Email Address for Smith & Wesson CEO?
- Thread starter SWFan27
- Start date
It at least should come as no surprise to you to learn the apathy of the Service Department is EXACTLY and PRECISELY in accord with his instructions---as they have been passed to him by the owner(s) of S&W in accord with their philosophy of functioning at the lowest possible cost.
This, in marked contrast to the philosophy extant during the first hundred years-----to build the best possible product for the price (and to likewise conduct the balance of their operations in accord the slogan of "The customer comes first!")
The entirety of the differences between these two diametrically opposed philosophies is what gave rise to the old saying about "Them there was the good old days."
As to the best approach, besides just suck it up, and get on with your life, it doesn't really make any difference. You're simply another one of those whack jobs with entirely unrealistic expectations in their eyes.
I was going to say "Welcome to the real world!", but it isn't really the real world----yet.
Ralph Tremaine
OH! I forgot ---Cheer UP! "Things could be worse---and sure enough, they got worse!"
This, in marked contrast to the philosophy extant during the first hundred years-----to build the best possible product for the price (and to likewise conduct the balance of their operations in accord the slogan of "The customer comes first!")
The entirety of the differences between these two diametrically opposed philosophies is what gave rise to the old saying about "Them there was the good old days."
As to the best approach, besides just suck it up, and get on with your life, it doesn't really make any difference. You're simply another one of those whack jobs with entirely unrealistic expectations in their eyes.
I was going to say "Welcome to the real world!", but it isn't really the real world----yet.
Ralph Tremaine
OH! I forgot ---Cheer UP! "Things could be worse---and sure enough, they got worse!"
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HOUSTON RICK
Member
He is too busy spending his bonus in Bangkok or Amsterdam to worry about some company that his dad or uncle set him up in. If he is fired, his contract will pay him and his heirs more for doing the same nothing for just as long. Better investor relations as noted.
In 2017 I had an issue with a Performance Center gun. I wrote two letters and mailed them to the two people below. They arrived on a Monday and on a Wednesday I got a call from a customer service manager that said he had been called into the Firearms Directors office and told to fix the issue.
He told me to send the gun back (third time) and I didn’t even need to write a letter, just put his name on the outside of the package: and it would be fixed.
I got it back with nothing done to it the same as before saying it was okay. I think he just wanted to make sure I knew who was running customer service and that my letters to the big dogs meant nothing to him.
I used the addresses below. Obviously the names have changed. I hope you have better luck than I had.
P. James Debney
President and Chief Executive Officer
Smith & Wesson
2100 Roosevelt Avenue
Springfield, MA 01104
Matthew W. Buckingham
Senior Vice President, Firearm Division
Smith & Wesson
2100 Roosevelt Avenue
Springfield, MA 01104
He told me to send the gun back (third time) and I didn’t even need to write a letter, just put his name on the outside of the package: and it would be fixed.
I got it back with nothing done to it the same as before saying it was okay. I think he just wanted to make sure I knew who was running customer service and that my letters to the big dogs meant nothing to him.
I used the addresses below. Obviously the names have changed. I hope you have better luck than I had.
P. James Debney
President and Chief Executive Officer
Smith & Wesson
2100 Roosevelt Avenue
Springfield, MA 01104
Matthew W. Buckingham
Senior Vice President, Firearm Division
Smith & Wesson
2100 Roosevelt Avenue
Springfield, MA 01104
This is the letter I sent them.
Dear Mr. Debney,
I’ve not written a letter like this before so I’m not sure of the protocol. I am sending this letter to you and Mr. Buckingham as I think you are the proper contacts.
I have owned many Smith & Wesson revolvers, pistols and rifles over the past 40 years, I carried them as a Police Officer and they have saved my life. For that I am gratefully you have the reliable quality I can count on.
I am very disappointed in my latest Smith & Wesson purchase and the handling of my concerns by your Customer Support group. Here are the details:
In December I decided I wanted an M&P set-up as a target gun with optics. I wanted top of the line so I decided to go with a Performance Center firearm. Based on the description on your web site I ordered “PERFORMANCE CENTER M&P9L PRO SERIES C.O.R.E. SKU: 178058”. I ordered the gun from Buds Guns on 12-10-16 and it was delivered to my FFL on 12-19-16.
I was very disappointed to find that this does not appear to be a Performance center firearm at all. It has no Performance Center engraving on the firearm, was not in a Performance Center box, and the trigger was no better than my other stock M&P firearms; which is not what I would expect of a Performance Center firearm.
On 12-19-16 I contacted Customer support explaining my concerns. The next day they emailed and ask me to send them pictures; which I did. I also ask if they would call me.
On 12-21-16 I received an email from “Brett” asking that I send the weapon in and said “Based on the pictures you sent and your description of the trigger pull I would recommend sending the firearm in for evaluation. when you send the gun in make sure you put a not in the box about the lasering on the slide and your concerns about the trigger pull. “They also emailed a shipping label.
On 12-28-16 I shipped the firearm back to your facility; it arrived there on 12-30-16.
I assumed you were closed for the holidays so I waited until 1-16-17 when I emailed “Is there any word on my gun yet? It’s been at your facility for over two weeks.” The next day I received an email saying “Your firearm has shipped” There was no explanation what, if anything was done to it.
I picked it up from FedEx on 1-19-17. Much to my disappointment it was the same gun with nothing done to it. It contained a paper that just said “No repairs required”.
I emailed Customer support on 1-20-17 and asked for an escalation to a supervisor. I received an email back from “Steve” that said “I have opened a case as per your request and a supervisor will be in contact with you.”
Five days later on 1-25-17 I received a call. I didn’t catch his name, but he said he was a supervisor. After informing him on the issue he suggested I send the gun in for the Performance Center to evaluate. I explained that I just got the gun back from having been there. I didn’t see what good sending it in again would do. He agreed and said he would look into it. I told him that if I couldn’t get a Performance Center gun; I would like a refund if possible. He said he didn’t have the authority to authorize that. He said he would talk to the Performance Center manager and get back with me the next day.
7 days later on 2-1-17 I emailed Customer Support and said I haven’t heard back from him. That same day “Steve” emailed me and said “I am sure he will be getting back to you. Probably this week.”
Today 2-11-17 it’s been 17 days since that call and I haven’t heard anything. So I assume I have exhausted my Customer support options.
When this started I assumed since you have a fairly new website this firearm was just misidentified and the issue would be taken care of. I can’t return the firearm where I bought it because they sent me what I ordered based on the description on your website. I can’t get my money back trying to sell it as a Performance Center gun as I don’t think it is.
The “Performance Center” name is highly respected and I have always said Smith & Wesson customer service was 2nd to none in the industry. That’s the way it has been in the past; but this time didn’t turn out so well for me.
I would appreciate any help you can be on this matter.
Sincerely,
Dear Mr. Debney,
I’ve not written a letter like this before so I’m not sure of the protocol. I am sending this letter to you and Mr. Buckingham as I think you are the proper contacts.
I have owned many Smith & Wesson revolvers, pistols and rifles over the past 40 years, I carried them as a Police Officer and they have saved my life. For that I am gratefully you have the reliable quality I can count on.
I am very disappointed in my latest Smith & Wesson purchase and the handling of my concerns by your Customer Support group. Here are the details:
In December I decided I wanted an M&P set-up as a target gun with optics. I wanted top of the line so I decided to go with a Performance Center firearm. Based on the description on your web site I ordered “PERFORMANCE CENTER M&P9L PRO SERIES C.O.R.E. SKU: 178058”. I ordered the gun from Buds Guns on 12-10-16 and it was delivered to my FFL on 12-19-16.
I was very disappointed to find that this does not appear to be a Performance center firearm at all. It has no Performance Center engraving on the firearm, was not in a Performance Center box, and the trigger was no better than my other stock M&P firearms; which is not what I would expect of a Performance Center firearm.
On 12-19-16 I contacted Customer support explaining my concerns. The next day they emailed and ask me to send them pictures; which I did. I also ask if they would call me.
On 12-21-16 I received an email from “Brett” asking that I send the weapon in and said “Based on the pictures you sent and your description of the trigger pull I would recommend sending the firearm in for evaluation. when you send the gun in make sure you put a not in the box about the lasering on the slide and your concerns about the trigger pull. “They also emailed a shipping label.
On 12-28-16 I shipped the firearm back to your facility; it arrived there on 12-30-16.
I assumed you were closed for the holidays so I waited until 1-16-17 when I emailed “Is there any word on my gun yet? It’s been at your facility for over two weeks.” The next day I received an email saying “Your firearm has shipped” There was no explanation what, if anything was done to it.
I picked it up from FedEx on 1-19-17. Much to my disappointment it was the same gun with nothing done to it. It contained a paper that just said “No repairs required”.
I emailed Customer support on 1-20-17 and asked for an escalation to a supervisor. I received an email back from “Steve” that said “I have opened a case as per your request and a supervisor will be in contact with you.”
Five days later on 1-25-17 I received a call. I didn’t catch his name, but he said he was a supervisor. After informing him on the issue he suggested I send the gun in for the Performance Center to evaluate. I explained that I just got the gun back from having been there. I didn’t see what good sending it in again would do. He agreed and said he would look into it. I told him that if I couldn’t get a Performance Center gun; I would like a refund if possible. He said he didn’t have the authority to authorize that. He said he would talk to the Performance Center manager and get back with me the next day.
7 days later on 2-1-17 I emailed Customer Support and said I haven’t heard back from him. That same day “Steve” emailed me and said “I am sure he will be getting back to you. Probably this week.”
Today 2-11-17 it’s been 17 days since that call and I haven’t heard anything. So I assume I have exhausted my Customer support options.
When this started I assumed since you have a fairly new website this firearm was just misidentified and the issue would be taken care of. I can’t return the firearm where I bought it because they sent me what I ordered based on the description on your website. I can’t get my money back trying to sell it as a Performance Center gun as I don’t think it is.
The “Performance Center” name is highly respected and I have always said Smith & Wesson customer service was 2nd to none in the industry. That’s the way it has been in the past; but this time didn’t turn out so well for me.
I would appreciate any help you can be on this matter.
Sincerely,
Dave686
A: You ordered it from a retail outlet, not S&W.
2: Since you were clearly shipped the wrong firearm, I would have refused delivery.
(c): Your beef is with Bud's, not S&W
A: You ordered it from a retail outlet, not S&W.
2: Since you were clearly shipped the wrong firearm, I would have refused delivery.
(c): Your beef is with Bud's, not S&W
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While I don’t have a dog in this fight, I don’t think annual revenue is relevant in this case.
I suspect your company’s CEO probably has fewer customers than S&W, and I *strongly* suspect he or she is in an industry that isn’t as politically charged.
The person I have been dealing with emailed me again today and had confirmed that my 617 got checked in this morning, and he went over to the revolver department to make them aware of my 617. He also said that he will continue to update me on my repair. Right now, I feel like I am being taken great care of by someone high up the S&W food chain. I am very appreciative of his help to get it properly repaired and back in my hands soon.
How do you figure it was Buds fault? The S&W label on the end of the box had the SKU number and the serial number on it. If it was Buds fault S&W surely would have told me that instead of having me send it in 3 times.
Buds certainly wasn’t responsible for the terrible trigger on it. I had to replace it with an Apex trigger. I’ve never had to do that with any other handgun I’ve owned.
But it doesn’t matter, there isn’t anything I can do about it. I still buy S&W handguns, I just won’t waste my money on a Performance Center gun again.
mckenney99
Member
Dave686,
You do realize, there is NO "Performance Center" anymore. There is NO "Performance Center" of gunsmiths or fitters that hand fit parts like there used to be. The moniker "Performance Center" is just used for guns that have some slight variation of parts or features from the standard product code guns, but at an increased price for the "Performance Center" label. The actual "Performance Center" was closed many years ago and exists in NAME ONLY.
You do realize, there is NO "Performance Center" anymore. There is NO "Performance Center" of gunsmiths or fitters that hand fit parts like there used to be. The moniker "Performance Center" is just used for guns that have some slight variation of parts or features from the standard product code guns, but at an increased price for the "Performance Center" label. The actual "Performance Center" was closed many years ago and exists in NAME ONLY.
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Complaints
Speaking in general, if an initial polite and appropriate letter is sent to a company for a product issue under warranty or is defective and no response or action is taken after a follow-up call or email, don’t waste more time with them. Do this. Send a letter od complaint to the Attorney General, or Consumer Complaint or Department. The CEO of company in question and will definitely hear from them.
Speaking in general, if an initial polite and appropriate letter is sent to a company for a product issue under warranty or is defective and no response or action is taken after a follow-up call or email, don’t waste more time with them. Do this. Send a letter od complaint to the Attorney General, or Consumer Complaint or Department. The CEO of company in question and will definitely hear from them.
38SPL HV
Member
Send it registered, signature required…
sigp220.45
US Veteran
Did they fix it?
My 617-6 had to go back to S&W for warranty repair twice right after I bought it. The revolver was shaving lead like a cheese grader at the forcing cone. S&W spent five weeks with it and cut the forcing cone. They also refinished the revolver and removed a tooling mark I had not mentioned on the barrel. I did mention that there was a possible timing issue when I sent it in.
When I got it back there were still two charging holes out of time and the cylinder needed to be physically turned to lock into place when the hammer was fully cocked. Thankfully S&W got it back to me in two weeks this time. They replaced the ejector rod because two of the ratchets were causing carry up issues.
Now that I have it back, I have probably put 3000 rounds through it and went to the range again with it yesterday. And now that everything is working correctly, I absolutely love the thing. I am no longer upset about the initial problems, and I am very appreciative of the personal attention I received from someone in S&Ws management who got directly involved with my 617's second warranty visit and timely turnaround time.
The 617 has already improved my double action shooting immensely. I pretty much only shoot it double action, and I noticed the difference in my accuracy shooting double action with my 686+ at the range. I will need to bring my model 66 on my next range trip. It is fun to shoot some 357 Magnums now and then even though ammo is not cheap.
When I got it back there were still two charging holes out of time and the cylinder needed to be physically turned to lock into place when the hammer was fully cocked. Thankfully S&W got it back to me in two weeks this time. They replaced the ejector rod because two of the ratchets were causing carry up issues.
Now that I have it back, I have probably put 3000 rounds through it and went to the range again with it yesterday. And now that everything is working correctly, I absolutely love the thing. I am no longer upset about the initial problems, and I am very appreciative of the personal attention I received from someone in S&Ws management who got directly involved with my 617's second warranty visit and timely turnaround time.
The 617 has already improved my double action shooting immensely. I pretty much only shoot it double action, and I noticed the difference in my accuracy shooting double action with my 686+ at the range. I will need to bring my model 66 on my next range trip. It is fun to shoot some 357 Magnums now and then even though ammo is not cheap.
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SGT ROCK 11B
Member
Great positive report today.
DA revolver tip: load one live round and five fired cases. Close the cylinder and shoot. When you click on a fired case you will see how much you flinch.
So, why are you still here?
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