Contacting companies via the internet.

[Highpower]

[rant on]
Why is it... that so many companies set up web sites with "contact us" forms, and email links - only to ignore them??? :huh:

I have sent requests to a number of companies asking for information about the availability and prices of items/parts etc., and I very rarely get a response.
Especially if it has to do with a return / refund / warranty etc.

You search a web site and find an item you actually want to purchase, but you never hear back from them!
Why bother putting up the page at all if they only going to do is abandon using it?
[rant off]

And no - I don't like using the phone, sitting on hold for hours on end when I'm paying for long distance by the minute.

 

[Highpower]

I agree. I have sent several emails that have originated from their own web site, never to receive a response. A lot of the time my enquiry is about how to purchase their product. Most recent example was trying to order new jaws for Rohm chuck. No answer! Oh well, no sale either!

Exactly! It's as if they don't want to make any sales.
I don't understand it.... :headscratch:

And it's really bad with specialty items. The ones that nobody else makes, and they have the market cornered. They have no competition.
So why ignore potential customers?

 

[Tony Wells]

Not a valid excuse, but I believe it may be related to downsized staff. Remember, all those email boxes are automated, and it takes a real, live person to check them to begin with, and then do something about them. Seems doubtful that the same person who is opening them originally is sales,CRS, etc., but must pass it off to the right department. Considering the high quality help that is often put into those position, miss-routing seems likely in a certain percentage. I personally haven't too many problems about this, but I do deal locally whenever I can, either face to face, or the phone at least.

 

[4R8]

It was mentioned in the original post but I've found much better results if you use industry terms.
Simply sending an email asking how much is ***** and how much to send it to ***** works on ebay because that's what is expected (or dealt with everyday).

Asking questions / using terms like "price and avaiability on *****", "what are your current lead times" and finishing with "looking forward to your reply, (enter full name here and company name if applicable)".
If you're enquiring about multiple products, list them in the email in a manner which represents a quote, not in a sentence.
ie:

1 four inch independent four jaw chuck
6 four inch pieces of half inch high speed steel
3 AXA three quarter inch boring bar tool holders

It's easier and quicker for them to read then:
1 four inch independant four jaw chuck, 6 four inch pieces of half inch high speed steel, 3 AXA three quarter inch boring bar tool holders

(Now obviously I've exaggerated in the example expanding the names, ie: three quarter in place of 3/4, but it shows how much easier and quicker the first example is to read and quote.)

I have much more success in gaining information when questions are given in this manner.

Give it a shot,

Jason

 

[Highpower]

Yes, all good points. I do have a "business" name that I have been using for quite some time. Most helpful when setting up accounts with UPS, FedEx, Grainger McMaster, Fastenal ect. I also try to use the proper nomenclature and terms, as well as being as specific as I possibly can.

I know some places are lacking the personnel to handle it all - especially the "one man" shows! And I understand being too busy to reply at any one point in time, but is it too much to ask to check once a week at least? Places that advertise their goods or services on the web and then don't respond at all just make me want to :banghead:

Hey, if you are sold out, or the item is discontinued - at least have the common courtesy to tell me that!
And then remove it from your ^$!&%#&!%$@# web site!!!

 

[hq308]

I'm having a similar issue to that as we speak, the company I bought my mill from doesn't have an actual store front and does all their business online. Previously when I've sent sales related enquiries I have no problems getting a response in a day or two but in this instance I sent a WARRANTY enquiry and 4 days later I still haven't had a reply. :banghead:

 

[4R8]

all too common. I've only just returned home and haven't had a chance to get new belts for the lathe. The Ebay mob I bought it from answer instantly about other products but no reply when it comes to support.

You guys will probably like this one (the latest, this thread actually spawned my latest email)

Even when I simply asked about a supplier and don't expect warranty on a consumable part, no reply,
resend, nothing.
Use sarcasm on how great their support is, nothing,
resend and bring to their attention an answered question on another product which was asked through the link of the lathe, nothing.
Abuse them (more like speak my mind on how pathetic their customer service is),
they get offended and ban me from their store:shrugs:

I was going to give them belt lengths and part number so they could sell them. The lathes come with a belt that is way too tight and doesn't allow any adjustment, this pretty much guarantees every one of these machines sold is going to have belt problems with only 10hrs or so of use.

 

[Highpower]

Google "link belts". :thumbzup:

(One of) my current saga's, while not Internet related - is dealing with a physical therapy company. I spent a number of months going to treatments twice a week for a shoulder problem. One of the reasons I installed a power drawbar on my mill. (Machining related content.) lol.

My health insurance requires that I pay a $20 co-pay for each visit. The PT office requires that I pay that $20 the very moment I set foot in the door. No money - no treatment. Fine. I pay in cash for every visit, up front. A couple of months go by and I discover that I had met my maximum "out-of-pocket" limit weeks ago for the year, so I should NOT have to pay any more out-of pocket expenses for this therapy. Of course the PT office did not bother to inform me of this little bit of information.

Needless to say I have been getting the run-around for the last 3 months, trying to get my money back from them.
"We have to request a refund from the corporate headquarters." (Yeah, right...)
"You should have your check sometime next week" (Yeah, right..)
"Oh yes, I put your check in the outgoing mail last night." (Phone call to the PT office manager.)

What the ****???? You said the "corporate headquarters" had to issue the refund! :banghead:
Oh yeah - mailman was just here. No check. Go figure.

 

[Max_Power]

I know what you mean Willie, I'm amazed every day by stuff like this and it angers me even more because there are so many Americans who would love to have a job taking care of customers, and so many comanies who pull crap like this and then blame someone else that "we just can't make it in this economy"!

I was recently dealing with a certain tool supplier who uses the name of a giant bear, and having trouble with a product asked if there was any way they could check one before they sent it out to me to make sure it wasn't broken like the first 2. They said "we have no way to check it" (no eyes?) ...Two minutes later in the conversation I asked why they couldn't send me a new part after giving them a tracking# for the one I would send off, AND a CC# in case they though I was gonna "steal" the defective one? The answer was that they needed to "get the old one back and "thoroughly test it and make sure it was in fact defective" They of course just got rude when I asked them if they could "thoroughly test one" before they sent it out for me.

Today had a big name $100 flashlight manufacturer (whose flashlight lasted less than 2 hours and I have spent 2 months repairing it myself with parts sent to me) After telling me I could drop it at their closest retailer to send in changed their mind and is making me have it shipped back to me (was a drive into town to drop it off), and they are sending me a RMA and I'm supposed to hang around the house for the next 72 hrs to give it to the UPS guy!!! I checked the UPS rates and they could have saved half the shipping if they would have issued the call tag to the retailer!! I'd say rant over, But with customer service the way it is today I'm sure its just a pause.......Todd

 

[Tenn]

Mayhem on reply #13 -- Yea and Amen !!! Sometimes we need reminded to give credit where credit is do.

I try to make it a point to compliment good service and I get P O'd at poor service as much as anybody.

I've had similar treatment from Enco. Emailed them that my 3 Jaw chuck was way out when I installed the outside jaws and the poor quality of the chuck but was mostly wanting to know if they could grind it true ? Their reply ? No they just sold the tools and couldn't grind them in and didn't have anyone to do that service so they sent me a brand spanking new "Bison" 3 Jaw chuck. Was I impressed ?! You better believe it and I told them about it too !! From the time of my first email until the followup reply that the chuck had been shipped was a grand total of 2 hours. Is that service or what ?!?!? :tiphat: :thumbzup: :tiphat: