D-55 on its way to Guild for warranty service

[D30Man]

Reading back through this, I have to say CMG / Guild really dropped the ball here. I get these things take several months. However, you should have at least been given an overall timeline.
Sometimes you just have to eat the s**t sandwich and prioritize the customer experience. Even if it costs. Even if you have to stop production in some other area. They have the workshop. They have builders ( granted fewer these days I am sure ). They have the equipment. Hell, I would even look at outsourcing the work to an authorized Guild luthier on my dime if I was CMG. They owe that to you. This is on them pure and simple. Everyone can chime in on work timelines, fewer resources, etc, but at the end of the day here is the situation:

A customer paid $3k plus for a new guitar
The guitar arrived heavily flawed
Manufacturer owns the responsibility of making it right - they need to be communicative, accommodating, and forthcoming.

If I couldn't get at least a timeline as to completion of the work or a replacement unit in action this week, I would demand a full refund. Then maybe as WW advised, find you a juicy used one. My two cents. It is hard not to see this as a combination of reduced resources as a product of economic woes / post-pandemic elements and what appears to be market prioritization for the brand shifting towards the overseas product lines. Speculating of course.

All in all, I just hate that you had this experience. This is a dream guitar. The experience overall should reflect that given the price point. If this was a first time Guild buyer who had done all of the research, read all of the reviews, watched all of the videos, and saved their hard-earned money, they would be sorely disappointed with their Guild experience.

 

[dwasifar]

All in all, I just hate that you had this experience. This is a dream guitar. The experience overall should reflect that given the price point. If this was a first time Guild buyer who had done all of the research, read all of the reviews, watched all of the videos, and saved their hard-earned money, they would be sorely disappointed with their Guild experience.

I am exactly that buyer. This is my first Guild, and I did all those things. It's like you were watching over my shoulder.

I did call them today. I don't want to go into every detail of what was said, but I will say that I gave an excruciatingly polite and genteel ultimatum, with explicit expectations (fix it, replace it, or refund it, by end of week), and specifics about who I would call at the higher levels of their organization, and what I would say to him, if that did not happen. All this was stated with sincere regret at having it come to this, and honest hope that we can turn it around. I also made them aware that public opinion was going against them in this thread, and said I hoped that soon I would be able to come back here and announce that Guild stepped up and made everything right.

I was super nice about it (well, as nice as you can be, when you're making implicit threats), and the customer service rep was also super nice in reply, so it didn't get ugly, and I hold out hope that it will not need to.

 

[chazmo]

Good luck, dwasifar. I think it's good that you clearly expressed the choices to them.

 

[davismanLV]

Good for you!! Keep us in the loop as far as the results and I'll hold a good thought for you!!

 

[D30Man]

Yes indeed. Please keep us in the loop. I am glad you mentioned this thread and the overall impacts of your experience being communicated to the ultimate stewards of the brand. I don't know how much - given recent product emphasis - CMG looks to LTG, but I would hope there would be some weight there.

 

[GGJaguar]

Good job keeping your cool!! If the customer service rep is just a "messenger" reporting to a manager, I worry that your true concerns will not be heard because the decision manager didn't hear it directly from you. Let's hope the message was relayed as authentically as possible if that's the case. Fingers crossed!

 

[geoguy]

Totally understand your frustration with this situation.

Depending upon the current state of the repairs, 100% completion by the end of the week might not be possible. But perhaps a long-overdue explanation for what remains, and a realistic schedule for getting it completed, might be a fourth option?

 

[dwasifar]

Totally understand your frustration with this situation.

Depending upon the current state of the repairs, 100% completion by the end of the week might not be possible. But perhaps a long-overdue explanation for what remains, and a realistic schedule for getting it completed, might be a fourth option?

I actually allowed for that. I said, if there is a good reason why it will take more time, I'm open to hearing it, but at this point I would need them to convince me.

 

[dwasifar]

Good job keeping your cool!! If the customer service rep is just a "messenger" reporting to a manager, I worry that your true concerns will not be heard because the decision manager didn't hear it directly from you. Let's hope the message was relayed as authentically as possible if that's the case. Fingers crossed!

I have that concern as well, which is why I explained my plan to escalate the issue above all their heads if I don't get some positive movement soon. But I don't want to be That Guy who just jumps right to an escalation. It's better to fire a warning shot first, and I think that's what I did today.

Keeping cool is always better. I can count on the fingers of one hand the times in my life when something done in anger turned out well. It does happen occasionally, but not nearly as often as your temper thinks.

 

[Boneman]

I can't imagine they don't have climate controlled rooms for production areas, and so they should be able to spray it whenever its ready for that step. A lot of factors at play, and we only have one side of the story. While it is disheartening to be sure, I don't know how hard on Guild as a product I would be based on this one instance, sucky as it is for the OP. Customer Service on the other hand, sorely lacking transparency. Although here's the thing on that, you gave them an out. You could have stayed polite and genteel and all still, but you called for an update today, after how many months and the customer service representative should have been able to look up the project # or however they track these things and given you a full update right then and there. Then if you were OK with their synopsis, then carry on, but if not, or they could not update you, then I do worry you didn't escalate it to the customer service manager right then and there today. I think you've earned the right to hear a manager explain why this has taken so long. Plus I can't imagine the building is that big, how hard is it for the CSR to put you on hold, get over to the production manager in person to see whats up with repair item project#..... at this point you are way more patient and accomodating then I would be. Hopefully you get it back soon and all ends well and this last year without will be a blip in the grand scheme of things.

 

[West R Lee]

It sounds like you've been doing all the right things dwasifer. In a situation like this, I'd have also mentioned not only LTG (as you have), but AGF, BBB, you name it. I've done it many times, and I've followed through on a few occasions. I also won't stop with a service manager sometimes, but ask for his/her supervisor/owner, whoever as well. By the same token, when service is good, I'm sure to get positive feedback out there as well, and I do that much more often than I voice complaints and enjoy building businesses up that have been good to me. Perception and reputation is everything to a company, if it's not, it should be. As reasonable and composed as you've been, enough is enough, and there comes a point that you have to put on your game face. If you haven't, send their CS a link to this thread, or copy and paste it to them.

Were you able to get ANY definitive answers today?

Do keep us up to date, this is a learning experience for many.

West

 

[D30Man]

Now you're talking, West. You've earned the right to be demanding at this point. They are playing not only with your desire to have a nice high end Guild guitar, but they're essentially holding $4k hostage.. They are putting you in a desperate situation.

 

[West R Lee]

Now you're talking, West. You've earned the right to be demanding at this point. They are playing not only with your desire to have a nice high end Guild guitar, but they're essentially holding $4k hostage.. They are putting you in a desperate situation.

Exactly, and losing a customer base in the process.

By contrast:

Collings Restored Our Damaged OM1 - The Collings Forum

www.collingsforum.net

And I've seen an interview with Steve McCreary, and I THINK he said they felt so sorry for the couple, they fixed it free of charge.

West

 

[12 string]

Wow, as a life-long Guild lover I have had a difficult time reading this thread! How times have changed.

A few years ago my 512 needed some warranty work. The store where I bought it was out of business then so another Guild dealer handled it. It wound up going the to Nashville shop. The dealer packed and shipped it and charged me way less than I would have paid had I packed and shipped it myself. I don't recall how long they had it but it wasn't unreasonable. No charge for return shipping. It came back at least as good as new and absolutely mint. At that time Guild was honoring a warranty from several ownership changes back.

Sometimes a little public shaming can help. I'm reminded of Dave Carroll who was on tour with some of his fellow Canadians when an airline baggage mishap did a number on one of his guitars, a T****r. He went round and round with customer service. They scoffed when he mentioned he could write and record a song telling a whole lot of nasty truth about the situation so that's exactly what he did. "United Breaks Guitars"



I think they finally made it right, for him anyway, but what a great song and story.

 

[wileypickett]

United estimated they lost millions as a result of how widely this song was shared, as musicians chose alternative airlines to fly with. It cost them money and damaged their reputation.

It was serious enough that the topic was discussed at United's annual conference the following year, where they tried to figure out how to undo that damage, but it was also discussed at the conferences of other airlines, who saw it as a cautionary tale about what a kick in the shins social media -- a new thing at the time -- was capable of delivering.

Prior to this, airlines could, with impunity, tell you to pound sand when you complained about damaged instruments, and all yoiu could do was kvetch to a few friends and family members. In this new era one person with a gripe and a tale to tell could potentially reach hundreds of thousands of people.

Thanks to Carroll, arlines were forced to amend their policy concerning traveling with musical instruments.

 

[prairieschooner!]

Too bad that there isn't a Lemon Law to cover this!

 

[dwasifar]

Guild did call me back as promised today, with a firm commitment that the instrument will be finished this week and shipped out. I also got a promise of frequent status updates in the meantime.

I am hopeful that all this turns out to be true. I don't think it's time to declare success just yet, but I do feel like it's good progress.

I asked the rep if he could tell me what was behind the long delay, and he said he did not know, but he will try to find out.

 

[West R Lee]

Guild did call me back as promised today, with a firm commitment that the instrument will be finished this week and shipped out. I also got a promise of frequent status updates in the meantime.

I am hopeful that all this turns out to be true. I don't think it's time to declare success just yet, but I do feel like it's good progress.

I asked the rep if he could tell me what was behind the long delay, and he said he did not know, but he will try to find out.

And all it took was about 5 phone calls, 6 months and veiled threats. Hey, I'm gonna say it'll be beautiful when it arrives back home. Keep your chin up dwasifar. The best of luck.

West

 

[Roland]

I'm glad it is finally coming back.

 

[JohnW63]

Man, I hope they stick to their time line.