Props to Planet Bike
11-18-08 | 09:59 AM
#1
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Joined: Sep 2007
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Props to Planet Bike
I have to give a huge +1 to PlanetBike's customer service.
My bike is set up with two PBSF's and one PB Blinky7 in the back. On Friday I was riding, and hit a pothole. the blinky7 popped out of its clip, hit the road, and was crushed by a car. I e-mailed Planet Bike yesterday to tell them. Within 15 minutes I had a reply from them, asking my address because they want to send me a replacement for free.
I replied with my address. Again, within 15 minutes they sent an e-mail to say that my new light has been sent.
I could NOT be happier with them.
This is what I e-mailed back to them:
I meant every word of that. These guys are awesome. Not only do they make fantastic products, but to back them up like this... wow. How many companies go out of their way for a customer like that these days?
My bike is set up with two PBSF's and one PB Blinky7 in the back. On Friday I was riding, and hit a pothole. the blinky7 popped out of its clip, hit the road, and was crushed by a car. I e-mailed Planet Bike yesterday to tell them. Within 15 minutes I had a reply from them, asking my address because they want to send me a replacement for free.
I replied with my address. Again, within 15 minutes they sent an e-mail to say that my new light has been sent.
I could NOT be happier with them.
This is what I e-mailed back to them:
In all seriousness, I really appreciate this. It's funny, I have recommended PlanetBike to all my cycling friends, and have converted almost all of them over to using PB products (the ones that weren't already using them, that is.) We've all been really impressed with your products. After today I feel even better and even more confident in recommending PB to everyone. Truly a job well done. It's pretty rare that I can actually feel good when I send people to go buy a certain product.
I meant every word of that. These guys are awesome. Not only do they make fantastic products, but to back them up like this... wow. How many companies go out of their way for a customer like that these days?
11-18-08 | 11:19 AM
#4
Not safe for work
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,123
Likes: 8
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Bikes: KHS Town and Country 100 & Jamis Durango Femme 1.0
I really like their lights. I have the super blinky on the rear and two 5-beamers at the front. Of all of the lights in my price range the PBs were the best made and most affordable. When these die I'll buy again from PB.
11-18-08 | 12:08 PM
#7
PB cust serv rocks.
11-18-08 | 12:13 PM
#8
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I didn't give you the whole e-mail. Only quoted that one part. I'd had a jovial discussion with the CS guy about my blinky deciding that the road of life was too bumpy and he leaped in front of traffic to kill himself, etc... So since this was the serious part of the e-mail, I prefaced it with that now I am being serious.
11-18-08 | 12:14 PM
#9
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Honestly, it could even have been my fault. How can I be sure that I clipped it properly. perhaps I was spaced out. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt here, but either way they are sending a new one. It doesn't get better than that.
11-19-08 | 11:54 AM
#10
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 112
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From: Smithfield, UT
Bikes: Felt F60, Apollo Concorde, Easy Racers Javelin, Panasonic Tourist, Unknown Steel MTB
I saw this thread yesterday, when my Superflash was still alive, so I didn't take much notice of it. Then on the way home yesterday the clip broke, dumping my light onto the gravel road. When I came back in this morning, the light was still there, right in the middle of the road, smashed to pieces by a car.
Now, ordinarily I wouldn't have bothered contacting the company about warranty replacement. But I did, and sure enough, they're replacing it. Now that's standing behind your products! It wasn't their fault that a car ran over the light, but it wouldn't have been in the road if the clip hadn't broken.
Needless to say, they've got another even happier customer.
Now, ordinarily I wouldn't have bothered contacting the company about warranty replacement. But I did, and sure enough, they're replacing it. Now that's standing behind your products! It wasn't their fault that a car ran over the light, but it wouldn't have been in the road if the clip hadn't broken.
Needless to say, they've got another even happier customer.
11-19-08 | 02:15 PM
#11
HTFU
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: ames,ia
Bikes: 2007 Marin - all Ultegra w/ Mavic SL wheels
I've also had GREAT service from PB. I had a blinkie go sailing off at a rough rail crossing.... luckily only the mount broke. PB sent a new mount and a spare(WOW). I now have PB blinkies on all my families bikes.
11-19-08 | 08:55 PM
#13
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 69
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From: Boston
Bikes: 2021 Giant Revolt Advanced Pro 1, 2019 AllCity Macho Man commuter, 2015 Fuji Gran Fondo Shimano 105
So, love the light, and I will actually purchase one at some point. I have to agree with the previous post about PB improving the clips.
11-19-08 | 09:30 PM
#14
beatz down lo|seatz up hi
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,062
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From: Missouri, USA
Bikes: A 2007 Trek 4300. 22.5", 1981 Trek 610 24" (61cm)
This is nothing. I had a nalgene bottle (with the metal cap on the base) come out of my backpack side pocket in traffic, the car behind me ran over it and it shot out off the road. I figured it was toast and I didn't want to be late so I continued on without stopping. On my way home I remembered about it and stopped... it was intact. The cap was broken but the bottle was fine. I took it home and used it without the lid around the house.
(Yes I realize that we're talking about good customer service so this is a little OT but that said we're also talking about stuff getting run over, so I had to share.)
(Yes I realize that we're talking about good customer service so this is a little OT but that said we're also talking about stuff getting run over, so I had to share.)
11-19-08 | 09:32 PM
#15
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 882
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From: Suburbia, Ontario
Bikes: Specialized FSR
So what did you tell them in your initial e-mail?
"Hi PB, my light fell off yesteday and got crushed"? Did you ask for a replacement, im just trying to understand the context of your e-mail. If that had happened to me, I doubt I would have e-mailed them. OR did you do it, because the clip failed to hold the light? Were you upset at them because it had failed? Once again, im just trying to understand how you wrote your e-mail.
cheers
"Hi PB, my light fell off yesteday and got crushed"? Did you ask for a replacement, im just trying to understand the context of your e-mail. If that had happened to me, I doubt I would have e-mailed them. OR did you do it, because the clip failed to hold the light? Were you upset at them because it had failed? Once again, im just trying to understand how you wrote your e-mail.
cheers
11-19-08 | 09:43 PM
#16
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Macteacher-
the full text of my original e-mail:
In 15 minutes I had this reply:
the full text of my original e-mail:
To whom it may concern,
I want to start by telling you what awesome products you have. I
commute daily with a bike that is set up with PB's fenders, as well as
two superflashes and one Blinky 7 in the back. Your products never
cease to impress and amaze me. I have people come up and tell me that
with all the blinking lights they say me 200 yards off, and thought I
was a motorcyce cop...and this is at night in a busy business
district with lots of lights all around. A+ for Planet bike.
Now I have to discuss the sad news. The demise of my Blinky 7. My
Blinkie 7 has suffered a fatal accident on Friday afternoon on my way
home from work. I hit a pothole, and apparently, poor blinky decided
it was his last straw. He said "goodbye cruel world" and leapt out of
his clip, bouncing into traffic. He blinked his last right before
being run over by a red Jeep Cherokee. Poor blinkie.
I was relating my sorrow and state of mourning to a friend who told me
that a similar event had happened with his, and that when he contacted
you, PB sent him a brand new Blinky. Is this possible? Is there
really a company out there that still cares so much about the customer
that it would be willing to send a new blinky?
Ok, so I wrote the e-mail with a humorous flare (or at least a valiant
attempt), but seriously. My blinky 7 bounced out of the clip and is
now in about a billion little pieces at the corner of Whitney and
Evergreen. Is it true that you guys will send a replacement?
Ben
I want to start by telling you what awesome products you have. I
commute daily with a bike that is set up with PB's fenders, as well as
two superflashes and one Blinky 7 in the back. Your products never
cease to impress and amaze me. I have people come up and tell me that
with all the blinking lights they say me 200 yards off, and thought I
was a motorcyce cop...and this is at night in a busy business
district with lots of lights all around. A+ for Planet bike.
Now I have to discuss the sad news. The demise of my Blinky 7. My
Blinkie 7 has suffered a fatal accident on Friday afternoon on my way
home from work. I hit a pothole, and apparently, poor blinky decided
it was his last straw. He said "goodbye cruel world" and leapt out of
his clip, bouncing into traffic. He blinked his last right before
being run over by a red Jeep Cherokee. Poor blinkie.
I was relating my sorrow and state of mourning to a friend who told me
that a similar event had happened with his, and that when he contacted
you, PB sent him a brand new Blinky. Is this possible? Is there
really a company out there that still cares so much about the customer
that it would be willing to send a new blinky?
Ok, so I wrote the e-mail with a humorous flare (or at least a valiant
attempt), but seriously. My blinky 7 bounced out of the clip and is
now in about a billion little pieces at the corner of Whitney and
Evergreen. Is it true that you guys will send a replacement?
Ben
Ben,
The humorous story was unneeded but it sure did bring a smile to my
face. Let me know where to send the light and I'll get one out to you.
Mark
Planet Bike
The humorous story was unneeded but it sure did bring a smile to my
face. Let me know where to send the light and I'll get one out to you.
Mark
Planet Bike
11-19-08 | 11:58 PM
#18
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 180
Likes: 0
From: Seattle
I've got several Planet Bike products, all of which are great, and over the years I've had to deal with them a couple of times for customer service -- both times they were very helpful. Great folks and a great company.
11-21-08 | 08:18 AM
#23
It's true, man.
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,726
Likes: 0
From: North Texas
Bikes: Cannondale T1000, Inbred SS 29er, Supercaliber 29er, Crescent Mark XX, Burley Rumba Tandem
Nowadays, my PBSF is affixed to the rear rack by means of a zip tie and a dedicated bracket, but once upon a time, I used a 1" O-ring to keep it from taking a leap of faith from the back of my seat pack, and this never failed me once.
11-21-08 | 11:38 AM
#24
Senior Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 670
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, Florida
Bikes: Bianchi Axis (commuter), Specialized Tricross S-Works, BMC Team Machine SLT01, Mercier Kilo TT
I own 3 of the superflashes myself. They are indeed one of the great bicycle products out there.
11-21-08 | 11:51 AM
#25
I use PB lights because they work well for the price, and they're readily available. But I've had their headlights pop out of their clips. They never broke but they did pop apart, and it's a big hassle to go back in traffic and look for the 2 parts plus the 4 batteries--all in the dark, of course.
So kudos on their customer service, but they sure do need to redesign the mounting system.
So kudos on their customer service, but they sure do need to redesign the mounting system.
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