I thought an update about my experience with Lathrop and Sons footbed was in order. I usually don’t write this much but I wanted to share.
A few months ago I posted about my experience with the Lathrop and Sons footbeds. Here is the short version: Very comfortable but left with me with very bad blisters on both feet.
Since then I’ve worn then almost every day. They were so comfortable I had to give them every chance I could. I’ve come to really enjoy wearing them. The mistake I made as going from what my feet were used to and then using something new. I went from them being new to walking 15 miles a day for six days. That’s a hard test for any footbed, especially when it’s all on asphalt.
While I loved the product I was very much underwhelmed by their customer service. When I first ordered I paid more for expedited shipping. I never got a confirmation of my order, never got shipping or tracking information. When the day they were to come came and went I emailed. Then I called, four times that day. No one answered the phone, no one responded to my email. The next day my order arrived but there was no follow up from the email or calls.
I’ve had worse customer service experiences but I’ve certainly had better. What really frustrated me was during this time I was getting emails from them with advertisements or links to their Facebook page. They didn’t have time to respond to a customer but they had time to send out marketing emails and update Facebook? At the time I was busy and just wrote it off. Since then I read more and more stories online that they are very difficult to reach.
Well, this morning I got another ad from them and those feelings resurfaced. So I decide to do something about it. I figured that I had nothing to lose. I’m assumed I wouldn’t be taken seriously anyway since I only use their footbeds. I don’t buy their boots or other products. I decided to use their contact form on the website and I sent them this:
“I don't mean for this to come across as harsh as it will but I think it needs to be said . . .
I think it would be better for your business to spend more time answering the phone and emails than sending out email promotions and promotions on Facebook.
Several months ago I ordered a pair of your footbeds. I paid for expedited shipping. I never received a conformation email, no tracking information . . . nothing. I waited and still received nothing. I sent an email requesting conformation of the order and a tracking number - again, nothing. I called four times and no one would answer the phone. Finally my order showed up but it was a very frustrating experience.
One does not have to search very far on the internet to see that my experience is not the only one like this. The stories of unanswered emails and phone calls are not rare. I can't tell you how frustrated I was to be getting all of your promotions in my email box but NO ONE would answer my email or the phone.
Normally I wouldn't send an email like this. Normally I would post my experiences on the web and never do business with the company again. I do like your footbeds so I'm willing to overlook these things but if another company comes out with a product that is close to as good as yours and seems to care about their customer . . . I will switch.
Thanks for your time.
Matt ”
Imagine my surprise when Stephen Lathrop called me just a few minutes later. He was very offended that I would say such things and told me that if I was a gentleman and understood his business I would never say those things.
I wasn’t very happy with how the conversation started but he was obviously passionate about his business and his products. He was very passionately trying to explain how he did almost everything by himself and didn’t have time.
Although in the end I don’t think we agreed, it’s not every day that the owner of a business calls because you’re not a happy customer.
I respect and appreciate his passion and commitment to his craft. In the future I will do business with them again.
Matt
(edited to add paragraph spaces that didn't copy from Word)
A few months ago I posted about my experience with the Lathrop and Sons footbeds. Here is the short version: Very comfortable but left with me with very bad blisters on both feet.
Since then I’ve worn then almost every day. They were so comfortable I had to give them every chance I could. I’ve come to really enjoy wearing them. The mistake I made as going from what my feet were used to and then using something new. I went from them being new to walking 15 miles a day for six days. That’s a hard test for any footbed, especially when it’s all on asphalt.
While I loved the product I was very much underwhelmed by their customer service. When I first ordered I paid more for expedited shipping. I never got a confirmation of my order, never got shipping or tracking information. When the day they were to come came and went I emailed. Then I called, four times that day. No one answered the phone, no one responded to my email. The next day my order arrived but there was no follow up from the email or calls.
I’ve had worse customer service experiences but I’ve certainly had better. What really frustrated me was during this time I was getting emails from them with advertisements or links to their Facebook page. They didn’t have time to respond to a customer but they had time to send out marketing emails and update Facebook? At the time I was busy and just wrote it off. Since then I read more and more stories online that they are very difficult to reach.
Well, this morning I got another ad from them and those feelings resurfaced. So I decide to do something about it. I figured that I had nothing to lose. I’m assumed I wouldn’t be taken seriously anyway since I only use their footbeds. I don’t buy their boots or other products. I decided to use their contact form on the website and I sent them this:
“I don't mean for this to come across as harsh as it will but I think it needs to be said . . .
I think it would be better for your business to spend more time answering the phone and emails than sending out email promotions and promotions on Facebook.
Several months ago I ordered a pair of your footbeds. I paid for expedited shipping. I never received a conformation email, no tracking information . . . nothing. I waited and still received nothing. I sent an email requesting conformation of the order and a tracking number - again, nothing. I called four times and no one would answer the phone. Finally my order showed up but it was a very frustrating experience.
One does not have to search very far on the internet to see that my experience is not the only one like this. The stories of unanswered emails and phone calls are not rare. I can't tell you how frustrated I was to be getting all of your promotions in my email box but NO ONE would answer my email or the phone.
Normally I wouldn't send an email like this. Normally I would post my experiences on the web and never do business with the company again. I do like your footbeds so I'm willing to overlook these things but if another company comes out with a product that is close to as good as yours and seems to care about their customer . . . I will switch.
Thanks for your time.
Matt ”
Imagine my surprise when Stephen Lathrop called me just a few minutes later. He was very offended that I would say such things and told me that if I was a gentleman and understood his business I would never say those things.
I wasn’t very happy with how the conversation started but he was obviously passionate about his business and his products. He was very passionately trying to explain how he did almost everything by himself and didn’t have time.
Although in the end I don’t think we agreed, it’s not every day that the owner of a business calls because you’re not a happy customer.
I respect and appreciate his passion and commitment to his craft. In the future I will do business with them again.
Matt
(edited to add paragraph spaces that didn't copy from Word)
