Smartpak issues resolved

[Shorehorse]

[QUOTE=simc24;7962104]
My sister (and fellow rider) passed away suddenly last summer and I wanted to run my next XC with a special saddle pad for her. The text I wanted was too many characters for what they will allow you to order on the website, so I called and explained the situation, and asked if they would make an exception. The customer rep was extremely kind and accomodating. The saddle pad with the perfect embroidery landed on my doorstep just a few days later, and they unexpectedly sent it to me for free (free pad, free embroidery, free shipping).

Customer for life :)[/QUOTE]

This story almost made me cry. That is customer service

[vxf111]

[QUOTE=seabreeze;7968851]
I wanted to let everyone know that SmartPak’s VP of Merchandising contacted me after reading this thread and went above and beyond to make right my issue with the SmartPak Ultimate sheet. That was totally unexpected, and I greatly appreciate it.

Just thought I’d share. Since I wasn’t hesitant to complain, I want to make sure I’m equally quick to praise. That is the SmartPak customer service I know and love.[/QUOTE]

I was also contacted and Smartpak credited my account the price of the replacement noseband for the bridle. Now… if only it’d GET HERE already from ye old local tack shop who ordered it for me

[roamingnome]

I just had a pair of Piper breeches rip after 3 rides (3 short rides!!). I called, and I told them I just wanted to let them know of the issue, I realize I bought the breeches as part of the 12 days of Christmas sale (so half off), so I wasn’t expecting a replacement.

“Oh, we don’t have the color you ordered anymore, but please feel free to pick out whatever color we have in stock and in your size and we’ll send it down!”

“But I bought the breeches on sale, are you sure?”

“Absolutely, I’ll email you a return label, and just send them back whenever you can!”

#smartpakerforlife

[asb_own_me]

An FYI on the new-ish 60 day return policy - I ordered a pair of half chaps last fall (October). They didn’t work out, and I kept them around for someone else to try. They didn’t work out for her either. By then I was waiting on deciding to return or not return a bridle I bought in December - I bought an ADT from SmartPak and a Beval from Mary’s Tack and was comparing them. (Have now returned both, but that’s another story!)

I saw this thread once I was (finally) ready to return, and was :eek: because I wasn’t aware that Smart Pak had implemented a 60-day return policy. So I called, had a live person on the line pretty much instantly (as always), and was assured that it wasn’t a problem.

I love SmartPak.

[HorseKrazy]

Ok, I do actually have a gripe regarding my smartpaks after using about a weeks worth for my 3 horses.

The quality of the actual “smartpak” containers is much lower than it used to be a few years ago when I used them last. The plastic containers seem to be considerably weaker then they used to be. This seems like a silly thing to gripe about, but when it’s cold outside and my fingers don’t want cooperate it’s much harder to pull the seal off the smartpak. The actual seal/paper (?) that covers the containers of the smartpaks keeps ripping in the wrong spot and making them much harder to open with out the smartpaks exploding. Or, the plastic bending instead of allowing the seal to be ripped open…

Kinda annoying and I now have to be much more careful to open the smartpaks deep in the buckets so my supplements don’t potentially explode all over the place…

[trubandloki]

HorseKrazy, I find that it is easier to prevent ‘exploding’ if you peel a cell, dump it, peel a cell, dump it. Once I started doing it this way I never had another problem. It may sound like more work but in the long run it works out to be much easier.

[french_fry]

[QUOTE=vxf111;7968930]
I was also contacted and Smartpak credited my account the price of the replacement noseband for the bridle. Now… if only it’d GET HERE already from ye old local tack shop who ordered it for me ;)[/QUOTE]

I also had a totally above and beyond resolution for the issue I’d been having with their Plymouth Elite bridle and lined stirrup leathers that came up later in the thread. I am so incredibly impressed with how they took this thread to heart and in some cases even took pretty old issues and made sure to make them right.

[HorseKrazy]

[QUOTE=trubandloki;7969684]
HorseKrazy, I find that it is easier to prevent ‘exploding’ if you peel a cell, dump it, peel a cell, dump it. Once I started doing it this way I never had another problem. It may sound like more work but in the long run it works out to be much easier.[/QUOTE]

Thats the thing, I’m having a hard time actually peeling the cell. If The paper rips it is in the wrong spot, if it does not rip free the plastic is so flimsy it just bends. I don’t have long strips of supplements, 3 cells max, so if one explodes I basicslly lose that day of supplements. I honestly wonder how the boarding facilities that use smartpaks deal with this issue?

[trubandloki]

[QUOTE=HorseKrazy;7969833]
Thats the thing, I’m having a hard time actually peeling the cell. If The paper rips it is in the wrong spot, if it does not rip free the plastic is so flimsy it just bends. I don’t have long strips of supplements, 3 cells max, so if one explodes I basicslly lose that day of supplements. I honestly wonder how the boarding facilities that use smartpaks deal with this issue?[/QUOTE]
I do not see how one explodes, honestly.

On your question on how boarding barns deal with it - When I had my gelding at the boarding barn the guy who fed simply peeled over the feed bucket. One month the glue was extra sticky (years ago) and he said he just poked thru the film with his thumb and poured it out that way. Since he peeled over the bucket nothing was lost.

[FineAlready]

Well, SmartPak did contact me with a nice message, and I responded. No particular resolution to the issues I brought up (more just information seeking), but the interaction has been positive so far.

[RacetrackReject]

[QUOTE=HorseKrazy;7969833]
Thats the thing, I’m having a hard time actually peeling the cell. [/QUOTE]

I had this happen a few years ago and posted about it here. Smartpak contacted me and said that it was an issue with the calibration of one of the machines or something like that. Anyway, they sent me a new month’s supply of Smartpaks for free and the new supply was just fine.

[joiedevie99]

I will add as well, my nameplate showed up days after this thread, and is beautiful. The engraving is lovely, and my new horse now matches.

[jen-s]

[QUOTE=french fry;7958153]
They are so, so disappointing.

If you find any budget-friendly leathers please let me know! My non-Smartpak ones are on their last legs (which is why I got the Smartpak ones…)[/QUOTE]

Third? Fourth? Whatevereth. Gary Mundy rocks. He’s worth the wait while he takes a hiatus. If you go with the stitched leathers, they won’t stretch. Worth every penny and I wish I could double pay him. Seriously!

[riopony]

I just have to say why I’m a Smatpaker for life…

I had my old horse on smartpaks for years. I had built up a little supply of them (I think the barn wasn’t always giving them to him) so I put them on “hold” for a month or two.

Well, my horse unexpectedly died rigt after I ordered a new supplement in a bucket. After a few weeks I called to see about returning the unopened bucket and permanently canceling the smartpaks. I told the woman on the phone that I needed to cancel my smartpaks. She said that’s could keep them on hold if I had too many. I explained that my horse had just died and would no longer need them. She was very nice and felt awful for me. I asked about sending the bucket back and she said certainly.

I then asked if they could reuse unopened smartpaks somehow and she said that they couldn’t but ended up refunding me 1 box worth (at this point it was only omega horse shine) and asking that I donate it to a rescue! I couldn’t believe how nice that was.

Then… A few days letter I got a hand written card from Smarpak saying “so sorry for your loss.”

I cried. That was when I knew I was smartpaker for life!

[HorseKrazy]

[QUOTE=trubandloki;7969851]
I do not see how one explodes, honestly.

On your question on how boarding barns deal with it - When I had my gelding at the boarding barn the guy who fed simply peeled over the feed bucket. One month the glue was extra sticky (years ago) and he said he just poked thru the film with his thumb and poured it out that way. Since he peeled over the bucket nothing was lost.[/QUOTE]

I mi have had several of my cells “pop” open and blow the powdered supplement half in the bucket and half out. Sorry you are having a hard time “seeing” it. But it has been happening. just my observation from using smartpaks for years then taking a break until recently. I know how to open the wells, I’m just having much more trouble this go 'round

[Kindred_Spirit]

This isn’t related to any problems mentioned in this post, but I thought it fit, as I’ve been trying to use this feature for a few days with no luck!

Has anyone noticed that their live chat service is constantly offline? I’ve used it several times in the past for quick questions, and I understand that “offline” is supposed to mean that they’re with other customers…but they never come “online.” I didn’t have a high priority issue, so I was just planning on using the live chat, and even set my browser to auto-refresh every 30 seconds (I was crocheting, I did not spend 30+ minutes just staring for no reason haha) and not once were they online in that span, or did I once see “online” in the last four days.

I ended up just sending an email, but is the live chat no longer existent, and they just haven’t taken it off the page?

[Gorgonzola]

[QUOTE=Kindred Spirit;7973648]
This isn’t related to any problems mentioned in this post, but I thought it fit, as I’ve been trying to use this feature for a few days with no luck!

Has anyone noticed that their live chat service is constantly offline? I’ve used it several times in the past for quick questions, and I understand that “offline” is supposed to mean that they’re with other customers…but they never come “online.” I didn’t have a high priority issue, so I was just planning on using the live chat, and even set my browser to auto-refresh every 30 seconds (I was crocheting, I did not spend 30+ minutes just staring for no reason haha) and not once were they online in that span, or did I once see “online” in the last four days.

I ended up just sending an email, but is the live chat no longer existent, and they just haven’t taken it off the page?[/QUOTE]

If you log in to your account, they usually come online in less than 30 seconds

[Kindred_Spirit]

[QUOTE=Gorgonzola;7973680]
If you log in to your account, they usually come online in less than 30 seconds ;)[/QUOTE]

I am logged in, and have been.

[Kindred_Spirit]

[QUOTE=Gorgonzola;7973680]
If you log in to your account, they usually come online in less than 30 seconds ;)[/QUOTE]

I am logged in, and have been.

[Gorgonzola]

[QUOTE=Kindred Spirit;7973693]
I am logged in, and have been. [/QUOTE]

Sorry, that’s always what’s worked for me