Custom/Hybrid What to do? Steve @ Trendsetterz....

[ph1lthy11y]

Ive also been waiting for over a year and afew months for my hull, and only 4 months for my replacement hull. Guess what builder? Hint: Not Steve

jeff ? wdk?

 

[Big Kahuna]

Are you guys seriously trying to justify not beeing able to keep promised delivery dates, and when this date would not hold water - another promise was made, to reverse the deal and get money back. None of this has been kept.Are you guys so cool about any other things you order, and don't get when you are promised? Lets say a new kitchen? I guess all other trades and stuff, people are not that relaxed and want something for their money on the promised date or take this business elsewhere.Im still waiting for some response from Steve, how to set this situation right and make both of us happy?

These are custom hulls, they are not cookie cutter parts like an XMetal Pole. I am in the flooring business. Schedules rarely are met like they are intented. A schedule is nothing more than a wish that something happens on a certain date. Do we get on a job when we say we will, most of the time, many times we have to call and put them off a day or two. Or, They are not ready for us....... And my current favorite, The job is ready for us, but the Architect that was hired has not approved our submittals. Nothing is set in stone in construction..... Same for custom built hulls. He needs better communication. But the only consistant with any aftermarket hull is - Delays..... Even when you ordered a Wamiltons Hull back in the day, there was no telling when you may get it. He may lay it up in Floriday, or it may come in a plane from Brazil. All the info is out there on every builder, It actually shocks me when people complain about delays. This is not new. The interesting thing about builders, Bobby at Trinity use to have a horrible reputation about delays and communication. Good friend (KMAC on here) ordered a Vector SXR Race hull. From first phone call to a crate sitting in his garage was 2 weeks...... Yes, trinity is knocking out race hulls, there are tons of them out there now.

 

[Amandaraejean]

I know how you feel. My hull was late as well. I believed I switched hulls midway as well. I didn't even get a picture of my hull finished until someone sent me one from world finals! Lol it blows and it sucks that communication is key to successful relationship whether it be personal or business. Steve is not the best communicator at all. I'm sure he knows that from my constant babbling about whatever i send him. He doesn't always reply. It's super frustrating. I'm a girl... i want answers ASAP when i want them. When i don't get em.....expect texts everyday a few times a day. Ask byeai. I can be annoying. Steve is a good guy. He will come through with your hull......eventually. like he did with mine. And many others. Once you get it....your going to forget how late it was.

In the end. Do what you have to. This thread is going nowhere now that people are making a joke of it. Just keep pursuing steve. He will answer.....eventually.

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[TheBuzzard]

steve has been building and delivering late hulls for over a year now. its no secret or anything new that his hulls are late. everybody knows that. they keep buying them because they are nice, well built and less expensive than other hulls of similar quality. most buyers realize this and just patiently wait for their late hull. a few get on here and whine. i've got a phantom coming also, but i never call to ask where the hell is it. i want it, but bugging about it doesnt speed the process up.

 

[Stblaz08]

I'll be late to my own funeral !!!the chan owners I feel bad about being late it sucks I have all the intension to be early but I'm just not that spectacular of a person ...


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[swapmeet]

Christian, not that it's your fault, but if time was an issue, sticking to the chan would have been your best bet. Changing to a hull that doesn't have molds ready was the mistake. Steve takes a lot of time to get every detail right, and it takes way longer than he expects.

IMO, you're 100% justified in being upset about the missed deadlines. How you choose to handle it is up to you. But, FWIW, Everyone that I know who's purchased/ purchasing a hull from Steve is experiencing the same frustrations. And those who have received their hull, are very happy.

@Steve, when someone asks how long to build _____ hull. Take the amount of time you think it will take, double it, hell maybe triple it, and tell them that. You're over committing on pretty much every hull that I know of, and that seems to be what's causing so much irritation. If you tell someone 2 months instead of 1, they won't be AS inclined to try to contact you. But when you say 1 month, and they don't get tracking info by day 31... Here come the text msgs... And you don't answer them (for reasons I'll never understand), so then the customer feels like.... Well... Christian83 does. It sucks. And then TurboSausage has something to talk about. It's bad all around.

You've never taken my advice, or anyone's that I know of. But I'm still making the suggestion, because you're consistently creating time based expectations that you have trouble meeting. From what I've seen and experienced, THAT is the only issue people have in buying your product.

Quote realistic ship dates and I think your 'customer service rating' would vastly improve.

 

[orangefinger]

Builder are like surfers......you need to chill , its being built just takes time , but I understand your position, its easy for us to say cause you are in Denmark ? and sending someone money without having to ability to actually pay them a visit is always scary..... This does not rectify a lack of updates on the Builder side though...a quick phone call makes everyone happy even if the product is late ;0)

 

[Christian_83]

Well I might be me, thats a little strange here and sensitive - but i sure feel that i have been promised dates, because Steve wrote this to me on Facebook . So I'm not getting this wrong or mis understanding. A deal is a deal, at least this i how i was raised. Ive bought a hull from Ski Clinic, that was a little late, communication was good. I showed up and was good, some minor issues, DK jr took care of this. Ive bought hull from Australia, UK and around 20 supersets from UK. All from guys I've never met. And not one time have i been "left out in the dark". I really hope this get sorted out quickly!I went into this with all the best intentions, thats why i paid in full, instead of only deposit, to show i wasn't gonna be the guy that was postponing when the hull was finished to find the last dollars to pay.

 

[sjetrider]

To put it into perspective, I ordered a hull from Tem at Superfreak in early January. He's been very adamant that my hull is going to be the guinea pig for some new stuff he is doing, and that he doesn't have all the answers yet, and is still working out the kinks. But! He has picked up every call Ive placed and wrote back every message I've sent him in the last month, which has been many of both and has been as helpful as always to update me on exactly where he is at. I understand these guys are busy, its the nature of what they do. But I also understand from the business I am in that the client is deserving of every once of information that you have, and when they want an update, you as the service or product provider own them the responsibly to get back to them with at least a "still working on it!"

You are in no way obligated to continue forth with this if you are unhappy. I personally would have had out weeks ago if the contact was that poor. But also know that it could very well be only a short time before you get your hull. Your call either way, you can't go wrong.

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I promise this is alot of calls LOL


Anyway, dude has a legit gripe, ordered Sept and its Feb as of tomorrow. Just send his $ back and be done with it. Dont say 2 mos if its 6 mos. bottom line, a builder should know his terms and limits IMO. Steve aint the only one, BrightE may feel this way before it is over too. Most builders are this way. The only one I have seen come close to meeting the estimated / quoted date is Xscream. I cant speak for all the builders but most cannot meet the dates they HOPE to and SEMI COMMIT TO on the front side.
Same with motors and most other non stocked parts in this business, frusterating but it is what it is.

Hold up to your date or be ready to send ALL cash back upon request after the date IMO.
This is not bashing Steve at all, its how this industry functions for the most part, he is just part of it LOL.

 

[tomvarey]

Marcel in holland allways meets his deadlines with his obsession hull there allways plenty of contact from him and pictures of the build. Customer service should be number 1 priority for anyone trying to run a business imo.

 

[Dmac80sc]

This is the beauty of a free market. IF his product can't out weigh his lack of customer service then he will slowly be pushed out of the business. If the product is badass enough people will stick keep ordering knowing his customer service isn't great.

 

[h2odesperado]

I was a hater on Chans at Daytona last year, even posted a vid of a backflop to fuel the fire.

After seeing multiple Chans in person and riding one on multiple occasions I'm impressed.

This year at Daytona, a chan was running a X-Scream 1400. Let that sink in for a second. A hull that was laughed at last year, was running the top motor in the industry (well, that 1105 TPE.... Game changer? )

My thoughts? He posts here consistently, is mildly entertaining and he ain't no waterdawg.

 

[Christian_83]

This post isn't about if his product are badass, because I'm sure they are (thats 1 reason for my to order one) the other reason was Steve WAS so active on this board and seemed really straight up. And even wrote that because they had been behind, they would make up for this and make a contract giving 200usd back for every week they would be late on a hull (http://www.x-h2o.com/index.php?threads/backie-chan-thread-of-awesomeness.127571/page-62#post-1503447 post1223).
Im now at a point where i would just like to get my money back, and go another route because this has dragged out way further than i was promised and prepare to go. Therefore to make this right, Steve - please send my money back.And yes, I've also seen guys with little to no composite experience make molds and hulls way faster, like Marcel with the obsession hull (he makes them in his spare time, after his normal job - to agreed dates) but this about Steve and my deal, made almost half year ago, and still no hull after 2 or 3 deadlines. And a message from Steve saying - quote"Christian let me bust ass on phantom mold the rest of this week... If I 100% can have it ready to ship before x-mas I will tell you Monday.... If I can't I don't want to mess up your riding for the year so I will give you your money back"And this is the offer i would like to take now, please.

 

[bobob729]

i own a chan but would like to say that the brawler is another choice and they are great hulls you wont be disappointed if you have to change out, pm for more details on the chan problems if you would like. I feel for you and i agree with what you have said, 2 to 3 deadlines and no ski= money back. it sucks that you have had to wait this long. I bought my chan from a previous owner who got tired of waiting for him to reply and fix the problems. if you have ?s pm me about it. YOU deserve to already have a ski you paid for 6 months ago. I would want my money back by now also.

 

[jetpilot36]

I'll be late to my own funeral !!!the chan owners I feel bad about being late it sucks I have all the intension to be early but I'm just not that spectacular of a person ...


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you have time to post whimsical remarks like this and more than likely have read every post on this thread,but cant contact christian to tell him to chill out? that doesnt add up to me. too busy? obviously not.

 

[Mxsx25]

I actually purchased a chan first of September and casually upgraded to the phantom when Steve offered it , yeah it's frustrating sometimes when I don't hear from him for a while but generally I end up forgetting about it and will get a surprise update... I truly believe he is just super busy and having so many customers it's probably hard to respond to all of them or even know who is who most of the time with texts and whatnot ...

Steve is NOT gonna burn anyone , and am very confident in saying that .. He's just clearly annoyed with constant messages I'm sure


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[Matt_E]

It sucks, I know what it's like to be in that situation and not being in the same country as the builder just complicates it to another level.
I'd say sit tight and wait, because what else are you going to do? You're not getting your money back.

And an FYI for all future custom hull purchasers: Do not agree to get a brand-new hull, a new modification, or some new feature on the hull you ordered for whatever incentive if you actually have to have the hull delivered by some hard future date.
If you have to have it by a certain date with little waiting time, buy used or buy from the bigger places like Ski Clinic, XS, or Rickter.

 

[Christian_83]

Well the last thing in this case, is that Steve finally answered on of my messages, and responded to my request of getting my money back, as he promised he would, if the hull was not ready to ship by december 2013, to this he replied
"not at this time" So as far as my case goes, i feel pretty burned at the moment!

 

[SkiPro]

Not at this time..
Danng...

 

[Christian_83]

Dosent seem like it at this time. I wrote this sunday: Hi Steve, are you willing to set this straight and reversing the deal, like you wrote in december?He writes back : "not at this time"