Help with poor customer service at RS

Hmmmmm.......
Sounds like you have already determined RS is out to get you.
While I am a strong believer in The RS brand, I also believe they are capable of creating a "glitch". So I encourage RS to quickly resolve the issue and for Frank The Second to adopt an expectation of obtaining a positive resolution.

I would use another company for my luggage purchases.

Monte, I agree. I buy luggage from lots of companies to review. This is the first time I've had to return two separate bags from one company within a couple of months. But not the first time I've had problems with customer service.

Marbleskies....when the person I'm dealing with doesn't follow through twice, it doesn't give me high hopes that they are competent to get the job done. That's why I want to deal with someone else.

Telephone the office and ask who is in charge.....ask that they call you back (same day). Then let us know if that happens.

In previous years (4-7 years ago), I have telephoned the main office for various reasons, and I have always been connected with someone who could help me. Surely things have not changed that much...but maybe.

Let us know how it all works out, please.

My old rollaboards are still holding up well, but I have considered purchasing two of the new smaller size......so I truly am interested in how the company stands behind its merchandise. Hopefully they have not outsourced merchandise sales/shipping (or portions thereof)....maybe ask that and let us know, if you reach a senior manager.

The phone number you need is right here on the RS website:

"For questions regarding merchandise orders you've already placed, send an email to Customer Service, or call 425-771-8303 ext. 220."

You also could have addressed your question directly to [email protected] for assistance with the contact you're looking for: I doubt that people on the Europe forum would know "who runs the Rick Steves store."

I called that number....first I was put on hold and told my estimated hold time is one minute. I heard that every 30 seconds for about five minutes. Then I was connected to an answering machine.

That's what happens when you get extension 220.

Ah. You didn't mention that you'd called as well as sent emails. Maybe try again and leave a message? It could be no more than just an unusually busy time of year for a possibly small staff.

Margaret...if you're looking for a bag similar to the RS Rolling Carry-On, check out this one"

LiteGear Hybrid 20 Carry On

Except for the front panel and the zipper pulls, it's the exact same bag. The person who designed this bag also designed the RS bags.

Frank II goes way back with this forum. He should get good customer service.

Thanks, Kent, but I only request the same service they give everyone else.

I wrote this not thinking that anyone here might have the answer but that people from RS monitor the board and might do the right thing by stepping in and taking care of the problem.

The sign of a quality company is how they address customer service issues.

The only other suggestion I'd have (since you called the number with the designated extension) is to call and ask for Rick's personal assistant, then ask her/him who is charge of the on-line store and ask that the person telephone you back.

It is concerning to hear of the quality issue and the lack of follow-thru. And, of course, often customers don't say it, but we think: Gosh, I hope there will not be a decrease in quality on tours. Sort of like the old customer service line we have all heard: If the tray table on the airplane is not working or clean, one wonders about the engine.

Attention to detail and follow-thru reflects on the brand....lack of that also reflects on the brand.

Let us know how it is handled, and how long it takes.

I also mentioned to RS customer service that the set of Packing Cubes I received had the tag attached through the fabric and when I cut the tags off, they left holes in the fabric. I was concerned that these holes could grow.

I was told the holes will fill in themselves and they haven't had any problems with the packing cubes. The holes have not filled in.

But I should have seen this as a sign of things to come.

With out expressing judgment about any of the posts above, one might want to acknowledge that we are here as guests in Rick ' s house.

Frank II,

I'm having a hard time understanding why it should take this long to get a shipping label. Whenever I've had to deal with things like that, the firm simply sends a return UPS or FedEx label via E-Mail. I print it out, slap it on the package and take it to the local UPS store and it's done. I don't understand why this is so problematic in this case.

I expect you'll have resolution on this sometime tomorrow.

Frank,
Have gone to your website and read some of your luggage reviews. I am curious as to what you do with all the luggage you order?
Thanks

Some I keep, Some I sell, Some I give away. The money I get from selling goes towards the upkeep of the website as well as more product to review.

Dispute the RS charge on your credit card...then sit back and wait for RS to call you :-)

Mountain out of a molehill, Frank, imo. I will never understand why folks feel the need to freak out and enlist all sorts of help in getting a minor issue resolved. I am sure it is a busy time of year for them, and with a certain demand on shipping and a certain number of employees, credits get pushed down the priority list a bit. It doesn't mean they are not providing good service, or that they are trying to shirk their responsibility, it means they are busy. I can't imagine you are truly concerned that you won't get your money back from RS for a product with an apparent defect?

If you're too busy to answer your customers or take care of a defect in your own product then you need to examine your business from top to bottom and make necessary adjustments. Hire more workers, streamline the process, whatever it takes to keep your customer's happy.

Now RS is probably a bit different because there are scads of people too unsure of their own planning skills to tackle it on their own and who have lots of disposable income. When you have those kinds of people lined up ready and willing to shell out the travel $$$$ you might not be so concerned about the person who bought a $25 backpack.

A slip-up may just mean that they're human?
Stuff happens.

I like Tims post..

I think anyone can make a mistake, I don't hold an occaissonal mistake against any business, but I judge a business on how a mistake is handled .. and this is not looking good.

As for "guest in RS house" hmmm , we promote many things.. we promote the tours, the books, and the ideology.. we are not just guests.. we are contributing members of a thriving commercial enterprise ( trust me.. ricky is rich rich rich now) and when there is a mistake or problem I do not feel we should not comment on it out of what.. deference?? Deference to what.. the discounts we get when we post 1000 times?

Let me give an update......

I received a PM from a member of RS staff who saw this thread and got involved. She forwarded my information on to the head of customer service who is looking into this.

She also explained why there may be a temporary issue due to some changes they are making to the website. I won't go into detail because they may want it to be kept a secret for now. But by communicating this issue with me, I understand why there may be a problem and am more understanding.

She also thanked me for bringing this issue to the forum and completely understood my frustration.

On a lighter note, while this was going on, the original customer service person I was dealing with sent me an email saying he/she was checking with the shipping department and would get back to me shortly. Almost the same wording I received from the same person nearly 24 hours before. :)

There's an old saying: "When one door closes, another one opens." Sometimes, however, you have to go searching around back for that other door.

Frank II, although just an observer, I am glad to see this close to being resolved. It looks like you took Rick's advice to look for back doors.

Pat, what benefits for 1,000 posts? The webmaster gives a discount for each post over a thousand? I have been paying too much all along! Oh well, two more posts and I can look forward to my discount. ; > )

Just to be contrary, during a recent May/June trip, I had difficulty/annoyance with the expanding handles to my 20" roll a board bag. I emailed customer service, received a response within 24 hours and a new bag was shipped that same day (and due today). So I did and would still rave about their customer service. I loved this bag by the way. It is perfectly organized. It was easy to carry on and off trains, lift above my head, wheel on cobblestones and cobble rocks (and there were many) and strong enough to check…which I do.

I received a call from the Operations Manager at RS to talk to me about the situation.

He apologized, explained some of the problems they've been having but not using them as an excuse, said the return label will be issued at close of day today, and will issue my refund today rather than having to wait until the bag gets back to Edmonds.

I have to say that I think they handled this very professionally and made things right.

I'm still glad I posted this, as were they, because they stated they want to know if there is a problem so it can be fixed.

As I've been a fly on the wall during this discussion online and internally, I'm glad to see that this is being resolved.

From Frank's first post: "It will also be interesting to see if the Webmaster takes this down."

That's not really my style as long as you aren't being inflammatory or making factually inaccurate statements. This was a legitimate customer service issue that wasn't receiving the expected resolution through the usual channels.

To the Webmaster...

Thank you for your post and honesty. There are some websites where if anything negative is posted about the brand, it is taken down. I shouldn't have underestimated your integrity. And for that, I apologize.

A fly on the wall is much better than a bee in the bonnet! :O)

roy.. just joking.. only "bonus" to 1000 posts is possible carpal tunnel.. lol

Oh, well. At least I am one step closer to -- nothing.

All's well that ends well :) Good to know our reliable Europe through the Backdoor company is still very customer focused :)

I've referred many, many customers to RS, and each has become a raving fan. So, good to know I can confidently keep making those referrals.

We've been super pleased with our tours, all guidebooks we've purchased and phrase books (in addition to those sent for tours) for ourselves or as gifts, countless money belts we have used or given as gifts, and LOVE our original rollaboards (which have now proudly visited all 7 continents) and look still look almost brand new :)

.....and, of course, this Forum provides a great source of info, knowledge, entertainment, and occasional drama. Although I don't post as frequently as others, I have become quite addicted to reading/skimming it, almost like our daily local and national newspapers.

P.S. Since Rick's company has been so subsequently responsive, I'll suggest amending the title of your post.

I too will remark on the customer service at the Rick Steves Travel Store. We purchased roll on bags and when using them one time a zipper broke, and the cause was not because of abuse by us or the airline - very shoddy workmanship - zippers on the newest bags are like you might find on a very light jacket - not a suitcase. The previous Rick Steves roll-on bags we had lasted for over ten years and the zippers were substantial - not flimsy as on the current edition of the bags.

When we tried to return the bags after one use where they were not fully packed, we were told because the bags were out of our hands while travelling - i.e. we checked them on a non-stop flight to our destination - the warranty did not apply. Needless to say we protested with our credit card company and alas the charges were taken care of. We all along were willing to return the bags to Rick Steves Travel Store. This is an example of very poor customer service.

We cannot recommend Rick Steves Travel Store for any purchases.

Wes, though not good to hear, thank you for posting your experience.

I will hold off ordering the set of new (smaller) rollaboards I had planned to purchase this year. I would have expected the quality to be as good as my old ones, but sounds like it's not. And, I sure would have expected RS to (still) give the old LLBean-type quality guarantee. Ouch!!!!

I have just returned from Europe and my 13th RS tour (Bulgaria) in 13 years. I travel with most things purchased from the RS store except clothing. I have never had a problem with anything that was not immediately taken care of to my satisfaction including the replacement of a well used 21" roller bag whose extending handle ceased to function. I am sorry to hear about the problems you had and it does seem that they are now being taken care of. It is said that if someone had a problem, no matter how small or large, they will tell at least 10 other people. If the same people had a exceptional experience, they may not tell anyone. I try to do tell people about both experiences.

Wes's post is very interesting.

Is the warranty exclusion similar to or different from the norm? Excluding the very expensive, high-end models, of course. Unlike the RS store, those advertise their ability to withstand airline-handling abuse, but, as I recall, they are the traditional hard-sided suitcases. My understanding has always been that the airline is responsible for damage to checked bags. But I presume that you have to spot and report the damage before leaving the airport.

In light of Wes' comment, I just looked at the warranty. I'm not an attorney, but... I'm not clear on what it covers, except out-of-box damage. It excludes airline damage and normal wear and tear. That is understandable, except when it's interpreted so broadly that it includes things like a broken zipper on a first trip. The language gives the company great latitude. I would feel more comfortable if they had at least asked to see the bag to assess whether it looked like it had been unreasonably abused in transit. I think I'm going with a company that handles repairs with a different attitude.

While it is good business to replace a nearly new item without question, I still think the airline should be held responsible. But, to do so, you have to inspect your luggage before leaving baggage claim and immediately report the damage.

I've missed something on the timeline (perhaps it was covered under 'eventually') - "Nearly a week has gone by and no label." Unless you live across the street from RSE, I'd expect at least a week to pass before receiving something in the mail. Granted, I'm not wearing my reading glasses, so perhaps I missed something...

Frank II, has RS moved from Kiva to LiteGear, or has the Kiva designer moved to LiteGear, or...? Their stuff does look weirdly like RS' mdse 8^0

I AM concerned about RS mdse and those zippers. They seem to go from beefy to wimpy and back to beefy again in the next version. And the fabrics have gone from very sturdy to, ummm, not so sturdy...then the next bag's fabric seems to wear much better than the last...not super consistent. I still buy RS' stuff but won't hesitate to return something I don't expect to wear well.

Anyone who's used this website in the last several days is aware that something is going on :-( Annoying, but not a biggie.

All's well that ends well!

[Wait - Whaddya mean there's no consideration for number of posts?!? ;-) ]

Eileen..

Return labels are usually sent via email. They are generated by the computer at the end of the day.

History of RS and Kiva. In 1999, RS hired Kiva to redesign and manufacture new bags for them. Almost all the bags you see now were designed by Kiva. In December of 2013, RS severed ties with Kiva and partnered with Ricardo of Beverly Hills to make their bags. (They also make the Kirkland bags for Costco as well as their own brand.) The owners/founders of Kiva then sold their company to the parent company of Baggalini. That company dissolved the Kiva brand. One of the founders of Kiva then formed Litegear. Thats why the bags look alike.

While the folks at RS told me they feel the bags made by Ricardo are better, I've been buying bags from RS for over 20 years and I have to differ in that feeling. As an example, I've owned RS convertible bags since the early 1990's. (I still have my first one.) I've owned a few since then. I recently bought another one a couple of months ago. I was shocked to see light come through the fabric when held up to the window. That means the weave of the material is thin to save weight and money but I can't be sure if it will be as durable. (YMMV)

Ever since posting this, I've received PM from others who have had problems with RS merchandise. I ordered the compass/thermometer and the compass never points in the right direction.

I understand they are trying to keep the sales price from rising and have to cut some corners to do so. But at some point, they have to stop relying on the name to sell the product.

Another interesting thing with the change of manufacturer......we used to be able to buy RS merchandise in some luggage stores and at Amazon among other online merchants. Now, you can only buy bags directly from RS.

Let's go back to Wes' contribution and get it straightened out:

"We purchased roll on bags and when using them one time a zipper broke, and the cause was not because of abuse by us or the airline..."

He didn't say the zipper broke while the bag was in the possession of the airline. He said RS wouldn't allow him to return/exchange the bag back because it had been checked once. Perhaps the zipper broke two days after being in the cargo hold of the plane. That's very different.

Obviously the credit card company agreed with Wes.

This is interesting to me since as a retailer, I know that if I credit a customer for, or replace, a product they are unhappy with, which does not meet the "defective" threshold as defined by the manufacturer/wholesaler, I won't get credit myself as the retailer. However, that doesn't mean I can't choose to "eat it" in the name of customer goodwill. If the manufacturer warranty disallows returns after the bag has been used once for it's intended purpose, you can be sure that someone at RS has the authority to okay a return, and it sounds like they were out of the loop, or too far away from the loop the first place. It also sounds like the deal the manufacturer cut with RS has pretty tight guidelines for dealing with returns, imo.

Cool, Frank. It's me, but when I read ".,,to get them to just send me a return shipping label...", I read send = 'mail', as in someone trotting down to the mailbox or the USPS and sending by mail...and 'email a return label' as, well...'email' ;-) Waiting even a few days for an emailed label is a little disconcerting...

I knew about Kiva's sale and knew that I couldn't find them anywhere. Now I know why. I'm with you on Kiva vs Ricardo :-( My newer RS fabric luggage is quickly getting fuzzy, and I want to explain how unhappy I am to whomever changed the fabric of the Hide-Away Tote Bag! I also noticed how several outlets started running low on RS mdse stock...then all stopped carrying it all together. It was obvious he decided to pull it all back in-house. That's fine, but I expect the quality to stay up. Now that I have to wait until it actually arrives on my doorstep to see the quality? I don't know about that...I'll rely on reviews, if possible, before purchasing. Not that I need yet another blasted suitcase from RSE LOL!

Wow, Frank - getting picky about your compass ;-)

To me luggage is a commodity, one that is used and abused and it's a miracle it lasts at all. Also, it's available for sale EVERYWHERE a person looks, so why bother ordering online when it's on sale constantly at Macy's and Sears and Costco and Walmart and Marshalls etc. etc. etc. It's so easy to take it for a test drive, why not just buy in person?

I would also defer to Consumer Reports if I didn't trust my own senses at the store.

I have to say that luggage is one area where it can pay to invest in a higher end product. Don't do it for the label, but do it for quality. I bought a roll-aboard suitcase nearly 15 years ago. Not only has it made ten trips across the Atlantic and back, I've used it for business travel. The business travel included trips 2.5 weeks out of each month, often with multiple flights in each trip. That bag is still holding up. They did replace the zipper about half way through at no charge. The bag has a lifetime guarantee. I love it.

You can buy one suitcase for $200 or two suitcases for $100 and it's pretty much a wash, to me anyway. By handling the merchandise and comparing to its nearby brethren you can decide what your price point is.