[Coyote]

There is no excuse for poor, or non existant customer service...
In my business, (heavy duty diesel engine parts) We do not manufacture anything. We buy, repackage, and sell. All we have to sell is our product line, and the only thing that differentiates us from our competitors is our service. We have a no questions asked return policy, even when the customers try and stuff standard engine bearings in an engine with a crank ground undersize. We give them full credit, and even pay the freight back. Whenever we get a warranty return, even when it is a blatent case of mechanic error, we will give credit on a policy adjustment basis. When a customer calls late, after our UPS pick up, and really needs something shipped that day, we have the routes of the local UPS drivers, and myself, or one of our warehouse people will go chase down one of the trucks to get the part out. IMHO, this is the only way to run a business, IF you expect to be around for the long term. Our sales this year are on a pace to be double what they were in 2003, so we must be doing something right.