders has somewhat dropped the ball.
I will watch the thread to see who else is having difficulties of this type.
Ard
siskiyoublues
Well-known member
I've heard lots of great stories of simms customer service on the internet.
I wish I could report mine with the same glowing loyalty.
I sent them a pair of well worn (out?) waders hoping there was a chance they could squeeze some more life into them.
About two weeks later I saw I missed a call and had a voicemail that someone from simms wanted to talk to me about my waders. It took another 2 weeks of me calling, emailing and filing comments through the website before I could get someone to call me back and tell me they couldn't actually help me but would gladly chuck (or recycle maybe?) my waders for me.
I said hell no send em back (they showed up with a shiny new simms catalog) and patched them myself and got another month out of them and retired to backups.
I wasn't disappointed that they couldn't fix them but did feel a little let down by the lack of communication and how slow everything took. When it came time to replace the waders I decided to vote with my wallet and try a different non-simms option and I have been happy.
I figure my experience wasn't the norm since Simms doesn't seem to have trouble selling all the 700 dollar waders they can make.
The other high end company I have dealt with (Patagonia) was a completely different experience and as a result I will gladly spend my money on their products when I feel like I can afford it.
I wish I could report mine with the same glowing loyalty.
I sent them a pair of well worn (out?) waders hoping there was a chance they could squeeze some more life into them.
About two weeks later I saw I missed a call and had a voicemail that someone from simms wanted to talk to me about my waders. It took another 2 weeks of me calling, emailing and filing comments through the website before I could get someone to call me back and tell me they couldn't actually help me but would gladly chuck (or recycle maybe?) my waders for me.
I said hell no send em back (they showed up with a shiny new simms catalog) and patched them myself and got another month out of them and retired to backups.
I wasn't disappointed that they couldn't fix them but did feel a little let down by the lack of communication and how slow everything took. When it came time to replace the waders I decided to vote with my wallet and try a different non-simms option and I have been happy.
I figure my experience wasn't the norm since Simms doesn't seem to have trouble selling all the 700 dollar waders they can make.
The other high end company I have dealt with (Patagonia) was a completely different experience and as a result I will gladly spend my money on their products when I feel like I can afford it.
Simms has made plenty of money off of me since I started into fly fishing. Waders, vest and boots for me and boots for my daughter and son in law. I've been considering waders for my daughter but after this will be looking at other products and reading reviews.
I was also told the samething about only 2 people working in repairs. Maybe it's true maybe not. I just know I can't make excuses all the time when doing my job, I wouldn't have one. Keeping customers happy keeps them coming back.
I was also told the samething about only 2 people working in repairs. Maybe it's true maybe not. I just know I can't make excuses all the time when doing my job, I wouldn't have one. Keeping customers happy keeps them coming back.
I hear you,
Although there are lots of dissenting comments made about the Orvis Company I believe most of it comes from the fact that they use a lot of off shore providers for their retail items. I will say unequivocally, that I have never been left in the lurch by Orvis. I have been buying from them since 1979 and I have no complaints at all.
I have waders, boots, and my wifes boots are all from Simms. Thats a quick 750 + dollars and I was considering a jacket this year...............
Although there are lots of dissenting comments made about the Orvis Company I believe most of it comes from the fact that they use a lot of off shore providers for their retail items. I will say unequivocally, that I have never been left in the lurch by Orvis. I have been buying from them since 1979 and I have no complaints at all.
I have waders, boots, and my wifes boots are all from Simms. Thats a quick 750 + dollars and I was considering a jacket this year...............
silver creek
Well-known member
I have no inside knowledge but I will say that when customer service starts to wane, it can mean underlying financial problems for the company.
Since Simms is privately held, there is no way to tell. They could be cutting back on customer service to make their bottom line look better for a sale.
Since Simms is privately held, there is no way to tell. They could be cutting back on customer service to make their bottom line look better for a sale.
I sent my waders back for a 2 year check up and put a delivery confirmation on the partial. It was delivered on March 2, or there abouts. I am not in panic mode here but after 2 weeks I did make 3 calls to see if I could keep track of what was happening.
My concern stemmed from the fact that I was requesting the neoprene booties be replaced with a slightly larger foot. Because of this I wanted to see if I could ascertain the progress. It is always disturbing when you leave voice mail on several occasions and receive no replies................
So far it looks as if JCW and I are isolated incidents of disgruntled customers.
My concern stemmed from the fact that I was requesting the neoprene booties be replaced with a slightly larger foot. Because of this I wanted to see if I could ascertain the progress. It is always disturbing when you leave voice mail on several occasions and receive no replies................
So far it looks as if JCW and I are isolated incidents of disgruntled customers.
siskiyoublues
Well-known member
Not just you two. Although it's not stopping me from most likely buying another pair of simms wading boots. :ranting3:
On the flip side I emailed Justin@Allen with a warranty question and I got a helpful answer in under 20 minutes! Hard to not sound like a shill after service like that.
I'll keep buying Simms gear when I can justify it. The quality is definitely there but it seems like Simms is a company that has built a reputation on CS and dealer network. One specific recent business decisions makes you worry they have strayed from those roots. More power to them I suppose, the mighty dollar speaks loudest, especially in this economy.
Last edited:
mrp1
Well-known member
My experience with Simms customer service is so good I wouldn't consider another wader or boot manufacturer.
My wife got me a new pair of Simms waders for Christmas. (Okay I picked them out and the fly shop owner set them aside for her to come in and buy but that still counts as her getting them for me.)
My wife got me a new pair of Simms waders for Christmas. (Okay I picked them out and the fly shop owner set them aside for her to come in and buy but that still counts as her getting them for me.)
mrp1
Well-known member
My response should have been more careful. I should have said:
I'm sorry to hear that you have had bad experiences with Simms. That's a drag. I have had very good service from them and I hope you get to experience it soon.
I'm sorry to hear that you have had bad experiences with Simms. That's a drag. I have had very good service from them and I hope you get to experience it soon.
Sage & Abel
Well-known member
I've nothing but excellent customer service from Simms - Waders, Boots, Jackets, Bags... very pleased. Done some of the returns myself and had good results as well as had my fly shop handle the warranty issues. Good on both fronts.
Cheers,
Mike.
Cheers,
Mike.
[/COLOR]I think I may know what's up with the Simms repair dept: Simms is known to offer high quality gear that they stand behind with a guarantee. Considering that they have outsourced the majority of their line to be produced over seas it wouldn't surprise me if their repair dept. is swamped with the massive line of fishing clothing etc. they now offer... There is a good possibility that they are growing to fast and aren't equipped to handle the shear volume of gear that is being returned for repair and it's showing up as such on this forum. Simms needs to be careful that they maintain the quality and customer service that has separated them for the rest as the best. I have had nothing but top notch service from the company on multiple occasions;it would be a shame to see the company go the way of "The North Face", "Marmot" etc.
fredaevans
Well-known member
+1 here?
Are the Simms products any better than the average 'run of the mill?' Probably, but at "4X" the cost?:faint:
I think not; honestly can't think of a single reason I'd pay as much as $800 for a set of waders (I won't even go into what they ask for the rest of their 'gear.') You can purchase very good equipment for 1/4 of that figure and buy 3 'back ups' if so moved.
Personally I use Dan Bailey's and I've been hard pressed to get to the point of tossing a set. One 'chestie' was sent to them for 'repair' and call back a few days later telling me they were ... well, just worn out. I can live with that as I'd used them (I kid you not!) for close to TEN YEARS!
What was 'wrong?' The material would 'weep' in places but the neo-booties had just given up the ghost. End game was leaving them in the back of the Jeep (hot sun/inside car temps) had just done the rubber material in....
Like 'Dah Fred?' End game was a credit card number and replacements on my door step about 5 days later.
I typically stay out of these threads, but given how much Simms has bent over backward for me in the past, I really feel inclined to send them some love.
I recently had a very disappointing warranty experience with another company, so I can definitely empathize. I personally have been to Simms headquarters and seen their warranty department. It's literally two people, with a literal mountain of gear to go through. And from the looks of it, it was mostly gear that had just been worn out past its lifespan, not failed product. Simms is not as huge an operation as one might think, and the few who are working there are working unbelievably hard to keep the customers happy. Things don't always go perfectly, but that can be said for any company.
I fish a lot. Far more than the average angler. Most all my fishing involves hiking, climbing over rocks and logs, and just plain abusing my gear to its limits. Simms is the only wader/boot manufacturer I've found that has anything that can hold up to what I do. My G4 waders have literally hundreds of miles on them in the past year, and are holding up just as well as the day I got them. My Rivershed boots I picked up at the same time have nearly as many miles on them, save a few trips where I opted for another sole, which I have boots from another company. With about 1/10 the mileage, I've had THREE pairs of boots from this other company fall apart on me.
Sorry this was so long, I just empathasize with the companies and customers both. I work for a company (Allen) and do warranty exchanges myself, so I know how challenging it can be sometimes. I've had my fair share of shortcomings and miscommunications in that dept for sure. I just wouldn't totally write them off because of it, because the next company has just as much chance of making the same mistake.
I recently had a very disappointing warranty experience with another company, so I can definitely empathize. I personally have been to Simms headquarters and seen their warranty department. It's literally two people, with a literal mountain of gear to go through. And from the looks of it, it was mostly gear that had just been worn out past its lifespan, not failed product. Simms is not as huge an operation as one might think, and the few who are working there are working unbelievably hard to keep the customers happy. Things don't always go perfectly, but that can be said for any company.
I fish a lot. Far more than the average angler. Most all my fishing involves hiking, climbing over rocks and logs, and just plain abusing my gear to its limits. Simms is the only wader/boot manufacturer I've found that has anything that can hold up to what I do. My G4 waders have literally hundreds of miles on them in the past year, and are holding up just as well as the day I got them. My Rivershed boots I picked up at the same time have nearly as many miles on them, save a few trips where I opted for another sole, which I have boots from another company. With about 1/10 the mileage, I've had THREE pairs of boots from this other company fall apart on me.
Sorry this was so long, I just empathasize with the companies and customers both. I work for a company (Allen) and do warranty exchanges myself, so I know how challenging it can be sometimes. I've had my fair share of shortcomings and miscommunications in that dept for sure. I just wouldn't totally write them off because of it, because the next company has just as much chance of making the same mistake.
Vans
Well-known member
I am a gear wh0re of the highest order and Simms makes some fantastic stuff. That stuff also comes with a fantastically high price however and i object to paying that significantly higher price. Im like Fred in this regard, i will buy another brand at a fraction of the cost. My Redington waders have performed as well as can be expected and i could have 3 pairs for the price one a set of Simms best.
I havent had to deal with CS from anything but fly rod companies at this point. I broke the top 3" off my Sage. I sent it back and within a month i had it back good as new.
I know Simms is a premier brand in our hobby, hopefully your experience was just a fluke.
I havent had to deal with CS from anything but fly rod companies at this point. I broke the top 3" off my Sage. I sent it back and within a month i had it back good as new.
I know Simms is a premier brand in our hobby, hopefully your experience was just a fluke.
One thing to consider is that Simms is the only company building waders (and soon their jackets) in the USA. No other company does this. To stay price-competitive, Simms does have a few designs made overseas, but their GoreTex waders are all built in Bozeman, MT by hand. And the quality difference between those and imported waders is well worth the extra price if you can afford it.
"I just wouldn't totally write them off because of it"
I think there products are great and the best, I don't like the lack of communication on there part. There not the only ones I've had a lack of communication with in the past but what can you do when someone has something of yours or you've paid for a product online and they are slow. I won't be sending them back unless there is a major malfunction.
I think there products are great and the best, I don't like the lack of communication on there part. There not the only ones I've had a lack of communication with in the past but what can you do when someone has something of yours or you've paid for a product online and they are slow. I won't be sending them back unless there is a major malfunction.