USFA's poor customer service. Opposite of their quality, (I hope).UPDATE

[Guano]

This might be rambling, and I apoligize if it is, but I'm not happy right now with USFA.
I am not pleased with USFA's customer service. Just after Thanksgiving I had my dealer order a pair of premium finished SAA's and my dealer was told that there was a pair in assembly that should be delivered about Christmas or just after.
Well Christmas came and went with no pistols and when my dealer called after the 1st of the year, he was told that the barrels were just being installed and then were going out to Doug Turnbull for finishing and they would be delivered by the end of January.
Well guess what, my dealer called last Wednesday and the V/P of sales told him that he seemed to remember saying something about their conversation concerning the end of January delivery, and would check on it and call him back on Thursday. My dealer stayed by the phone all day Thursday and again, no phone call, so my dealer called on Friday morning and all he got was voice mail, as he had before in calls made on Fridays.
So when I hear from my dealer about he run around from USFA, I decide to sent an e-mail on Friday evening to USFA about the poor customer service.
My dealer received a phone call from USFA"s V/P of sales (whom is the only sales rep) Monday morning and is told that there were some problem with some soft internal parts that weren't heat treated that got through their Q and A department and were assembled into pistols. So that backed up production as all of pistols had to be pulled from the assembly line, to check them for the soft parts. So now my dealer was told that one of my pair of consecutively numbered pistols wasn back from Q and A and was going out to Doug Turnbulls and the other should be back from testing yesterday and if it's OK should join its partner. Not the estimated delivery is now  "toward the third week of February".
My biggest question in this whole mess is why wasn't my dealer called and updated? I understand production and how problems throw a wrench into things and I understand that apparently there's only one sales rep, which is not my problem. If this is the case, hire someone (even if they weren't any good as any information is better than none). And I never received any personal response from USFA about my e-mail, but it was mentioned to my dealer.
I sure hope this incident of soft parts slipping throught their Q/A isn't any indication of their quality control department, because if slipping through happens at all, then their Q and A department isn't working.
After thinking (and steaming) about this, I don't know if I will feel comfortable with the new pistols when I do get them of if I will always be wondering if they going to break. And I know their lifetime guaranty will take care of that except, I be out my time and money for shipping.
Thanks for letting me vent.
And I do know that USFA's guns are good quality and if it wasn't for that, I'd cancel the order and buy another Uberti which I already know from experience has soft parts and poor quality control, that's why I started buying USFA's.
This just one persons experience and I hope it's not the feelings of others.

[RRio]

This is the first time I have ever heard anything negative about their CS. I have always had excellant service from them.
I hope everything works out for you and they get on the stick a little better. Almost starting to sound like Colt CS.

RRio

[Virginia Gentleman]

I have had the exact opposite experience with USFA, but that doesn't mean much to someone that is having a problem now.  I expect they are very concerned about QA and will need more time than they originally thought to pull the parts out of the guns and replace them.  Poor communication is with bad news is worse than communcation with bad news and delay makes we the customers more anxious.  I would call them and ask to speak to Gary Granger the Sales guy there.  He has always been helpful and if there is a problem, he will get it resolved.  I think your case is the exception rather than the rule, but it will help tremendously if you call them.  I wouldn't worry about the replacement parts as I am sure they will be properly heat treated and tested.  BTW, another manufacterer, Cimarron was testing my will to be civil, but in the end they made it right and I am sure USFA will too.  Please let us know how it turns out.

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

First thing to remember, USFA is not a large corporation turning out thousands of guns.  They are a relatively small company facing a huge demand for their products and you are just one of many, many customers ordering guns. 
Your dealer called Thursday and didn't hear back from them until Monday morning?  Sounds pretty good to me.  Again, your dealer was probably one of many who had to be contacted. 
Why not hire more people to handle these problems?  Simple!  All they have to do is raise the price of their guns to pay for those new employees.
I recently had a rather long, drawn out experience with USFA regarding a special order gun (it's a long story and I won't bore you with it).  Despite the delays involved I was very pleased with the way I was treated and the service I received.

[Guano]

Thanks for the replys pards.
I indeed know something about small businesses with high demands, as I was production manager for just such a company.
But I guess what frustrates me the most is, when I told a customer something was going to be done at a certain time, by golly it was and if a production problem arose then I immediately contacted the customer with an update. Never did I leave a customer hanging, wondering when they would get their product.
I guess my philosophy is that a satisified customer is a potential repeat customer or a good referral to other buyers. Am I that different, or is my thinking, "old school" and or passe'.
I know that my pistols well be the best quality possible when I receive them.

[Doc Sunrise]

In defense of USFA, it is hard to consider when things go wrong how messy damage control can be.  Communication from USFA probably could have been better, but I consider it very upfront when they are willing to say they caught a problem and are rectifying it, instead of just sending out orders to satisfy waiting customers and then hear the backlash of poor quality later which is even worse for this American made product with traditional history of quality to worry about keeping.  In retrospect of any problem that exists, we have to remember that persistency of quality control is better than the perfection in the delivery of excuses.  So far, USFA has exibited great quality in their products and great service above the 98%, which is fantastic.  That is what builds customer satisfaction and deepens loyalty, which you could probably tell by now I have alot of for USFA after 9 guns.  On the flip side, I would recommend a more timely communication to distributors that a manufacturing process is being improved and may slow orders down a bit so they can communicate to their customers which could alleviate some customer's concerns.  I fully understand that quality from hand fitted guns takes time, but information technology could have kept distributors in the loop in a minute.  Be patient, USFA is well worth it!    

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

Another thing that you have to keep in mind in a situation like this is that you are not the customer.  The dealer that you ordred the gun through is the customer.
And while on the subject of customer/sales service at USFA...  Virginia Gentleman mentioned dealing with Gary Granger.  Did he replace Gary Germaine?  Germaine is the gentleman that I was dealing with about a year ago. 

[Guano]

Yes, Gary Granger took Gary Germaines place, who left USFA to sell medical equipment.

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

Thanks Guano!  Let's see now...  First there was Kevin Mooney, then there was Geno Paesano, then came Gary Germaine, now there is Gary Granger.  Got it!  I always thought that Geno Paesano was an unfortunate name for a sales rep at a time when USFA was trying to divorce itself from the stigma of having once used imported, Italian parts.

[RRio]

Yes, Gary Granger took Gary Germaines place, who left USFA to sell medical equipment.

Wasn't Gary Granger also known as Five String? If that is so, he is the gentleman who I bought my last USFA through. And if that be the case, he will take care of you. He is a pard to ride the river with.

RRio

[CW Price Texas Ranger]

I had a little bit of problems with USFA ona special order.  It had to be sent back, but I also have to admit it was one fine peice when it came back to me.  I only own 2 USFA's, both premium and engraved.  Let me tell you, they were worth the wait even as frustrated as I became.

[Virginia Gentleman]

USFA if they have screwed up, will make it right and they do seem responsive.  Just my 2 cents.

[Guano]

Well the saga goes on. I got a call from my FFL the other day that 1 of the consecutive pair he ordered for me showed up via FedEx. Even though a specific request was made to ship together to save on shipping.
Well yet another call to Gary Granger to see what's up and of course, he doesn't know a thing except the were some quality problems with some guns (same problem as the last call ) , Said he would look into it and call him the next day as he did. Apparently my second pistols internals didn't meet quality standards and had to be brought up to proper quality standards.
Which is what I would expect them to do. But that pistol was supposed to be back from testing on the 30th of January and my FFL has to call back over 3 weeks later to find this information out. In my opinion, totally unacceptable.
I know that USFA is a small company trying to keep up with a large demand, and I can't believe that the production is so high that a courtesy call is not possible to keep dealers informed especially when my FFL has been in contact with Gary Granger concerning this order. I mean if USFA doesn't receive any calls about an order, then no call back would be expected.
I did however pick up the pistol my FFL received, today and it is one beautiful firearm. Truly, quality that anyone including myself would be proud to own.
I just still can't help but wonder how the craftsmanship can be so superior when the customer communication is so poor.
I know everyone speaks very highly of Mr. Granger and I haven't had any first hand dealing with him other than he never responded to me back in January when I sent an e-mail the the USFA customer service dept., only made mention of it to my FFL.
Once I bought my first USFA, I was sold and I will never buy another Italian Colt '73 clone again.
The quality and craftsmanship far exceeds the hassle of getting them. It's just frustrating.

So now I'm the proud owner of 3 USFA's and one on the way, I sure will be happy when it gets here. Maybe, I'll have to hand out cigars. I wonder if they have them with "It's a USFA" printed on them?

Thanks for letting me vent AGAIN.

[Charlie Montana # 16369 Life]

My Single Action 4 3/4" 45 has been in the shop going on 4 weeks now. It went back on a recall (i don't know why). I have talked to Gary Granger a couple of times, he seems to be quite helpful. I assume i might have it back in a few days, from what he told me the last time we talked.

                                     Wish me luck,  Charlie

PS this will tell me if i will buy another one

[J.D. Yellowhammer]

FWIW...

I bought a USFA from Gary Granger a few months ago.  He told me it was coming off the production line in a couple of days, and sure enough, it did.  The transaction was fast and responsible and I'd do it again in a heartbeat (wish I had the bucks for another one!).

JD 

[Charlie Montana # 16369 Life]

I spoke with Gary Granger today. He told me all the recall guns will be test fired before they leave the plant.  NO, he did not tell me how many are on recall, I did not ask either.

Their goal is to make sure that we have the best they can make.

                    Charlie Montana