Ward 800 Appalling Shameful Service

[Bavarianbrit]

I have been to see him twice and he seems to me to be a very straight up person.
We all have issues to get everything 100% perfect in our lives and I have failed at that enough times to be now prepared to give others some slack.

 

[devon deer stalker]

I feel I have to add to this thread, my advice, if it states on his website 'available in 3 days' buy it elsewhere, after zero communication for weeks from him he only contacted me after I involved trading standards.
This was for a torch.
Oh, and keep a record of all communications.

 

[User00003]

when making public statement like this, be sure to have your ducks in a row as it’s easy to get sued for defamation of character and loss of potential income, etc.

Not fun to have to defend yourself and float the legal bill just to defend a post you made in anger

 

[Overlay]

In the event your going to purchase some equipment, ask the guy to ring you when it’s all in stock and turn up and pay for it and take it away, if it’s not want you asked for, leave it there - it’s worth the trip even if your not near by

You get what you want

If you do it any other way it lets the glitches in and disappointment, if the vendor can’t do that, walk away PDQ

Everyone has problems buying gear sometimes, shut it down and pay for what you get when you get it, I personally don’t buy from any company I can’t get that assurance from

 

[Rusty Gate]

In the interests of balance I think I need to re-post my previous post on this subject from another thread.


My experience has been the exact opposite. Got my 800L upgraded to the new body with a turn round of one week, this included a service and clean of the internals as well. Also got two extra shims sent out in the same time frame.

The very best way to contact Clive (some would say it's the only way) is via the NV Forum on the internet, I've always been able to get hold of him that way.

I can't recommend his products or after sales service enough, but that's based on my own experience.

Exactly the wrong way to go. The guy's tried emailing directly, if you have an email contact or a site keep on top of that before diluting your time on other sites. It's the customers cash that's provided the funding for the business, site & web access.... they should come first, especially when spending you want them to consider you first.

Post further up about post being left, that's incredible. Your aware of an issue as it took some organising granted but own a problem, customers want to hear its in good hands which can be assured by a periodic quick call to keep them in the loop. I used to call while I was packaging ( not emailing or taking payments so no mixup's )

 

[deerly departed]

Hi Chaps,

I’ve sat on the fence, just watching to see how this pans out, I’ve known Clive Ward for a very long time both as a shooting buddy and customer. For those that don’t know him personally he is an expert in his field with experience going back years to the days of lamps and filters and likes nothing more than taking a sight be it NV or Thermal, tweaking it and adding upgrades, then making the end result available to the likes of you and me.

Where he lets himself down, and I have told him this several times, is that he cannot say no, he is often let down by foreign suppliers who renage on quotes and delivery time for parts, of course this is out of his control. As far as customer service is concerned he needs to delegate this to someone, he tries his best but it obviously is too much, he cannot wear all the hats with only so many hours in a day. Couple overseeing orders together with answering countless calls for advice and you get the picture.

With the volume of business he does he doesn’t make a bad job of it, however periodically things do go tits up and people start shouting but I can assure you for every dissatisfied customer there are hundreds of happy ones, those are the ones we don’t hear about.

Now this has just been my personal findings but if you have had a good deal from Clive you will know that he is as genuine a guy as they come, who will go the extra mile to help and not at all as some would make him out to be.

all the best,

Willowbank

This is a fair post BUT there are 3 rules re business

1. Customer Service
2. Customer Service
3. Customer Service

It seems Clive micro manages and needs to look up the word delegate.

I certainly get the point re chain failures. In my business I deal with manufacturers and distributors from all over the globe and sometimes.... you just get let down and nobody up the chain gives a sh$#e no matter HOW CLEARLY you qualify it to them and how cautious you may inform your client.

Clive clearlybhas an issue re communication. It is important to keepnyour client informed and make your comments truthful and back-upable.......

Clive may know his stuff.... but for years I keep seeing posts like this and I dont care if he can cure cancer.... but I am not going to step into a long delay AND no communication.

Now if the vendor fails to supply whithin a reasonable time frame then I would EXPECT to be refunded if that promise is not kept. Who is to say that I have not obligations to my customers and a failure on the vendors part is not my problem if they have said one thing and then renege.

If ot is CUSTOM stuff then I inform the client that its not refundable and non returnable and I state the manufacturer statesa lead time of X...... but that Inwould at least double that in case there is transit damage or loss etc. As to remake a bespoke isnt going tonbe done in 48 hours is it.....at least it give the purchaser the clear understanding and manages expectations.

I get what you say. I see the points but at the end of the day.... its russian roulette and I would not be interested to be frank.

He is a general and a specialist suppllier and he seems to leapfrog one client over another. If younwant fast turn around then up your fees to cover the staff that can then take up the knock on effect.

As you say.... clive needs to learn to say NO and stop this jekyl and hyde service.

Polarised customer base is a VERY BAD THING.

 

[dawnbreaker]

This is a fair post BUT there are 3 rules re business

1. Customer Service
2. Customer Service
3. Customer Service

It seems Clive micro manages and needs to look up the word delegate.

I certainly get the point re chain failures. In my business I deal with manufacturers and distributors from all over the globe and sometimes.... you just get let down and nobody up the chain gives a sh$#e no matter HOW CLEARLY you qualify it to them and how cautious you may inform your client.

Clive clearlybhas an issue re communication. It is important to keepnyour client informed and make your comments truthful and back-upable.......

Clive may know his stuff.... but for years I keep seeing posts like this and I dont care if he can cure cancer.... but I am not going to step into a long delay AND no communication.

Now if the vendor fails to supply whithin a reasonable time frame then I would EXPECT to be refunded if that promise is not kept. Who is to say that I have not obligations to my customers and a failure on the vendors part is not my problem if they have said one thing and then renege.

If ot is CUSTOM stuff then I inform the client that its not refundable and non returnable and I state the manufacturer statesa lead time of X...... but that Inwould at least double that in case there is transit damage or loss etc. As to remake a bespoke isnt going tonbe done in 48 hours is it.....at least it give the purchaser the clear understanding and manages expectations.

I get what you say. I see the points but at the end of the day.... its russian roulette and I would not be interested to be frank.

He is a general and a specialist suppllier and he seems to leapfrog one client over another. If younwant fast turn around then up your fees to cover the staff that can then take up the knock on effect.

As you say.... clive needs to learn to say NO and stop this jekyl and hyde service.

Polarised customer base is a VERY BAD THING.

Im having a nightmare with his customer service or lack off it tbh

 

[deerly departed]

when making public statement like this, be sure to have your ducks in a row as it’s easy to get sued for defamation of character and loss of potential income, etc.

Not fun to have to defend yourself and float the legal bill just to defend a post you made in anger

Good advice on the whole but any defendent only needs a mobile, the internet ansca search button.

This is not new news. Many documented cases of customer let diwn plus basic failure to honour a contract.

I think if this vendor tried that route, many eggs will end up on a face

 

[Herb64]

Why with all the comments on various sites on the internet anyone has any dealings with this man is beyond me. Appalling service and communication. Buy elsewhere or go without the product, it’s not worth the hassle dealing with him.

 

[dawnbreaker]

Why with all the comments on various sites on the internet anyone has any dealings with this man is beyond me. Appalling service and communication. Buy elsewhere or go without the product, it’s not worth the hassle dealing with him.

Unfortunately I'm finding this out atm , read reviews on his website which were good only 4 bad ones out of 357 which I thought was reasonable but I'm finding out is not the case, I have asked for a full refund but whether I get one or not remains to be seen

 

[beanieboy]

Bought a few small items from this guy in the past, but wouldn't dream of buying anything major from him, regardless of how good his products are. His customer service, or more accurately, his lack of it, is well known. Don't know why folk torture themselves dealing with him. Plenty of good suppliers out there.

 

[Henns]

Also had similar service from this company, ordering items (IR pills) stated as in stock on the website, paying the extortionate delivery costs and not receiving them for weeks. They completely ignore correspondence. Wouldn't use them again and many of the above comments clearly mirror my experiences.

 

[Overlay]

2019 I wrote on the thread as what I would do, phone up Clive ward directly, not e mail, not call centre not via any forum, ask if the items are in stock, if so - do what I did a few weeks back go and collect them, check them, then pay for them

clive ward is a 1 hr drive from me, I picked up albeit a small item, pard 007, scope bayonet fitting, batteries and charger at a good price and it all worked perfectly , everything I wanted and I paid for it and been using it ever since
i can’t fault the service I received

ordering by e mail, a call centre for any product including non shooting products is or can be a nightmare with any company then there’s the delivery. God help us
I’m not flying a flag for Clive ward, but I got exactly the right product I wanted because it was in stock, if it wasn’t there in entirety I wouldn’t have bothered going there

These days are are or can be horrendous for buying gear

 

[dawnbreaker]

2019 I wrote on the thread as what I would do, phone up Clive ward directly, not e mail, not call centre not via any forum, ask if the items are in stock, if so - do what I did a few weeks back go and collect them, check them, then pay for them

clive ward is a 1 hr drive from me, I picked up albeit a small item, pard 007, scope bayonet fitting, batteries and charger at a good price and it all worked perfectly , everything I wanted and I paid for it and been using it ever since
i can’t fault the service I received

ordering by e mail, a call centre for any product including non shooting products is or can be a nightmare with any company then there’s the delivery. God help us
I’m not flying a flag for Clive ward, but I got exactly the right product I wanted because it was in stock, if it wasn’t there in entirety I wouldn’t have bothered going there

These days are are or can be horrendous for buying gear

Maybe I could just jump on the plane from northern Ireland and go and pick up my 49.99 ir torch It would be a dam sight quicker than what I'm getting atm

 

[Tazz]

I am sensing some customer service issues here ( Career in detective work staring me in the face I think)

 

[dawnbreaker]

I am sensing some customer service issues here ( Career in detective work staring me in the face I think)

No **** sherlock

 

[Foxyboy43]

2019 I wrote on the thread as what I would do, phone up Clive ward directly, not e mail, not call centre not via any forum, ask if the items are in stock, if so - do what I did a few weeks back go and collect them, check them, then pay for them

clive ward is a 1 hr drive from me, I picked up albeit a small item, pard 007, scope bayonet fitting, batteries and charger at a good price and it all worked perfectly , everything I wanted and I paid for it and been using it ever since
i can’t fault the service I received

ordering by e mail, a call centre for any product including non shooting products is or can be a nightmare with any company then there’s the delivery. God help us
I’m not flying a flag for Clive ward, but I got exactly the right product I wanted because it was in stock, if it wasn’t there in entirety I wouldn’t have bothered going there

These days are are or can be horrendous for buying gear

Bit naive old son! In a perfect world we would all live an hour or so away from our local dealer but in the real world that is rarely the case, so you are very fortunate. The simple fact is that if a dealer puts his services out there, be it via faceache, t'internet or wotever he must be prepared to “deliver” in a reasonable timeframe when customers come knocking at his door, virtual or otherwise. To offer goods/services in the knowledge that you cannot deliver same in a reasonable timeframe smacks of either inefficiency or duplicity. Just saying…..

 

[mealiejimmy]

Whilst I'm not excusing his sometimes poor service, I should point out that Clive Ward has been making and selling NV and thermal kit for at least 10 years - and is still in business - so he must be doing something right
He was kind enough to lend me a £3600 thermal scope to test and use for a thermal demo evening.
I had the scope for several weeks and he only asked me to return it to him after thermal demo evening had taken place.
I've bought stuff from him periodically for 6 or 7 years and have always had good service.
The bottom line is that people who have been involved with NV and thermal for a few years know what he's like and always have a good laugh at threads like this when "Disgusted from Dudley" goes off on a rant.
We've seen this sort of stuff many times, and nothing changes - Clive's still in business.
BTW - you will get the stuff you ordered - eventually

Cheers

Bruce

 

[dawnbreaker]

Whilst I'm not excusing his sometimes poor service, I should point out that Clive Ward has been making and selling NV and thermal kit for at least 10 years - and is still in business - so he must be doing something right
He was kind enough to lend me a £3600 thermal scope to test and use for a thermal demo evening.
I had the scope for several weeks and he only asked me to return it to him after thermal demo evening had taken place.
I've bought stuff from him periodically for 6 or 7 years and have always had good service.
The bottom line is that people who have been involved with NV and thermal for a few years know what he's like and always have a good laugh at threads like this when "Disgusted from Dudley" goes off on a rant.
We've seen this sort of stuff many times, and nothing changes - Clive's still in business.
BTW - you will get the stuff you ordered - eventually

Cheers

Bruce

Thats great hes doing well but eventually doesn't really work for me, what i wouldn't mind was an email to say for example the item is out of stock we are working on getting said item sorted we expect your delivery to be despatched nexted week etc common courtesy or simple customer service should really be standard.

 

[The Farmer]

From what I've read he makes good stuff but all these horror stories of poor customer service has put me right off.