“What company provides the best customer service for repairs?”

I think that Otto Bock has done a very nice job in terms of customer service and getting things done in a timely fashion. I’m thinking of some of the myoelectric knees; it seems like there’s a fairly quick turnaround.

They’ve been very good about remaking some of their custom liners as needed, and doing that within a reasonable amount of time as well. [With] the custom liners, we’ll occasionally get something that’s a little too big. They’re aware of this being an issue. They’ll go back and reduce those circumferences in order to get that intimate fit that makes it functional. They’ve been very good about sending out a new product and then giving credit for the one that didn’t work out.
Tony Contarino, CPO
Capital Orthotics & Prosthetics LLC
Concord, N.H.

PSL Fabrication does all our fabrication for prosthetics, and they do an excellent job. I can call if we have an issue with a socket, and I get a new socket the next day, [so] I’m refitting the patient within a day or two. They pay for our shipping there and back.

Now that they digitize all their images, it really works great for us, because we do no fabrication on site. I can actually go online [and] look at how they’ve modified my cast. If I want to make any changes, we can do that right then and there before it’s carved.

I use a company called Elite Orthotics [for orthoses], and if there’s any issue with orthotics, any type of KAFO, I can mark it correctly and send it back, and they’ll have it back to us within a timely manner.
John Jacobs, CPO
Ability Prosthetics & Orthotics Inc.
Frederick, Md.
 
PEL would be number one. I would put Fillauer after them. PEL also does central fabrication work [in addition to distributing other manufacturers’ items]. With PEL, the craftsmanship is excellent; you can’t go wrong there. Any time there’s any adjustment [to be made], I call them on the phone, tell them what’s wrong with it, send it back to them, and I normally have it back within a week—they’re very quick to turn it around.

Fillauer does nice work too. As long as you communicate well with them, both [companies] are just
excellent.
Steven Peterson, CP, RTO
Able Brace & Limb
Monett, Mo.
   
KLM was pretty good on their Richie Braces. If I’ve had a problem, they’ve bent over backwards to help. We had ordered a custom Richie Brace, and when it got here the joint on the Richie Brace did not line up to [the patient’s] ankle. They remade the brace to get it lined up, and they fixed the problem. They did it [very quickly].
Mike Hisaw, CO
Center for Independent Rehabilitative Services Inc.
Modesto, Calif.

I think the guys from Otto Bock do a pretty good job. They’ve been really helpful in repairing the knees and the custom liners. In some cases, they send me a loaner, which means the patient would be able to use the prosthesis [while the regular one is being repaired].

Also, I would say the Endolite guys are pretty good with knees. They send me a loaner [while] they work on the knee. It [takes] from a few days up to four weeks. [Their service on the phone] is very, very good.
Hilmo Hodzic, CP
Fidelity Orthopedic Inc.
West Chester, Ohio   

For customer service, Cascade Orthopedic Supply, Otto Bock and Freedom Innovations are excellent. Everything’s very professional with those three companies.

With Cascade, if it’s a bad product, they send me one the next day and they’ll make it right. I only deal with companies that [overnight products to me].

I have a lot of C-Legs [on patients]. Recently I had a [patient] go to Galveston on vacation and forget his charger. Otto Bock mailed a charger overnight to him, and it [arrived] on a Saturday morning.
Jason Riffle, CP
Bossier City Prosthetic & Orthotic Lab
Bossier City, La.

The custom shoe company Tru-Mold [is] very good with customer service. We cast, send it to them [and] if there’s anything that doesn’t feel right on the patient, they do all sorts of adjustments. They’ll fix it and send it back and do a really good job with it.
Cindy Groff, ROF
Harry J. Lawall & Son Inc.
Pottstown, Pa.