The amazing customer service of Games Workshop

Discussion in 'General Hobby/Tabletop Chat' started by ravagekitteh, May 22, 2017.

  1. ravagekitteh
    Skink Chief

    ravagekitteh Well-Known Member

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    I have been playing Warhammer Age of Sigmar for a reasonable while now, and one of the things that I have liked the most about the experience is the fantastic customer service Games Workshop has had to offer. I likely wouldn't have gotten into the game if the people working at the shop hadn't had been so friendly, helpful and engaging. I think you would all agree with me that it is something that Games Workshop does extremely well.

    However, I would like to talk about one particular time when the company went above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to customer service. In November I relapsed into Leukaemia. Things were pretty tough and we were looking for anything that would brighten things up. One of the things we did was write into Games Workshop explaining the situation. A few weeks later we had a reply.

    We were assuming we would get a nice letter back that would have just felt really nice. They are that sort of company at all. That would have been fine. However, they went far beyond that. We did get a heartfelt letter from the entire Games Workshop team, however, it came with a massive box of exclusive goodies too.

    In it, among other stuff, were loads of old White Dwarf magazines you wouldn't be able to get nowadays. There were also two prints signed by the entire team, and some other merchandise you wouldn't be able to get elsewhere. However, by far the coolest item they sent were two models that had been painted by the 'Eavy Metal team themselves. One of them was a Stormcast Eternal Judicator painted in Astral Templar colours, which was incredible. But the other is even cooler. So because of Games Workshop's incredible generosity, I am now in possession of this exact miniature featured on the the back of the Saurus Guard box:

    IMG_0048.JPG

    My treatment for Leukaemia is going really well, and things are hoping to turn back to near normality by September if we're lucky.

    I was wondering if anyone else has any stories about other times Games Workshop has gone above and beyond the call of duty. If so, please leave them below. Sorry for waffling on, and I hope your experiences with them have been as amazing as mine.
     
  2. Crowsfoot
    Slann

    Crowsfoot Guardian of Paints Staff Member

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    Glad to hear your returning to normality.

    1989ish The Bad

    I entered the Golden Demon at the LIverpool store and won Best diorama, the final was held at Derby so we got a coach from Manchester and went down, I looked every where for my model but could not see it.

    I asked the Liverpool manager and was told they had left my entrie behind, I wrote to GW explaining my disappointment and never got a reply, nothing, so I stopped everything to do with the hobby.

    2015 The Good

    Got a goblin shaman for my birthday and although I was really excited I was still upset at what happened so I phoned GW and explained everything, I spoke to the customer service manager and they unreservedly apoligised and assured me the company had changed and customer service was now their top priority.

    2016 The Better

    I bought a pack of Chameleon skinks and one of the blow pipes was broken, I phoned GW and they sent me a new pack FOC so I ended up with 10.
     
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  3. ravagekitteh
    Skink Chief

    ravagekitteh Well-Known Member

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    I'm glad to hear your experiences have improved. Since I started about mid-last year I have only known Games Workshop when customer service has been the highest priority.
     
  4. Ritual
    Skar-Veteran

    Ritual Well-Known Member

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    Wait... You phoned up CS about the thing that happened 25 years prior? I admire your tenacity.

    Only had a few experiences with their customer service itself, all been fantastic. The Spirit Hosts in a Start Collection box had a mis-shaped hand and they sent out a replacement pack of 3... Then a few weeks later one of my skinks had a missing leg and tail, and again they sent out a replacement box. Always been cheery and helpful, so positive from me.

    Additional... My wife took over running the warhammer club at her school, and GW sent her out a teachers pack which had a bunch of Stormcast Eternals, vouchers for free space marines to exchange in store, loads of paints, brushes, play mat etc. etc. - she's even going in store to be given a lesson on how to play AoS and new 40k once the rules drop.
     
    Last edited: May 23, 2017
  5. Captaniser
    Carnasaur

    Captaniser Well-Known Member

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    Good guy Games Workshop.

    Hope the treatment goes well, and that you make a full recovery.
     
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  6. Captaniser
    Carnasaur

    Captaniser Well-Known Member

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    You had a grudge on GW for 25ish years? Damn, even a dwarf would be proud of that.
     
  7. NIGHTBRINGER
    Slann

    NIGHTBRINGER Second Spawning

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    @ravagekitteh I hope you return to full health soon. That is a great story, I'm glad GW made such a great effort to cheer you up.
     
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  8. Crowsfoot
    Slann

    Crowsfoot Guardian of Paints Staff Member

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    More than grudge, think Thorin Oakenshield and your about 1/2 way there :punch::rage:
     
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  9. Dragonfire
    Cold One

    Dragonfire Well-Known Member

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    I recently had to email them because my Shadow War set was mispacked and had double of one of the terrain sprues but was missing two of the essential ones. I got the missing pieces a week later with codes for books from their bookstore, which sucked because the only things I wanted were 40k books and those were getting phased out. But I got some Age of Sigmar stuff.
     
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  10. Bowser
    Slann

    Bowser Third Spawning

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    Good luck with the treatment! GW customer service seems to be at an all time high, never had to deal with them, but I have heard from a few others that had bad experiences in the past, but were surprised when they had to deal with them again.
     
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  11. NIGHTBRINGER
    Slann

    NIGHTBRINGER Second Spawning

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    I've only heard good things about GW customer service, both past and present.
     
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  12. Flutterbat
    Skink

    Flutterbat Member

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    Well that hit me right in the feels. I hope things only get better from here on!
     
  13. Crowsfoot
    Slann

    Crowsfoot Guardian of Paints Staff Member

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    Yes I phoned and in all honesty I was nervous, it was like asking out your first girlfriend, lucky for me she said yes.

    That is brilliant news about what they did for your wife.
     
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  14. Ritual
    Skar-Veteran

    Ritual Well-Known Member

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    Having briefly worked in CS back in the day I can only imagine what my reaction would have been if someone called up to complain about something that happened 25 years ago, so they must be employing Saints up in GW right now :p
     
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  15. Crowsfoot
    Slann

    Crowsfoot Guardian of Paints Staff Member

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    It was more of a conversation than a complaint :D
     
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  16. TheSkeptic
    Chameleon Skink

    TheSkeptic Active Member

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    The guy who manages my local GW is great. He's been my first (and only, as of yet) interaction with GW employees, and I have to say he's made a good impression on me. He's friendly and accomodating, and he basically lets us hang around the store, even if we've never bought anything, provided we abide by the rules (Basically, no non GW models, no off brands of stuff they sell, like glue, and don't be a dick seem to be the only ones I've ever seen enforced). He did make somebody leave one time, but I'd say it was more then justified (The guy had never bought anything there, or from GW ever, if memory serves. Just buys from a hobby store in the area, and he was carrying off brand glue around with him for the second time after being warned about it. When the store owner told him it wasn't allowed, he actually emailed corporate while in store to complain and ask if the rule was valid. It was.). Can't say I've been in the hobby long enough to say whether customer service was good or bad in the past, but they're certainly making a good impression on me now.
     
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  17. Ritual
    Skar-Veteran

    Ritual Well-Known Member

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    Off brand glue seems super excessive.

    I'd tell my guy to do one if he told me to use on brand glue in store when I was patching something up...
     
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  18. TheSkeptic
    Chameleon Skink

    TheSkeptic Active Member

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    He wasn't using it for anything though. Just carrying it around. I wouldn't be surprised if he brought it along the second time just so he could start an argument with the store owner.
     
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  19. n810
    Slann

    n810 First Spawning

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    ... Seriously, he got kicked out for carrying off brand glue,
    That would not go over well in the US.
     
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  20. Captaniser
    Carnasaur

    Captaniser Well-Known Member

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