Sharp Shooter Supply

[danthman114]

have a question for those who have dealt with them. I sent my action to have some work done and a barrel/trigger install awhile ago. I got ahold of them 3 weeks ago and they told me it was complete and was going to be shipped the next monday. well, now i cant get ahold of them and i still havnt received my rifle. is this normal for them to blow folks off? i spent shy of $700 on their services only to be blown off. completely unsat. i can understand if it was not done but it is, they just need to ship it. is this normal?

[foxx]

I am a customer of their's and consider them both friends. They do take some heat for lack of communication. I believe they do extraordinary work at better than fair price. Very honest, skillful, good people. I have had nothing but good experience with them. They do seem to get overwhelmed with e-mails and requests for info, etc. and fall behind in offering ideal communication. Could be better organized, perhaps (I am the LEAST organized person I know), and capable of making mistakes that get unnoticed.

I am not offerring excuses for what you describe, or inviting any piling-on, just confirming that others have made similar observations, and trying to stress that they ARE HONEST and will eventually take care of this. I suggest sending more e-mails and ask for advice as to how to proceed.

[jhelmuth]

Dan...

SSS is THE Savage expert, and - if you had action work (like the T&T) - Fred will return to you the best possible work that you could ask for.

Now on you complaint with their "service"... SSS is a real small shop (Fred & Lisa, and I understand they hired a part-timer now). For all that Fred is an expert at, I would say he is least concerned about meeting any "deadlines" (he is only concerned with quality - whatever amount of work it takes to accomplish that. I too have experienced delays with getting work back from them, and I realize how frustrating it can sometimes be. I think there are times when it's communicated that work is "completed" but it is a mistake in communication between Fred and Lisa (just a guess on my part). Is this "normal"? No, but it happens more often that most other shops - just not more than 25-40% of the time with SSS (and that is real experience dealing with them over the few years and many work orders I've had with SSS).

If you are wanting the best service from a gunsmith, SSS will disappoint you (no offense intended toward SSS). But if you are looking for the best work from a Savage gunsmith, you can't do any better than Fred - period.

Be patient... you'll get your work back and be very happy with it. I know from where you are coming from - but you have to trust me that their work is well worth the wait...

[danthman114]

communication is key to keeping a happy customer. ignoring is not. i sure theyre busy as can be but to tell me theyre going to ship it then not do it and then not even give a heads up as to why or even a simple reply...
i was in constant comms with them and they answered every question by the next day and i also understand that they had a death in the family and that is a job in itself, but it was complete and ready to ship.

TO SSS: if you read this i dont want you to take this the wrong way. i just need info, thats it.

[danthman114]

Dan...

SSS is THE Savage expert, and - if you had action work (like the T&T) - Fred will return to you the best possible work that you could ask for.

Now on you complaint with their "service"... SSS is a real small shop (Fred & Lisa, and I understand they hired a part-timer now). For all that Fred is an expert at, I would say he is least concerned about meeting any "deadlines" (he is only concerned with quality - whatever amount of work it takes to accomplish that. I too have experienced delays with getting work back from them, and I realize how frustrating it can sometimes be. I think there are times when it's communicated that work is "completed" but it is a mistake in communication between Fred and Lisa (just a guess on my part). Is this "normal"? No, but it happens more often that most other shops - just not more than 25-40% of the time with SSS (and that is real experience dealing with them over the few years and many work orders I've had with SSS).

If you are wanting the best service from a gunsmith, SSS will disappoint you (no offense intended toward SSS). But if you are looking for the best work from a Savage gunsmith, you can't do any better than Fred - period.

Be patient... you'll get your work back and be very happy with it. I know from where you are coming from - but you have to trust me that their work is well worth the wait...

im trying not to cause waves or annoy anyone. i just would like to know a status. they told me it was complete 3 weeks ago.

[sparky123321]

This is very typical for SSS. This subject has been beat to death on this forum. Most of us have given up on them and I like them both and used them for years.

[danthman114]

This is very typical for SSS. This subject has been beat to death on this forum. Most of us have given up on them and I like them both and used them for years.

thats what i hear. if theyre good as everyone is saying i have another rifle in 223 i may send off to have work done...

[J.Baker]

I was out there yesterday and can assure you that the only package sitting there waiting to go out was the one I dropped off for Lisa to ship out for me. Lisa left late Wednesday night for a much needed long weekend away from the email insanity that is her inbox, and since the emails and packaging are her domain in the shop if you emailed yesterday or or today it won't likely get answered until Monday or Tuesday of next week once she's back.

BTW, you might want to slow your roll until you find out exactly what happened BEFORE you go casting stones. Getting on a forum and talking smack without the facts just makes you look bad, and for all you know Lisa did send it out and UPS dropped the ball. Wouldn't be the first time someone got on here raising a stink about SSS only to turn around and have to eat his/her words a few days later when the facts came to light.

[danthman114]

I was out there yesterday and can assure you that the only package sitting there waiting to go out was the one I dropped off for Lisa to ship out for me. Lisa left late Wednesday night for a much needed long weekend away from the email insanity that is her inbox, and since the emails and packaging are her domain in the shop if you emailed yesterday or or today it won't likely get answered until Monday or Tuesday of next week once she's back.

BTW, you might want to slow your roll until you find out exactly what happened BEFORE you go casting stones. Getting on a forum and talking smack without the facts just makes you look bad, and for all you know Lisa did send it out and UPS dropped the ball. Wouldn't be the first time someone got on here raising a stink about SSS only to turn around and have to eat his/her words a few days later when the facts came to light.

this was 3 weeks ago not a few days. i would love to know what happened but the only thing is they havnt replied to a single email since last 18th. i got on here asking if anyone else had these problems and the answer was yes and is common. im not casting stones i just want info is all...
her email to me...

[jhelmuth]

Well... actually, my comments were that it wasn't common - but it does happen more often than other business.

Here is a suggestion... just don't ever do any business with them. You'll miss out on the best work available, but at least you'll be happy you made your case (and the rest of us who LOVE them will be happy because you won't be making it harder for us to get our work back!)

[danthman114]

i guess i came off as bad mouthing them. im not trying to. i dont know...

im guess im getting irritated because im excited to finish it and shoot.

[foxx]

I think Dan has every right to be frustrated and concerned. I am also confident that all will be resolved and think it is good, under the circumstances, that Jim let him know Lisa is away for a much needed vacation so he does not get more frustrated if she does not make contact before late next week. Just because I say he has a right to be concerned does not mean I think he should lose any sleep over it. I hope he doesn't.

[savagetoter]

i guess i came off as bad mouthing them. im not trying to. i dont know...

im guess im getting irritated because im excited to finish it and shoot.I would be irritated too. Three weeks for a finished product is a long time.

[Dennis]

You would not believe the thousands of emails Lisa gets weekly. They are doing the best they can. They have a great problem, they are good at what they do and are well known. They just can't make everybody happy daily.

It's a problem any of us in business totally knows about.

When I started, one of the main reasons was to stay on top of business and cut wait times down to a minimum.

WE ARE EATING THESE WORDS. It's not easy, things you don't think about. your suppliers not sending out your orders or simply you just can't keep up with the demand.

I know most are trying, but that's about all you can do in some cases.

[65impala]

I didn't see the OP's post as bashing at all. He was just concerned over whether or not he needs to be worried over the lack of communication.

[tomme boy]

I've never had a problem getting a response as long as I put in the title "Need to buy" Then the email is always returned that day????????

[Nandy]

My experience as well, they have good communications then is like they disappear. It is not good for business but seems they have more people wanting their business that what they can handle so whatever they don't get really don't hurt them. In my opinion they need to implement a customer number process where those emails from customers that have order services and or parts get flagged so they can look at those emails instead of trying to letting those customers sit and wait. I mean, if you say 2 to 3 weeks, I wait that without asking, but if a shop is overdue they should have an open communication with those customers and update them. Heck, they should initiate the communication.
They are other people, some in this board that will produce as good as a product or so i have been told. I have 1 action that will go to one of them which I have buy accessories from before and see how they work compare. Their communications were excellent.

[jonbearman]

Its a shame they couldn't get a retiree in there to do the parts picking and packaging so Lisa wont be driven crazy by all the emails etc. There are steps that one can take to alleviate stress in a small shop. Fred is a good guy but probably alittle stubborn like my brother who owns an engine shop and I had to go in and straighten things out so he knows what is going on. I sincerely hope SSS grows some to be able to handle the pressure of being one of a handful of shops who specialize in savage only. Lets keep up the faith for FRED AND LISA and hope for solutions for there growing niche market. By the way they make some of the best after market parts and are worth the wait.

[michaelnel]

I have determined that I cannot do business with them.

The issue is more on my end than on theirs. I am just way too impatient and unforgiving of people not doing what they say they will do. It drives me nuts.

There is work I would like to have them do, but our relationship is doomed to failure from the outset so I don't even want to enter into it.

Wish I could. Can't.