You don't want my custom then?

[TandD]

Warning...this may be a rant!

So I'm looking for (another) new saddle, and having worked through all local saddlers with no offerings that were suitable or that I am happy with I have had to look further afield!

so I contacted a well known, international saddle company asking for contact details for a distributer local to me to discuss the various options and to see if the saddle would suit as my horse is very odd in the back and is only getting worse so need something which will accommodate this!

so my details get forwarded to someone in the headoffice who will 'be down my way' on 'x' date and can offer me an appointment at 'x' time. I received this email Friday afternoon, so didn't see it till after work, couldn't ask employer for time off till Monday and I replied that Monday lunchtime! ok in my return email I asked if the time could be made later, but the day was fine!

i received this reply back on Wednesday afternoon ' I am ever so sorry but I am now fully booked on the 28th do you have any dates which is easier for you?'

1. I'd booked time off work for you to visit......now canceled
2. So you offered me (a customer) a date, then due to not replying over a weekend, you retracted the date...... Even though I could do that date!
3. No I don't have easy dates as I work! And I work to pay for my saddle! And now my employer is away for the next 3 weeks I can't have any time off!!

i sent back an email saying 'stop p***ing around and give me a b***dy date that you are down my way' in a much politer manner, but still getting my point across!!! This was Wednesday afternoon and I still haven't heard anything...

therefore I have decided this company doesn't not want my custom, even thought I would be spending well in excess of £3000 with them plus all the modifications that the saddle would need due to the difficulty of fitting any saddle to my horse....

so it's back to the drawing board to find someone else who can possibly fit my stupidly shaped horse!

 

[paulineh]

If you are prepared to spend that kind of money I would get hold of "Saddle Exchange". http://www.saddleexchange.com. They do weekends as well

 

[Paint Me Proud]

i'm sorry but i dont see how this is the companies fault. It is possible they have many enquiries every day and allocate times on a first reply first serve basis.

 

[holeymoley]

i'm sorry but i dont see how this is the companies fault. It is possible they have many enquiries every day and allocate times on a first reply first serve basis.

This.

 

[TandD]

i'm sorry but i dont see how this is the companies fault. It is possible they have many enquiries every day and allocate times on a first reply first serve basis.

I am just annoyed that they offer this date on a Friday afternoon, they don't do weekends, and I emailed them Monday lunchtime after getting time off work! In this space of time the appointment they offered me was retracted and nothing else was offered!
'When is best for you' isn't helpful! It would be helpful if you could do 6pm in the evening or weekends.....but you don't work then!

Thank you Paulineh....I haven't seen them before and they look good!

 

[paulineh]

I agree TandD. I have just had my two saddles adjusted this afternoon . The fitters ( they own he company) have just come back from fitting saddles in Denmark and Holland and were on their way to clients near Guildford.

Where are you as they maybe on their way near you soon.

 

[smellsofhorse]

I think you have over reacted.
They are busy, they did reply, maybe a phone call could have got a quicker response.
They did ask for dates more suitable for you.

They obviously have lots of happy customers as they are so busy.

 

[Izzydonkey]

I agree with paulineh, saddle exchange are brilliant. They solved my 5 years worth of saddle issue's. I wouldn't use anyone else now

 

[Marydoll]

Warning...this may be a rant!

So I'm looking for (another) new saddle, and having worked through all local saddlers with no offerings that were suitable or that I am happy with I have had to look further afield!

so I contacted a well known, international saddle company asking for contact details for a distributer local to me to discuss the various options and to see if the saddle would suit as my horse is very odd in the back and is only getting worse so need something which will accommodate this!

so my details get forwarded to someone in the headoffice who will 'be down my way' on 'x' date and can offer me an appointment at 'x' time. I received this email Friday afternoon, so didn't see it till after work, couldn't ask employer for time off till Monday and I replied that Monday lunchtime! ok in my return email I asked if the time could be made later, but the day was fine!

i received this reply back on Wednesday afternoon ' I am ever so sorry but I am now fully booked on the 28th do you have any dates which is easier for you?'

1. I'd booked time off work for you to visit......now canceled
2. So you offered me (a customer) a date, then due to not replying over a weekend, you retracted the date...... Even though I could do that date!
3. No I don't have easy dates as I work! And I work to pay for my saddle! And now my employer is away for the next 3 weeks I can't have any time off!!

i sent back an email saying 'stop p***ing around and give me a b***dy date that you are down my way' in a much politer manner, but still getting my point across!!! This was Wednesday afternoon and I still haven't heard anything...

therefore I have decided this company doesn't not want my custom, even thought I would be spending well in excess of £3000 with them plus all the modifications that the saddle would need due to the difficulty of fitting any saddle to my horse....

so it's back to the drawing board to find someone else who can possibly fit my stupidly shaped horse!

For that id be having one made to measure, google sankey Saddles theyre lovely

 

[YorksG]

I am with the OP on this and feel that those people who are saying that the company must be busy etc contribute to the decreasing level of cusstomer service we experience.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Some of the replies astound me.
For that amount of money I would expect the company to offer me choice of dates and times. They are not doing you a favour, they are trying to sell you something.
I cant recommend any-one as I use a local saddler but tbh, I'd use any-one but that company and I'd name and shame!

 

[TandD]

I agree TandD. I have just had my two saddles adjusted this afternoon . The fitters ( they own he company) have just come back from fitting saddles in Denmark and Holland and were on their way to clients near Guildford.

Where are you as they maybe on their way near you soon.

I'm near Southampton just off the motorway (5min drive), so not in some way off place!
Do they custom make saddles as I'm looking for something very specific that no saddle maker would ever consider mass producing!

thank you mary doll! Never seen them before!

 

[ester]

Some of the replies astound me.
For that amount of money I would expect the company to offer me choice of dates and times. They are not doing you a favour, they are trying to sell you something.
I cant recommend any-one as I use a local saddler but tbh, I'd use any-one but that company and I'd name and shame!

They have asked when would be convenient for the OP?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

They have asked when would be convenient for the OP?

After telling her that the first date offered is no longer available, even though she has made arrangements to be free on that date. Very poor customer service, imo.

 

[Honey08]

I think they were rude too. Highlighted by the fact that they haven't replied to the latest email either. Everything obviously has to revolve around what suits them rather than their customers..

Anyway, think of it as a good thing - imagine how they'd be if anything went wrong, probably be a nightmare to get back out! Personally I think a good, smaller local person is often better, found by word of mouth.

 

[Achinghips]

A good saddle fitter will have a a huge waiting list. I had to wait three months for an appointment with mine !

 

[Fides]

A good saddle fitter will have a a huge waiting list. I had to wait three months for an appointment with mine !

^ This

 

[Honey08]

Seriously? Three months away appointments are fine for routine checks, but if I have a saddle that I think doesn't fit properly anymore or is causing issues I won't be waiting three months for someone.

My saddler is great, and one of her best qualities is she will juggle things around and fit people in, she isn't set to a rigid timetable set by her secretary (had that with the last saddler whose opinion of himself was far greater than his customer service!).

 

[Fides]

Seriously? Three months away appointments are fine for routine checks, but if I have a saddle that I think doesn't fit properly anymore or is causing issues I won't be waiting three months for someone.

I have the saddler out every 3 months anyway so never get to the point of a saddle not fitting. I've found paying £20 for a checkup every 3 months much better than having to get the 'back person' out (at a far greater cost, and sometimes for more than one visit) due to issues and also having a horse that you can't ride. My saddler tends to be booked up 3 months in advance but I have never (touch wood) had a saddle on the back of my two that didn't fit.

 

[Honey08]

No, I'm sure you haven't had a saddle not fitting with all those appointments! Probably 90% of them were un needed though, and your saddler shouldn't have charged you for anything other than callout. And what do you do if you get a new horse? Wait for three months before you ride them? (Serious question, not knocking you).

 

[Fides]

No, I'm sure you haven't had a saddle not fitting with all those appointments! Probably 90% of them were un needed though, and your saddler shouldn't have charged you for anything other than callout. And what do you do if you get a new horse? Wait for three months before you ride them? (Serious question, not knocking you).

The saddle does only charge the callout. I don't ever want to get in the position where I put a saddle on my horse that doesn't fit. I have two horses and won't be getting a third just yet. I had a third (that passed away a couple of weeks ago) but he came with a saddle fitted by the same saddler.

90% of the calls probably were unnecessry in your mind, but I would rather prevent a problem than fix a problem caused by an illfitting saddle due to only doing a yearly check (which seems to be the standard).

I have a check done mid winter (when they are at their lowest weight) and one done mid summer (when they are at their fattest) then one in each of the mid points between the two. Seems to work for mine... One is a sports horse with massive shoulders and the other a round, flat backed, no withered Sec D.

 

[paulineh]

TandD give them them a ring. I will PM you their mobile number.

 

[SnowPhony]

I think you have over reacted. Probably could have avoided missing the appointment had you emailed them to ask them to hold it for you and you'd confirm Monday.

 

[Marydoll]

I'm near Southampton just off the motorway (5min drive), so not in some way off place!
Do they custom make saddles as I'm looking for something very specific that no saddle maker would ever consider mass producing!

thank you mary doll! Never seen them before!

I had a dressage saddle mtm by him for my horse and loved it so much i had him make my event saddle as well, he mainly trades in America, Holland and Scotland, the saddles are beautifully made

 

[webble]

i'm sorry but i dont see how this is the companies fault. It is possible they have many enquiries every day and allocate times on a first reply first serve basis.

This, if you need to book give them a call