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[Tug Man]

Do other people received replies from either Andy or Steve? I have written each of them in e mail and over two weeks later I haven't heard a thing from them. I just wondered if they were on holiday or plainly not answering their e mails.

Don

[tigertiger]

This is a general comment, not related to Scoonies

Unfortunatley, if you run a small business, the customer in front of you is urgent, the telephone is urgent, if you get time the tax man's bit and paperwork are urgent.

Emails - well they don't ring, shout, or land on your door mat remindng you.

I know emails are important, but some people resond more to a phone call.

[DavieTait]

I think they've been having computer problems , they were pretty busy last month when I was in so the best thing is to phone them in the morning during the week when they will be less busy than normal.

[Tug Man]

I do now understand everything else comes before e mails. Phone calls from this side of the Atlantic cost a bit more than I would like. It is just so much easier to do these things over the net. Thanks for the replies, now I understand the problem.

Don

[MTB]

Unfortunatley, if you run a small business, the customer in front of you is urgent, the telephone is urgent, if you get time the tax man's bit and paperwork are urgent.

Emails - well they don't ring, shout, or land on your door mat remindng you.

I know emails are important, but some people resond more to a phone call.

I think that's a bit of a lame answer and is used all too often. If you decide to have "instant" communication facilities in your business to encourage more and better information exchange with customers you should give it the priority as any other means. Just leaving unseen customers is bit like putting someone on hold on the telephone. (bloody annoying and a waste of everyones times)
IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT THE TIME OR CAN'T BE BOTHERED DON'T TRICK PEOPLE INTO CONTACT WITH YOU IN THE HOPE YOU CAN GET SOME MONEY OUT OF THEM AS AND WHEN IT SUITS YOU.

Phew! I feel better after that.   Something thats been bugging me for ages (as you can see).

Roy

[bigH]

   Now, now, Roy    cool head old chum, you'll give yourself a coronary... bigH

[Arrow5]

Dont forget that Andy and crew take time to attend as many model shows and regattas as possible, including long forays south to foriegn parts, England for example. A fair trot with a van load of items for modellers. Travel time and rest must be considered too. 

[Captain Anonymous]

Just seen them at the Southport lifeboat show,

[Colin Bishop]

Roy is still right though. If you give a contact email then you must be prepared to service it. If you are too busy to do so then don't quote one. Not answering emails is the same as leaving your post on the mat or ignoring the phone. It's unprofessional and gives a very bad impression.

[DickyD]

It upsets prospective customers who then spread the word about bad service.

[BobF]

I sent an item for repair with payment. (not to Scoonies) Six weeks later I had heard nothing and my cheque had not been cashed, so I sent an email to ask if my equipment had been received or lost in the mail, but no responce to my email.
Two weeks later I phoned them to enquire as to what was happening. After a while the phone was answered, and I explained the problem. Hang on a minute please was the responce, after about a minute I was informed that the item had been repaired but as they were very busy, they had not had time to post it back yet. Not much point repairing it, if it then just sites on a shelf. But I have been assured that the item will be posted back to me withought delay.
It is a shame when these small businesses become a victim of their own success. Was it Hunter Systems that failed due to this I seem to remember.

Bob

[Bunkerbarge]

I think I have to point out a couple of things here.  One is that I have had exceptional service from the lads at Scoonies over the years and they have always gone above and beyond what I would have expected of them.  They are one of the few outfits nowadays that actually put a lot of time into customer service and spend time on the phone trying to help you with a challenge. 

If this is at the expense of them spending time answering e-mails I think time on the phone is more valuable.

Let us also bear in mind that the internet is not perfect and messages do sometimes go astray in both directions.  Lets do the basics first such as check the address etc, then I would start by sending them another e-mail and if that fails give them a ring.  I am sure you will find them apologetic and just as helpfull as always.

[PSSHIPS]

Well said Bunky, most of us small traders do our best, but, there are some out there that don't. "The loonies feh Schoonies" are normally very good and as you say emails do get lost, I have had a few go missing myself lately.
 Paul...

[Colin Bishop]

Just a few points...

1. In my experience use of emails is a "people" thing. Some have no problems with them, others find them a bit of a technological no no and are inclined to ignore them. Sometimes this is because they are not altogether comfortable with the written word and prefer the phone instead. OK, fine - but don't then offer email as a means of getting in touch.

2. Yes, emails do sometimes go astray and may become victims of spam filters but I still think this tends to be an excuse rather than a reason in the majority of cases.

3. If you are deaf like I am then emails can be a life saver. I have problems with using the phone but none with emails. Some of us have disabilities and while I don't particularly want speciial treatment, an even handed approach to methods of communication offers practical alternatives. You can imagine how I feel about call centres... ::)

I remember attending a business seminar once where a guy from BT was extolling all the services you would be able to obtain just by picking up the phone. It simply had never entered his head that a significant proportion of the population are hearing impaired and would never be able to sign up to his brave new world.

The bottom line is that firms are in business to make money and to be successful they need to respond to actual and potential customers. If that means getting auntie Edna to field email enquireis while the principals are engaged elsewhere then that's what you need to do. So let's stop trying to make excuses and actually address the problem to everyone's benefit.

[PSSHIPS]

Mr Bishop, there is one way of proving what is being suggested in your post, ask how many others have been ignored so to speak by any company anywhere and see what response you get?

 A one off, is not an excuse to slate anyone, but, if it is more than a one off and happens alot by the same company, this should ring warning bells.
 Paul...

[Colin Bishop]

Quite right Paul. If it happens occasionally then that's life but if it happens a lot....

[Tug Man]

Hi Bunkerbarge,
I wasn't trying to be negative when I started this thread. I was just curious if my experiences were common at this shop. The e mail address I used came from their web site. There is a link that says contact us You click it and get two choices of e mail addresses. I have used each of those and have not received a reply. The first e mail was sent off the 29th of May and the second the 12 of June. Either my question was of no importance to them or they have not checked their e mail yet.
 In my thinking any customer that uses a link to contact a shop, any shop that posts a e mail link should be answered. I doubt any shop is so busy from opening time to closing time that they can't give a reply during those hours. How long does it take to reply to an e mail?
 As I said I didn't start this to create a stir. I do not have an axe to grind with Scoonie. I was hoping to be a customer of theirs now that seems unlikely. I could phone them at a very high cost but why should I have to resort to that when they offer an e mail link?
 I guess all this goes to show that Bill Gate's computer world is not complete yet.
 I thank you all for your replies.

Don

I think I have to point out a couple of things here.  One is that I have had exceptional service from the lads at Scoonies over the years and they have always gone above and beyond what I would have expected of them.  They are one of the few outfits nowadays that actually put a lot of time into customer service and spend time on the phone trying to help you with a challenge. 

If this is at the expense of them spending time answering e-mails I think time on the phone is more valuable.

Let us also bear in mind that the internet is not perfect and messages do sometimes go astray in both directions.  Lets do the basics first such as check the address etc, then I would start by sending them another e-mail and if that fails give them a ring.  I am sure you will find them apologetic and just as helpfull as always.

[John W E]

Hi all

As the man says, there are always 2 sides to a coin.   Ive never been a great lover of emails - I prefer either snail mail or the telephone to speak to someone.   This was proven to me, not to long ago, when I originally telephoned a Company who produce speed controllers - asking if they would donate a prize.  On the phone they agreed and the arrangement was that an email be sent by the person wishing to receive the donation with their address.  This would confirm it wasnt a fluke.  This was done.

To cut a long story short, I ended up ringing the said Company (you may have read that on another post).  I asked them if they had received numerous emails from myself and the other party and the person on the other end of the phone - said 'Hold on, I will check' and, in the course of conversation he said 'I havent checked my emails for 3 weeks' - well that says it all.    In amongst his emails, I believe, were requests for new orders,repairs etc., - well that definitely says it.

I am a firm believer that if you speak to a person (if you are able to) you can assess the situation if they are fobbing you off or are genunine.    I cant comment on Scoonies, but, what I can say, I know several friends who have used this company and they speak highly of them, so, what I would suggest is (even though it may be an expensive call) try phoning them and see if you get a response.

I know there are a lot of Companies who do answer phone messages before they answer an email.

Hope you are sorted soon and no doubt the grapevine will inform Scoonies like they did with the speed controller company that I was dealing with. & speed them along.

aye
john e
bluebird

[MTB]

  Now, now, Roy    cool head old chum, you'll give yourself a coronary... bigH

Quite right BigH, just had to get it off my chest. But am glad so many seem to agree, I was expecting more of a slapping.
Personally I try to attend to my emails every day at least 3 times.
Roy

[BeenThereDoneThat]

For the record Scoonies were not at Southport Lifeboat do today, and as far as I can recolate have not been there in the past.

I have found them to be a very useful trader in the past, but I must admit it was face to face at shows.

[Bunkerbarge]

Colin,  I know what you are saying and I understand your point but I do sometimes feel that there are guys out there who have not yet got thier heads around the internet and they have been persuaded by a Web Designer that they have to provide e-mail contacts when they maybe are not able to deal with it very effectively.

I know specifically of two other small traders who have e-mail contacts but who do not answer because they don't actually know how. 

I agree totally with you that they should not provide such contact if they are not going to answer the messages but just think of the other side of the coin.  One of the traders I mentioned is trying to keep a business going after the recent death of her husband.  She doesn't like e-mails and does not get around to answering them.  I agree she shouldn't bother supplying one but if we all gave her a hard time about it she may well give up completely and we will have lost another model boat kit supplier.

[Colin Bishop]

Bunkerbarge, I appreciate what you say but potential customers cannot be expected to be aware of the personal circumstances relating to small traders. They will judge the firm on the response (or lack of response) they get. If I don't get an email response, and I'm not talking just modelling here, then I take my business elsewhere. Email is taking over from "snail mail" and those who don't recognise that will suffer accordingly. Whether it is fair or not is irrelevant. In the last week or so I have ordered stuff over the Web from Westbourne Models, Deans Marine and Action Electronics (aka FLJ). All orders have been fulfilled accurately and without delay and so I will be very happy to deal with any of them again.

Basic computer literacy is now essential for traders and those who ignore that risk going to the wall. That's just the way it is.

Cheers,  Colin.

[PSSHIPS]

There is a bit of a consensus going on in the UK trade at the moment.
 It is to do with "the want it now" society and also the freedom people get to moan and groan on foums such as this, I know of a few who are seriously thinking of rapping their hands in because they just can't win with some people, or their stuff gets ripped off. I must say that I am not one of these thinking of this, but, our stuff has been and is being ripped off.
 Customer service I pride myself on and I know many others do.

 If an email gets overlooked it could well be that the sender of the email has got one very strange email address, I got one from a guy a few weeks ago, the address read "RED ALERT TROJAN"
 Now who in their right mind would even think about opening such an email especially when the subject line was a question mark?

 I would stress here, that moaning in open forum without resolving a matter first and giving it a fair chance is only damaging the UK trade and yourselves.

 I fear if this continues, you will all be buying cheap Chinese toys or building balsa wood punts in the end.

 My two P worth.
 Paul...

 

[Colin Bishop]

Paul, but surely most genuine customers will have respectable looking addresses? And they won't be accompanied by an attachment which is what usually causes the damage if the email is a spammer or worse.

I appreciate that email addresses in the "public domain" can attract spam and I get this myself from posting an email address for dealing with the Mayhem Trader Directory but it is usually simple enough to distinguish the genuine ones from the viagra adverts. Some genuine ones might fall by the wayside but most of them should get through.

[PSSHIPS]

Well thankyou Colin, you have just said it yourself, "some genuine ones may fall by the wayside"

 They do, it is life, but, you should see some of the emails we get, in some cases, they are just laughable, but, I do try and give a sensible/ reasonable reply when I get these types.

 The thing is, these days people are too quick to assume the worst, but, having a go at respected companies over what may be a minor problem in open forum is out of order!

 So please think on!

 Paul...