Another Great Customer Service Story. (Not Sarcasm)

[titanium]

This is related to a goalie mask purchase so if you have zero interest quit reading.

Lately I have been updating some of my aged hockey equipment but I've been hesitant to purchase a new mask. A few years back after forgetting my old Warwick goalie helmet at the SuperRink I was never able to retrieve it. I thought hockey players were supposed to be better then that but I guess not all of them are. Its value was around $1200 after the paint job . Yes I realize this is was my fault for being irresponsible and forgetting it but whatever, it sucks.

The last couple of days I've been eyeing some helmet threads on the goalie forums I'm on. Just like any other product you get elitists saying "You cant wear that or you'll DIE" , "Only buy Warwick, no one else can make a good mask", " Only use what pros use because they only get the best stuff and nothing can compare". Filtering through the BS I found a few people who wrote some reviews on a mask made by Hackva. The helmets look to be constructed VERY well with one layer of fiberglass, one layer of Kevlar, and one layer of carbon fiber. The price was also very attractive, under $300 which is an awesome deal for a helmet made by North (of the Rio Grande) Americans.

Gabe (who owns Hackva) made masks for CCM, Koho, Sherwood, and TPS but decided to start his own company because the big guys provided too little revenue. Some one in the thread posted a link to one of the TPS masks that looked very similar to the one he produces now and the price was even more attractive $150. Because the TPS’s chin looked like it was higher then the Hackva picture posted earlier I asked to see if anyone had used it. I don’t like long chins because it can prevent you from looking down or to the side all the way. My first response by some random on the forum wasn’t helpful at all. This morning I saw a PM in my inbox and this is what it said.

the chin drop on hackva masks are pretty long, should you decide you would like to get one i would be happy to cut the chin to your desired length at no extra charge. you just need to let the dealer know or me how long you would like the chin to be.

please let me know if you have any other questions.

-gabe
hackva helmets

I ask him about the Carbon Fiber line he has and if it costs more. There are some models that show CF weave externally instead of the standard paint. I also asked how far he thinks its safe to shorten and he replies with this

there is no difference between the carbon fiber look and the regular ones. it is only for show. i can cut the chin length one size down for you if you want. for example if you want a large i will make the chin the same length as the medium. if you want a medium, i will make it the length of the small. i think you should be alright that way. you might want to use a throat dangler though. i dont have too many dealers in the states yet. in canada you can try:

crowes sports
kenesky
goalie crease

all 3 are great to deal with and will give yu a good price. i think the solid color masks are in the $300 cnd range, something with a stock design is in the $450-550 range. let me know if you need any of these guys numbers.

-gabe

I’m sold.

ya, i would call one of them up. tell them what we have discussed so that when they order your mask from me i will know it is for you.

crows-905-436-0855
kenesky-905-527-1021
goalie crease-905-773-9273

I call up Crows and its an older guy who answers the phone. I can hear the sound of skate sharpening in the background and I can tell by the stress in his voice he’s sharpening as he’s talking to me.

I ask how much the Hackva’s run and he says “Oh about $300-$325”
“That Canadian?”
“Yes sir”
“Could you get me an exact price on a large black?”
“Sure thing just let me set you down and finish sharpening these skates for a customer”
I hear him turn off the machine and thank the customer. When he picks the phone back up I let him know that I was talking to Gabe about ordering a custom mask and he said he’ll have to check on prices for that. I tell him that Gabe said it wouldn’t be any extra charge but that I understand him needing to call.

“I’ll give you a call back in an hour, I’m super busy but I’ll call as soon as I can”

Sure enough right as I’m walking back in from my 1hr lunch break I get a call asking me for my CC info and address. Within minuets of my order I see another PM from Gabe letting me know he has the order and that he’ll start working on my mask ASAP. I’ll gladly pay the extra $150 for a lifetime warranty, great customer service, and a Canadian made product. The price ended up being $260 and I cant wait till it arrives .

I know this was long but I’m bored at work and it’s made me feel a lot better then bitching about politics.

If anyone is interested here’s his website

http://www.hackva.com/

They have a cool video showing how they make the masks and there’s a hawt Canadian newscaster that intros it.

[Outrun]

This thread is in desperate need of cliff notes.

[Stormwalker]

j/k, it's always nice to have a place go the extra mile for you and "take care of you". Plus you always get better service/product if the people you are dealing with are actually passionate about what they do.

[Mili M]

Damn thats awesome customer service. I will gladly spend a few extra dollar at a company or store I trust or that offers customer service beyond any of the other competitors.

[dupcla]

I read it all and that is awesome Andy! You gonna be the sexiest goalie out there!

[68GTO]

Great customer service does not have to be a mystery. It's a simple formula, but one must always consider the indirect costs (what can't be done when the principle team is spending time away from producing in order to provide customer service? What are the direct costs of not doing so???).

Good experiences make the lasting impressions that drive customers to use Word Of Mouth advertising - the most loyal and impactful type.

Thanks for sharing this great story. Learn from it...