AquaLEDs-be warned....horrible service!

[wakebrdr94]

You should link this to wake world

[TheHardWay]

Honestly I am not surprised..... this same arrogant attitude prevails throughout the industry, just usually not this vocal.

Which industry, the LED industry or the boating industry? Regardless, I don't see this having anything to do with either. It boils down to a business owner treating his paying customers like garbage. Shouldn't matter if it is the boat, LED, or adult toy industry...that isn't the way it works if you want to stay in business within said industry.

[TheHardWay]

You should link this to wake world

.....and Tige owners,

and Supra forum,

and Mastercraft forum,

and Moomba forum,

and Centurion forum,

and Nautique forum

and......

[cougzfan83]

What a moron.

In the time it took him to write that email he COULD have wrote:

Cougfan, Sorry for the delay in getting your refund out. We've been swamped around here lately. I processed your refund yesterday and included $25 extra for the inconvenience. We appreciate your business and hope to have your business again.

Done deal. Customer satisfied. On to the other $49,875 you'll make that day.

Some people just don't get it.

Hahaha! So true!

[JB-FOOT]

This reads like a bad novel....I can't believe that anyone would be that stupid to document that type of attitude wirh a customer let alone type it into an email wbere it is saved FOREVER! This should make the evening news!!! Lol

[Nitrousbird]

I have recently purchased / installed a pair of the AquaLED's. My thoughts:

- Best bang for the buck I found in LED's

- Not a big fan of the brass look. Of course, a couple months after I order mine they now have 125 colors to choose from

- Brass has tarnished after minimal time in the water (longest time boat was in the water was 7 hours straight, and is garage kept).

I never had to contact them for anything. I did order my pair on April 21st, and on April 30th I was sent this message:

The delay in your order stems from the fact that our CNC machine, the
equipment that drills the brass housings, blew the control board with
limited spare parts available. We are expecting the new machine by
Thursday, May 2, 2013, and your order is first in line for completion.

We are extremely sorry for any delay this has created in your haul out
or boating schedule, and are positive you will love your lights when you
receive them.

Thank you for your understanding.

Respectfully,

Eugene Tiefenbach
CEO
Aqualeds.com

The end result is I'm happy with my product for the cost. I can't say I wouldn't recommend the product, but now I'd have to warn any potential prospects of the customer service they might receive. That owner, assuming all is legit in the e-mail chain, is pretty embarrassing.

The 50k a day is an even bigger laugh. Let's say he was making 50k a day, 5 days a week, during a 6 months of peak boating season time. 120 days. Let's say an average order is $140 a light. Remember, most of his lights are $130, with the newly released $150 light and the not real popular $160 version. That would be selling over 42,000 lights. Not a chance.

[ADDICTED2WAKE]

Shadow casters for me in the future I guess.

[Bozboat]

Shadow casters for me in the future I guess.

My email to customer service at Hurleys was answered by Capt. Hurley himself. http://www.hurleymarine.com/Underwater_Lights.html

I determined that the Hurley Puck light might not fit on a drain plug with the manual wedge, but Capt Hurley left the right impression and I will order something from him at some point.

Edited July 4, 2013 by Bozboat

[Molarbu]

Took my kids to the dentist and after the insurance paid thier part I ended up paying $19.00 too much at check out. I called to make sure I had a credit for the next visit or to get a check sent to me.

I guess according to the LED Place owner I am a 'dollar dentist goer'...

Yeah we hate you guys that value your own money!

[nyryan2001]

What I am getting at is many retaliers and dealers take the 75/25 approach. they cater to the easiest 75% of customers, because thats where the majority of the money is. the other 25% that requires any effort is ignored or pushed aside becuase it IS cost effective to do just that. that troublesome 25% that requires additional effort or attention, regardless of where the issue came from is seen as a problem, ignore and neglect them and they will go away...another fresh customer walks thru the door...

Everything in the industry is in such demand, the numbers are in their favor for them to do this. Couple this with how this is leisure for us.... but their livelyhood, and you'll get a condesending attitude from the vendor or dealer that we should not have the same expectations of solid service as we see in other areas, because it is a fun activity for us. Then they turn that into "well you cant make everyone happy" type attitude. Even with something as cut and dry as this example with the LEDs, getting a refund on a recent prop exchange(yep a month ago), or even getting your new Malibu fixed properly under warranty away from your home dealer. There are countless examples where businesses wont do things right when they should... because you cant force them too and they lack the ethics/respect/professionalism to do what we all know they should. This is why I dont own a Malibu anymore.

The good thing is that several vendors/dealers, and there are plenty out there... such as Evolution, Bakes and others... truly make a name for themselves as having exceptional service and consistently doing things right. When folks experience that, they will be loyal and come back nearly every time even if it costs more or takes longer. Loyalty is a 2 way street. The only way to "beat the house" with a company that lacks ethics and professinoalism is to completely ignore them.

[skibreeze]

Since this douchebag won't let sleeping dogs lie, I suggest that anybody that has a bad experience with him to put up a negative review on places like Yelp.

[Bawshogg]

I don't understand why he is so concerned with all of us "dollar boaters" anyways. I can guarantee you he is not generating 50k a month from wakeboat led sales. I would assume he has bigger fish to fry per say.

Sometimes it sucks when the truth comes out.

[Bawshogg]

One of those "dohh" moments to quote Homer Simpson. If he truly treated his customer this way, there is no harm in someone sharing the truth.

Everyone makes mistakes, and albeite this is a big one, own up to it, say your peace and move on, hopefully you will regain some respect in the process.

I hope your are following Eugene.

Gotta love the power of the inter webs these days.

[TrickyNicky]

Serves him right. You can provide great customer service 99% of the time and mess up 1%, heck you can even provide below average customer service 99% of the time, but if that 1% you lose your cool is this obtuse than you deserve every bit of burning you get. That is so far beyond rude customer service, it's ridiculous.

I have had a similar response to "We are the #1 sales in the world and do $$$$$ of sales" from a supplier the crew is fond of, but it wasn't overtly rude, it changed my opinion but didn't warrant a thread like this. In my opinion this guy went so far I can't imagine it's just the "dollar-boater" receiving this service, it's just anyone looking for service that is considered a "dollar-boater"

Up your's Gene!

[isellacuras]

So I guess a group buy is out of the question. That was going to be my next suggestion.

[WakeGirl]

I want to point everyone to the Terms of Use. TheMalibucrew.com is not responsible for the opinions expressed herein by any person or entity participating in the forum discussions.

[Bozboat]

Eugene, my opinion as a ten dollar boater who has spent thousands of ten dollar bills on fun: life is too short to spend time and money with people who are rude and threaten to pull the lawyer card. If you have been misquoted or misunderstood, speak up and say so. Otherwise, I wish you good luck, but I will keep my fat stack of small bills to myself.

Edited July 5, 2013 by Bozboat

[skyskier]

OMG, I came in late on this. Must catch up. I have access to lawyers, guns, and money. Let me know if I can help.

[LUV2SKI]

Thank you very much for the heads up. I was just look'n into some lights for my BU. I know where I'm not going. There is no way a company will stay in business long with an attitude like that.

[wakesetter8796]

LOL found this professional video!

[skiatook_bu]

Thanks, I was getting ready to pull the trigger on 4 of the aquaLED's. It looks like Hurley or Shadow Caster get my $$ now.

[WakeVLX]

What a piece of work from AquaLED's.....just saved me time and money as I was putting an order in on Monday!!

[tvano]

think i'll head in another direction, too; take my $10 elsewhere.

[wakesetter8796]

Sounds like Hurley is the way to go....

[Earmark Marine]

LOL found this professional video!

The method used in the comparison video should be very obvious to everyone. One light is very directional and measures well in the controlled test. The competing lights have a broader dispersion pattern. The sides of the box are either blacked out to retard reflection or open to eliminate reflection. Therefore the lights with a broad pattern don't measure well.

David