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 Wednesday, March 6, 2019

by Sean Setters

Years ago, you could expect good reasonable customer service from almost any photography gear manufacturer. Today, however, that isn't necessarily the case. Therefore, we like to draw attention to companies that offer more than just great products, but seem to go above and beyond the competition to support their customers' needs.

Today's case in point: Matthews Studio Equipment.

Backstory

I recently posted an image of a surfer taken at nearby Tybee Island. While I experienced many technical difficulties during that session, one thing I didn't mention was what I noticed as I loading up the car and getting ready to leave. After brushing the sand off the Matthews Maxi Kit Steel Stand I had been using, I placed it in the trunk of my car. As the light stand hit my trunk, sand started pouring out one of the legs. That's when I realized an end cap on one of the light stand's legs was missing. After all of the frustration I had endured throughout the session, I didn't really feel like combing the beach to find my missing end cap. Regardless, back to the beach I went.

The rising tide which had been encroaching on our shooting location shortly before packing up had erased the telltale signs of the exact spot where my light stand had been. There was no hope of finding the relatively small plastic end cap, assuming it had been lost on the beach and not somewhere else before I had arrived. I gave up after only a few minutes of aimless searching.

Once I arrived home, I immediately put a ring of gaffer tape around the leg that was missing an end cap to alert me of the missing accessory which could result in a scratched surface if the stand were used on certain types of flooring. While doing so prevented me from using the stand on a floor where it may cause damage (wood, tile, etc.), the gaffer tape obviously didn't fix the problem. What I needed was another end cap.

My Experience with Matthews Studio Equipment's Customer Service

When I called the Matthews Studio Equipment phone number, an operator answered the phone and asked which department I would like to be connected with. First off, an actual operator answering the phone was a refreshing change from the typical automated answering service that I end up screaming at in vain before my call is finished. I told the operator my problem, and she politely said, "You need the parts department. I'll connect you now." Well, that was easy enough. Unfortunately, with Matthews Studio Equipment being in California, it was roughly lunchtime when I called and no one answered. However, the mailbox message requested that I leave my name and phone number and that someone would call me back, which I did.

Fast forward to the end of the California workday (5:00pm their time, 8:00pm Eastern Time) and I get a call from Stuart in the Matthews Parts Department. I told him that I needed the end cap for a Matthews Maxi Kit Steel Stand, part #387485 because one of mine was missing. He said, "Ok. I have a few of those right here. What's your email? I'll need you to send me your mailing address."

At this point, I'm a bit confused. I realize the plastic end caps for my light stand are probably not an expensive accessory, but I'm wondering when he's going to tell me the price of the items, how much shipping will be and how exactly I will pay for the desired gear. I assume all the details will be in the soon-to-arrive email. A few minutes later, Stuart's email arrived with no subject line and a simple "Hello" in the body, to which I replied with my address and the following:

Just let me know how much I owe you and the preferred method of payment and I'll make it happen.
His reply came the following morning right as the California workday began.
Hello Sean

I will mail these out to you today free of charge. No payment needed.

Have a good day

Again, I realize these end caps (they sent a set of 3) weren't expensive items. In fact, shipping them to me likely cost as much (if not more) than what a company might typically charge for them. But that's not the point. When you purchase high quality products from a well-known and well-respected manufacturer like Matthews Studio Equipment, you get the type of customer service that their reputation is built upon. Yes, their equipment is priced a little higher than its competitor's products, but you'll likely find dealing with Matthews' customer service to be easier/more pleasant than dealing with the customer service department of a competing (cheaper) brand based in different part of the world. And even if those other brands offer similar customer service, it's highly unlikely that a replacement part coming from – for example, Asia – will arrive as quickly as one coming from California (for USA citizens, at least).

My replacement feet arrived a few days later. My light stand is now whole again, and I take comfort in knowing that Matthews Studio Equipment's reputation for excellence and commitment to its customers is well earned.

For your light stand and other studio equipment needs, Matthews gear should be at the top of your short list. They'll take care of you.

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Post Date: 3/6/2019 7:49:48 AM ET   Posted By: Sean
   
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