Another what would you do question

[lightsoutcalls]

Here's the scenario...

A customer orders a call from you in an aluminum surface.  He has one of your slate calls and loves it, and has killed birds with it.  He gets the aluminum call and emails that all he can get out of the call is "squeaks".  You tell him to ship the call back so you can examine it.  You get the call and find a 1" long "slick" mark running in a straight line at the edge of the call. (Mark begins about 1/8" from the rim and ends about 1/8" from the rim - when combined, it looks like a letter "D" with the call rim being the bowed portion of the 2 elements.)  You check the striker tip and realize why the surface of the blasted anodized aluminum is slick... the striker tip is shiny and clogged with surface material from rubbing the texture in that 1" line smooth.  You clean the striker tip and run the call the way it was intended and it screams breaking raspy yelps... just the way it is supposed to. 
Here is a guy returning a call that runs exactly as it should when run correctly.  Due to the individual running the call in the manner he did before deciding it didn't sound like he wanted it to, the surface would have to be replaced to be re-sold.  The pot is in perfect condition and the striker is in perfect condition.  Replacing the surface will cost me $4 worth of materials and about 30 minutes time. 
I've run into this type situation twice this year so far.  The first time, the surfaces were not damaged.  I was able to run the calls for other folks who were completely happy with the calls and had nothing but good to say about them when they received them in the mail.  This call will have to have the surface replaced, but will sound great.  I would not hesitate to hunt with it the way it is, but would not sell it to someone with a mark on the surface.  I guess I am in a dilemma about customer service covering user error.  I don't have multi-million dollar yearly sales like walmart, so it is more difficult to refund money based on a person's inability to run a call.  I'd like to run the call over the phone for the individual, so that he can hear what the call is capable of when run correctly.  I'd like to explain to him that the slick mark on the surface and the striker tip being clogged evidences improrper technique/user error. 

Input???

As a side note, I had a gentleman order an anodized aluminum call from me in January of 2008.  He called or emailed with a nasty attitude about the call didn't make his cut.  I refunded his money and got the call back. When I pulled the call out of the box, I ran it.  The call was smoking!  I was in the process of getting calls together to send to the Midwest Callmakers competion in WI at the time I received this call back in the mail.  NO JOKE, I sent the same call to Midwest competition.  That year I sent 2 anodized aluminum calls.  One took 1st and the other took 5th.  I don't know which was which, but at the worst, the call the guy said didn't make his cut was the 5th best sounding call submitted in that category that year.  At best, the call that he didn't care so much for took 1st place...   Just saying...

[redarrow]

Do not be afraid to defend your calls,and your call making ability. If the guy cant run a call properly then that is on him. I would return it and  explain the need to clean the striker as well as proper calling techniques. You have a reputation amongst us folks on here as a call maker extraordinaire. Your rep is solid. As I said return it and move on. One bad apple will not change sully your integrity to the rest of us.

[selinoid44]

I agree with redarrow and gitzit both. You should follow thru with thier suggestions.

[Crutch]

I'm guessing the person on the other end thinks he knows what he is doing.  That's the problem and you know that. You also don't want someone to think ill of you regardless of the fact that they have no conception of the truth.  Before I sent it back, I would email him a video of how you run the call. That should be enough to tell him that he is at fault. I would also mention in the video that the strange markings and the evidence in the striker indicate improper contact between the striker and calling surface. That way, you didn't tell him outright that he didn't know what he was doing. You also show him how to use it with the video, without having to tell him you are showing him how to use a pot call. After he watches the video of you making a turkey pop out of it, thats where you decide if a refund needs to take place. I would hope he would get the picture. If not, you will get your reward somewhere else and have a clear concious. You are also perfectly within your rights to just send it back and let him worry about it.

[sugarray]

Wendell,

As a consumer and not a maker, I say don't worry about it.  When the HR person comes to me with a pt complaint that is bogus, I tell them to let them know they are welcome to go somewhere else, i.e. tell them not to come back.  People have horrible misconceptions about what is right and what is wrong.  Everyone wants something for free and they sure think they know better than you do (yes even the doctor).  I say the video response like Crutch suggested is really a great way to go, but not necessary.  It is clearly visible that he did something to the call, so he is responsible.  Just because you are the call maker, doesn't mean you are responsible for him being able to run the call appropriately.  You do have a great reputation, esp on here.  You will not take a hit over this.  Post up a pick on the forum of the surface of the call to show what has been done to the surface.  This will let everyone see what has happened.

Raymond

[lightsoutcalls]

Thanks for the input so far.  I don't have capabilities to video , so that one is out.  I got a call from a friend wanting a call to use as a demo to show some other folks.  This call may just fit the bill... not a total loss.  His personal anodized call is one that he won't let anyone else get their hands on... especially after hearing about the issues with the surface on this call.  As mentioned, it still sounds great, just isn't sellable with the surface as is. I'll try to get a picture, as I want to send it to the original buyer so he can see the issue.  At this point, I am thinking that refund minus cost of surface material and some time compensation may be the route I go. 

[TRKYHTR]

I would say at a minimum he needs some insight on how to run a friction/aluminum call. I would call him and run the call over the phone. Then tell him his technique is incorrect and what he was doing wrong with the call and striker. Tell him you will change the surface and send it back to him but that you wont be responsible for the same thing in the future of he continues to use the call incorrectly. None of us are going to get rich with this call making and if you can help somebody learn something thats the way I would go. How you respond is the only thing you can control. How he responds is on his shoulders. Good luck and keep us informed on how this situation goes.

TRKYHTR

[Cut*N*Run]

Might be a good idea to pic up a Flip Cam and put some "how to" videos on You Tube that show what to do and what not to do with the different surfaces.  People do some pretty rediculous things so it may help prevent problems before they happen. Then just ship a paper with the vid URLs with each call. You prob will have enough extra sales from people find the You Tube video on their own to pay for the flip cam.

Just my thoughts. I think this is what I would do if I was at your level of sales.

[triune]

Wendell,
I would contact the customer and educate him on the proper way to play an aluminum call.  Depending on how the conversation goes would dictate my next decision.  I would rather give him $$ back than to have him bad mouth my calls to his hunting buddies.

[doepee]

If he cant play one of your anodized alum. surfaces how the heck is he going to hunt turkeys.... you aluminums rock wendell

[Roostem33]

Wendell, I think what you said above might be the way to go, just take out for the surface and your time. You dont want him to bad mouth you to his friends, but he probably will anyway regardless what you do. Good luck!!

I sold a guy a call and he sent it back with the crystal broke out of it, when i asked how it broke he said it happened when he tried to cutt on it. Come to find out he was hitting the glass with the striker to make a cutt. Go figure, so i just played it safe and sent the money back to him.

[sugarray]

Wendell, I think what you said above might be the way to go, just take out for the surface and your time. You dont want him to bad mouth you to his friends, but he probably will anyway regardless what you do. Good luck!!

I sold a guy a call and he sent it back with the crystal broke out of it, when i asked how it broke he said it happened when he tried to cutt on it. Come to find out he was hitting the glass with the striker to make a cutt. Go figure, so i just played it safe and sent the money back to him.

I just don't see where this is necessary.  You have taken all personal responsibility away from him and placed in unfairly on your product.  You have taught him that it is ok to act like this.  You have lowered the expectations of your product to him and all he knows.  Unless we place responsibility back on each other, our society will never recover.

[lightsoutcalls]

The situation has been resolved in an acceptable way for both of us.  I explained in an email what I found when I received the call, and how one could tell the method the call had been run.  I explained how I run the calls, and that running it in the way it had been run, one could not expect it to produce the sounds he desired. 
I explained the costs involved with making the call "sellable" again.  I offered to send the call back to him as is, or refund him his initial cost minus $15 for the materials and time it would take to refurbish the call.  He chose the adjusted refund. 
The call is not a total loss, as a friend (and future field staffer) called asking if I had a "demo" call that he could allow others to run in order to help them understand why he is so sold on my calls.  His personal anodized Lights Out call was given to him by his brother.  He said he would not allow anyone to put their hands on it.  As I understand, this young man does firearms training for the US state department... I wouldn't mess with his call...
I told him about the call mentioned above, the condition of the surface and the present situation.  It sounds like the call will have a second chance as a demo call.  I have heard this young man run a call over the phone... there is a reason that he spends his spring guiding in 3 states...
A happy resolution for everyone involved.  Thanks again for the input.