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Not Happy with MPA customer service... 14 month wait for folding stock, multiple emails, phone calls with no response. Update Pg 1

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BuckeyeRifleman

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 24, 2017
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Ohio
First off I do not take posting on a public forum to criticize a Company's customer service lightly. It can negatively impact the Company's image and sales, sometimes significantly, and should only be used when no other options are available. Unfortunately with MPA I have reached that point.

On Dec 9th of 2017 I ordered a MPA BA lite Short action chassis with folding stock for my TL3, paid in full. The website said 6-8 weeks for delivery. No worries, I was waiting on my action as well. Fast forward to late January and I start making phone calls. "2 more weeks." Two weeks later, "2 more weeks." and on. Finally I asked what the deal was. "I'm sorry, were having issues with our folding stocks."

"Ok no problem, mind sending me a non folder and an RMA when the folding stock comes in?"

They agreed. Finally mid march of 2018 I got a non folding stock. Cool. A few more weeks I'll get my folder.

MPA.jpg


Finally as we reach August of 2018 I start emailing about the folder I paid for. Two weeks later I finally get a response, "Let me check on it, I'll get back to you."

Weeks pass, still nothing. I damn near forget about it at this point as I've got a busy life between two jobs.

I call again in December of 2018. "Ok well that's Al's department, he will email you by the end of the week."

"Are you sure? I've heard that before."

"I promise."

Fast forward its the first week of February 2019, radio silence of behalf of MPA. I tried to call one last time today to include the owner to let them make it right before posting this. Its been over 14 months since I paid for my folding stock. I haven't once been contacted and offered a refund, or told when to expect my stock that I paid for.

Absolutely terrible customer service. Hoping this finally gets someones attention.
 
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You aren't the only one having problems.
I know of a couple people that have waited 8 months or more for a stock.
I bought mine just before they became popular, and I could e-mail Phil him self. (not anymore)
It's to bad that they make such a great chassis and can't get the customer service down.
I'm telling people to find it some where else in stock, or your getting the wait.
Would really like them to come out and tell us what the problem is, be honest
and people would understand and adjust. Don't clam up and be silent and hope
it all goes away or fixes itself. They are only screwing themselves.
By the way, bought a KRG Bravo instead cause of all the problems. Very happy with it.
They just lost another sale.
 
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No real surprise. I have 2-stocks and had trouble with one. Several phone calls without an answer and emails that go unanswered. My GS fixed the issue so I no longer need their customer service. Actually doubt that I'll ever order anything from them again.
 
Same experience. A friend also ordered one and after 4-5 months was told it wouldn't be for another 6 months for his inlet. He has written several poor reviews on Facebook, only to have them delete them. Ordered an XLR (it came exactly on time, 6 weeks) and am happier with it than with the MPA I eventually got. With similar and non-patented designs, poor customer service is going to eat these companies' business with CNC capable and good customer service competitors
 
Sent an email to Phil with a link to this thread this afternoon when I posted it. Needless to say he has taken care of things and my stock ships out tomorrow. Disappointed that it came to this, but glad they finally made it right. Phil offered some ad on's for my trouble which was not expected but nice.

They DO make a good product, but I think they had the problem of too much success too soon. Not shocked to see I wasn't the exception based on the responses here, I hope they can turn things around CS wise.
 
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I have an MPA stock and scope mount. I love their products. They are well made and durable. Fit and finish is top notch. The accessories are well thought out. But please, do not tell me 8-12 weeks when you probably know it will be longer.

Bang
 
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i will continue to use them because their chassis are so user friendly....i have 3 of their chassis and would not hesitate to buy another.
 
I won’t go into details on my issue but I was less than impressed with CS. My issue was exceedingly simple to fix, but required a proprietary part, getting said part proved to be a PITA. I wasn’t arguing they should send me the part or anything. I admitted I messed it up and wanted to pay for it, but still was an issue.

The simplicity of my request and length of time it took to fix left a bad taste in my mouth.

Having said all this I love the MPA chassis and accessories, but their CS is extremely lacking from a email and phone standpoint.
 
Not saying I dislike the product hell I got 2 of them. What I dislike is the lack of customer service. Call several times only to be answered with a recording telling me to leave a detailed message which I do only not never get a return call. Email is only slightly better however in the end it is the apparent lack of caring to respond to questions that left me say whf. I run a small business and bend over backwards to make certain our CS is right.
 
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BuckeyeRifleman said:
Sent an email to Phil with a link to this thread this afternoon when I posted it. Needless to say he has taken care of things and my stock ships out tomorrow. Disappointed that it came to this, but glad they finally made it right. Phil offered some ad on's for my trouble which was not expected but nice.

They DO make a good product, but I think they had the problem of too much success too soon. Not shocked to see I wasn't the exception based on the responses here, I hope they can turn things around CS wise.
Click to expand...

Well that’s good. Unfortunately all companies have employees that don’t care as much as the next guy. They’re there to collect a paycheck and that’s it. Unfortunately Phil from MPA or Tom at manners can’t do everything, all though Robert Brantley has been stepping it up big time
 
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I too had a piss poor experience. Great product. If i was to order another one i would definitely find it in stock from a dealer. I would never go directly through them again.
 
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winniethepooh said:
Well that’s good. Unfortunately all companies have employees that don’t care as much as the next guy. They’re there to collect a paycheck and that’s it. Unfortunately Phil from MPA or Tom at manners can’t do everything, all though Robert Brantley has been stepping it up big time
Click to expand...

I know the thread is not about Manners but I will echo said experience with Mr. Tom Manners. He called me personally on multiple occasions and made sure everything was handled. I really appreciated the effort him and his team made to make sure things were right.
 
I have had several phone conversations with Lisa. She could not have been more helpful. My order was excessively complicated due to circumstances on my end. (I was using a rewards program to purchase everything in one big order, chassis, mount, case, mags, extenders, forearm pad,)
I wanted burnt bronze, and while talking to Lisa about current lead times, she was able to ship me one out a couple days later. It turned out that one of their regular customers special ordered it, then their customer backed out. MPA had the unit engraved with the company name in that trapazoid area. So basically she was able to think outside the box and offer me a much reduced shipping time in exchange for me accepting a logo (which I covered up). I just wanted to share a good experience that I had. I'm not in any way attempting to minimize how others experiences have played out.
Screenshot_20181225-122717_Gallery.jpg
 
I think they’re getting too big or busy for the staff they have or something. I’ve had terrible service from them. Terrible communication, forgetting parts etc. Got the wrong stuff 3 separate orders, including a barrel once. I sent it back for replacement, they sent the same barrel back to me 2 weeks later...seriously. I finally gave up and settled for what i got.
 
odoylerules said:
I think they’re getting too big or busy for the staff they have or something. I’ve had terrible service from them. Terrible communication, forgetting parts etc. Got the wrong stuff 3 separate orders, including a barrel once. I sent it back for replacement, they sent the same barrel back to me 2 weeks later...seriously. I finally gave up and settled for what i got.
Click to expand...

I think you are correct. Too much of a good thing too soon IMO. Lisa was nothing but pleasant everytime I spoke with her, I just think they have way too much business for their current CS staff.
 
BuckeyeRifleman said:
Sent an email to Phil with a link to this thread this afternoon when I posted it. Needless to say he has taken care of things and my stock ships out tomorrow. Disappointed that it came to this, but glad they finally made it right. Phil offered some ad on's for my trouble which was not expected but nice.

They DO make a good product, but I think they had the problem of too much success too soon. Not shocked to see I wasn't the exception based on the responses here, I hope they can turn things around CS wise.
Click to expand...
This is a problem. Why do they give you the runaround for over a year til you post something, and then it's done that day? Just feels like proof that they have been the barrier.
 
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I'm sure they are busy, but you have to adjust or die. This sport is going to continue to keep growing
at this pace for awhile. While they do make a great product, sometimes you want another and another
and if they can't deliver, you will look else where. Look how many good chassis are popping up.
Look on this forum and see how many people are buying other name chassis. MPA chassis might last a long time
but theirs always new and different inovations, and as it sounds like alot of people here won't give MPA
another chance and would try another brand, that's a future sale gone. Phil needs to get his head out of
his ass and run a company for the future not for the right now, or in a couple years he won't
have to worry about it. He's already let to much business slip away. Once he catches up, might be
too late. Sorry, my 2 cent.
 
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This seems to be endemic to the custom high end rifle industry. I realize their are some exceptional companies out there. But there are more examples of this in this hobby than in most
 
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Derek200 said:
This seems to be endemic to the custom high end rifle industry. I realize their are some exceptional companies out there. But there are more examples of this in this hobby than in most
Click to expand...
Could not agree more. This guy posts something like this, a dozen other people chime in with a "me too" story, and folks just keep on buying from them. I wouldn't spend a dime there after reading something like this.

I don't personally mind taking a long time to deliver. What I mind is being told "2 weeks" when it isn't coming for another 12 months.
 
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I also don’t get that it seems like demand exceeds capacity across the board but everybody has huge wait times. I don’t understand why no one is putting capital against the demand. It seems like there is a lot of growth left on the table.
 
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Derek200 said:
I also don’t get that it seems like demand exceeds capacity across the board but everybody has huge wait times. I don’t understand why no one is putting capital against the demand. It seems like there is a lot of growth left on the table.
Click to expand...


This is what blows me away.

They're operating like a custom shop while selling retail. Either advertise custom work only, or build inventory.

In this day and age where we can buy actions, pre-fit barrels, and any number of chassis or stocks that are waiting on a shelf ready to buy, pushing customers on weeks and months of wait time is a sure way to die.
 
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I 'm thinking demand in industries like these is a huge challenge. If I owned a small company, I wouldn't want to tool up on a spike in demand only to have idle equipment or let people go when the new shiny thing comes along, or what I make is no longer the thing to have. Plus, I think these types of small businesses are low margin with high costs and low revenue. Tough business to be in.

In today's day and age (social media), treating the customer like crap in such an industry IS a good 'go out of business' plan.
 
Not surprise with them. Only buy the item in stock. Or refundable backorder.
 
Kind of the opposite in my experience. I had an original folder design (which was faulty). One call, afew e-mails within the same day, and my chassis went back for retro fit. A couple weeks later it was returned with the new folder design mechanism. Easy peasy.

Maybe I got lucky? Seriously though, the process was courteous, professional and timely (matched their lead time quote).
 
I really need a folder stock, no way in hell I order one... eventually one will turn up on the exchange or elsewhere. I have called them before and got pretty prompt service on some occasions. They did leave out the screws that lock down the recoil lug on my hybrid chassis, I called and the guy I talked to said well you don't need them they don't do anything....well... But I paid for it. They never did send me that part. Feel fairly certain the guy never even took my name.


In fairness though I have gotten shit service from many companies in this industry. MDT excellent service. KRG also excellent service. Trigger tech also very prompt and courteous service.
 
Sutherlandsd said:
I really need a folder stock, no way in hell I order one... eventually one will turn up on the exchange or elsewhere. I have called them before and got pretty prompt service on some occasions. They did leave out the screws that lock down the recoil lug on my hybrid chassis, I called and the guy I talked to said well you don't need them they don't do anything....well... But I paid for it. They never did send me that part. Feel fairly certain the guy never even took my name.


In fairness though I have gotten shit service from many companies in this industry. MDT excellent service. KRG also excellent service. Trigger tech also very prompt and courteous service.
Click to expand...

That’s the same response I got about the lug lock. They didn’t send one that fit the Nucleus action and their response was “you don’t need it”. But it’s a selling point on the chassis...
 
I was using a tl3 and it fits it.... Apparently I still didn't need it..
 
Did anyone just ask what the TPI and length of the screw was? My chassis arrived back sans action screw, so I e-mailed them and they offered to send one. Instead I just asked the length and TPI/MM, and they told me and I went and got one from the local h/w store. A .40 cent screw is not worth getting bent out of shape over IMHO...
 
MarinePMI said:
Did anyone just ask what the TPI and length of the screw was? My chassis arrived back sans action screw, so I e-mailed them and they offered to send one. Instead I just asked the length and TPI/MM, and they told me and I went and got one from the local h/w store. A .40 cent screw is not worth getting bent out of shape over IMHO...
Click to expand...

For me it was not a screw, but a machined part.
 
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lennyo3034 said:
For me it was not a screw, but a machined part.
Click to expand...
Ah, okay, I didn't understand that. Is this like the Savage accustock lug lock or the JAE (original designer of the concept IIRC) one, that is a machined wedge that is tightened with a machine screw to lock the lug in place?

ETA: Just looked at a video about it. I'm surprised Savage or JAE hasn't threatened patent infringement (perhaps that's why MPA isn't shipping them right now?). No idea if that's true or not, or casting blame, guilt or fault, just wondering out loud...

Like I said earlier, my experience with MPA has been pretty good.
 
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Don't get me wrong I love the MPA product, but customer service is not there and as long as you know that going into it then all is fine and dandy (I have two MPA chassis..)

I have a friend who just purchased a chassis it was included in his...my guess it was close to quitting time when mine was boxed up.
 
I have also had a suboptimal experience with them. I ordered a chassis for a CZ 455 in October, and in December I decided to get one from another vendor due to availability (this wasn’t MPA’s fault, long lead times are not unusual and I get that). I wrote asking if I could cancel. Lisa wrote back and said yes, with 20% surcharge. I said that was fine. She then asked for the CVV code from my credit card to be able to issue a refund, which seemed odd but I supplied. That was in December. No refund appeared and she never returned my subsequent emails or calls, even after I threatened to dispute the charge with AMEX. I hear great things about their products but can’t see doing business with them in the future.
 
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lennyo3034 said:
That’s the same response I got about the lug lock. They didn’t send one that fit the Nucleus action and their response was “you don’t need it”. But it’s a selling point on the chassis...
Click to expand...
my chassis is one of the ones that had all 3 sizes of lug locks. dont use any of them.
 
I ordered a chassis from them in mid Dec; Standard chassis LH AI AT in the raw(save on anno time) so I hope the wait isnt too bad. Glad I havent peeled it out of AI chassis yet.
 
phlegethon said:
I have also had a suboptimal experience with them. I ordered a chassis for a CZ 455 in October, and in December I decided to get one from another vendor due to availability (this wasn’t MPA’s fault, long lead times are not unusual and I get that). I wrote asking if I could cancel. Lisa wrote back and said yes, with 20% surcharge. I said that was fine. She then asked for the CVV code from my credit card to be able to issue a refund, which seemed odd but I supplied. That was in December. No refund appeared and she never returned my subsequent emails or calls, even after I threatened to dispute the charge with AMEX. I hear great things about their products but can’t see doing business with them in the future.
Click to expand...


Same thing happened to me. Still no refund.
 
I guess i'm in the #MeToo group. I ordered my chassis through a dealer. I got an incredibly smoking deal on the chassis and a few accessories I wanted (barricade stops, cattle guard blocks, dovetail for the spigot). Since it was an order, I figured I'd get the color I wanted. Well, sure enough, that turned into the "two weeks" and "it's getting coated". It took about seven months of me calling and emailing before it finally shipped. I love the chassis, but if a friend was looking at buying one, I'd tell them to only buy one if they're actually in stock somewhere, and even then, I might steer them towards the MDT ACC instead
 
I would've been livid after a month.

TBH we put up with way too much in the gun hobby.

Dropped off a rifle with the local gunsmith I usually use. He says "Two Weeks." OK fine. A little over two weeks I go down to see if he's worked on it yet. "What rifle? Oh that one. What did you want done again?" Fucking really?
 
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I don’t know anyone at MPA other than being on a squad with Phil and one of his employees at a comp. They were fun to be around and went out of their way to help when I was just starting out with comps. I’ve bought several MPA full builds and chassis since then and have enjoyed the hell out of all of them. Definitely my go to Chassis except when I want a folder haha.
 
The new folder mechanism is actually pretty sweet. Locks up tight and (more importantly) stays locked up. My original one would constantly unlock when the rifle was carried slung (a major PITA).
 
EJ1001 said:
I 'm thinking demand in industries like these is a huge challenge. If I owned a small company, I wouldn't want to tool up on a spike in demand only to have idle equipment or let people go when the new shiny thing comes along, or what I make is no longer the thing to have. Plus, I think these types of small businesses are low margin with high costs and low revenue. Tough business to be in.

In today's day and age (social media), treating the customer like crap in such an industry IS a good 'go out of business' plan.
Click to expand...


I agree. The alternative is to say we have a wait time of 12 moths and stop taking orders for the next 6 months.
 
phlegethon said:
I just disputed 80% of the charge with my credit card company.
Click to expand...
MPA responded to the dispute by telling Citibank that they hadn’t heard from me, despite the emails I have from Lisa claiming they would give a refund. I now have to fax those emails to Citibank.
 
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