Dogface Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 I've had the lure in the picture for a couple of months now, and the paint is still tacky and it still stinks. I wonder if the paint could be reacting to the packaging and becoming soft.
Garnet Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 There are plenty of rat-l traps copies and they are all cheap copies. I have 17 rat-l traps that never get used unless I'm fishing for money. I buy more ever year take them out of package and fish a bit and get rid of them if they start catching fish I change hooks and rings and see if they get in the money box. Garnet
Super User Micro Posted January 13, 2009 Author Super User Posted January 13, 2009 I sent my complaint to RatLTrap and got the following: Please e-mail me your address so I can send you replacements of those lures. Our lure is the most popular and original lipless crankbait out on the market and sometimes the demand catches our production department and things might not have cured out as a result you got some tacky lures heavy with the top coat smell. Sorry for your inconvenience and good fishin. Everett Gill Product Development Whether or not you like Rat-L-Taps, there's no arguing that is awesome customer service.
Stringjam Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 Great to hear they're taking care of you - good on em'. Our lure is the most popular and original lipless crankbait out on the market No it isn't - how about a little credit where it's due.... I keep seeing this from Bill Lewis and others. See the bait on the left? It's Cotton Cordell's Hot Spot and it came out over 10 years BEFORE the Rat-L-Trap. Notice any similarity? :
Super User fishfordollars Posted January 13, 2009 Super User Posted January 13, 2009 Well other than changing hooks I have never had a problem with any of them. Some(At least 50) are over ten years old. If I had to count I would bet money there are over 100 in my boat. Never ever a problem except the hooks. I will not fish one unless it has the updated hooks put on it.
tyrius. Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 Whether or not you like Rat-L-Taps, there's no arguing that is awesome customer service. I agree with stringjam. This isn't that great of customer service. According to the email response this is a known issue with their production and instead of fixing the known issue and not selling defective products they only take care of the people who go through the effort of contacting them. Great customer service would've been taking care of the root problem in quality control or production.
Super User roadwarrior Posted January 13, 2009 Super User Posted January 13, 2009 I sent my complaint to RatLTrap and got the following:Please e-mail me your address so I can send you replacements of those lures. Our lure is the most popular and original lipless crankbait out on the market and sometimes the demand catches our production department and things might not have cured out as a result you got some tacky lures heavy with the top coat smell. Sorry for your inconvenience and good fishin. Everett Gill Product Development Whether or not you like Rat-L-Taps, there's no arguing that is awesome customer service. Great post! Great response! You can't ask for any more than that. 8-)
Super User flechero Posted January 13, 2009 Super User Posted January 13, 2009 Great customer service would've been taking care of the root problem in quality control or production. Really? Since when does manufacturing and quality report up through marketing and customer service? Answer NEVER, unless it's a very, very small operation with one guy running all the functions. Given the most common definitions of customer service, I'd say they did exactly what they should have. They didn't even ask for a return... just learned of a problem and offered to send replacements out, no questions asked. There is no better response. they only take care of the people who go through the effort of contacting them. Unless they have a crystal ball, they can only help those who take a minute to contact them.
Super User roadwarrior Posted January 13, 2009 Super User Posted January 13, 2009 As I noted earlier in this thread, there is no incentive to improve the product. The small number of replacements is just part of the "cost of doing business." 8-)
tyrius. Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 Really? Since when does manufacturing and quality report up through marketing and customer service? Answer NEVER, unless it's a very, very small operation with one guy running all the functions.Given the most common definitions of customer service, I'd say they did exactly what they should have. They didn't even ask for a return... just learned of a problem and offered to send replacements out, no questions asked. There is no better response. So what happens when the ones they send as replacements are tacky or split? What happens when the customer goes to purchase replacements and runs into the problem again? The best answer would have been "Thank you for notifying us of this issue. We will work with our quality control and manufacturing departments to ensure that this issue is resolved. While that is occurring we will be happy to send you replacements for the defective products that you purchased." This way they are actually taking care of the issue. With the response received the customer is required to continue to jump through hoops to replace baits that are defective. The response received implies that they have known about the issue for some period of time and are choosing not to fix it. Just my opinion though.
tyrius. Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 As I noted earlier in this thread, there is no incentive to improve theproduct. The small number of replacements is just part of the "cost of doing business." I agree with you, but given this statement I can't see how anyone would classify it as "great/awesome" customer service. I'd classify it as adequate.
Super User roadwarrior Posted January 13, 2009 Super User Posted January 13, 2009 The response received implies that they have known about the issue for some period of time and are choosing not to fix it. Read my last post, just above yours. 8-)
tyrius. Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 The response received implies that they have known about the issue for some period of time and are choosing not to fix it. Read my last post, just above yours. Responded to it already.
Super User roadwarrior Posted January 13, 2009 Super User Posted January 13, 2009 I guess we were tying at the same time! Listen, I don't disagree in principal, but from a practical standpoint, delivering a lure that has a huge reputation for producing fish at such a low price is quite an accomplishment. Anyone selling any product knows the combination of tremendous volume and wide spread is a dream come true. 8-)
Super User firefightn15 Posted January 13, 2009 Super User Posted January 13, 2009 So what happens if the quality issue isn't discovered until reports come in from the end users? In a volume manufacturing atmosphere, QC only actually gets to inspect a certain percentage of the product. I would bet management is doing some chewing on the floor and making other arrangements for the employees who did let the product thru, reguardless of what QC inspected. That is, right after they received the call from a disgruntled user and promised to send them replacement products immediantly. I'd say Micro was treated fairly. He sent a complaint and they responded with an acceptable fix.
Super User CWB Posted January 13, 2009 Super User Posted January 13, 2009 Try Cordell Super Spot or Strike King Diamond Shad. Much better made for same if not less and they work as good or better. Personally, I've never liked Rattle Traps as even if they are good, they look like they are made by Wal-Mart.
Super User Tin Posted January 13, 2009 Super User Posted January 13, 2009 I agree with you, but given this statement I can't see how anyone would classify it as "great/awesome" customer service. I'd classify it as adequate. x2 Nothing great about it, they just did what they said they were going to do. Sad that we live in a world that applauds and is amazed by someone doing something they said they would. It's just like giving raises for someone doing the job they are being paid to do. Compared to other lipless baits you can buy for under $5, Bill Lewis makes garbage and there are other lipless baits out there that cost the same price and catch just as many fish, if not more, and are more durable... Plus you don't get those wonderful Bill Lewis hooks...
farmpond1 Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 The nerve of some companies! Pretty soon they'll be adding melamine to their lures!!!!!!
Super User Micro Posted January 13, 2009 Author Super User Posted January 13, 2009 For those of you who don't think owning up to a problem, no questions asked, and offering to replace defective lures without the return of the originals is not great customer service, what the heck is?
Super User burleytog Posted January 14, 2009 Super User Posted January 14, 2009 For those of you who don't think owning up to a problem, no questions asked, and offering to replace defective lures without the return of the originals is not great customer service, what the heck is? Delivering a quality product initially.
Super User Tin Posted January 14, 2009 Super User Posted January 14, 2009 For those of you who don't think owning up to a problem, no questions asked, and offering to replace defective lures without the return of the originals is not great customer service, what the heck is? 1. As Burley said 2. Since when is owning up to something you did wrong great and above and beyond? It is just what is right and what you should do. If they sent you a couple freebies or something to make up for your issue now that would be great and going above and beyond.
Super User Micro Posted January 14, 2009 Author Super User Posted January 14, 2009 1. As Burley said Duds are going to occur, no matter the product or manufacturer. Whether its Shimano or Rat-L-Trap I find it unreasonable to condem a company's customer service when the inevitable occurs. 2. Since when is owning up to something you did wrong great and above and beyond? It is just what is right and what you should do. If they sent you a couple freebies or something to make up for your issue now that would be great and going above and beyond. Since when? Since it's no longer common. It's unusual to find a company that does that. Expecting a company "give some freebies" when they are already doing what they should (without question) is unreasonable to me. Would you expect Shimano to send you a free reel or two when you send one in for repair? Perhaps Ford should allow you to waive a car payment because your radiator leaked and had to be repaired? The principle is the same. Too many companies provide too little. But too many people expect too much. I didn't suffer any damages. Hell, I didn't even suffer any inconveniences. Rat-L-Trap met MY expectation for excellent customer service, and that's all I care about. I would never even have thought twice about expecting them to provide some "freebies" on top of the replacement. That "gimme" mindset just isn't for me.
Super User roadwarrior Posted January 14, 2009 Super User Posted January 14, 2009 Micro started this thread and it seems appropriate that he make the last comments. Goodnight Irene. -Kent a.k.a. roadwarrior Global Moderator
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