Vanguard complaint

[jeders]

Fortunately, the only thing I've ever had to order from Vangaurd was my nametag for my flightsuit.

Did it say "CAP AIRPLANE PILOT"?

Fortunately no, see above.

[SDF_Specialist]

Fortunately, the only thing I've ever had to order from Vangaurd was my nametag for my flightsuit.

Did it say "CAP AIRPLANE PILOT"?

Fortunately no, see above.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[jeders]

Fortunately, the only thing I've ever had to order from Vangaurd was my nametag for my flightsuit.

Did it say "CAP AIRPLANE PILOT"?

Fortunately no, see above.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Don't blame you, anything having to do with Scamgaurd is usually funny.

[Hill CAP]

Ok I can honestly say unless its something for my Flight Suit I will use Hock Shop

I placed an order the begining August on Aug 15 I called as my order was still showing as pending it took 45 mins while the receptionist tried to find someone who could help me, upon answering I got a very rude Hello Are you still there, I explained the issue of it still showing as pending.

I was rudely told it takes 7 - 10 weeks to process the order and she asked me what I ordered I proceeded to give her the CAP Item Numbers per the Vanguard Website and was greated with a sigh and well sir I need the names of the Items I don't know the numbers.

At which point I hung up and called NHQ to the person in charge of VG at NHQ spoke with them they called VG and the VG CAP Rep Beth called back got my story again apologized and told me the GM would call me back.

He calls me I explain the issue again he takes the shipping off gives me a free CAP Leather Name Tag for my Flight Suit and I get the order 2nd Day air.

[SJFedor]

More accurate representation would be "Serving our nation one customer per day."

[SDF_Specialist]

Ok I can honestly say unless its something for my Flight Suit I will use Hock Shop

I placed an order the begining August on Aug 15 I called as my order was still showing as pending it took 45 mins while the receptionist tried to find someone who could help me, upon answering I got a very rude Hello Are you still there, I explained the issue of it still showing as pending.

I was rudely told it takes 7 - 10 weeks to process the order and she asked me what I ordered I proceeded to give her the CAP Item Numbers per the Vanguard Website and was greated with a sigh and well sir I need the names of the Items I don't know the numbers.

At which point I hung up and called NHQ to the person in charge of VG at NHQ spoke with them they called VG and the VG CAP Rep Beth called back got my story again apologized and told me the GM would call me back.

He calls me I explain the issue again he takes the shipping off gives me a free CAP Leather Name Tag for my Flight Suit and I get the order 2nd Day air.

So in order to get any type of customer service, we have to have the people at the head of the organization breath down their necks? I've never heard of VG ever having to take 7-10 WEEKS to process an order. 7-10 days maybe. I think someone just didn't want to do their job that day. It's cool that you got your leather free, but it still doesn't make up for their customer service.

[JC004]

...
So in order to get any type of customer service, we have to have the people at the head of the organization breath down their necks?
...

I had to do it once.  I inquired with them for over a month about my order, back towards the beginning of their take-over of CAPMart.  Eventually, I canceled the order because I was going to be at an AF base and could get the stuff there.  They confirmed the cancellation, and the next day, they processed the order, overdrafting my account because it was a checking account I rarely use and I had used the money to buy the stuff at AAFES.  I breathed down their necks until they paid off the overdraft fee by giving me "free" stuff.  I had NHQ run interference for me in the process.

[Grumpy]

Vanguard has sent me lots of stuff that is out of date - smurf colored flight suit when I ordered navy blue, "CIVIL AIR PATROL" tapes when I asked for "US CIVIL AIR PATROL" tapes... and then they don't stock hats larger than 7 5/8 which is a nuisance for me as I have a freakishly large head... I have to buy my hats at the uniform store at an AFB.

Hey, don't get a big head over this.

[SDF_Specialist]

Vanguard has sent me lots of stuff that is out of date - smurf colored flight suit when I ordered navy blue, "CIVIL AIR PATROL" tapes when I asked for "US CIVIL AIR PATROL" tapes... and then they don't stock hats larger than 7 5/8 which is a nuisance for me as I have a freakishly large head... I have to buy my hats at the uniform store at an AFB.

Hey, don't get a big head over this.

Love it!

[gistek]

Just remember you have to file a report in writing with your credit card company within 60 days of the order date to be able to have them (the card company) refund the charge.

You're also required to try to solve the problem without filing the report, so if you haven't received your entire order within 2 weeks - especially if the charge has been posted to your account:

1. Call Vanguard and tell them you will have to file a claim with your credit card company if all items are not received within the next 2 weeks.

2. Two weeks later (appx 1 month into the 60 day period for filing a report) file your complaint. This is the only way to protect your rights. If your written complaint is not RECEIVED by your credit card company BEFORE the 60 days is up, you're out the money.

This includes those "personalized" items that take "7 to 10 weeks" to process. That time frame is way too long to wait to file a complaint with your credit card, but if credit card companies get enough complaints about Vanguard charging for items more than a month before shipping them, then they can put pressure on Vanguard to clean up its act.

A truly reputable company will not charge you for items on back order until they receive the item. They will also not charge for personalized items until they actually personalize them. Turn around time from Charging to Shipping should be less than 2 business days and shipping should not take more than 1 week for anywhere in the lower 48.

Consumers have to stand up and refuse to accept unethical charge first and ship whenever practices that companies like Vanguard think they can get away with.

(My work around for personalized items? I order them without personalization and take them to a while you wait engraver or embroiderer at the local mall. Costs a little more that way until you factor in the headaches and hassles associated with getting something corrected.)

[Short Field]

Ordered a set of BBDUs, a Blue utility coverall, and all the assorted bits and pieces that go with them on 26 Sep 07.    This included the name tag for the BBDUs and the leather name tag for the coveralls. 

It all arrived on 3 Oct 07, normal UPS ground, and to the southwest part of the country.  Ordered from them a year ago with the same good results.  Some folks just have bad luck...

[SDF_Specialist]

Ordered a set of BBDUs, a Blue utility coverall, and all the assorted bits and pieces that go with them on 26 Sep 07.    This included the name tag for the BBDUs and the leather name tag for the coveralls. 

It all arrived on 3 Oct 07, normal UPS ground, and to the southwest part of the country.  Ordered from them a year ago with the same good results.  Some folks just have bad luck...

You are probably 1 of maybe 4-5 who have had good luck with them. I know I've had my fair share of bad luch with'em.

[Capt M. Sherrod]

Yesterday, I get an unsolicited phone call from VG East.  The young lady on the phone lets me know that I still have items on backorder and verifies what those items are.  1) The new corporate brushed metal nameplate 2) The Aviator L/S 18/12 32/33.  I told her that was correct.  She told me that the nameplate would be in sometime next week and that she had no idea on when the Aviator shirt would be in.

You may recall from an earlier post that I had already been told last week about when these two items should be expected.  When she was done talking, I kindly asked for the gentleman that I spoke with last week, since this appeared to be a change in the information that was provided to me previously.

I was put on hold for several minutes until the phone did an automatic ring back on VG's end.  Someone else picked up the phone and told me that the person I was waiting for was still on another call and could I leave a message.  I said, no, I need to talk with another manager / supervisor.  So, I get someone on the phone and I go through exactly what has been happening and let her know that I would be filing a complaint with my CC company as I have already been charged for items that I don't even have an answer as to when I am getting them.  The minute I said that, the first person I had been waiting for was magically available.

I got on the phone with this gentleman and went through all of the information that had occurred on the phone call that they initiated.  I told him that it was a nice gesture that they were trying to reach out to me since my stuff was on backorder.  He told me that they are trying to do that for all of their customers.  I then went into the details of exactly what I was told.  He informed me that the material for the nameplate only just came in this morning (yesterday) and that it is a 2 day process to make the plate, so, it would be shipped out tomorrow (today) if I still wanted it.  He also told me something about the aviator shirts that I have been unable to verify.  Apparently, the supplier, Van Hussen sp?, is no longer making 1/2 sizes for anything over a 17 neck due to a lack of demand.  VG is allegedly in search of another supplier and that is what the hold up is at this point.

I reminded him that I told him I wanted a refund last week and that it still hadn't happened.  He told me that he would refund the cost of the shirt right away and send the nameplate as soon as it was ready.

Well, I received the nameplate in the mail today and it was correct.  So, now I am just waiting to see if I get my money back.

[SDF_Specialist]

Wow Mike, that's some real Bravo Sierra there. I do agree that it was a nice gesture to at least follow up with you to assure you that they haven't forgotten about you. It still doesn't make up for the shirt. I've never heard of Van Haussen making the shirts. I thought it was a company named Aviator. Who knows.

[isuhawkeye]

Well I hate to do this because I love a good hate fest, but I haven't had to many problems with vanguard.  They have fixed errors in a timely manor, and they have been polite when I worked with them on the phone. 

[SarDragon]

Wow Mike, that's some real Bravo Sierra there. I do agree that it was a nice gesture to at least follow up with you to assure you that they haven't forgotten about you. It still doesn't make up for the shirt. I've never heard of Van Haussen making the shirts. I thought it was a company named Aviator. Who knows.

Van Heusen is the manufacturer. Aviator is the style. They also sell the Commander and Pilot styles. The differences are in the pockets.

The Commander features two top entry pockets with non-functional flaps.

The Aviator features two flap pockets with pencil slot.

The Pilot shirt is based on the Air Force dress uniform shirt, and features epaulets, mitered bellow pockets with pencil slot, eyelets above left pocket for name badge or wings.

CAP wears the Aviator style.

[Matt]

[...]
I've never heard of VG ever having to take 7-10 WEEKS to process an order. 7-10 days maybe.
[...]

We're still waiting -- 3 years and counting...  We're going for 7-10 Years...


http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=582.0

[a2capt]

I'd like to see national HQ back off the monopolization of the supplies, seems many fine vendors were making stuff and now we're stuck with Vanslug and the Hackshop.

..and why the hack gets a pass, when ###-____tapes et al were issued C&D is beyond me.

The entire rest of the DoD does not hassle vendors. Why should CAP?

Because this all seemed to start right about the same time the whole 'U.S.' thing came to be.

(which is quite a laugh because .. Brazil stole the whole thing wholesale, 13 starts too!)

..and we ordered a whole mess of tapes from Vanguard. None say "U.S. CIVIL AIR PATROL", yet folks have them.. so they're coming from somewhere.

(and if it's the hock, and not Vanguard, and surely National has to know that Vanguard is shipping something that we have a sunset date on the uniform to change, and that alone seems really stupid)

[Hawk200]

The entire rest of the DoD does not hassle vendors. Why should CAP?

I've wondered this myself, and so far haven't really found out anything useful. It's just personal opinion, but it seemed like someone got in bed with Vanguard.

I can get nametapes for my Army uniform from at least twenty different vendors, and they will all meet the uniform certification standard. Many of those products' quality exceed what you can get in a military clothing. For about the same price or less.

One of the vendors that got the C&D letter would offer tapes for CAP members at the cost of 85 cents. That was nice.

[star1151]

I've never heard of VG ever having to take 7-10 WEEKS to process an order. 7-10 days maybe.

I ordered a GOLF SHIRT with no personalization and it just now showed up, 8 weeks after I ordered it.  As if that wasn't bad enough, I paid for and needed FedEx 2Day and it came UPS Ground (6 days in transit).  That doesn't bode well for having to order anything else....