# Flow - AMAZING customer service



## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

The binding broken...


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## AcroPhile (Dec 3, 2010)

Flow is great. I emailed them about a lost screw and nut for the toe ladder a while ago. They emailed me back right away and I had the replacement parts and stickers within a few days.

I just broke my Flows again today. Actually the steal cable that holds the highback up broke. I'll try to get in touch with them this weekend or Monday and we'll see how it goes this time around.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Moosewirt slopeside bar....


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## SuCoSlayer (Jan 5, 2014)

Great to hear of a company taking care of its customers. Looks like you are having a good time. Prost!


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## t21 (Dec 29, 2010)

:thumbsup: great company!


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## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

Similar happened to me a couple of years ago at Tahoe. Noticed a broken strap when I arrived...they Fed-Exed the spare parts to the repair shop, plus an extra set, no questions asked. Consistently excellent customer service from Flow.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

cool ass shit


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## marauder (Nov 30, 2013)

Cool ! :eusa_clap:


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## stryderlis (Apr 9, 2013)

Good to know how good the customer service is. My toe strap(buckle) on my GNU mutant broke and I'm still trying to get them to help me with my warranty. 

1 - they were good about sending out a replacement toe strap (sent a picture of my broken toe strap) but they didn't have the mutant toe strap(with the rubber piece) and sent me a generic toe strap. They didn't bother to tell me this was what they were doing so I was surprised when I received them. 

2 - emailed them back saying these straps are not acceptable as replacements. They responded back saying they do not have anymore Mutant toe straps. I've been going back in fourth with them about just sending me the 2014 mutants as replacements. It seems they do not have the 2014 Mutants in my size so I have since asked to be upgraded to the 2014 Agros in my size if they do not have the Mutants in my size. 

I'm not sure why I had to go through all these hoops to get a replacement toe strap. They could've have just told me they didn't have any more of the Mutant toe straps and asked if I wanted to return mines for a replacement at the beginning. 

I have since bought the Fuse-gt and awaiting to take them out for a run. If I get replacement GNU bindings, I'll just use those as my back up even though I've really not had any issues with them at all.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

stryderlis said:


> 2 - emailed them back saying these straps are not acceptable as replacements. They responded back saying they do not have anymore Mutant toe straps. I've been going back in fourth with them about just sending me the 2014 mutants as replacements. It seems they do not have the 2014 Mutants in my size so I have since asked to be upgraded to the 2014 Agros in my size if they do not have the Mutants in my size.
> 
> I'm not sure why I had to go through all these hoops to get a replacement toe strap. They could've have just told me they didn't have any more of the Mutant toe straps and asked if I wanted to return mines for a replacement at the beginning.


Sorry looking for a little clarification here. Since they don't have the toe strap you need but they sent you one that will work. You are not happy about this and they should send you "brand new bindings" just because you broke a toe strap?

-- This is my 4th set of Flows and the minimal warranty parts I have needed has also been superb in the CS department --


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## TMXMOTORSPORTS (Jun 10, 2009)

Flow's customer service is the shit I have been riding Flows since 2005 anytime I have had any problems they have handled it ASAP.:bowdown:


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## stryderlis (Apr 9, 2013)

slyder said:


> Sorry looking for a little clarification here. Since they don't have the toe strap you need but they sent you one that will work. You are not happy about this and they should send you "brand new bindings" just because you broke a toe strap?
> 
> -- This is my 4th set of Flows and the minimal warranty parts I have needed has also been superb in the CS department --


Yes the toe strap broke and they do not have last year's model toe strap available. It's kind of like saying if your car has hid headlights would you be okay with the manufacturer replacing it with a generic halogen headlight?


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

stryderlis said:


> Yes the toe strap broke and they do not have last year's model toe strap available. It's kind of like saying if your car has hid headlights would you be okay with the manufacturer replacing it with a generic halogen headlight?


I see that poor analogy but were you asking them to give you new bindings that you used last year, broke a toe strap then are asking them to give you new this years model. 

My 2013 Mustang has a flat tire, can I have a brand new 2014 one with a good tire. 

The bindings are a year old and you broke a toe strap and aren't happy with the one they sent you so you want brand new bindings. 
If this is truly what you are saying, like you wrote. Your a little....well....unrealistic....


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## stryderlis (Apr 9, 2013)

slyder said:


> I see that poor analogy but were you asking them to give you new bindings that you used last year, broke a toe strap then are asking them to give you new this years model.
> 
> My 2013tMustang has a flat tire, can I have a brand new 2014 one with a good tire.
> 
> ...


Well my bindings are still under warranty. Your tire analogy is more like if I buy new tires and they blow up on me while under warranty do I get a new tire? If they do not have my tire you're saying it's ok to get a lower quality tire or should I get an upgraded tire?


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I agree with spyder, that is a little unrealistic to want them to send you a new pair of bindings. They could and should have gone through more effort to find the proper toe strap though. They should also keep warranty parts available for bindings that are a few years out and still covered under warranty....

If they did give you new bindings, that would be WAY above and beyond.


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## stryderlis (Apr 9, 2013)

Argo said:


> I agree with spyder, that is a little unrealistic to want them to send you a new pair of bindings. They could and should have gone through more effort to find the proper toe strap though. They should also keep warranty parts available for bindings that are a few years out and still covered under warranty....
> 
> If they did give you new bindings, that would be WAY above and beyond.


My initial request was just for the same toe strap that broke. With the gnu mutants the toe strap is what differentiates it from the next model down. Since they can't give me the same toe strap I don't see why trading in my old bindings would be such a big deal since im still under warranty.


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## larrytbull (Oct 30, 2013)

stryderlis said:


> My initial request was just for the same toe strap that broke. With the gnu mutants the toe strap is what differentiates it from the next model down. Since they can't give me the same toe strap I don't see why trading in my old bindings would be such a big deal since im still under warranty.



hopefully you bought then from rei or backcountry.com

you can just return them. 

I had a few pairs of GNU bindings, was never really happy with thier toe strap. even tried to get the mutant ones, since the ones on wierd never quite fit boot well. They told me they don't carry the parts. 

long story short wound up returning them for credit. and buying flows instead. 

Have not looked back since


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Hate to have to post this semi follow up to the origional thread. 

I had my second highback break 2 weeks ago. I emailed the customer service on their site, emailed the origional guy that helped me in Austria, emailed another chick that I called and talked to and said I would be taken care of immediately....... It has been 2 weeks since my initial submission and no reply or highback yet. Kind of sad that they can get a distributor in Austria to overnight me a new highback in Europe but they cant get me a freaking highback from Cali to Colorado..... I will now take to social media on their facebook page and tag them on instagram/twitter and see if they decide to respond. 

These breaks are totally random and are on bindings that I purchased almost exactly one year ago this month. I am glad I have another pair of Unions to use. I may just switch to Union overall and be done with Flow even though I have been a fan for years now. I am kind of leary now that I have had two highback failures in two months. When the highback goes, there is no getting around one foot riding down, if you are not good at riding one foot, it will be a walk. I can not imagine having this failure at full speed without the ability to stop one footed...... Fortunately I caught the second failure before the full breakage happened.


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## t21 (Dec 29, 2010)

Damn! hope that they would respond and get you a highback or whatever, but it seems that all the issues(just my thought) is on the SE model. John Does' ratchet slippage issues and then your highback....i think i will not buy an SE version but stick with AT goodluck Argo, hope they help you out.


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## trapper (Jan 15, 2013)

Bummer Argo. To be honest, I've been unimpressed by Ride's customer service as well. I get that it is peak season and all, but since you are a snowboard company you'd think you'd understand that people really can't wait weeks on end for responses. They should be prepared for that.

Union and Never Summer have been top notch for me when contacting them on the other hand. Both went above and beyond to answer my questions and helping me out with relatively minor issues. 

Hope you get an answer on this. I'd be demanding one.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

So after popping off on their Facebook, instagram and Twitter I got a response and hopefully a shipment of my part.... Thanks for the email address provided by a member here also, the guy does their PR apparently cause he was on all those posts at the same time as the email


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

Customer service is very hit and miss in my opinion, the only people that have never wavered that i have had to deal with is Apple, they are what they are...

When it comes to stuff for snowboarding, again, warranty is warranty, and you could buy a NEW set of 2012 bindings now and it would still legally have to be covered by warranty, by the shop as well as the manufacturer...

This is where issues start, i recently had an argument with a store here in Norway (Anton Sports) where i purchased a Sweet Grinder back protector, not cheap at 1800kr - $295 (not what i paid) But when i took it into the store, they where like, what do you expect it is almost out of warranty... Ermmm ALMOST, but still covered, and you are the store i bought it from and you need to deal with it... There answer, well we are a franchise and you bought it from a different store than us...!!!

That is fine, but, you ARE the same store, that is branding, not my issue if you are a franchise, it is your responsibility to deal with it...!!!

They sent it to Sweet for replacement, 3 weeks later, i have heard nothing back from the store...

I won't worry, i have a spare, but if not replaced by next Monday, i will call, and if they have no answer, i shall simply instruct a solicitor to recover the money i paid...

I hate that companies mess around like this, it is just wrong, and they really on peoples ignorance and inability to fight for there rights...!!! They are not so concerned about 1 person, as 1 customer makes no difference to them, unless you are a customer who has influence as a pro or Angry, as that can hurt them... But for us mere mortals, we need to stick up for ourselves...!!!

The 1st thing i do when i get home from buying ANYTHING is to copy the receipt and log it in my insruance program with warranty dates etc, so if i ever have an issue i can quickly pull up a copy of the receipt, a photo of the item, and a brief description... This is great for 2 reasons, you never lose the receipt, and you have ALL the details should you ever need to claim for loss on insurance...

Oh and it is called HOME INVENTORY for those that are interested, and i highly recommend it, it is fantastic for keeping track of everything you own...


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## scotty100 (Apr 3, 2012)

Kevin137 said:


> There answer, well we are a franchise and you bought it from a different store than us...!!!
> 
> That is fine, but, you ARE the same store, that is branding, not my issue if you are a franchise, it is your responsibility to deal with it...!!!


I agree with you in principle but unfortunately in my experience that's not the case when it comes to legal liabilities. If a store is a franchise it often operates under it's own warranty/return policy. Therefore no guarantee you will get the same return policy from one store to the next even if they are part of the same brand. I've been burned before on that a few times, buying stuff from a store in one part of the country and finding out the return policy is for that store only.


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## djmisio85 (Jan 22, 2013)

I'd like to chime in with my 2 cents and give some insight on my experiences.

I have had to deal with 3 snowboarding companies this year.

1) Swix (Japan). I bought a T74 iron with the clamp. The issue was, that the small plastic fins on the clamp were broken, so when I inserted the clamp into the body of the iron, it was very loose. Turns out that you are not meant to remove the clamp after you have inserted it once because the fins are designed to kind of break and fit into the iron. I personally didn't remove the clamp, but the online shop which I bought it from must have. Anyway, after sending the iron back to the shop and getting a replacement (which was also broken), and then confirming with Swix that the fins should not be broken, Swix Japan (not the online shop) asked me to send my iron to them. They then sent me a whole new iron, with the clamp pre-inserted. Considering I never bought the iron from Swix directly... this was an AWESOME result :eusa_clap:

2) Salomon (Japan). My speedlace lock on my 2012/13 Salomon Synapse Boots snapped. I emailed Salomon to get the part number (they sent me the wrong number initially). But they stated in the email I can go to any Salomon dealer and order the parts for a small price. (I ordered online, so no warranty... lesson learnt, buy at shops). Anyway, the shop I went to is always very anal about products not bought at their shop, however after showing them the email from Salomon, they agreed to order the part for me.
Part came 2 days later :thumbsup: However, Salomon actually replied to my email with the proper part number, AFTER I had already bought it. Luckily the shop knew which part I needed. So all in all, an OK service. I got my part, so I'm happy.

3) Smith Optics (Japan). I was looking for a dealer of Smith Helmets, so I checked the online shop list and addresses. I then went to the address where the shop was meant to be, however no shop was to be found, because the address they provided me with was a completely different place. I emailed Smith USA (because I couldn't find an email address for Smith Japan). Smith USA gave me the email address for Smith Japan. I emailed them saying the address was wrong, can I at least have my petrol money back. Smith Japan sent me a nice T-shirt, stickers and an apology the very next day. Also VERY good result :eusa_clap:

So my advice is, buy from real shops (unless you are getting a warranty online or a REALLY good deal).


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