Surefire Customer Service

peter yetman

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 23, 2014
Messages
5,100
Location
North Norfolk UK
I have no intention to start a Surefire bashing thread, so please observe some discretion when replying, thanks.

I dropped my seldom used Surefire P3X the other night. I managed to smash the lens and now it only gives out a low light output.
I went to the SF site about 10 days ago and found the Contact Form for International Customers. I explained my problem and included the fact that I'd lost the tailcap (the cap on my P2X failed so I was using it on that, sadly I've lost the P2X and the working cap - I have been using a spare Malkoff tail on the P3X)
So 10 days on I haven't heard a word from SF, I know many people say that it's best to phone, but if they supply a Contact form for Intl Customers I would expect a reply. Plus, an international phone call and shipping to the States makes it an expensive process.
Is this a common problem or am I just asking too much?
Thanks,
Peter
 

Warp

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
597
Location
Georgia (USA)
Surefire customer service is crap (and their lights probably aren't much better)

I bought a Surefire XC1. It was defective. I called Surefire and left a message to hold my position in the queue, they returned the call more than 4 hours later, I was not able to answer so they left a voicemail with an email address. I emailed a video of the fault, they sent a UPS return label (2 days later)...it then took them over a month to get the light back to me. It still didn't work. I called again, left a message to hold my spot in the queue, and was never called back...so the next day I emailed the same person, sent video of the recurring fault, and was told their tech didn't see anything wrong with the light so they literally just packed it back up and sent it back to me (and it was over a month for that to happen)

I requested and was told I would get a new replacement light as soon as mine made it back to them the second time. I sent it out for that 18 days ago and am still waiting.

And I fully expect the replacement to be less than perfect. But then more than half of my Surefire lights have failed when literally none of my other lights do.

Surefire is overrated and overpriced and their customer service is a freaking joke.
 
Last edited:

mckeand13

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 12, 2010
Messages
1,171
Location
USA
I have found that many companies, regardless of industry, fail to answer emails. I always try calling when possible as it seems to actually work in resolving the problem.

I understand it would be an international call for you, so the situation is a little different. It seems that so many people are hung up on the ease of just sending off an email expecting a reply. Companies should reply, but seldom do.

I say try them by phone.
 

archimedes

Flashaholic
Joined
Nov 12, 2010
Messages
15,780
Location
CONUS, top left
This topic recurs ... regularly.

Every time I have had occasion to use SureFire customer service and contacted them by telephone ... I have had a satisfactory resolution.

I do realize that may be more costly and/or inconvenient for some, depending upon the specifics of the situation.

But ... every time I have had occasion to use SureFire customer service and contacted them by telephone, I have had a satisfactory resolution.

Hope that is helpful, cheers !

EDIT - Perhaps I might also add that repair / replacement times have, in my experience, occasionally been what I would consider lengthy but not unreasonable. Since I have plenty of other alternatives on hand, I have not found this to be especially problematic.
 
Last edited:

bykfixer

Flashaholic
Joined
Aug 9, 2015
Messages
20,352
Location
Dust in the Wind
This topic recurs ... regularly.

Every time I have had occasion to use SureFire customer service and contacted them by telephone ... I have had a satisfactory resolution.

I do realize that may be more costly and/or inconvenient for some, depending upon the specifics of the situation.

But ... every time I have had occasion to use SureFire customer service and contacted them by telephone, I have had a satisfactory resolution.

Hope that is helpful, cheers !

EDIT - Perhaps I might also add that repair / replacement times have, in my experience, occasionally been what I would consider lengthy but not unreasonable. Since I have plenty of other alternatives on hand, I have not found this to be especially problematic.

I'll add: be prepared to be put on hold. But after waiting and hearing the 'comercial' you may find yourself wanting to buy at least one more. lol
 

peter yetman

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 23, 2014
Messages
5,100
Location
North Norfolk UK
I've Emailed Edgar Bros in the Uk to see what they can do.
The thought of hanging on to the SF commercial fills me with dread, but that may be the only option.
Thanks all for your suggestions, I'll keep you posted.
P
 

peter yetman

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 23, 2014
Messages
5,100
Location
North Norfolk UK
That's probably autosuggestion, remember those conspiracy theory films from the 70's? There was one about the Phone Company taking over the USA, wish I could remember what it was called. In retrospect it was probaly rubbish, but I'd love to know.
P
 

mk2rocco

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 26, 2015
Messages
2,122
I have had nothing but good experiences with SF customer support. I have always called and it takes a month or two to get a light back from them.
 

FlashKat

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 18, 2006
Messages
2,364
Location
Anaheim, CA.
I wish Surefire was more customer friendly. I had trouble getting replacement tailcaps for the U2 when they were faulty. I also went to their facility where I waited 30 minutes for a technician to look at one of my U2, because the hotspot had a dark center & the tint was very green. He just said as long as the light works properly that is acceptable QC...I looked at him and said Surefire needs to improve their QC. He just went back to his cubicle.
 

Warp

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
597
Location
Georgia (USA)
It just took Surefire 9 days to "verify receipt" of a faulty light I sent back to them (back for a second time, the first time they just put it in a different box and sent it back) and send out a replacement.

It was a 5 week turn around to take the faulty light (I emailed them video of the fault), put it in a different box, and send it back still faulty. This will be a 3 week turn around (door to door) to replace the faulty light with a new one (which I hope actually works properly but I am not holding my breathe).

How does it take 5 weeks to put the light in a different box and how does it take 9 days to "verify receipt" and send out a replacement?
 

scs

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 9, 2015
Messages
1,803
Surefire used to mean something.
It's time to extinguish the new and rekindle the old.
 

ChrisGarrett

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 2, 2012
Messages
5,725
Location
Miami, Florida
It just took Surefire 9 days to "verify receipt" of a faulty light I sent back to them (back for a second time, the first time they just put it in a different box and sent it back) and send out a replacement.

It was a 5 week turn around to take the faulty light (I emailed them video of the fault), put it in a different box, and send it back still faulty. This will be a 3 week turn around (door to door) to replace the faulty light with a new one (which I hope actually works properly but I am not holding my breathe).

How does it take 5 weeks to put the light in a different box and how does it take 9 days to "verify receipt" and send out a replacement?

Your mistake is in thinking that you're the only guy in line and that SF lights rarely need fixing.

I'm no SF fanboy and I've read here and over on AR15 dot com, that there are problems with SF lights, as much as any other, but SF customer service is what elevates them above others. Unfortunately for SF and its customers, the days of fat military contracts are mostly over and fast customer service costs money.

Chris
 

Warp

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
597
Location
Georgia (USA)
Your mistake is in thinking that you're the only guy in line and that SF lights rarely need fixing.

I'm no SF fanboy and I've read here and over on AR15 dot com, that there are problems with SF lights, as much as any other, but SF customer service is what elevates them above others. Unfortunately for SF and its customers, the days of fat military contracts are mostly over and fast customer service costs money.

Chris

I'm sure fast customer service does cost money...and I would like to think that very high price tag of Surefire lights can handle that.
 

FlashKat

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 18, 2006
Messages
2,364
Location
Anaheim, CA.
Many American companies still rely on their reputation of being high quality in which customer service is not a priority. These companies will see the consequences once people wake up and see there is better value for the money from companies that care.
I'm sure fast customer service does cost money...and I would like to think that very high price tag of Surefire lights can handle that.
 

Msf

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 14, 2016
Messages
262
Location
Virginia
I have several Surefires and when one failed last month, I called the customer service several times. The call back feature was on the fritz and I gave up on on tech support when I was disconnected several times and called customer service. They were very polite and took my information and promised to have tech support call me.

Two weeks later and still waiting. I am disappointed and will likely take my future business elsewhere.
 
Top