Glock Customer Service Experience

[scoutchris]

Let me preface this post by saying that I NEVER create threads, and have NEVER said anything negative about Glock. I am a full-blown Glock fanboy. I was a Scout/Sniper in the Army and spent a few years in Iraq. I am an accomplished, ranked, and routinely placing at the national level IDPA and USPSA shooter. I have owned a Glock 17, 27 and 34- all Gen 3 and all have been absolutely flawless. I only shoot factory ammunition, and almost all of it is Federal. I am a degreed professional working for a Fortune 100 company, and I base my opinions off of data and empirical evidence, not off of personal experience, although the one I had this weekend confirms it.

I recently sold my Glock 27 for a Gen 3 Glock 19. I bought it used, and it still had the gold/copper tinge to the underside of the slide. The breech face had no markings on it whatsoever, and the barrel didn't had the signature Glock "smile" from cycling. This was a LNIB weapon, and bone stock. I bought it, along with holsters, a light, night sites, and all of the accouterments to make it my daily carry weapon.

Well, yesterday I took it to the range for the first time, and sure as shit, BTF. Two or more our of every magazine. My friend's fiance caught one right in the cheek and another down her shirt, blistering her breasts. This was both with Federal 115 and 147 JHP. Obviously this was unacceptable, and to be honest, I felt like an idiot for laughing at all of the threads on this site regarding this issue.

Now this morning I called Glock and was connected with a Technical Support Representative who sounded like he was on the factory floor and had better things to do. When I described the problem he told me that my two options were to send it in to be "evaluated" or to take it to a local Glock "Certified" Armorer. I've attended one of those "courses" and its slightly more informative than the sales brochure and a TR Graham DVD. I explained to him that I didn't feel right spending 20 percent of what I paid for the weapon to send it back to the manufacturer to correct a rampant problem. He then proceeded to tell me how this issue can be grip related and ammo related. I then shared with him my experience with both shooting and the company, at which point he asked me what the round count was, which in my opinion is completely unrelated and insignificant. At no point, whether it be at 50 or 5000 is this issue acceptable. He then asked me what the serial number was and looked it up. He then told me that because it was over a year old, Glock would not cover the shipping and is not responsible for the issue.

It wasn't necessarily just the content of the message he relayed to me, but the overall tone of the conversation that disgusted me. I then explained to him that if I was on the phone to Springfield they would already have an escort from backpage en route to my house with condoms and a return label no questions asked, and more than anything a company that touts perfection, and staking your life on their product should not blatantly refuse to acknowledge a problem that is widespread. Everyone knows that this is not ammo related. Everyone knows that this is not a grip problem. But the company is refusing to accept responsibility, have a little bit of integrity, fix it, and move forward.

Thought I would share the experience with the forum, from someone who actually called the manufacturer and has first hand experience with them. I'm sure the haters will come out to play, and this isn't a bash on the brand as a whole or a discussion to bring up which alternative is better, but hopefully a first hand experience with horrible customer service.

If anyone else has FIRST HAND experience with the technical support or customer service at Glock regarding this issue, I'd love to hear about it. Not your buddy's. Not your mom's. Not some guy on BARFCOM, but your own.

Thanks for a great forum, mods.

[PLCedeno]

I have noticed a downward spiral in the politeness and effectiveness of CS at Smyrna. I called this morning re. a replacement rear sight (plastic) and was given the 3rd degree. I explained that I was an armorer and that a gun came into my local shop with a defective rear sight. That as a favor I was fixing it free of charge as I have done in the past with problem new guns-I keep a good relationship with the guys at the gun shop by doing this. The person on the phone wanted to know the serial number of the gun and when I took the class and who was the instructor. I was told it would be mailed as soon as they could get to it. The whole thing was strange considering the part we were talking about. I'm simply going to use a spare one I kept when I installed Trigicons for another customer.

I have said it before, Glock guns with Smith and Wesson CS would be ideal. My suggestion is to call again and hope a different person picks up the phone. Your looking for a new extractor and possibly a new ejector.

[Talon167]

It sucks that happened to you. I would call them back today. You may get a different representative that is much more friendly/helpful.

[scoutchris]

So I called back and explained the lack of resolution to the operator, who then transferred me to Doug Robinson. His extension was 6215. So in theory, he offered to fix it, but that still involved me sending my gun to them on my own dime.

I explained to them the cost to ship ration vs the cost of the gun, and he told me to blame UPS for forcing me to overnight it. I told him that I am not here to talk about UPS company policy, but about my malfunctioning Glock pistol. I also explained to him that not only is this a well documented problem, but I am more than capable of remedying it myself and he could ship me whatever parts he felt would fix it (extractor and ejector). He then began using vague terms about examining the pistol, and there could be a variety of things causing this to happen and we don't know if an ejector and extractor would fix it. He also wouldn't stop emphasizing how they were willing to shoot there own ammo and incur the cost of the man hours to fix it and the cost of ammunition.

So, in theory, they offered to fix it. As long as I sent it to them and went without a handgun to carry for the weeks that it takes to fix. He said that they do not have any idea what is causing this problem. I don't mind the theory of sending it back to them, but the fact that they are refusing to acknowledge that they have a problem, are pretty rude on the phone, and demean both my shooting ability and the quality of ammunition used infuriates me. I just expect people to take responsibility. Don't placate me. I also wouldn't be opposed to sending it back to them if they had anything near a halfway decent return time, or had anything close to a positive record of fixing the issue when they send it back. They have a horrible record of both.

Eventually he agreed to send "parts". What parts, he didn't say, and he said that they could only ship them to a "Certified Glock Armorer" and told me to go to their website, find one, and the have the armorer call him. I'm struggling to find how all of these things are my responsibility, but I did it right then and there on the phone with him, and now will have to drive 15 miles to the nearest "Armorer" when the parts arrive. I will not be paying anyone to install them for me and am really struggling with the question of whether or not the juice is wort the squeeze. I personally hate M&P's, but this experience is really leaving a bad taste in my mouth. Not because of the gun itself, although that sucks, but because of Glocks overall handling of a manufacturing defect. It's very unprofessional.

Time to step up, Gaston. Every empire eventually falls, most of them do to a lack of assimilation and a failure to look inwardly and openly address any shortcomings. I really hope this isn't the beginning of theirs.

[Jaysop]

I've had nothing but good dealing with them. I've sent a gun back 3 times. The third time they replaced it.
They are full of shit about it needing to be overnighted. I've sent guns between a FFLs ground.
They've paid every time with little discussion.

KAC on the other hand refused to pay even with a BRAND NEW rifle that had missing parts and ejection issues. They eventually agreed but there sure as shit was no way I was paying another dime on that rifle.

[scoutchris]

Leaving KAC out of it, that's exactly why I'm not sending shit to them. 3 times? What a record. I'll send it to them if they want to replace the entire gun. I'd even take a Gen 4, although I am not a fan. But I'm not going to play these games with shipping it back and forth for an extractor or ejector. That's bullshit. I carry this gun everyday to protect my life. Why should I go without? Especially when they are not accepting responsibility. It's like hearing an alcoholic explain how they don't have a drinking problem.

[Jaysop]

Leaving KAC out of it, that's exactly why I'm not sending shit to them. 3 times? What a record. I'll send it to them if they want to replace the entire gun. I'd even take a Gen 4, although I am not a fan. But I'm not going to play these games with shipping it back and forth for an extractor or ejector. That's bullshit. I carry this gun everyday to protect my life. Why should I go without? Especially when they are not accepting responsibility. It's like hearing an alcoholic explain how they don't have a drinking problem.

I just told them that it was a gun I intended to trust with my life and that I in no way did. I told them I wanted a gen4. Took about a week of deliberation but they overnighted it.
They've always been pretty decent with me on turn around as well. First time was 7 days door to door. Not to bad.

[scoutchris]

So would you say that you are a satisfied customer after sending it back three times? After them trying to "deliberate" how to make it right?

[C4IGrant]

What is sad is that Glock KNOW'S about these problems. So they should (by now), have a canned reply. "Yes Sir, we apologize for the problem. We will e-mail you a shipping tag (that we pay $7 dollars for because of our negotiated rate with FEDEX) and get the gun corrected."


The limp wristing BS is so outdated. They really need to drop that comment. For the record though, they even tried to tell Ken Hackathorn that he was limp wristing his bad G19.


C4

[scoutchris]

This is so asinine to me.