Jeer Being ignored

[Imaginethat]

I don't like being ignored! Probably not many folks do. But when a company that is well respected in this forum ignores a customer's emails and website contacts I have difficulty understanding what is going on. Will I name the company? No! Why, I just need to put this out so I can move on. My guess is I just don't matter nor do I spend enough to count. I will wish them the best and move on. Thanks all for listening.

 

[Karl_99]

It is unfortunate that you feel ignored. I have found that a phone call works best with most of the vendors.

 

[edstreet]

I am guessing that vendor didn't answer the phone, nor email ... This problem is more and more common place and nothing exotic about this type of treatment anymore.

 

[jttheclockman]

Hello Dennis

I see you are fairly new to the site so may I make a suggestion. I know you must be frustrated with a transaction or two but what I see often here is that some times computers don't do what we tell them to do. I am sure if you placed a call or even a PM the vendor will get back to you. It maybe a miscommunication thing. Do not blow the bridge up just yet.

 

[Gus Jr]

I have the same problem with one vender never answering emails on their own site. Gus Jr.

 

[Charlie_W]

Another point to factor in is that many of our vendors are family run and when traveling to shows, there is no one left to do the daily tasks. Some will post that they will be out for several days.
Our vendors are good guys. Give them a chance.

I hope you hear back from them soon.

 

[wyone]

I think a lot of the vendors are small shops. In thought they should be better at customer service. In reality, sometimes they are overwhelmed, or frankly just miss things. Hope you found a replacement vendor for your needs

 

[jeff]

I don't like being ignored! Probably not many folks do. But when a company that is well respected in this forum ignores a customer's emails and website contacts I have difficulty understanding what is going on. Will I name the company? No! Why, I just need to put this out so I can move on. My guess is I just don't matter nor do I spend enough to count. I will wish them the best and move on. Thanks all for listening.

Tell me how this meets the guidelines for this forum.

Appropriate for Casual Conversation maybe, but it's pointless in Cheers & Jeers.

Is there some reason you won't name the company? The whole point of this forum is to share experiences with the community so we can make smart decisions about where to put our money.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

If you feel ignored, you should feel free to name the vendor you feel ignored by.

They'll probably take notice pretty quickly.

 

[alphageek]

Are you sure your being ignored... Both your contact methods are email based. It's possible that they are in your spam folder. Since you say they are here, did you try PM them? How about a phone call?

Remember that show season is coming up and this is getting to be busy season for vendors - several of the companies here are just a couple of people and since everyone cheers fast shipping and so emails come in lower priority.

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Dennis, as a Vendor we all try our upmost to answer all emails but phone calls work so much better. As an example today I was on the phone for at least 3 1/2 hours with different customers answering questions, not a single one was a complaint but questions from will a Sierra blank fit your Arrow component to what size nib do I need on a certain component. It might even be me your mad at, I will look at my emails from last week up to today as sometimes they do not get looked at for a day or two as we are busy on the phone, picking merchandise , packing and running to the P.O. By the way I am sure if you would have named the Vendor they would have contacted you with an explanation and resolved what ever was the problem. We as vendors cannot fix a problem if we don't know the problem and your assuming your being ignored when your not.

 

[Smitty37]

Dennis, I know we have done business, and I know I have an outstanding order for you - what I don't know is whether or not I'm the vendor you are trying to contact. If I am I have not received an email. So I am the vendor you have a problem with..send me a PM. There in no intent on my part to ever ignore a customer communication.

 

[ed4copies]

Dennis IS talking about Exotics, I am quite certain. I have replied to him tonight and, hopefully we can discuss the questions tomorrow.

Every communication is important!!

But Dawn and I still work 16 hours a day, 7 days a week and don't get EVERYTHING done. Sounds like I should have skipped the video this week!!!

Tomorrow is another day, and we can hope to improve our time management!~!

Will talk with you tomorrow, Dennis!!
Ed

 

[TonyL]

Asked rhetorically of course (and not sarcastically or disparagingly) , but how does a vendor, especially an IAP supplier, benefit itself by ignoring a customer? Unless the business intends to sell less, and generate "badwill"/negative publicity....why would the business intentionally ignore a customer. If the business decides not to do business with a customer, wouldn't it be more efficient and professional to privately contact the soon-to-be former customer and state his/her intentions? I think there are many possibilities before assuming that one is being ignored. In 1998, I gave up my seat during a long flight so that an ill passenger, could lie down. At least 3 airline employees recorded my contact information (despite not wanting anything for my gesture). Seventeen years later, I am still waiting for my voucher. I may be a horse's behind, but I don't think I am being ignored.

BTW, thank you for serving and protecting our country as well as the other occupation. My wife and I founded an Al Anon at our church 2 years ago.

Peace

 

[CREID]

Dennis IS talking about Exotics, I am quite certain. I have replied to him tonight and, hopefully we can discuss the questions tomorrow.

Every communication is important!!

But Dawn and I still work 16 hours a day, 7 days a week and don't get EVERYTHING done. Sounds like I should have skipped the video this week!!!

Tomorrow is another day, and we can hope to improve our time management!~!

Will talk with you tomorrow, Dennis!!
Ed

If Exotics is the one you are talking about, He must have been real busy. I have been a customer of theirs for a while now and recently have had several emails go back and forth with information I was looking for. By the way, thanks ED for the information. Anyway Exotics seems to be a very responsible company and I would hate to see a customer relationship deteriorate because of a misunderstanding or some other simple reason. I used to be in sales and things happen, I myself have been very busy and ticked off customers by not getting back to them fast enough, not because I was ignoring them but sometimes you just get so busy there are not enough hours in a day. Find out first and then decide if your being ignored. Just my 2 cents.
Curt

p.s. Hope you get things straightened out.

 

[MesquiteMan]

As has already been said, if you have not tried the phone, you should. Way too many people depend on e-mail now days. I have had my share of folks who got really pissed because I supposedly did not reply to their e-mail. I reply to all e-mail that I get. It may not be the same day but rest assured, it gets replied to. I frequently get customers who send an e-mail and I reply. Then I get another e-mail a few days later as if I have not replied. I reply again. On the third e-mail they send, if I have a phone number, I will call them myself. Every singe time, I ask them to look in the spam folder and sure enough, there are all of my replies! With the damn spammers out there, it has made business communication for some of us hard to do strictly by e-mail. Too many times the e-mail ends up in a spam folder or even blocked by the e-mail provider based on an RBL. This is out of our control. The phone works best!

 

[jttheclockman]

As has already been said, if you have not tried the phone, you should. Way too many people depend on e-mail now days. I have had my share of folks who got really pissed because I supposedly did not reply to their e-mail. I reply to all e-mail that I get. It may not be the same day but rest assured, it gets replied to. I frequently get customers who send an e-mail and I reply. Then I get another e-mail a few days later as if I have not replied. I reply again. On the third e-mail they send, if I have a phone number, I will call them myself. Every singe time, I ask them to look in the spam folder and sure enough, there are all of my replies! With the damn spammers out there, it has made business communication for some of us hard to do strictly by e-mail. Too many times the e-mail ends up in a spam folder or even blocked by the e-mail provider based on an RBL. This is out of our control. The phone works best!

This is so true. I am in the process right now trying to send emails and even tried put an order into a couple vendors and one vendor the order is not going through and the other vendor they have yet to answer an email and I have sent that by 2 different carriers. Will be calling both tomorrow. Just that much easier. By the way these are not any vendors here. People rely too much on computers.

 

[brownsfn2]

Why are some quick to go straight to the explanation that the only reason why an email went unanswered is because it was ignored?

I have known Ed and Dawn for a long time and they do not ignore customers. They do get behind in correspondence and if I could accuse Ed of one thing it would be that he is too helpful. He spends a lot of individual time with people on the phone and that makes it hard to get a hold of him.

Give them a call and you will see.

 

[ed4copies]

Just to be clearer, if you called it would NOT have helped, in this past few days. I have been channeling calls to the answering device. We expected a rush in early September--it happens every year and we have grown a lot this year, so we were as ready as we could be.

As many know, if I get on the phone, it is normally a half hour call. In that same half hour, I can pack about four orders and prepare them for labeling, which Dawn does (she knows the software). So, when we get dozens of orders backed up, we go to "full speed ahead" shipping. That was the case over this weekend (except the time I spent on our weekly email and the video and another project that had a Sept 15 deadline).

So, no I am NOT ALWAYS accessible. But I do try to keep up to email--in this case, we thought the question was answered--obviously not thoroughly .

Today, I have answered the phone--started typing this at 10, it is now 11 and all I have done is answer 5 calls.

Not looking for sympathy, just explaining what happens to my hours!!

Ed

 

[wyone]

Sounds like Dawn needs to train you better Ed.. she does all the hard parts of the job.

 

[CREID]

Why are some quick to go straight to the explanation that the only reason why an email went unanswered is because it was ignored?

I have known Ed and Dawn for a long time and they do not ignore customers. They do get behind in correspondence and if I could accuse Ed of one thing it would be that he is too helpful. He spends a lot of individual time with people on the phone and that makes it hard to get a hold of him.

Give them a call and you will see.

It's the society we live in, a vendor can do 10,000 orders correct and the 10,001 has a hiccup and its the end of the world. That is why I think the responses we have had hear are important, there is not a vendor anywhere in any line that is perfect. But there are tremendously many that are great.
I'm taking credit for 2 1/2 cents on this one. Time to raise prices.

Curt

 

[jttheclockman]

Just to be clearer, if you called it would NOT have helped, in this past few days. I have been channeling calls to the answering device. We expected a rush in early September--it happens every year and we have grown a lot this year, so we were as ready as we could be.

As many know, if I get on the phone, it is normally a half hour call. In that same half hour, I can pack about four orders and prepare them for labeling, which Dawn does (she knows the software). So, when we get dozens of orders backed up, we go to "full speed ahead" shipping. That was the case over this weekend (except the time I spent on our weekly email and the video and another project that had a Sept 15 deadline).

So, no I am NOT ALWAYS accessible. But I do try to keep up to email--in this case, we thought the question was answered--obviously not thoroughly .

Today, I have answered the phone--started typing this at 10, it is now 11 and all I have done is answer 5 calls.

Not looking for sympathy, just explaining what happens to my hours!!

Ed

This sounds like you need to put on some help ED. If this is your busy season then it is even more feasible to do so. You can train someone to pick orders or just to answer phones. Not sure people want to read what you are doing. You are not getting any younger sir.


Just to follow up on my post from yesterday here. I made the 2 phone calls and got my orders in and straightened out with no problems. In fact one vendor thanked me for letting them know of the order page problem and they will fix it. Got free shipping. Yea. Phone calls do work best. Only thing better is face to face.

 

[Chasper]

At one point several years ago I was tempted to get into the business of selling pen kits and blanks, after 40 years in both the marketing and operational sides of the catalog and ecommerce industries I thought I could handle that.

Posts like this make me realize I made the right call in not getting in the pen parts business. . .this is a picky, picky, picky audience.

 

[skiprat]

I could never understand the point of the Jeers forum. You can really only complain about Chinese companies or that Steebar place or the Post office.... . God forbid you should say anything about any vendor that is even remotely associated with the IAP without getting ten thousand slaps around the ears for your troubles....

I don't care which vendor it is....you are either in business or you're not.
Sure, everyone makes mistakes and things can slip through the net, but hey, stop making excuses and suck it up and take it on the chin.

I'm NOT referring to Exotics or any other vendor in particular, but I'm willing to bet that MANY people don't use the Jeers forum because of the backlash they are likely to get.

 

[CREID]

I could never understand the point of the Jeers forum. You can really only complain about Chinese companies or that Steebar place or the Post office.... . God forbid you should say anything about any vendor that is even remotely associated with the IAP without getting ten thousand slaps around the ears for your troubles....

I don't care which vendor it is....you are either in business or you're not.
Sure, everyone makes mistakes and things can slip through the net, but hey, stop making excuses and suck it up and take it on the chin.

I'm NOT referring to Exotics or any other vendor in particular, but I'm willing to bet that MANY people don't use the Jeers forum because of the backlash they are likely to get.

On the flip side, a cheer often gets the same treatment. Also, I am sure that more people get good service and don't post a cheer than the other way around. I have posted a cheer and have had people who have had a problem come in and give there 2 cents, and when you get right down to it, cheer or jeer, it is only their 2 cents either way.
Curt
So Cheers, let's have another glass of wine. Oh wait that's another thread of mine. :biggrin:

 

[Smitty37]

I could never understand the point of the Jeers forum. You can really only complain about Chinese companies or that Steebar place or the Post office.... . God forbid you should say anything about any vendor that is even remotely associated with the IAP without getting ten thousand slaps around the ears for your troubles....

I don't care which vendor it is....you are either in business or you're not.
Sure, everyone makes mistakes and things can slip through the net, but hey, stop making excuses and suck it up and take it on the chin.

I'm NOT referring to Exotics or any other vendor in particular, but I'm willing to bet that MANY people don't use the Jeers forum because of the backlash they are likely to get.

Skip, you don't think the vendors cause the backlash do you. If I get a jeer and someone steps up and defends me ... it isn't because I asked them to do so. Nor do I think any other vendor asks their other customers to defend them if they get a jeer.

 

[nativewooder]

Before I retired for the third time I did business with many vendors on the IAP site and was never disappointed. The thing is, these younger woodturners and penmakers have been raised with electronics and expect "Instant Gratification". It doesn't matter if a vendor has 200 emails waiting and 200 phone messages, they expect to go to the front of the line! Please, the IAP Vendors are all excellent and deserve your respect, not your impatience and immaturity. It is very easy to use pm(s) to contact a Vendor to confirm an order, question, etc.:biggrin:

 

[hcpens]

IAP VENDORS deserve your respect, not your impatience and immaturity

:bananen_smilies051:GO BARRY :bananen_smilies051:GO BARRY :bananen_smilies051:GO BARRY :bananen_smilies051:GO BARRY

TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH:bananen_smilies046:

 

[SteveG]

Wow Richard...where did you get all those trained bananas? :biggrin::wink:

 

[jttheclockman]

Before I retired for the third time I did business with many vendors on the IAP site and was never disappointed. The thing is, these younger woodturners and penmakers have been raised with electronics and expect "Instant Gratification". It doesn't matter if a vendor has 200 emails waiting and 200 phone messages, they expect to go to the front of the line! Please, the IAP Vendors are all excellent and deserve your respect, not your impatience and immaturity. It is very easy to use pm(s) to contact a Vendor to confirm an order, question, etc.:biggrin:

Before everyone jumps on the likes button campaign for this remark, check the OP's profile and you will see this is not a young person per-SE. The Vendor has been identified and things I am sure will be worked out. Maybe both parties will come away with a different view.

 

[Imaginethat]

In hide site I wish I had not posted what I did. Ed and Dawn deserve better and my apologies. They work hard and do not deserve to be torn down. They are great people and own a great company. Had I thought this all the way through I would hope I would have handled this differently. They deserve so much better. I am sorry for the problem I have caused.

 

[ed4copies]

Dennis,

You did not cause a problem!! You stated an opinion. You are entitled to do that! I am thrilled that you see things differently in hindsight and I will make every effort to make you a friend!

It takes a big man to apologize---you are a class act, in my book!

Now, let's turn some pens!!!

Ed

 

[stonepecker]

In hide site I wish I had not posted what I did. Ed and Dawn deserve better and my apologies. They work hard and do not deserve to be torn down. They are great people and own a great company. Had I thought this all the way through I would hope I would have handled this differently. They deserve so much better. I am sorry for the problem I have caused.

Anytime a person can admit they made a mistake and apologizes........they go up in my opinion.

Dennis......You da Man.

 

[CREID]

In hide site I wish I had not posted what I did. Ed and Dawn deserve better and my apologies. They work hard and do not deserve to be torn down. They are great people and own a great company. Had I thought this all the way through I would hope I would have handled this differently. They deserve so much better. I am sorry for the problem I have caused.

Anytime a person can admit they made a mistake and apologizes........they go up in my opinion.

Dennis......You da Man.

Mine too.
curt