PIAA Customer Service

Absolutely horrible! I've always been a fan of their products but, after my recent run in with their customer service department, will never purchase any of their stuff or recommend them to anyone else. Here's the background:
I purchased a set of PIAA 540's used from a member here. They showed up in the condition as described, no problems. I wanted to mount them in the stock fog light location like the PIAA 5454 kit allows. I contacted PIAA in the hopes I could purchase the required fitment parts knowing full well they do not advertise them on their website as a separate item. I tried playing nice, please and thank you to convince them to sell me the parts. I exchanged several e-mails with the same customer service rep. He said he would check with his warehouse manager, explained how they typically do the wiring in house and that I would need a rubber boot back instead of the metal housing, etc. He then asked if they were new condition to which I responded they weren't and asked again if they would sell me the parts I needed. No response... I sent 3 other e-mails over a week and a half, no response to any of them. I finally sent a more flaming e-mail showing my discontent. Still nothing. I waited 2 weeks and finally sent the bomb over the fence. I sent a very strongly worded letter expressing my anger from being blatantly ignored. The same customer service rep responded through the customer service e-mail with a polite e-mail asking how he could help, then followed up with his company e-mail with a snotty e-mail. I responded to both addresses basically saying

Buyer beware! PIAA's customer service sucks, they are rude, unhelpful and, as far as I'm concerned, incompetent. It does take a lot for me to get this fed up with a vendor but ingorning e-mail after e-mail did the trick. That's no way to treat customers when your product carries that kind of price tag.

 

I did say that to PIAA Not Sierra Expeditions since I know they sell PIAA also and didn't want to pull them into it but I did say if I get another set I'm going to Lightforce or Rigid Industries. Here's the fallout, there were probably 6 or 7 e-mails before it came to blows and I completely wrote him off.

Me to Customer Service:
I am writing this letter to show my complete disappointment in PIAA’s Customer Service. In the last month I have had 4 e-mails blatantly ignored by your customer service staff. I have sent numerous e-mails prior and still have never received an answer to my initial inquiry. As you know, PIAA lights are far from the cheapest on the market and, that being the case, I find this type of response inexcusable at best. I have always recommended PIAA products in the past because of their performance but your lack of response has completely changed my opinion and I fully intend to share my experiences with others. With capable competitors such as Lightforce and Rigid Industries, I would have thought customer retention would be a priority as it is with most industries.

Mike

His first response from the Customer Service e-mail to cover his tracks:
Mike I am sorry to hear about your situation with our customer service. What is it that we can help you with.

Thanks
Alan Avery
PIAA Customer Service
503-489-6666
1-800-525-7422
Service@piaa-usa.com

His follow up response from his company e-mail sent 30 seconds later, unprovoked:
Below is all of the answers to you previous e-mails and as told to you before we do not sell the boot cover and the wiring separately to these lights. It explains that you cannot wire it yourself that it has to be done here to make sure it is done the right way to fit your vehicle. I am sorry you bought a set of lights from a private party and did not check before you bought them about the parts you would need to do what you want. You can always sell the light kit you bought and buy the right kit to fit you vehicle.


Thanks
Alan Avery
PIAA Customer Service
503-489-6666
1-800-525-7422
Service@piaa-usa.com

My final response and official F.U.
Alan,
Below is in fact your last e-mail where you asked me a question about the condition of the lights I purchased. I responded to the condition and that was the last I heard from you. If you had told me there was no way PIAA would sell me the kit, I would have been fine with that response and gone another route. The fact that you instead chose to ignore me shows a complete disregard for customer satisfaction. I am well aware of what I purchased and the associated fitment risks. I am capable of doing my own fabrication and will make them fit but, since PIAA already fabricated a kit, I figured I would start there rather than ‘reinvent the wheel’.

Also, lights are a simple 2 wire system. Anyone with basic electrical skills can wire an automotive light and I can’t see installation of a boot being all that difficult. If I can’t make the lights fit, I will sell them off and will be purchasing from another manufacturer.

Thank you for your time, but I wasn’t looking for a response. I was just pointing out the inadequacies of your customer service tactics.

Mike

 

I'm not sure man... sTrom was selling a set of 240s with 3 filters and I almost jumped on them. The problem is I've got too much money tied in with PIAA. I think I'm gettin an Nfab light bar to mount up the 520's and 540's and I'll keep my stock fogs as is with the yellow bulbs. I couldn't easily make the 540's fit in the stock fog locations without the kit

 

Nah, I think it'll turn out alright. I just have to read up on wiring for the 540's so they're still legal in MA. I think I need to have them on an on/off/on switch with the stock fogs legally but I'm going to wire them up so they can be on anytime and see what happens come inspection time...

 

At least you got a response. I sent an email simply asking for deminsions of one of the products and never even received a response. I have noticed a decline in American Customer service as the years go on. Some will say, well you should just call them but I look at it like if you advertise and email address for customers to use then you should respond to it. If a business wants a phone call then don't provide an email option. I have got the same lack of response from many companies, budbuilt and PIAA being the most recent. No response means no purchase I go elsewhere.

 

I have heard good things about those you listed as well. The sad thing is, and I don't mean to take anything away from good vendors but what we call great customer service now a days is just customer service. We are so conditioned to the crappy customer service exhibited by so many we think those that just run a business correctly are super stars.

Of course there are bad customers as well and plenty that don't understand a business needs to make money and have policies and procedures in place which must be adhered to for specific reasons.

 

I did get a response and they actually started out doing pretty well! Then things declined... they ignored multiple e-mails and it was only when I sent a much more flaming e-mail that I got an answer. For PIAA stuff, you should try Sierra Expeditions, the people Wolfpack dealt with for his needs (they do sell PIAA stuff also).

You're right, customer service is becoming a thing of the past so when I do find a place I like and treats customers well, I have no problem telling everyone about it! Just out of curiousity, what were you looking for dimensions on? I've got a couple sets of lights, if I can help you out I will.

 

I got the deminsions sorted out and grudgingly I had to order from PIAA anyway since they were the only ones I could find that met all the requirements including size.

Thanks for offering up help though!