For those who care to know, I recently had occasion to contact Susan Bates Customer Service. Here is the rundown:
My size 10.5 29" Silvalume circs were beginning to fall apart. The cable began to disconnect from the needle and started twirling in circles. It got be a pain to work with them! I searched the package to see whether the product had some type of guarantee. No “product guarantee” was indicated on the packaging. I thought, “How odd.” So I went online and plucked their customer service number from their website on March 17th (or 18th?).
I stated my concern and asked about their product guarantee, if they had any. My approach was very diplomatic. I simply stated that I own several of their products and this has never happen before, even with other circs that I’ve used much more than the 10.5 Silvalumes. The first rep with whom I spoke informed me that I needed to speak with “Jane Doe” about product guarantee issues. Rep1 “took a message” and said Jane Doe would return my call.
One week passed and Jane Doe did not call me. I called customer service again and spoke with Rep2. Rep2 also said I must speak with Jane Doe and proceeded to give me Jane Doe’s direct telephone number. I called that telephone number and was forwarded to voicemail as they were closed for the day (Good Friday). Rep3 returned my call on March 23rd. At this point, I was fed up with the pass-arounds and … well … I was not as diplomatic as I was in phone call #1! But I still think I handled it reasonably. I plainly and unhappily stated that I only want a simple question answered, Jane Doe is apparently the only one who can answer that question, I have left messages for Jane Doe, and Jane Doe has not returned my call. Rep3 informed me that Jane Doe was on vacation and would be back on April 4th!!! That would have not only been NICE to know that when I left my first message on March 17/18, it would have also been USEFUL to know that tiny piece of information!! I mean really!!
Anyhoo … Rep3 forwarded me to Jane Doe’s actual answering machine, whereby I FINALLY heard her vacation greeting. What a hassle!
My nerves were a bit frazzled and I wasn’t happy about basically being strung along at their leisure, so I was prepared to deal with an absolute Demon. So I spoke with Jane Doe today and described my situation. But surprisingly, Jane Doe was VERY nice and didn’t give me any double talk! Happy Ending:
Jane Doe is sending a replacement 10.5 29" circ to me with an self-addressed/self-stamped envelope for me to send the twirly circs back to them :happydance:
I don’t think it will take long for them to get from North Cacalaky to MD … 
:??