In Praise of EMS

[gnomi]

(for those playing our home game, that's Eastern Mountain Sports, not Emergency Medical Services)

Back in early July, I bought a pair of sandals at EMS. I was desperate for new sandals (the old ones were hurting my feet), and EMS was having a sale, so I went there (EMS is not my usual venue for shoe purchases. Backpacks, yes. Shoes, not usually). I had a smooth transaction there, and I took my new sandals home.

Cut to yesterday, about 2 months after the purchase of said sandals. I've been wearing them almost every day for the past 2 months. And yesterday, as I walked toward my cube, one of the little (plastic) rings that holds on the back strap of the sandal snapped. Grrr, thought I. Here I was, at work, in broken shoes. I called EMS, knowing that they have a decent return policy, on the off chance that here at the end of August they might be able to still help me with sandals. And while the store at which I had originally bought the sandals was out of my size (I wear a women's 10 in this case), another EMS -- also relatively close to home -- did have my size in stock. They put a pair on hold for me and said I should just come in and exchange the broken ones for the new pair.

So after work, I went down to EMS. I gave them my old pair, they gave me the new pair (they took the tags and all off, so that I could wear them home), and that was it. Easy-peasy.

I was thrilled at their customer service, but it distresses me on some level that I have come to expect bad customer service so much that I am inordinately pleased when I have a smooth customer-service experience.

Comments

[suzvoy.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's some good customer service.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I've always been pleased with their customer service. I've brought backpacks with broken zippers and they've fixed them. Even if the backpack was 10 years old.

[tsuki-no-bara.livejournal.com]

they exchanged a pair of sandals you'd already been wearing for two months? damn, that's some good customer service. usually you only get a month and you need the receipt to return anything.

[farwing.livejournal.com]

EMS is sort of famous for Really Good customer service. This makes customers insanely loyal and such. I have a down jacket from EMS. I was on the bus and suddenly *rip* the sleeve was laid open by Something Sharp. I thought the bus had killed my jacket. It was at least years old at the time. I took it back to them, they sewed it up and my jacket was all better. Not dead. They also replace buttons and things. Very cool.

[farwing.livejournal.com]

make "at least 4 years old."

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Two months, two years, they don't care. As long as it's something that shouldn't have failed, they'll replace without a problem. I have a 10-year-old backpack that they've replaced the drawstring on a couple of times now. My brother-in-law has a backpack with a leather bottom panel; when the leather bottom tore after about 10-15 years of use, EMS replaced the leather panel, no problem. And they've got a bunch of Boston-area stores (including one where the HMV used to be in Harvard Square), so they're super-convenient for me, too.

[cellio]

Wow. It's refreshing to hear about places that stand behind their products beyond a token guarantee period.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I've always considered EMS a cut above other sporting-goods-type stores. They tend to be somewhat expensive, but they've got good sales and excellent customer service.

[joecoustic.livejournal.com]

Wow! I'm very impressed! It also gives you more confidence in the products they carry, knowing how throughly they stand behind them. I remember driving by them a number of times and considering going in now I wish I had.

[bluepapercup]

I loooove EMS! I rented a tent from them in June (for $20!) and the guy showed me how to set the tent up and made sure that I knew how to do it and everything. Which was awesome because when I got my campsite at 10 pm in the rain, I knew how to set up my tent :)

I've always been very impressed with their level of service. I will go there and pay slightly higher prices rather than go somewhere discount where they don't give a crap what happens to me or my product once I leave the store.

And, their store brand of shoes/clothes/backpacks/etc. is impressively good.

[suzvoy.livejournal.com]

Okay, that would *never* happen here.

[suzvoy.livejournal.com]

How cool!

[fernwithy.livejournal.com]

I'm a big EMS fan this year. They donated twenty-three weekend equipment rentals as prizes for summer reading, too--that's a couple thousand dollars worth of charity.

Kinda makes me wish I was into sports so I had more reason to shop there.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

They have an online store at www.ems.com, and I'd imagine that they're just as good with the customer service in their virtual store.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I like the fact that (unlike some specialty stores) they hire people who know about the stock the store carries. So I can ask questions and get real answers, not just guesses.

I noticed yesterday all the rental kayaks, etc. they have out front the Comm. Ave. store. I thought that was neat - that they'll rent equipment.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's wonderful. It doesn't surprise me that they're philanthropic like that.

As for being into sports - I'm not into sports in general, but I love EMS' backpacks. I've also gotten other random things - such as these sandals - there.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

It is nice when things work out so well! (And thanks for the EMS explanation, I was wondering if you'd been ill at first...)