Club Champion Customer Service

[Canadan]

I don't recall saying that they should honor every claim that the component manufacturer denies.

When doing a direct comparison to cost for my exact club builds, it was a 15% premium, once you consider that CC is charging you full retail price for the driver, even though you aren't getting the stock shaft with it. And you're right, I don't know what their margins are, but the perception is there that you are paying a premium for a superior product and for superior service.

And that is also what baffles me, and is not the premium service I would expect. At worst, sell it to him at cost. It costs you the labor of the build, but you've retained a repeat customer.

You absolutely pay a premium for Club Champion, for extremely tight tolerances and the exact fit they put you into. I also have huge expectations for every component that they sell, but that depth goes to the manufacturer, not CC (at least for me).

To your second point, I am still struggling to believe that he was offered to pay full price for a new shaft. Maybe something was lost in translation, but any company knows that is a horrible thing to offer someone. They would be better off not answering the email/call.

 

[e1iterate]

I'm not sure that was the entire story. I thought @e1iterate said they told him he could buy another shaft at full price (which surprises me) before circling back with a discounted price. Maybe he can confirm what they said?

When the fitter contacted me about Fuji not wanting to warranty the shaft, he said I could purchase a new one. I told him no and that’s when he offered a discount. Maybe he planned to do that all along, but he didn’t come forth with the discount right away. My fitter never insinuated that I broke it purposefully and was always nice to me FWIW.

 

[Gyro25]

Well, in CC's defense, they were of help, it was Fuji where it stopped being helpful (based on the story we've been told).

I like to think people do their jobs fully, but experience tells my otherwise so I always have a little speculation that maaaayyybbee they didn't call and just said they did.. I dunno maybe I'm a pessimist but I generally try to go straight to the source

 

[e1iterate]

Well, in CC's defense, they were of help, it was Fuji where it stopped being helpful (based on the story we've been told).

Telling a customer to contact Fuji on their own without offering a number or warm transfer is not good customer service or being helpful.

I wouldn’t be going through all this if I broke the shaft myself. I don’t feel good paying for a new one (whatever discount offered) when the one I paid 1k for didn’t last two months.

 

[GoldenBuff]

@e1iterate I don't know what to say about your CC or fujikura warranty experience, other than sorry to hear this is so frustrating. I love my ventus black driver shaft, and if it broke like that, I would be a sad puppy. I hope you find a resolution that works for you. Good luck.

 

[Canadan]

Telling a customer to contact Fuji on their own without offering a number or warm transfer is not good customer service or being helpful.

I wouldn’t be going through all this if I broke the shaft myself. I don’t feel good paying for a new one (whatever discount offered) when the one I paid 1k for didn’t last two months.

I don't blame you at all for not wanting to play a Fuji shaft ever again, if this is the end result.

 

[93civiccpe]

I'm still trying to get traction on what happened here, but did CC really brush him off?

They have a policy in place that clearly states the condition of claims.
They engaged with Fujikura who declined a warranty claim.
They offered a discount despite Fuji's decision.

It sounds like the only company here that needs to be pressured would be Fuji.

I agree with this conceptually but doesn't Club Champion have more to lose? Fujikura is known for having really solid performing shafts. I think this hurts Club Champion a lot more than Fujikura. It was Club Champion who the individual did business with. Their initial reaction of him paying full retail for a new shaft gives the impression that they don't give a crap. I would be wondering if they even picked up the phone and talked to Fujikura.

I have a couple thoughts on this;

1- How many examples have we seen on THP where OEM specs (loft/lie/swingweight) not align with expectations?
2- How many examples have we seen on THP where an OEM offers a better replacement experience on a shaft that has snapped in the middle?

Finally, I am definitely curious to the exact price of this experience. I would hope the process included their 'fitting free with purchase' special they had going on. It does interest me what the price variance is. I think this was a Cobra Driver at 450 + the 240 dollar upcharge on the shaft + tax if purchased through the website.

I've seen some really good and really bad OEM builds over the years but with more golfers getting educated and caring it does appear that build quality has improved. I will note that a set of irons i was excited about from Club Champion were 3-4 swing weight points heavier than what i was fit into. I don't want this to become a "crap on Club Champion" thread but if the assumption is that their build tolerances are better then I've seen firsthand evidence that is not always the case. Most don't understand that some clubs are built at CC headquarters and others by the local CC facility. The amount of rebuild work they get in is enough to realize that their quality should not be assumed to be perfect and why they gave the guarantee where they will fix a set if they aren't performing.

 

[captaincaution]

Finally, I am definitely curious to the exact price of this experience. I would hope the process included their 'fitting free with purchase' special they had going on. It does interest me what the price variance is. I think this was a Cobra Driver at 450 + the 240 dollar upcharge on the shaft + tax if purchased through the website.

I didn't even take into account the fitting fee, as that is a totally separate service, and honestly, worth every penny.

Callaway Epic Max LS Retail 529.99
Upgrade Shaft From Callaway 350. From CC 415. I am assuming the difference in the shaft cost is that Callaway isn't charging me for the stock shaft, unlike CC. So I am throwing the difference in shaft on top of the price, since I am effectively paying for it and not getting anything for it.

Buying direct from Callaway $880. Buy from CC: $945. Throw in 75 for the stock shaft I don't get for my retail driver purchase, that is effectively $1020. 15% premium on Callaway. I am getting the shaft pured from CC at no extra charge ($30 value) so take that 1020 back down to 990 and it is still a 12.5% premium. And if I had issues had I purchased from Callaway, I have no doubt they would try to help me, even if ultimately they couldn't.

My hybrid was a 30% premium over Callaway. Again, I don't think it is unreasonable to expect premium service for a premium price, even if the results of the customer service experience aren't positive. At least give a damn.

 

[BigDill]

I dislike all of this for everyone involved. If I was @e1iterate I would certainly be madder than a kicked over beehive. But if I was CC, I would also be miffed with Fuji who is putting CC in a real tough position with its customer. It's easy to assume that this break was the result of abuse, but its still an assumption. Just like it would also be an assumption that Fuji is building these shafts at seven sigma and cannot have a faulty shaft make it to a customer's hands.

At the end of the day, the choice for me here is simple. If E1iterate is pulling money out of his pocket for a replacement, it should be for a different shaft manufacturer. If the fitting results show a comparable (but perhaps not optimal) shaft from a different manufacturer, perhaps CC should offer that shaft at a discount. Seems like it would be a win-win for everyone involved, as OP gets a new shaft and CC keeps a generally satisfied customer.

And as to the warranty disclaimers, its unreasonable to have expected that @e1iterate would have read them, given his forum name and all.

 

[ttucliffhanger]

I almost switched to CC from the place I got fitted back when I got fitted for my driver. Knowing all of this and their "as is" policy, you won't see me set foot in a CC. I know that CC can't grant everyone a replacement when something breaks, but I think the overall circumstance here is it has been less than 90 days and I have known @e1iterate for a long time, probably longer than most on this forum and I have seen him absolutely pissed, but I know him well enough to know he wouldn't lie about this situation or intentionally damage a club (hell his temper is not even a quarter of what it used to be) and I'm sure that's CC and Fuji's perspective on the whole situation. Yet again, I go back to my original post about people taking advantage of companies until eventually the people that are honest get screwed. I think paying that much for a driver/build, top notch customer service should be included and that doesn't mean just during the fitting. I've had better customer service from McDonalds lol. That being said, noone on this forum can't say that CC can't go above and beyond to make this right, even though Fuji wont and by this I mean at least giving him a shaft at cost. I know that CC didn't make the shaft, but if you're going to sell a product, you dang sure better stand behind it. It's not going to hurt their pocketbooks. Hell, they can right it off at the end of the year, because you know that's exactly what they would do if they gave it to him at cost or even gave it to him. All Mike was asking for or had hoped for was that CC give him a little backup and at least do everything in their power to make the situation right because they care about their customers. In this instance, I don't think CC really give two craps about the customer. True colors show through and heck it may be local to that store, but you wont see a penny of mine go to that business when they sell you premium products that are brand new at a premium price in "as is" condition. Just my two cents here. Not meant to rile someone up.

 

[NeverWiff]

As a manufacturer, I can see both sides. Product damages and claims can get quite contentious and people lie. All. the. time. It's difficult to tell what is really going on.

Pretty clearly, and it's been vouched for that the OP dies NOT abuse his clubs, this was likely a true product failure. Without clear indication of misuse of the club/shaft Fujikura should make this right and CC should go to bat for him.

As a manufacturer, I would request the club back for inspection. If i found signs of defect, I would replace for free. If the cause of failure was truly unclear, or had the whiff of abuse prior to failure, I would likely offer to replace the club at a discounted rate that worked reasonably well for all. If clear signs of misuse, still probably a bit of discount to try and resolve the situation and remain on friendly terms. Whatever the manufacturer and CC agree to as a cost sharing formula, is between them.

That CC is not backing the OP, or replacing the shaft without question, tells me they likely have a poor relationship with the manufacturer in these instances. It's likely that will have to eat the full cost of replacement if they just offer a new shaft for free, without some sort of manufacturer support.

 

[bigskyirish]

Telling a customer to contact Fuji on their own without offering a number or warm transfer is not good customer service or being helpful.

I couldn't agree more. I buy a lot of my stuff through a local shop. Any time I have ever had a problem with any component of the club, they are more than happy to take care of it for me. It's not even a question. Their attitude is that whatever they have to do on the back end with the OEM is for them to worry about because I'm their customer and they treat me accordingly.

The fact that CC told you to deal with Fuji directly after you paid CC, not Fuji, $1k for a driver is absolutely abysmal customer service as far as I'm concerned. I probably wasn't all that inclined to pay CC's prices anyway, but there is not a chance in hell I'd ever deal with them after hearing your story.

 

[mpeterson]

I would bet that CC would have to buy a certain number of product in bulk to get a discount, and then house it while it's not being used. Can you imagine the amount of inventory they would have with the wall of product they offer?

I think it'd be awesome in a perfect world, but is it even remotely feasible?

What I'm saying is I bet that club champion is likely one of Fuji's biggest customers for aftermarket stuff. They should be able to use their clout (and the fact that, from a materials standpoint, shafts don't cost that much to make) to make something happen here. I get it if someone brings in a club that looks like it's been dragged behind a car - but if something looks like it's well-maintained, and the vendor that they essentially hand picked is not standing up to a warranty - I'd hope they pressed a bit more.

I actually don't take much issue with the whole concept of "as is" from a warranty perspective, save for build issues - like people have said, the components all have separate warranties. But, when you're paying this kind of price, you expect more of a white glove service. If CC doesn't want to provide that, they should consider moving downmarket. Hell, even Golf Galaxy facilitated a warranty exchange for me - they didn't have me call the company directly.

 

[JMB3]

What I'm saying is I bet that club champion is likely one of Fuji's biggest customers for aftermarket stuff. They should be able to use their clout (and the fact that, from a materials standpoint, shafts don't cost that much to make) to make something happen here. I get it if someone brings in a club that looks like it's been dragged behind a car - but if something looks like it's well-maintained, and the vendor that they essentially hand picked is not standing up to a warranty - I'd hope they pressed a bit more.

I actually don't take much issue with the whole concept of "as is" from a warranty perspective, save for build issues - like people have said, the components all have separate warranties. But, when you're paying this kind of price, you expect more of a white glove service. If CC doesn't want to provide that, they should consider moving downmarket. Hell, even Golf Galaxy facilitated a warranty exchange for me - they didn't have me call the company directly.

Exactly. CC has the leverage when dealing with the manufacturer, not a lone consumer. Fuji may ultimately be responsible for the defective shaft in the end, but the customer paid CC not Fuji, so CC should take care of their customer.

 

[Ludin]

You are going to write off 2 brands because of one persons experience? I have played with @e1iterate and I know he does NOT abuse his clubs but most shaft failures come at the tip or butt not in the middle. As a company are you going to take everyone’s word that they did not cause the shaft to break?
Again I know Mike does not abuse clubs but how do companies know this?
Are you saying that the companies should eat the money on all situations like this?

Absolutely I will. I have choices elsewhere to spend my money and work with companies that stand behind what they sell. I understand we don't have the whole story on anything but why take undue risk and gamble with $350 when I don't have too.

 

[Canadan]

What I'm saying is I bet that club champion is likely one of Fuji's biggest customers for aftermarket stuff. They should be able to use their clout (and the fact that, from a materials standpoint, shafts don't cost that much to make) to make something happen here. I get it if someone brings in a club that looks like it's been dragged behind a car - but if something looks like it's well-maintained, and the vendor that they essentially hand picked is not standing up to a warranty - I'd hope they pressed a bit more.

I actually don't take much issue with the whole concept of "as is" from a warranty perspective, save for build issues - like people have said, the components all have separate warranties. But, when you're paying this kind of price, you expect more of a white glove service. If CC doesn't want to provide that, they should consider moving downmarket. Hell, even Golf Galaxy facilitated a warranty exchange for me - they didn't have me call the company directly.

Well, I think the story is getting twisted quite a bit. CC did reach out to Fuji and got the claim denied, so far as i can tell. They did offer a discount on another product (with the intent of offering the discount being cloudy) - despite Fuji not standing behind their product.

We are filling in a lot of gaps with a lot of "boo club champion" style perspectives when I struggle to see it being the case. I fully expect them to do what they can to support their customers.

 

[bigskyirish]

What I'm saying is I bet that club champion is likely one of Fuji's biggest customers for aftermarket stuff. They should be able to use their clout (and the fact that, from a materials standpoint, shafts don't cost that much to make) to make something happen here. I get it if someone brings in a club that looks like it's been dragged behind a car - but if something looks like it's well-maintained, and the vendor that they essentially hand picked is not standing up to a warranty - I'd hope they pressed a bit more.

I actually don't take much issue with the whole concept of "as is" from a warranty perspective, save for build issues - like people have said, the components all have separate warranties. But, when you're paying this kind of price, you expect more of a white glove service. If CC doesn't want to provide that, they should consider moving downmarket. Hell, even Golf Galaxy facilitated a warranty exchange for me - they didn't have me call the company directly.

I think this is a great summary of where I fall too.

There is no way that CC is paying Fuji full freight for those Ventus shafts. And they have to be a big customer with a relatively solid relationship. So it really surprises me that they weren't able or willing to make something happen with Fuji. But even if Fuji just flat out said we aren't warranting this under any circumstances, I'm just as surprised that CC didn't take care of it for the customer.

Worst case is that CC is out something less than the full cost of a new Ventus, they can tell Fuji the next time negotiations come up, "remember how much of your product we move and how you jacked us around on warranty issues," and they have a customer out there telling everyone how CC's customer service is absolutely top notch. Instead, they have this thread and people rightly chiming in about how Golf Galaxy was more helpful than CC when an issue came up.

 

[radiman]

Absolutely I will. I have choices elsewhere to spend my money and work with companies that stand behind what they sell. I understand we don't have the whole story on anything but why take undue risk and gamble with $350 when I don't have too.

And their cost is likely well below that $350 mark too. Then they get the added benefit of negative exposure like we've seen in this thread. If they've turned away even a handful of potential customers, their lack of willingness to help him out has cost them a lot more than the couple hundred dollars the shaft would have.

 

[Canadan]

Absolutely I will. I have choices elsewhere to spend my money and work with companies that stand behind what they sell. I understand we don't have the whole story on anything but why take undue risk and gamble with $350 when I don't have too.

Can you offer a sample of a shaft company who warranties shafts that snap in the middle? Where else would this purchase have been made that would have played out differently is what I'd love to know?

 

[93civiccpe]

I don't blame you at all for not wanting to play a Fuji shaft ever again, if this is the end result.

I think the more likely result is that he'll never step in Club Champion again but I don't want to speak for anyone else. I honestly feel Club Champion has a lot more to lose here.

 

[Canadan]

Worst case is that CC is out something less than the full cost of a new Ventus, they can tell Fuji the next time negotiations come up, "remember how much of your product we move and how you jacked us around on warranty issues," and they have a customer out there telling everyone how CC's customer service is absolutely top notch. Instead, they have this thread and people rightly chiming in about how Golf Galaxy was more helpful than CC when an issue came up.

Again, I would love to read a sample where a shaft snapping in the middle was handled better elsewhere.

 

[radiman]

Can you offer a sample of a shaft company who warranties shafts that snap in the middle? Where else would this purchase have been made that would have played out differently is what I'd love to know?

Ping warrantied a HZRDUS Yellow for me that snapped in the middle. If he would have bought his club from Cobra, they would have likely done the same.

 

[BigDill]

Can you offer a sample of a shaft company who warranties shafts that snap in the middle? Where else would this purchase have been made that would have played out differently is what I'd love to know?

While I do not have personal experience since I have never broken one, I have zero doubt that UST Mamiya would replace a broken in the middle driver shaft at least once. But it is just a guess at the end of the day.

 

[Canadan]

Ping warrantied a HZRDUS Yellow for me that snapped in the middle. If he would have bought his club from Cobra, they would have likely done the same.

That is an assumption, not a fact. I'm only going off what we know, and that is that shaft manufacturers don't seem to warranty breaks in the middle of the shaft. Interesting about the HZRDUS. Was it an upcharge shaft or a stock shaft?

While I do not have personal experience since I have never broken one, I have zero doubt that UST Mamiya would replace a broken in the middle driver shaft at least once. But it is just a guess at the end of the day.

I would bet they wouldn't.

 

[JMB3]

Well, I think the story is getting twisted quite a bit. CC did reach out to Fuji and got the claim denied, so far as i can tell. They did offer a discount on another product (with the intent of offering the discount being cloudy) - despite Fuji not standing behind their product.

We are filling in a lot of gaps with a lot of "boo club champion" style perspectives when I struggle to see it being the case. I fully expect them to do what they can to support their customers.

If CC really wanted to support their customer, they replace the shaft. And then they take it up Fuji. That seems to be a pretty general consensus in here.