S T Dupont - Customer Service Gripe

[Ego Id Veto]

Warning: grouchiness ahead.

 

I just wanted to share an experience of mine with you guys. Mods, if it's in the wrong forum, I apologise, but I wasn't sure where to put this.

 

I'm not so sure why the world of pens tends to attract unprofessional and shoddy practices, but for some reason in my experience it does. I've had a myriad of experiences with pen repairers and manufacturers treating others and myself like second-class citizens, including one of the favourite repairers of this website. But those are all other stories, and I'm here to share my experience on one particular brand.

 

A few months ago I put my prized old S T Dupont Olympio Chinese Lacquer in for repair at my local B&M. It wasn't under warranty, but all I needed was a new cap clutch, as the old one had started to wear out, and the click was going.

 

I was informed by the local Dupont representative that the repairman in my country would be going on holidays soon, so they would get him to do the repair before he went, and would have it repaired within a couple of weeks. This was the first of several disingenuous statements by Dupont.

 

I found out weeks later that they had simply sent my pen back to France, and that it would be several months until I received it back.

 

Fast forward a few months of anxious waiting and fidgeting, and I get a phone call from the B&M. I wondered why the man sounded so flat, but I hurried down to the store as quickly as I could, eager to hear that lovely click of a new cap clutch!

 

I arrived at the shop, and the attendant hesitantly passed me the pen in a plastic wrap. I unwrapped it, and was shocked to notice that the cap clutch was just as loose as before, but the click was completely gone! The cap just slid on to the section weakly.

 

Now I understood why the attendant was so flat on the phone: he was worried about how disappointed I would be, and rightly so. He then told me that when he had confronted the company about it, the Dupont representative had claimed that the cap clutches of the Olympio were "meant to be like that".

 

They have since asked the representative to come and collect the pen to have it properly repaired.

 

Now I've come to expect a certain level of service for the exorbitant prices Dupont charge for their pens. I am happy to pay for repairs of worn out parts. But I am not happy that their technician had been too lazy to do his job properly, and then that the company has tried to pull the wool over my eyes by claiming their shoddy workmanship was deliberate. I have no doubt also that they will take their sweet time repairing my pen for real in France again, as this apathetic attitude towards customers is shared by both their repair staff and their representative, so why should they do me any favours?

 

I'm extremely disappointed in this company, and if they don't remedy their errors quick-smart, I will be contacting consumer affairs and avoiding their brand altogether.

 

Pity, considering they're my favourite modern pen brand...

[stevesurf]

Here's an interesting thread with many fans; FPN member Jar has some great experience and with a PM, he might be able to offer some advice.

[Keyless Works]

At least they are listening to you and giving it a second go.

 

Dupont makes a great product but it has been my experience with other French luxury companies that things take a long time to repair/service. Communication can also be a problem because you might go through two or three people before it makes its way to France. I have had much more frustrating problems than this with other French brands.

 

It's a different culture over there and you just have to suck it up or chose to buy from someone else.

[Ego Id Veto]

UPDATE:

 

I received the pen back. The cap still does not have a distinctive Dupont "click", more of a dull thud.

 

In addition, the repairman, for some unfathomable reason, changed the (extremely smooth and silent writing) nib, and replaced it with a noisy, squeaky one with far more feedback even on Rhodia and Apica paper. The cap also no longer forms a seal around the nib, meaning the ink becomes far darker each time I write.

 

If this is the Dupont attitude towards their customers, I'm truly surprised that they're still in business. This is absolutely pitiful.

[shuuemura]

I agree completely with you, Ego Id Veto, on the lousy customer service of ST Dupont. I bought an Olympio brand-new in 2010 and wanted to have the nib exchanged under warranty from medium to an extra-fine. At the time ST Dupont was transitioning from resin to metal sections which screw into the barrel using a smaller diameter thread, accordingly, they glued in an adaptor into my pen barrel and gave me a metal section with gold plating that was of a lighter hue than my pen. To add insult to injury, a portion of the metal section was loose and could be rotated by hand.

 

I managed to re-buy the Olympio a couple of years later but discovered that the Chinese lacquer finish was damaged from UV exposure during display in the shop window. Instead of having ST Dupont repair the damage, I am having it repaired by a lacquer specialist here on the forum.

[Keyless Works]

Yikes that's really shoddy. The workmanship on the ST Duponts I have had is stunning. Amazing little details no one would ever see...pretty sad that their repair service isn't up to the same exacting standards.

[FayeV]

Wow! That is such a dreadful experience. I have never had to deal with their customer service since my Olympio has been trouble free (knock on wood).