I have a Quantum Kevin VanDam Signature Series fishing reel I purchased a few months ago from Bass Pro Shops. It was a mid-range model that I paid around $80 for. Last night, I was fishing at a local pond and managed to snap the bail arm (connects the bail to the reel itself and holds the yo-yo shaped part that guides the line back onto the reel) clean in half while making a cast. I was horrified, especially with a fishing tournament a week from Saturday. I went to the Quantum Fishing website and saw that their policy is for warranty repairs, if it’s not back in the mail on the way to the customer within 48 hours, you get a free hat. Pretty cool, but no way would a warranty cover me putting too much pressure on the bail (this isn’t the first reel that snapped at that point for me–I’m working on not putting so much pressure on it when I cast).

I clicked the link for a third-party website to order the part I needed to repair it myself. Unfortunately, they didn’t list my reel. I went back to the Quantum Fishing website and called their 800 number. To my surprise, a computer didn’t answer, but a sweet woman named Mary did. I explained what happened and that the other site didn’t have the part, so she looked it up in the computer. While she was looking it up we talked about the weather, being outside, and other pleasantries. Turns out that particular model is a Bass Pro Shops exclusive, so they didn’t carry the parts for it… in their catalog at least. I thought I was out of luck and would have to just buy another reel, but then she did the really unexpected. She said, “I bet even though it’s not in our system as something we repair, we probably have a few lying around in the back service department warehouse” and she would check. Next thing I know, she takes my name and address and says I’ll have it within a week. Just as I was about to ask her if she needed my credit card info, she said “and that will be no charge, thanks for using Quantum products.”

I was amazed, and I’m now a Quantum customer for life. Had she not done that, I would have been buying a whole new reel. Or she even could have charged me for the part itself, and who knows how much that would have been. Thanks Quantum, and thanks Mary!

Quantum offered everything a customer could ask for. No annoying robotic menus, just a kind, helpful CSR who was able to solve reader Jay’s problem. Customer service like that is a real catch.

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