We shared last week how many church chair warranties are found to be greatly lacking when examined closely.  In this follow-up article we want to share two stories from the opposite end of the spectrum where the church chair manufacturer honored their warranty in a manner we consider above and beyond what was actually called for.  As you read these stories, please know that this is why this manufacturer is one of our favorites of the dozen church chairs we are able to provide churches across the country at a savings on each.

• Several years ago we provided 300 church chairs to a church in the Chicago area.  A few months after they took delivery of the chairs, they contacted us as they were experiencing what appeared to be “rust” areas on the bottom two inches of some of the church chair legs.  They sent us images of the problem and it was evident there was a significant issue.  We worked with the manufacturer on this matter over the following two weeks.  Of the 300 chairs, we determined that about 60 or 20% were affected and needed to be replaced.  The most likely explanation was that this area of the metal had not been cleaned adequately before the coating was placed on the frame.  The decision by the manufacturer though amazed us!  They essentially said, “We recognize this is our issue and these chairs need to be replaced.  We are concerned though that if we replace the 60 chairs affected currently, other chairs within the 300 might start to show the same issue.  So we have decided to replace all 300 chairs at no cost to the church.  The church is free to keep the 300 chairs they have now or bless another church with them.  We want to make this right!”  We were impressed with this decision by the manufacturer.  This is the type of outcome that is rare in our day but one that demonstrates what a valid church chair warranty actually means!  As you might suspect, we feel very confident in advancing this manufacturer’s church chairs.

• About three years ago we supplied 250 chairs to a church in Pennsylvania.  They discovered that some of the “T-Nuts” that are used to anchor the seat back to the chair frame would not tighten but would instead just spin as turned.  As we investigated this issue, eventually we discovered that these had been overtightened during production and the teeth on the nuts had created a shall channel in the plywood seat back and they would spin in the plywood versus embed themselves in the plywood.  The reality was there was no chance they would ever loosen and create an additional issue.  But the church was still concerned.  The manufacturer told us, “At the end of the day we want the church to recommend us to other churches.  What is needed so they will be 100% satisfied and be able to do so wholeheartedly?  That’s what we want to do!”  The result was the manufacturer replaced all the chairs that were exhibiting this symptom.  The church was overjoyed as they ended up with extra chairs at no extra cost.  And they have recommended the same chairs to numerous churches since!

As we share the above two stories, please understand these instances are rare with this particular manufacturer.  Out of 1,000 or more placements of church chairs, these two more major issues occurred.  But when they did occur, the church chair warranty the church had received when they purchased these chairs actually meant something and was honored in an above and beyond manner.  At Church Furniture Partner, we are well aware of which manufacturers can be counted on in this manner.  While we have a couple hundred manufacturers of church furnishings that we can save churches dollars on, there is a much smaller list that we use as suppliers for our own churches.  Please feel free to contact us for all your church furnishing needs and we will share this same confidence with your church.