Club Champion Customer Service

[bigskyirish]

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

I had a buddy who had exactly the same thing happen last summer. He took it to our local golf shop. I have absolutely no idea whether the shop got the OEM to warranty it or the shop ate the cost of the replacement, but they had him a new one within a week. And he didn't pay $1k for premium service on the front end.

 

[BigDill]

I would bet they wouldn't.

I would love to try, but the Q-Fiber in my shaft is very, very strong.

 

[bigskyirish]

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.

Sums it up perfectly. That's what a local shop did for my buddy and what PING did for @radiman. Bottom line is that CC wasn't willing to do it. To me, that's awful customer service.

 

[Canadan]

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.

There are notations about their warranty conditions on the website and in the stores. They are pretty damn clear about how the conditions of their sales work haha

It's not like they hid their policy in the fineprint and then stuck it to Mike when he needed them. They did attempt to get him a warranty claim, and even offered a discount on another shaft when the company who built it didn't stand behind the build quality.

While I can appreciate what the 'consensus' here thinks, it's just not realistic based on what we know.

 

[mpeterson]

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

I have had a break in the middle of a shaft and TT/PX handled it with no problem. No questions asked, sent a new one. Manufacturing defects happen... to deny something based solely on position, without looking at it, etc. is absurd.

 

[Canadan]

I had a buddy who had exactly the same thing happen last summer. He took it to our local golf shop. I have absolutely no idea whether the shop got the OEM to warranty it or the shop ate the cost of the replacement, but they had him a new one within a week. And he didn't pay $1k for premium service on the front end.

Was it a stock shaft, or an upcharge shaft? Who was the company?

 

[captaincaution]

I have had a break in the middle of a shaft and TT/PX handled it with no problem. No questions asked, sent a new one. Manufacturing defects happen... to deny something based solely on position, without looking at it, etc. is absurd.

To purport that there is a zero percent failure rate at any location in the shaft is absurd.

 

[Canadan]

I have had a break in the middle of a shaft and TT/PX handled it with no problem. No questions asked, sent a new one. Manufacturing defects happen... to deny something based solely on position, without looking at it, etc. is absurd.

I agree that defects happen.
I agree that Fujikura (like TT/PX in your situation) would do well to handle it.

It appears that isn't happening.

 

[JB]

I have had a break in the middle of a shaft and TT/PX handled it with no problem. No questions asked, sent a new one. Manufacturing defects happen... to deny something based solely on position, without looking at it, etc. is absurd.

Thats great service and good of PX to handle it.
If Fujikura had done the same here, all is handled, right?

To be fair, CC did look at it and asked to have the shaft brought in. @e1iterate sent pictures in which were used for the claim.

 

[bigskyirish]

Was it a stock shaft, or an upcharge shaft? Who was the company?

It was an upcharge shaft, but I don't recall which one it was.

 

[bigskyirish]

While I can appreciate what the 'consensus' here thinks, it's just not realistic based on what we know.

So if the consensus on a message board full of golfers--who are exactly the kind of people likely to be CC's customers--is that CC was in the wrong for not making it right with their customer and then dealing with Fuji, why is that unrealistic? Just because you happen to disagree with the consensus?

 

[JMB3]

There are notations about their warranty conditions on the website and in the stores. They are pretty damn clear about how the conditions of their sales work haha

It's not like they hid their policy in the fineprint and then stuck it to Mike when he needed them. They did attempt to get him a warranty claim, and even offered a discount on another shaft when the company who built it didn't stand behind the build quality.

While I can appreciate what the 'consensus' here thinks, it's just not realistic based on what we know.

And, yet, you now have dozens of consumers in here justifiably questioning whether they would ever buy from CC.

 

[mancest]

Having read through the 1st 3 pages,, sorry but F Club Champion for this. That break looks to me like a product fail. They sourced, built and delivered the club. They have much more clout with the manufacturer than an individual customer.

Say OP was able to get a replacement shaft from Fuji (which seems doubtful that he would be able to if CC is unable to) then what, he has to pay for the shaft to be pured/tipped/gripped/installed into the head he has? To me this is very clear cut that CC should stand behind the club that THEY SOLD, then deal with their supplier to get reimbursed for the issue/costs associated.

 

[JB]

So if the consensus on a message board full of golfers--who are exactly the kind of people likely to be CC's customers--is that CC was in the wrong for not making it right with their customer and then dealing with Fuji, why is that unrealistic? Just because you happen to disagree with the consensus?

I think there is some truth to this, but will add that the forum is only getting a single side to the story and Club Champion jumping in to this thread to respond now wouldn't be the wisest move based on the way it has gone.

Speaking with @e1iterate I offered to assist (which he wanted) and there are definitely multiple views in this and what transpired.

 

[mikeg_74]

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.

at the end of the day we all have learned a little bit more about club champion and where to take our hard earned $$ when we are looking for golf equipment. It sucks this happened to to him, but many are benefiting from the horrible experience.

 

[bigskyirish]

I think there is some truth to this, but will add that the forum is only getting a single side to the story and Club Champion jumping in to this thread to respond now wouldn't be the wisest move based on the way it has gone.

Speaking with @e1iterate I offered to assist (which he wanted) and there are definitely multiple views in this and what transpired.

But I guess to me, that's sort of the point. This thread wouldn't exist for Club Champion to worry about if they would have handled it differently in the first place. Regardless of how Club Champion sees it, it's not like @e1iterate just flew off the handle 10 minutes after the shaft broke and came here to post about how crappy CC is. He went through multiple levels at the company, including resorting to trying to reaching out to the Club Champion account on THP, and waited three weeks for a good resolution before posting here. And because of the way Club Champion dealt with it for those 3 weeks, this thread exists and has gone how it's gone, with the pretty overwhelming consensus being that CC is in the wrong.

 

[93civiccpe]

And, yet, you now have dozens of consumers in here justifiably questioning whether they would ever buy from CC.

Which is why I feel Club Champion has the most to lose (whether they should or not). I agree that their policy is well stated but after dropping a significant amount on a club I think the perception is that they would do more. I do see both sides of this one though. Ultimately if the flaw is in the Fujikura shaft then I would want them to fix it / make it right. But CC is getting tarnished for being in the middle.

 

[JB]

But I guess to me, that's sort of the point. This thread wouldn't exist for Club Champion to worry about if they would have handled it differently in the first place. Regardless of how Club Champion sees it, it's not like @e1iterate just flew off the handle 10 minutes after the shaft broke and came here to post about how crappy CC is. He went through multiple levels at the company, including resorting to trying to get their attention through Twitter, and waited three weeks for a good resolution before posting here. And because of the way Club Champion dealt with it for those 3 weeks, this thread exists and has gone how it's gone, with the pretty overwhelming consensus being that CC is in the wrong.

Can you direct me to that Tweet he sent? Im trying to gather as much info as I can on it to help, but went through his timeline and didnt see anything.

 

[Smiter]

Here was my last shaft failure. I won’t list the shaft manufacturer as they had a bad batch and knew it and immediately made it right. The vendor I purchased the club did the legwork, and since they had none of those in stock at the time (bad batch).

I thought it just sad that I no longer swung hard enough to completely shear the head off. #notbeastly

 

[bigskyirish]

Can you direct me to that Tweet he sent? Im trying to gather as much info as I can on it to help, but went through his timeline and didnt see anything.

That was my mistake. I misread the first post. Should have said that he reached out to the account here. I edited accordingly.

 

[e1iterate]

For the record, I have not engaged anything on social media. This is the only place I’ve publicly posted about it outside of some small group messages amongst friends.

 

[mpeterson]

Thats great service and good of PX to handle it.
If Fujikura had done the same here, all is handled, right?

To be fair, CC did look at it and asked to have the shaft brought in. @e1iterate sent pictures in which were used for the claim.

For what it's worth, I think this is a failure of CS on two sides - and honestly more on Fuji for just dismissing it outright. But at the same time, you'd expect more from CC than "call Fuji". This thread kind of encapsulates some of the issues I've had with CC. My first experience with them wasn't good - had them do some club work and adjustments - but things kept getting delayed with radio silence (talking weeks) until I called or emailed.

My most recent experience, at a different location, was much better. In the end, some of that equipment didn't work out but that wasn't on them, that was swing changes and me getting over some injuries.

The problem I have - if I'm spending ~500 on an upgraded shaft through them, I take care of the club, and there's an issue, I'd like the company I bought it through to step up for me a bit more. They choose what's on that wall, they have the clout. It seems Fuji is perfectly happy to tell consumers to kick rocks, and that's why next fitting I'll likely stay away from their offerings.

 

[Canadan]

at the end of the day we all have learned a little bit more about club champion and where to take our hard earned $$ when we are looking for golf equipment. It sucks this happened to to him, but many are benefiting from the horrible experience.

What is it we learned? That their policy (that is stated openly) is in fact reality? The policy anyone is free to be aware of at any time?

So if the consensus on a message board full of golfers--who are exactly the kind of people likely to be CC's customers--is that CC was in the wrong for not making it right with their customer and then dealing with Fuji, why is that unrealistic? Just because you happen to disagree with the consensus?

And, yet, you now have dozens of consumers in here justifiably questioning whether they would ever buy from CC.

I think it's generous to call it a consensus.. Maybe a consensus of opinion that was built elsewhere and brought out here, I suppose. Same names, same argument - kind of boring, really.

The rest of it? Seems like a lot of gray area to me.

 

[BigDill]

One of my takeaways from this thread is that Club Champion should consider offering an extended warranty for purchase at the point of sale.

 

[Canadan]

For what it's worth, I think this is a failure of CS on two sides - and honestly more on Fuji for just dismissing it outright. But at the same time, you'd expect more from CC than "call Fuji". This thread kind of encapsulates some of the issues I've had with CC. My first experience with them wasn't good - had them do some club work and adjustments - but things kept getting delayed with radio silence (talking weeks) until I called or emailed.

My most recent experience, at a different location, was much better. In the end, some of that equipment didn't work out but that wasn't on them, that was swing changes and me getting over some injuries.

The problem I have - if I'm spending ~500 on an upgraded shaft through them, I take care of the club, and there's an issue, I'd like the company I bought it through to step up for me a bit more. They choose what's on that wall, they have the clout. It seems Fuji is perfectly happy to tell consumers to kick rocks, and that's why next fitting I'll likely stay away from their offerings.

Is it fair to say that all CC did in this situation was tell Mike to call Fuji?

They attempted a claim on his behalf.
They offered a discount on a replacement which is more than what their policy states should be expected.

The rest is a translation of a chat we didn't get to see.