From: lostaro
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Date: 18-Dec-14 |
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Gotta give credit when it's due. Had an issue with my Super Kodiak last month. A small crack between accent lines in the riser. Gave Bear a call and within 14 days I had a new bow on my doorstep. Keep in mind this is the silly season with shipping and all.
Not bad at all. Class act guys.
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From: KyPhil
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Date: 18-Dec-14 |
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They probably have the best customer service in the industry based on all the threads I have seen about it.
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From: Leroy
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Date: 18-Dec-14 |
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Bear customer service is like nothing I have encountered before. As discussed in a previous thread, they were immediately available by phone and repaired my bow and got it back to me with a new string for free inside of a week. Can't beat it.
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From: Blackhawk
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Date: 18-Dec-14 |
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..."based on all the threads" is not very complimentary for a company to me. I know Bear has been excellent in solving the problems, but sounds like way too many problems to me.
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From: Jim Casto Jr
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Date: 19-Dec-14 |
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Impossible to know without knowing how many bows they're selling. My guess is, it's very, very low.
I read some time ago one of the premier custom outfits has a 3% failure rate.
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From: BigJim
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Date: 19-Dec-14 |
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BigJim is a Stickbow.com Sponsor - Website |
Bear does about 10,000 bows a year..bound to be some issues....however "based on all the threads" if you haven't noticed, there is one thing that trad guys like to do more than shoot and that is type (give their opinion).
How often are we asked here.."who's got the best ???" (insert any trad gear). How about "opinion on new vs old Bear ???"
I often wonder how many man hours are being paid to those on the clock surfing trad sites.
Back in the Grayling days, there was no internet. Had there been, I suspect Bear would have still survived but there were many a time that they had issues to resolve...they just couldn't be reported from coast to coast and around the world at light speed and one issue hashed over a hundred times like it was a hundred issues....but this goes with any company who ever had one item fail. Yes, there customer service is exceptional, but the next time an unreasonable customer doesn't get their way....well, here we go again. BigJim
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From: Jim Casto Jr
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Date: 19-Dec-14 |
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10,000? Oh my! I'm guessing their failure rate is even less than I would have thought.
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From: George D. Stout
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Date: 19-Dec-14 |
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Some folks will always do their best to find fault with everything else but themselves. They don't have the capacity to see themselves as an issue. I'm surprised it isn't more than 10,000 per year and am guessing it will be over twice that in just a few years. Keeping in mind that they made over 200,000 per year in Grayling. I love the fact that they have gone that extra mile to listen...even to boneheads, and have brought back some wonderful bows that could have just went by the wayside.
Keep in mind also that just a few years back, some of us were saying that Bear would grow and make more bows, and there were those who said it would never happen. The eternal pessimists were wrong then, as they usually are. Bear has trouble keeping up with orders now; it can only increase, and as that happens the bowyers there will get better as they go and there will even be less issues. Except of course, for the negative nancies that never see any good in anything.
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From: stykshooter
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Date: 20-Dec-14 |
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Great! Glad to hear they took care of you like that!
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From: Catsailor
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Date: 20-Dec-14 |
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Glad to hear stories like that. There will always be issues. It's how you handle them that really matters. Back in the 80s I took a customer to lunch. There was an issue. You would have thought I was the president of the United States the way they treated me. To this day I still spread the word about the great service I got. BTW the proprietor now has over 60 restaurants in the Chicago area. Good service goes a long way.
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From: hawkeye in PA
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Date: 20-Dec-14 |
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I also have had great customer service.
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From: Boothill
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Date: 20-Dec-14 |
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well.....in years past, if y'all will recall. nobody really bashed a bowyer for having problems w/ a bow.....the REAL problems sounded off when these bowyers that didn't want to FIX one of their bows or conveniently disappeared when problems arose on sold products. Bear will have some issues just like every single other business in the world today. It seems that how they are HANDLING them is what makes the difference. I am happy for Bear archery......they make my favorite recurve.
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From: MIssissippi bowhunt
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Date: 20-Dec-14 |
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Just got my new Bear takedown. When it arrived from Three Rivers Archery, it didn't have a owners manual or any paper work. I emailed Bear Archery and requested an owners manual. Bear sent me two caps and a owners manual. I thought that was pretty good of them.
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From: BigJim
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Date: 20-Dec-14 |
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BigJim is a Stickbow.com Sponsor - Website |
Mississippi bowhunt, they don't put an owners manuel with the bows anymore...other than a piece of paper giving you some basics and various brace height's.
No registration card either.
thanks, bigjim
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From: KyPhil
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Date: 20-Dec-14 |
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Blackhawk I think you misinterpreted what I was saying and also anyone else. I don't have any experience with Bear other than vintage used bows and only have heard about the great customer service on the threads here. Based on reading the no nonsense service bear seems to have I deduced "from reading threads on here" that they must have great customer service.
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From: Thumper-tx
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Date: 20-Dec-14 |
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My experience with Bear Customer service was exceptional.
Anyone who thinks other bowyers dont have issues is wrong. I bought three sets of some the most expensive ILF limbs made and had five limb failures on three sets of limbs. To their credit, they made it all right also.
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From: MIssissippi bowhunt
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Date: 20-Dec-14 |
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Thanks Big Jim, they should at least give a little small owners manual. But they made up for it with the two hats.
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From: camodave
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Date: 21-Dec-14 |
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Last time I checked the United States of America was a free country with freedom of expression...I feel the same way Lon does...there is still work to be done
DDave
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From: shade mt
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Date: 21-Dec-14 |
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Has anyone ever stopped to consider how many bows from the past and present carry the "Bear" logo ?
I'd say it is probably safe to say no one has made more bows than Bear...
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From: stykshooter
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Date: 21-Dec-14 |
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"I feel the same way Lon does...there is still work to be done "
That's funny right there... This post was on Bear customer service. The OP had an issue with his bow, contacted Bear archery and had a new bow in his hands in 14 days, including 2-3 days for shipping each way...right here in the Holiday season. I don't see how customer service could get much better.
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From: Shafted
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Date: 21-Dec-14 |
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I have a hunch that for several reasons, some that will never be publicly shared, there is a core group who will always bash the Florida made Bear Archery products. The current line of Bear traditional gear and their service are second to none. But the negative comments continue... I suspect if Bear gave out bars of solid GOLD for free, there would be the same people on here complaining that the bars were too heavy, not rounded off smoothly enough, not marked properly, etc.
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From: BigJim
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Date: 21-Dec-14 |
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BigJim is a Stickbow.com Sponsor - Website |
There is always work to be done and areas to improve. I feel this way about my bows and business. The day I'm satisfied, is the day that anybody chasing or following me will catch up and surpass me. I feel that I have never made a perfect bow, quiver, etc... so there is always room to improve.
I'm sure that Bear feels the same. I will say Shafted, that the bars of gold I would produce would be perfect in everyway...but I'm keeping them :)
BigJim
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From: Lucas
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Date: 21-Dec-14 |
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I am glad to hear that they have great customer service! Now how about opening the custom shop back up!
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From: LBshooter
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Date: 21-Dec-14 |
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Glad to hear they value their customers. They understand that keeping folks happy is worth far more the a couple of bucks in the long run, other companies should learn from bear.
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From: George D. Stout
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Date: 21-Dec-14 |
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Lucas, Bear is undergoing a process that is growing faster than they can keep up right now. As good as they are doing, they don't need sidetracked until they are comfortable and striding along, caught-up and cruising. A "custom shop" seems to me not necessary at this point as they never had one at Grayling to begin with. That is what our custom bowyers are for. Big Jim will gladly customize a bow for you. Maybe down the road they will do it, but for now, I would be happy to see them stay ahead of demand. They are making great progress now.
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From: Boothill
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Date: 21-Dec-14 |
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a custom shop would be nice, but man if you cant find something you like in their current line up.....well....check your pulse. ive said it before.....to the chagrin of my own wallet.....my simplistic bear grizzly shoots better than ALL of the custom recurves Ive owned.....and that hurts to say, but I can stack arrows with this Bear. wish I had all that dough back.....geez....
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From: Frank V
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Date: 21-Dec-14 |
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I am really glad to hear Bear took care of a problem quickly.
Thanks for sharing.
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From: kodiaklectomy
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Date: 22-Dec-14 |
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Since the 70's, Bear's Customer Service has always been exceptional to me. Love em!
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From: 4nolz@work
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Date: 22-Dec-14 |
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I think Big Jim is missing an opportunity. Why not "Bear Archery customized by Big Jim" I'd bet Bear would be OK with it...
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From: BigJim
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Date: 22-Dec-14 |
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BigJim is a Stickbow.com Sponsor - Website |
I wish 4nolz. It's about time I found a job. You recon they would hire me?
BigJim
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