Customer Care Policy
Customer Care Policy
Apeks Marine Equipment will strive to continue to design, manufacture and distribute the finest diving and swimming equipment in the world and give the best possible service to our customers. We aim to set clear standards of service and to regularly review and improve performance. We operate in an ethical manner treating customers, employees and suppliers as we would like to be treated.
Our customer care policy will include the following:
Customer Experience:
We aim to understand and measure your expectations in order to provide an enhanced customer experience.
Our aim is to:
- Conduct regular surveys and welcome feedback whether good or bad.
- We will take into account any suggestions to improve our service made by both our customers and our staff, and make any changes that will enhance the service provided.
- We will record and review all dissatisfactions raised in order to improve what we do, wherever possible.
Responding to correspondence:
Apeks Marine Equipment will answer all correspondence including letters, faxes and emails in a fast and efficient manner.
Our aim is to:
- Endeavour to respond to queries within a 24 hour period.
- To use email auto response when appropriate, an alternative colleagues name will be noted and not their e-mail address to reduce the risk of spam.
Telephone:
Apeks Marine Equipment will aim to answer all telephone calls within 4 rings.
Our aim is to:
- Introduce ourselves and the department in a courteous manner.
- To accurately take all detail of the call.
- At all times we will offer practical, clear and timely advice which is specific to your needs and requirements.
- To transfer calls only when necessary and ensure the transfer is available to take the call to minimise the passing of the customer.
Appointments:
Members of staff will see visitors punctually when an appointment has been made at the office or an external venue. If no appointment has been made, members of staff will see visitors as soon as reasonably possible. All staff will approach visitors in a courteous manner.
Our aim is to:
- See people within 10 minutes of the appointment time.
- Maximum length of time a person without an appointment time should have to wait before they are seen is 15 minutes.
Delivery:
Apeks Marine Equipment will endeavour to deliver goods in a timely fashion
Our aim is to:
- Deliver all UK orders within 48hrs.
- To deliver all overseas orders in the most cost effective way, to meet all required delivery dates.
- To endeavour to deliver all orders right first time and in full.
Technical Service:
Apeks Marine Equipment will ensure full technical support and product knowledge is available to support our equipment.
Our aim is to:
- Ensure all relevant technical detail is circulated prior to new products coming to market.
- To offer a complete and satisfactory maintenance programme with regular updates.
- To enrol all internal support staff in a continuous training programme with regards to existing products and new products which may come to market.
- To ensure when turnaround times are quoted they are met and if delayed the customer is informed.
Environment/ Quality:
Apeks Marine Equipment will strive to continue to produce quality products in line with the environmental accreditation ISO14001, to help reduce our carbon footprint through continuous reviews of the company’s aspects and impacts on the environment, to help maintain the environment for you and future generations. We will continually work towards maintaining accreditation to ISO9001:2008 and uphold all lifetime warranties on any manufacturing defect on equipment registered to the first owner.
Our aim is to:
- To continue to meet all aspects of ISO14001 and ISO9001:2008.
- To continue to measure the carbon footprint of any new product design and reduce wherever possible elements which may be harmful to the environment.
Complaints:
Apeks Marine Equipment will investigate all customer complaints for the service it provides and promptly deal with any complaints received.
Our aim is to:
- Have zero complaints.
- To deal with any complaints within 5 working days.
- To actively inform the customer of the progress should a complaint occur.
- To ensure the customer receives a total action and resolution should a complaint occur, through the quality 8D or corrective/ preventative action process.
Customer Quotes:
I found that a visit to the company and a tour around the manufacturing facility was extremely useful and informative. Having been involved in the diving trade for over fifty years and visited many diving companies both in the UK and overseas, it confirmed my long belief that Apeks was a worldwide leader in our diving industry – Collins and Chambers.
First class friendly team – Canary Divers.
It was great to see such a positive feeling from all Apeks staff and the high level of pride you all have in your products and manufacturing – M&A Distributor.
All quotes have been taken from a customer satisfaction questionnaire, distributed June 2014.
Return and Exchange Policy
Returning a product
If you purchased your product through an authorised Apeks dealer, please return it unused to your Apeks dealer, along with all of the original packaging and tags, intact and fit for resale. Apeks does not accept returns of Apeks products purchased from unauthorised retailers.
Unauthorised Dealer Warning
Unauthorised Dealer Warning
If you obtain Apeks products from an unauthorised dealer, your warranty will not be valid, and we cannot offer you the assurances of quality and satisfaction afforded by the Apeks Warranty Program. To verify whether or not a retailer is an authorised Apeks Dealer, please check our dealer locator which you will find at the top of this page.
Warranty Qualification
Product Warranties
(covers those products labelled Apeks)
When a consumer buys Apeks products from an Authorised Apeks dealer, they are buying from trained professionals who can instruct them on the proper and safe use of the equipment.
WARNING:
It is dangerous for untrained and uncertified persons to use the equipment covered by these warranties. Therefore, use of these products by an untrained person renders any and all warranties null and void. Use of scuba equipment by anyone who is not a certified diver, or receiving training through a recognised certification agency, shall render void all warranties, expressed or implied.
Warranty Programmes
Limited Warranty
Apeks warrants to the original purchaser for a period of time (specified below for each product) from the date of purchase, that the product will be free from defects in materials and workmanship, provided that it receives normal use, proper care and prescribed dealer service subject to the limitations listed below. The limited warranty is extended only to the original purchaser for purchases made from an Authorised Apeks Dealer and is not transferable. This warranty is limited to repair or replacement only at the discretion of Apeks. Warranty coverage does not extend to damages caused by improper use, improper maintenance, neglect, unauthorised repairs, modifications, accidents, fire, casualty or normal wear and aging. Cosmetic damage(s), such as scratches, nicks and fraying are not covered under warranty except when the product is new, out of the original packaging. This warranty does not extend to equipment used for commercial or military purposes.
Warranty by Product Category
(Covers Apeks products)
Regulators:
Limited Lifetime Warranty
This warranty will cover the original owner of the regulator against defects in parts or workmanship for the lifetime of the regulator if the regulator was purchased from an Authorized Apeks Dealer.
BCs, Donuts and Wings:
Limited Lifetime Warranty
Buoyancy Compensator Replacement on a Pro-Rated Basis:
Buoyancy Compensators, under the Limited Lifetime Warranty, that malfunction due to material or manufacturer defects, that have also had a significant amount of use will be replaced on a pro-rated basis. Pro-rating will be determined by a percentage factor based on the condition of the product and how long the product was used prior to the warranty claim. This can be useful to evaluate Limited Lifetime Warranty claims since the warranty period is for the "useful life of the product" and not a set length of time. The following guidelines should be used in determining what pro-rated percentage will be used.
Pro-Rated Values for products sold at retail
| Pro-Rated Values for products sold at retail |
Apeks Pays |
Customer Pays |
| Like new and less than 2 years old |
100% |
0% |
| Used and less than 5 years old |
75% |
25% |
| Very used and more than 5 years old |
50% |
50% |
| Worn out |
0% |
100% |
Analog Gauges and Compasses:
1-Year Limited Warranty
Fins:
1-Year Limited Warranty
Bags:
1-Year Limited Warranty
Boots:
1-year Limited Warranty
Gloves:
1-Year Limited Warranty
Making a Warranty Claim
Warranty Claims
(covers those products labelled Apeks)
If you are the original owner of an Apeks product that is determined to be defective in any way, please return it to your local Authorised Apeks dealer. Please provide your dealer with photocopies of your original sales receipt along with any service records you may have. If your local dealer determines that you have a valid warranty issue and they are unable to take care of it in their place of business, they will send it back to Apeks for evaluation or replacement.
Recall Notice
Novemer 2014 - Recall Notice - Apeks Black Ice