the Dahaka Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 The following is a transcript from a chat session with SouthSmoke.com's customer service. Although I consider myself to be a rather demanding customer expecting to be correctly informed and provided with proper service, I still found this amusing afterwards... I guess it might also serve as a warning for those buying from SouthSmoke.com, especially those purchasing a hookah as a gift for a newcomer or...I dunno. Have fun. * note that the Maintenance Kit is listed as being included with the hookah itself for no extra charge 01/25/2006 16:41:59Tico: Hi, I'm seriously considering buying your Cosmos...what exactly is in the included "Maintenance Kit"?01/25/2006 16:41:59Hookah pulled visitor01/25/2006 16:43:06Hookah Specialist: Thank you for choosing SouthSmoke.com's Live Smoke Chat Service! Please hold while I process your request...01/25/2006 16:43:42Hookah Specialist: The Maintenance Kit is our Hookah 101 section and Smoke Lounge section that we offer to you online at SouthSmoke.com. These sections assist in your setup, and maintenance of your Hookah.01/25/2006 16:44:33Hookah Specialist: Can I be of any further assistance?01/25/2006 16:45:06Tico: Yeah, that doesn't make a lot of sense...the Maintenance Kit is a web page???01/25/2006 16:46:39Hookah Specialist: The Maintenance Kit includes customer support by our representatives regarding questions about setup, and maintenance. We have also setup two sections online that include more than just a web page. These sections include flash animation videos offering step by step assistance in setting up, taking apart your Hookah, and maintaining your Hookah. You may also print out the instructions provided for your convenience.01/25/2006 16:48:11Hookah Specialist: Can I be of any further assistance?01/25/2006 16:49:00Tico: I'm glad I asked. Service and an online information resource are by no means a "kit". I was expecting brushes and perhaps cleaning liquid. I find this rather misleading. Consider this a complaint.01/25/2006 16:50:14Hookah Specialist: A kit is defined as a packaged set of related materials, such as a sales kit, booklet, instruction manual, etc.01/25/2006 16:51:48Hookah Specialist: We offer free shipping on orders of $75 or more within the continental US.01/25/2006 16:52:07Hookah Specialist: Can I be of any further assistance?01/25/2006 16:52:30Tico: "Hookah Specialist We offer free shipping on orders of $75 or more within the continental US." That is completely irrevelant, regardless of my location.01/25/2006 16:52:46Hookah Specialist: It has been a pleasure serving you and thank you for choosing SouthSmoke.com's Live Smoke Chat Service!01/25/2006 16:52:52Tico: So I can expect in physical form what is already described on the Hookah 101 page?01/25/2006 16:52:54Hookah Specialist left chat session01/25/2006 16:53:44Tico: My previous session was cut off for unknown reasons. I have further questions.01/25/2006 16:53:44Hookah pulled visitor01/25/2006 16:53:53Hookah Specialist: Thank you for choosing SouthSmoke.com's Live Smoke Chat Service! Please hold while I process your request...01/25/2006 16:54:02Hookah Specialist: What questions may I be assistance with today?01/25/2006 16:54:11Tico: My previous session was cut off for no apparant reason. I have further questions.01/25/2006 16:54:39Hookah Specialist: There may have been a technical error that cut off your conversation with a representative.01/25/2006 16:55:59Tico: Understandable. I assume the Maintenance Kit is the hardcopy version of what is already described in the Hookah 101 section?01/25/2006 16:56:58Hookah Specialist: There is a setup instruction page included with the order that offers maintenance suggestions, etc but the remaining material is found online and customer support is available.01/25/2006 16:58:07Tico: Thank you for your assistance.01/25/2006 16:58:14Hookah Specialist: Can I be of any further assistance?01/25/2006 16:58:37Tico: That will be all, thank you.01/25/2006 16:58:46Hookah Specialist: It has been a pleasure serving you and thank you for choosing SouthSmoke.com's Live Smoke Chat Service!01/25/2006 16:59:01Hookah Specialist left chat session Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HookahDuck Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 Hmm... im on the fence on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 I'm not..thats idiotic as well as what I'd say is typical with many companies... May I suggest just staying away from Southsmoke? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dizzing Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 i've had very good service from southsmoke, but they are fairly unreliable in terms of the pictures of what they have vs. what you actually get sometimes. quality on the hookah i got from them was not the best either, but like i said, their service has always been good to me. i have never used the chat, however... i spoke with the owner on the phone a couple of times.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 So what you are saying Dizz, is that they often send you something you didn't order, the quality of their products is sub-standard, but the owner is a nice guy on the phone? That's not quite a what one would consider a stellar review nor a real recommendation to buy from them.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dizzing Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 haha, too true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PipeSmokeMcGee Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 [quote name='mushrat']So what you are saying Dizz, is that they often send you something you didn't order, the quality of their products is sub-standard, but the owner is a nice guy on the phone? That's not quite a what one would consider a stellar review nor a real recommendation to buy from them....[/quote] hahahahahahaha, dizzman, you just got served by the mushrat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan91 Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 if all the horrific things (lol) dizz said about southsmoke are true i wont be ordering anything from them. as for the "maintanence kit" i think that was really misleading, i think that more than the average buyer would think of a kit as brushes, tong, some choal, some sample tobacco rather than an online manual, which doesnt sound like a bad idea but its still misleading, the first guy on the chat did a good job explaining his way around it though, but they should realize just because they can argue really well doesnt mean their customers are going to be happy. mushrats explanation was what i would always say about any crappy teacher in high school that everybody loved because "hes such a nice guy" ie that makes it ok that hes such a crappy teacher and that we are all wasting our time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonthert Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 I have several opinions. Due to federal restrictions and enactments by the FCC (1974, 1981) I will only voice one.You people deserve the best. You don't deserve to get run over with crappy merchandise, gouged handling charges, slow delivery, bad service or rude reps! Lets keep it up! The guy is lazy and is trying to make his next S-Class sedan payment, lets make it known that we won't stand for it! tell them, talk to the owner, complain to the rep. If they screw you, lets go after them! Lets make it known we want fair prices and good service!Hooray!Who's with me?Note: I have never dealt wit Southsmoke, this is not directed at them in any way. I'm just saying we need to deal with crappy companies, no matter who they might be, on a group level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sariél Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 I have ordered from them in the past, will probably in the future. They do have a problem with keeping track of their stock. Last time I ordered, they were out of GF Black grape, but I received a phone call the next day, and they told me this, asked if I wanted to substitute anything else, and pointed out that for another $2, I would get free shipping. They proccessed my order quickly, but UPS from Florida to California took a while.Kind of a mixed bag, but it worked out in the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAP Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 Woow Tangiers.. Tangiers..! Go on why don't you just make a website selling the best hookahs cheaply and with great service Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dizzing Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 ahem, just to make it clear, i was not served. southsmoke.com got served. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonthert Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 I am an engineer. I manufacture. I know what good customer service is, I don't want to make a living at it. No offense to anybody. We engineers can be very arrogant...Who knows...next year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlax Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 When I ordered from Southsmoke.com it was by phone and I had no problems because the rep i had went back to the warehouse to check if they had the items in inventory before finialixing my order. But, hey I got 250g of Nakhla Coffee for $3 because it wasnt the full 250g. And when I got it I weighted that same pack and it weight about 200g and for $3 that was a hell of a deal. I would say if you order from them phone in your order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pavlakos_politakos Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 hmmm....thats odd.ive never personally orderd from SS but my friend dimitri has said some good things about them.i hear relatively good things 'bout SS from reviews and other people.maybe the just dont likeyou.lol.joking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonthert Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 [quote name='Vlax']When I ordered from Southsmoke.com it was by phone and I had no problems because the rep i had went back to the warehouse to check if they had the items in inventory before finialixing my order. But, hey I got 250g of Nakhla Coffee for $3 because it wasnt the full 250g. And when I got it I weighted that same pack and it weight about 200g and for $3 that was a hell of a deal. I would say if you order from them phone in your order. [/quote]That's by no means an isolated incident. Many companies are in the habit of "shorting" their packages to compete more effectively in price. Its not just Southsmoke, Nahkla used to be really good at keeping exact weights (Karabetian) but when a new distributor on the East Coast got a franchise, they started shorting everything. Every brand I have tested has come up short, in fact, admittedly, there were only a few packages, but statistically I would be surprised if it were an isolated incident. I have, anecdotally heard that Al-Waha is exceedingly honest. Since Romman is distributed differently, I wouldn't vouch for them. Who else actually weighed their packages and had them come up short? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 Hmm...perhaps I will start weighing my stuff...got this new 250 of Tangiers Raspberry here... I'll get back to you all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioannisds Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 [quote name='mushrat']Hmm...perhaps I will start weighing my stuff...got this new 250 of Tangiers Raspberry here... I'll get back to you all...[/quote]You. Bastard... Want. To. Try. It... Still. Waiting. For. My. Samples... (No rush, Tangiers ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PipeSmokeMcGee Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 [quote name='dizzing']ahem, just to make it clear, i was not served. southsmoke.com got served.[/quote] just messin around, dizzing. thats right, it does sound like the joke is on southsmoke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonthert Posted February 3, 2006 Share Posted February 3, 2006 [quote name='ioannisds'][quote name='mushrat']Hmm...perhaps I will start weighing my stuff...got this new 250 of Tangiers Raspberry here... I'll get back to you all...[/quote]You. Bastard... Want. To. Try. It... Still. Waiting. For. My. Samples... (No rush, Tangiers ). [/quote]My Assistant Called in Sick this week. Sorry for the delay! Jeez! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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