Hammock Gear Customer Service

[Fire-Bug]

To Adam, Thank you very much for your response and understanding. The fact that you publicly recognize that there is an issue speaks volumes, and as I said to you privately, I will still be considering HG for future purchases. Your post here solidified that even further.

I am not an unreasonable person, but I feel I have been unfairly attacked in this thread. I was even warned privately before this thread hit more than 3 posts that this would happen. There were people who pm'd me saying they feel the same as I, but would never say it publicly because the fanboys would jump down my throat. I am sorry to see those people were right.

For those that feel I was unreasonable, hopefully we can agree to disagree and leave it at that. Whatever you think of me, I honestly hope you all have a great holiday and a happy new year and I hope to some day meet you in person so that you can see I am a real person and happen to be a pretty decent person to know as well. My olive branch is extended. Do with it what you choose.

Noticed you're fairly new, welcome to the group. Most of the cottage vendors are very good people from my experience, and have excellent products. That said, you do end up waiting for things more often than not, but I've come to understand that's normal for the custom work you receive. You'll notice a big difference when ordering pre-made or constructed items vs. custom work like quilts and hammocks.

Dispite all that's been said, back and forth, I really hope you enjoy what you've ordered. It may have been a struggle to get in this case, but quilts are life changers in the Hammock camping world, and HG makes some of the absolute best.

[Dutch]

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Thorwren is stepping down from her role at hammock gear.
~Stormcrow (Adam)

But, but, but....Jenny was the best part.

[Callahan]

But, but, but....Jenny was the best part.

Can she come in to send me my PayPal invoices? Its kinda turned into a Christmas tradition for me!

Best wishes to you on your new path Jenny and Merry Christmas to the Stormcrow clan.

Merry Christmas Raos and if you are still on the fence about HG, I just dug out my sweet 0 deg custom burrow, and I'm not sure its ever going to quit lofting....will sleep good tonight!

Cheers

Callahan

[Law Dawg (ret)]

Thorwren is stepping down from her role at hammock gear.

WHAT!? So this means we have to deal with just you? You married up bub...Jenny will be missed.

[doc17th]

Glad to see this has ended in a civilized manner, I love the people on this site because they are what makes this site worth visiting. I own 1 incubator 0 degree and 2 phoenix 20 degrees and only have good things to say about products and service.

[Weta]

It's all about perspective and glad to see all sides ended in a *shaking hands* resolution.

[TrekLightGear]

I really enjoyed reading this thread simply because it's such a real and honest glimpse into the realities of running a small business and customer service in general.

I think one of the great lessons from this is that once you start a business, even if you make it clear that you're a cottage business, a small business, etc. you've thrown your hat into the ring. And at that point it doesn't really matter what size your business is or how hard you're working - customers are customers (and we all are) and there will be a range of expectations placed upon you, from the patient and understanding to the basic needs (as in this case of just wanting to be responded to) to those that expect your company to work in the same way that Amazon or any major retailer does.

Having customers that think you're a bigger business than you are isn't a bad thing at all - as a small business owner you do your best to create a slick website and quality gear and if you're lucky a word of mouth reputation takes on a life of its own. The people who know you personally (like this community) will know how overwhelmed you are and often respond with patience, but those that discover you externally are going to have a variety of expectations that you can never control.

The important nuance is that are lots of customers (like the OP Raos in this case) who will KNOW you're a very small business and still expect the best from you - and that's not necessarily a fault. We've all gravitated towards small businesses because they often respond quicker and offer better customer service than any large company. No one should fault the OP for getting disappointed here, when it comes to business and life the smaller you are the hungrier you should be if you're hoping to grow and many feel that way.

I'm rambling about this because I experience it every day. Trek Light Gear is still essentially a two-man operation, with way too many hats being worn and not enough time in each day. The company has been around for 10 years now, we've gotten major write-ups in Entrepreneur, the NY Times, etc. and thousands own our gear around the world - almost every customer I deal with thinks we're a much bigger company than we are and expects nothing less. All I can do is keep trying to keep up and be the best - my goal is always to be that small business that does customer service even better than a big business.

But mistakes happen and Stormcrow's response here was perfect. When things get overwhelming you can explain yourself, apologize for delays, and hope your customers understand. But, worthy excuse or not, it's your mission as a business owner to get things right the first time every chance you get and it's obvious Stormcrow gets that. It's easy to pick on an upset customer for being too demanding, but a good business owner knows that it's usually still an opportunity to keep improving. Cheers to you Stormcrow, the challenges you're dealing with will never stop coming in one form or another, but you've got the right attitude to get through it and be successful.

Thanks for letting me ramble a bit on the adventures of running a small business - and happy holidays to this awesome community!

[lazy river road]

I own nine HG Quilts (4 Burrows, 3 Phoenixes, 1 Incubator and 1 Pincubator) and not one complaint. Just saying.....Merry Hannukah!!!

[stevebo]

The cottage vendor dilemma

If I am on the sewing machine I am producing the product, If I am answering emails I may be promising something I can't deliver unless I get back on the sewing machine.....

I could hire someone to answer email and phones but I would have to charge more for my product just to break even. The new vendor is already undercutting my price because he is working out of his garage or this is a secondary business for him.....

I will get to those emails in a little while......

It is now 6am and I have worked through the night. I think I can do a few more quilts this morning.....

While I was working through the night I received a hundred more emails just asking about when their quilt would be shipped.......

Do I have enough supplies to complete the quilts already ordered? My down order is running behind and I will be out by the end of the week. My supplier is not answering my email or calls.....

Did I eat lunch? Oh well I can make it to supper.... I will get to see the family then but I will be thinking about all those emails I need to read....

I spent some time after supper trying to scan thru the emails and prioritize...

I am back on the sewing machine....Is it really 6am already....


I watched my daughter go thru this and could hear the sewing machines going all night. Sometimes I could not take it any more and would get up to help sew a few to relieve the stress for her during the holidays. I can't imagine the number of emails a cottage vendor like HG must receive this time of year.

I am not making excuses for the cottage vendors but I guarantee you the "lack" of customer service is not due to neglect or an "I don't care" attitude. This time of year they have to prioritize and make tough decisions. Only time will tell if they made the right ones ..... In the spring they may need that order just to keep someone employed another month before sales slow down for the summer .

I can say my first choice for a quilt would be Hammock Gear if I were in the market for one. I would not get too upset this time of year if my inquiry about a summer quilt did not get answered till after the holidays. Afterall it is a cottage vendor and I have not ordered anything yet.

Wow, that sounds like a perfectly awful way to spend the holiday season! Thanks for an insiders glimpse into the world of cottage industrys---that should be required reading for anyone thinking about starting one! (and makes me a little more appreciative of all that goes into that beautiful piece of custom gear!)
Also, I'm glad this whole thread ended on a positive note---says alot about the caliber of people here!

[TonyYarusso]

If I sent an e-mail this week and didn't get a response this week, I'd be totally okay with that given the holiday.

I have to laugh at myself a bit now - turns out I did have to send them an e-mail this week! (My Black Friday order arrived missing an item.) Oh well, I'll practice patience for a few days...