While I have a specific experience to mention, I thought a bit more about the modern environment we 'shop' in these days and how the internet allows not only searching for best value, wider range and discovering more than one could at any single local hobby shop but also a mechanism to find out the who's who of good & bad customer service.
How many of us research into the various sources we buy from - forum comments, feedback on ebay or word of mouth from youtube?
Back in March, I had some money left over from Christmas presents that I was determined not to just fritter away on groceries and petrol, so I indulged myself... and bought some models from ForgeWorld (division of Games Workshop).
Now I have got a few of their models from a while ago, and went into it with eyes wide open as to the continuous issues they seem to suffer with Quality Control (complete lack of!), having read very recently on another forum dedicated to the overall GW brand that this has not improved.
Reading some more, I was a little concerned that one customer was alleging that defective parts had been shipped and the normally good reputation of the company for customer service was, to put it pleasantly, deficient.
Again this does not overly concern me as an un-named individual ranting on the internet in a one sided view is not something I put too much credibility in. His (or her?) beef was that having had a 'problem' with poor quality parts it was ignored. hmm.
Anyway, my stuff arrived and same as 'back in the day', two parts in two separate kits were beyond what I consider reasonable for an experience modeller to correct. I know these are not toys and some skill is expected, however crushed moulds give bad parts no-one can fix without sculpting fresh. So, an e-mail including photo sent on a Saturday, reply within a couple of hours - pretty good, just needed me to confirm order and batch numbers so replacement parts could be cast. Fine, reply, done.
Forgot about in box on top of wardrobe.... remembered 2 months later, another e-mail, automated reply saying hundreds of e-mails in backlog and please phone. Forgot to phone for a while....
Remembered, phoned on a Friday afternoon with name & order number, chap on customer service looks it up and identified request, apologised for it getting delayed in backlog and would sort it. This is where Customer Service demonstrates a company is committed to their reputation:
Happy ending - 6 days later 2 complete new kits, not just the damaged parts to apologise for delay in getting resolved. Makes me feel like trying to re-sculpt of convert the originals 8)
How many of us research into the various sources we buy from - forum comments, feedback on ebay or word of mouth from youtube?
Back in March, I had some money left over from Christmas presents that I was determined not to just fritter away on groceries and petrol, so I indulged myself... and bought some models from ForgeWorld (division of Games Workshop).
Now I have got a few of their models from a while ago, and went into it with eyes wide open as to the continuous issues they seem to suffer with Quality Control (complete lack of!), having read very recently on another forum dedicated to the overall GW brand that this has not improved.
Reading some more, I was a little concerned that one customer was alleging that defective parts had been shipped and the normally good reputation of the company for customer service was, to put it pleasantly, deficient.
Again this does not overly concern me as an un-named individual ranting on the internet in a one sided view is not something I put too much credibility in. His (or her?) beef was that having had a 'problem' with poor quality parts it was ignored. hmm.
Anyway, my stuff arrived and same as 'back in the day', two parts in two separate kits were beyond what I consider reasonable for an experience modeller to correct. I know these are not toys and some skill is expected, however crushed moulds give bad parts no-one can fix without sculpting fresh. So, an e-mail including photo sent on a Saturday, reply within a couple of hours - pretty good, just needed me to confirm order and batch numbers so replacement parts could be cast. Fine, reply, done.
Forgot about in box on top of wardrobe.... remembered 2 months later, another e-mail, automated reply saying hundreds of e-mails in backlog and please phone. Forgot to phone for a while....
Remembered, phoned on a Friday afternoon with name & order number, chap on customer service looks it up and identified request, apologised for it getting delayed in backlog and would sort it. This is where Customer Service demonstrates a company is committed to their reputation:
Happy ending - 6 days later 2 complete new kits, not just the damaged parts to apologise for delay in getting resolved. Makes me feel like trying to re-sculpt of convert the originals 8)