Company Shout-Out #1 and #2

One of my goals for quite some time is to begin archiving my opinion on different companies and gear in the sport. The goal is to design a gear review section that will be helpful as people wager which products are the best for them. I will admit that I am a bit of a gear whore. I love toys and often keep myself from buying new gadgets and gear. Right now, I am debating another purchase for no real reason other than I think it would be fun to have more options on race day (or to settle a beat in my head). I can certainly admit it would not be the best use of my money but I like the bling factor.

Nonetheless, since I don't seem to have the time to devote to developing my gear review section (yet), I do want to take a few moments and try to show support to a few companies that I believe go above and beyond in this sport. I hope to periodically give props to other companies as I have other positive interactions.

Shout-out #1 Infinit Nutrition

I first met the guys from Infinit at the 2007 Ironman Wisconsin expo. I spent a few minutes talking with the rep (Michael) about their product and my nutritional plan. I was very weary of the product and didn't quite believe their claims. I gave them my contact information and took a few free samples. I tried it out and still didn't have an opinion on it. As I began training for 08 Ironman Florida, I revisited the product. I called Michael and talked to him about what I thought my needs were and ultimately purchased a container. My formula wasn't quite right so I called back, explained my concerns and tweaked it again. I have been a user of the product ever since.

More recently, Infinit ran a huge sale that ended up being a clusterf*ck for them. For an hour they offered 50% off their product. Well they were flooded with requests, servers went down and people became outraged. While I will never understand the anger of many anal rententive triathletes who spend $5k on bikes but complain about not saving $15 on nutrition, Infinit accepted responsibility and made accomodations for those who couldn't get through. Kudos. Better yet, I was MORE impressed by their turn around time. The debacle occurred on Wednesday. My order was on my door step by Tuesday.

In the past two years, my experiences with Infinit have been nothing but positive. I continue to be impressed by the product and the company. They always have a discounted offer, so if you need a discount, email me and I will send you a code for 10% off.

Shout-out #2 Saris Cycling Group

The makers of powertap, trainers and other random novelties has a stong history in amateur and professional racing. I have heard many times before that their customer service was outstanding. Well, after my second go round, I am a believer too.

This time last year my powertap cpu stopped working. I changed batteries and went troubleshooting without any solid results. I finally called Saris and they said ship it back and they would give me a new one. Just like that, a brand new headunit was on my doorstep. More recently, I decided to upgrade an older model, wired powertap. They have an outstanding customer replacement policy wherby they will sell you the newest version at a deeply discounted price. Sure enough, I cut the old hub out of the wheel and shipped it back. No questions asked.

I have long felt that many companies have shifted away from the focus on customer service. In fact, many companies have downsized in this area in the past couple of years. It almost seems that getting good customer service comes as a shock. Therefore, I want to reward those companies that meet and exceed my expectations in this department.

What companies do feel exceed your expectations in customer service?