G&B Flightsuit experience was very good

[android]

My wife bought me the Flightsuit Expedition goatskin jacket for Christmas. We ordered it the week after Christmas and they told us they were out of stock, but would be in the 2nd week in Feb. We said OK and gave them our credit card number which they did not charge until the jacket shipped.

My wife notice the card was charged on Feb 13th and when we got home there was a message on the answering machine from our salesperson saying the jacket was shipped and was supposed to arrive on Feb 15th. (Fri)

I came home early on Friday and no jacket. We went to dinner because UPS sometimes comes late, but when we got home still no jacket. But, a message on the answering machine from G&B. The jacket had already been adventuring without me and apparently was in a train that derailed. UPS told them it was rescheduled for Monday.

Sure enough, it showed up on Monday afternoon as promised. Perfect leather, workmanship and great fit as others have written about here.

On Tuesday another answering machine message from G&B stating UPS showed package delivered and they wanted to make sure I had it and was happy with it.

So, if this is a decline in their customer service, I'd sure like to see more companies decline into this state )

Overall, a great purchasing experience. They'll be the first company that comes to mind the next time I think leather jacket.

Indiana Android

[Indiana Kev]

But, a message on the answering machine from G&B. The jacket had already been adventuring without me and apparently was in a train that derailed.

Ok that is kinda cool. (as long as no one was hurt in the derailment)

Sounds like a great experience and fantastic customer service. Pics??

[Mr. Das]

Customer Service cannot get any better than that! Great experience.

Now if only I can treat my customers like that :lol

[Flyer05]

Their one to one service is great. However, I'm having some issues that I need to resolve with then in terms of quality of craftsmanship on a repair that they really handled for me recently. At first blush I thought the jacket looked great when I got it back. But upon inspection found holes in the jacket, nicks in the leather. The lining is messed up where they rippped out the old thread, made pretty sloppy, fraying holes. Sewed the hangar back in the wrong position and left the old gaping holes where it used to reside.

I haven't had the time to contact them, but I will some time next week. I still love the jacket, but it now has some irreparable flaws as a result of the repair. Not cool for what the jacket costs. Not cool period.

[Captain D]

Flyero5- Dang, I can honestly say that this is the first neg. experience I've read about regarding the G&B jacket. Yes, be sure to contact them for I'm sure that they will replace the jacket or refund your money...

Indiana Andriod-Congrats on your new jacket & I'm glad that all is well! Enjoy your new jacket!

[Indiana G]

i'm glad to hear that you acquired such a fine jacket and i'm sorry about the shoddy repair service.

something interesting in your story though....another point to back up my beliefs....ups has no business delivering indygear or at least for the members in the 'distressed naturally' camp.

I came home early on Friday and no jacket. We went to dinner because UPS sometimes comes late, but when we got home still no jacket. But, a message on the answering machine from G&B. The jacket had already been adventuring without me and apparently was in a train that derailed. UPS told them it was rescheduled for Monday.

i am now paying extra to other courier companies just so i don't see those delivery guys with the ratty brown uniforms and my destroyed shipment.

ups.....i hate those guys!!!!

[Flyer05]

UPS....ughhhh. My company deals with UPS daily, and the horror stories that I could tell you...you'd think that I was making them up. It borders on science fiction.

Also, I know someone who temped for UPS during the holidays once to pick up some extra cash. Apparently they have a contest when loading the trucks that involves kicking packages from ever increasing distances.

I've made friens with our UPS guy, which helps with how he treats our stuff, but once it leaves his hands...

[Indiana G]

Apparently they have a contest when loading the trucks that involves kicking packages from ever increasing distances.

....those are the boxes labelled 'adventurebilt hat co.' going to calgary, alberta canada......with fragile marked on all sides.

maybe i posted too soon on the 'things to do before you die thread'....i should add 'destroy ups truck' as my one an only item to do before i leave this world [/quote]

[Flyer05]

NEVER...repeat, NEVER mark a UPS package "Fragile". NEVER! This comes straight from my UPS guy. No joke. He says you may as well paint a bullseye on it. Just pack whatever it is as securely as you can and DO NOT write anything on the box that calls any kind of attention to it or instructs in how to handle the box.

The stuff that we ship is worth thousands of dollars and we package the stuff to sustain a fall of about four feet (roughly the height of the back of a truck). UPS beats the #### out of our stuff and it looks like it went through war, but it survives intact inside most of the time.

[Michaelson]

Unfortunately, it's the same for USPS packages....unless you purchase insurance and/or delivery confirmation. That makes them resposible for any damage......but if you don't, writing 'fragile' on the box just marks it for a hard trip to it's destination.

Regards! Michaelson

[agent5]

My girlfriend is a supervisor at UPS and she concur's. FRAGILE means DESTROY.

[Flyer05]

The repair I had done was to a flight jacket, one of theirs. I had the collar replaced, which they offer as a service and charge you for. So, my expectation was for that of a clean job. More damage was done to the jacket by virtue of repairing it than what it was sent in for. If you saw it, you'd say, "that's not right".

I've seen other people get repairs done and with great results. Mine looks like it was done by someone less experienced. The holes they put and left in the lining now mean that the lining will need to be replaced much more quickly than it would have otherwise. It almost looks like someone sanded the lining along the collar area. When I sent it to them it was pristine. The nicks and holes in the leather?...they can't be repaired. They're just there now, in a $500.00 jacket. The whole thing has just been disappointing.

I know they're good folks, and I love their products. I'll buy from FS again, but I will never again send anything to them to be repaired. Never.

[IndyBlues]

Don't see alot of G&B type threads here, so I better chime in with my experience with them.

My G&B experience was incredible, to say the least. My sales rep, Amy Garcia, was incredibly helpful. I talked to her on 3 seperate occasions at the initial order. Extremely pleasant person to deal with, and I never felt rushed.
I ordered a size 48 dark seal lamb Expo, that took roughly a month to show up. She called me to let me know it shipped, AND called the night it arrived, to make sure I was happy with it. Unfortunately for me, it was a size too large, and she said just send it back, and they will make me a new size 46. It took a bit longer for the second one, but it was only because they had just gotten a huge order in. It was only 6 weeks, and I was fine with that.
Again, Amy called again to see if I was happy when it arrived.
I'd call this a great experience. I just didn't want this to turn into a "bad experience ONLY" thread.

'Blues

P.S. Just a note, I was skeptical ordering from G&B, because I had read so much here from people who had "heard" of poor customer service.
I went ahead anyway, and was more than happy with the service.
I still love my Wested, and plan on ordering another one day, but I am also a fan of G&B now.
'B

[Michaelson]

As with all businesses we deal with, they tend to have off times. Those stories were more than 'heard of' stories, Blues. There were honest to gosh horror stories of complete customer service department disconnects going on between those handling the phones, those handling email and the customers.

I'm personally pleased to read that they got that train back on the rails. Your report is how G&B ALWAYS took care of their customers, and I'm glad they got the message and are taking care of folks once again.

Your experience with them is what we used to always read both here and at Indyfan. Thanks for the update!

HIGH regards! Michaelson

[IndyBlues]

That is so good to hear, Michaelson. I'm glad that my current experience seems to be what they were in the "old days". I'm also glad I ordered when I did, since the service is up to snuff again.
'Blues

[agent5]

The experiences at G&B have always been more way positive than negative. I had a pretty bad experience with them in the 'dark times' but based on many accounts during this time it seemed that something was going on over there that they've now turned around. I haven't really read of bad customer service issues there in quite a long time.

Sometimes management has no clue that something is wrong and when they get tipped from customers they take action. Maybe that's what happened and now the problem is solved? Seems like they are back to the customer service I've read about for the majority of my time here.