Need Forumites Help>>new Policy

[Big Poppa]

Hey Kids

In our never ending quest of providing endless customer service for customers that are rabid in their support........... we have hit the wall.

Our team is getting killed both domestically and internationally with emails and pm's and phone calls regarding status of an instrument. Many of you valued customers contact us 5-10 times during the manufacturing process wanting updates and personal communication....... After that 5-10 blast you are wanting email confirmation of exact shipping information.We just dont have the staff to handle all of it especially the ones where two weeks after the order placed there is a email wanting to know status...

WE will answer any questions about an instrument after it is in the pipeline for 4 months but not before. We also cannot supply email confirmation of shipping on an individual basis. You may contact the dealer as that is part of his or her job.

I hope you guys understand....there just isnt enough hours in the day to provide the level of information being requested

 

[adouglas]

Loud and clear, Boss.

You have the patience of a saint to put up with stuff like that in the first place.

A small suggestion that might drive annoying requests down still further: many of us like to know the DOB of our instruments, and there are many posts on the forum asking for this info.

Seems as if it'd be a simple matter to make that part of what appears on the invoice....

 

[ptg]

I may be a newbie, but it sounds absolutely fair to me

 

[WillPlay4Food]

Maybe barcoding of some sort with automated emails to the dealer on instrument status and the dealer could be point on this information to the buyer?

Obviously I don't know how you manage WIP, but you've said before no piece of wood gets cut without an order, so if you know who placed the order and what piece of wood belongs to each order, then maybe some kind of automated email blast could be built?

Get this information to the dealers and end all the inquiries, not just anything prior to 4 months after order.

 

[Jazzbassman23]

How about this? Every email sent will delay delivery one month.

Or, more realistically, just have the dealers state that delivery time will be 6-9 months, and then when the buyer receives the instrument sooner, everybody wins.

Only problem with the DOB suggestion is that most people asking this information probably bought their EBMM instrument second hand. I mean, I received the Bongo I ordered in June of 04. That's close enough for me; I don't need the exact day.

 

[Big Poppa]

The problem with the bar code blast is that if there is a problem that doesnt end up delaying the instrument then we get emails for that.

How about everybody knows the instrument is going to take -6 months....It isnt really productive to start asking about it after 2 weeks or months....

 

[58super]

I've always been impressed with Beth and Kevin's responses and overall EBMM customer service.

No questions answered until four months have passed after the ordering date is a fair and reasonable policy.

 

[WillPlay4Food]

I was just throwing out an idea. Like you said, it's up to the dealer to provide this information to the buyer. The dealer should be the direct contact for this information, not the manufacturer (you).

It may be easier to have your CS staff refer people who call for this info to their dealer (you still answer the phone, but you don't spend time researching where an instrument is in the pipeline). Then set up some kind of new policy with your dealers on when and how often they can contact you for this information

 

[hankSRay]

these guys who call up asking about the status of their bass/guitar have to realize that in order to supress the anticipation you have to buy more basses/guitars during the wait. Its really just that simple

 

[mammoth]

+1 hank!

its just the excitement bringing out the worst in some kids!

chill.. go for a beer.. act like its a superhot mama you're playing it cool with, don't keep calling her man!

 

[Dr Stankface]

A+ idea boss. I didn't squirm about mine until the last minute.

Patience will kill noone.

 

[RitchieDarling]

I just tell my local shop to call me when it arrives......

Don't bug the BP!

Ritchie

 

[Psycho Ward]

Crap! I was just to call and ask about mine!


Just kidding!

I never thought people would do this, I've always looked at it that if you call the factory and bug them it would slow down the process, hell I don't want my dealer bugging them all the time either. Sure after 6 months a heads up would be nice, but my God great instruments take time!

Plus already owning several Balls and having a couple on order helps pass the time.

 

[koogie2k]

My dealings with Bassplayr has always been good. He tells me where the instrument is at as he gets the information. I don't call or ask CS....they have enough on their plate. Pete is good about informing the board when things are due to arrive at his shop.

 

[slucas]

It isnt really productive to start asking about it after 2 weeks or months....

I wouldn't be surprised if forumites are sometimes the worst offenders either (people with Balls to play with already). The '07LE I have on order is a first for me (I have always bought dealer stock in the past). I will likely call my dealer when the big day gets near but I like most of us have Balls already we can spend time with. Time spent improving our playing (focus on skill not an instrument) will make the wait seem shorter. A new bass is great but it doesn't make us any better players, but we can become better players til it arrives. Then you are haappy when you get your new bass and your new bass is happy when it gets you

 

[lumberjack]

Poppa,

I'm going to play Devils Advocate for just one comment. Is it a problem that takes place at the dealer level. Do some dealers tell potential customers that the backlog is much less then the six months to try to save a sale. And if the customer is told that it's only going to be 1 or 2 months, they end up emailing Beth and Kevin after that time has passed.

If it's folks on the forums that are emailing and sending pm's then there is no excuse. Cause there is plenty of talk on the forums about how long the wait is.

Scott

 

[ernie1966]

I'm sorry, I just don't get some people. Who in their right mind calls up EBMM to ask a status of their guitar? No one orders directly from EBMM, the dealer does, so all questions should be directed to your dealer. I have ordered alot Pets, never once have I called my dealer (Pete Dubaldo) about a ststus of one of them. In fact, Pete calls me every once in awhile with a status (which he gets from EBMM every once in awhile in the course of doing business) and I tell him not to worry about giving me updates, when it' done, it's done.

This problem, like others in the past, stems from one thing: Forum members think that because of the super-friendly atmosphere here, where BP and the crew are so accessible, that they can make requests that you would only make on close friends or family members. While BP and crew are cool and nice and very helpful, they have a business to run, bottom line. Unless there is a real problem, everyone should leave them to run it as smoothly as possible.

 

[Fuzzy Dustmite]

as far as DOB goes, when you get the box from the factory, it's right on the label, along with the build code etc..

 

[lumberjack]

as far as DOB goes, when you get the box from the factory, it's right on the label, along with the build code etc..

Unfortunately, most dealers don't keep the boxes around long enough to check the DOB. Even for guitars that I have ordered or put a down payment on. I think as soon as it arrives, the dealer takes them out of the shipping box and puts the guitar aside. I've never picked up a guitar that was still in the box.

 

[58super]

Unfortunately, most dealers don't keep the boxes around long enough to check the DOB. Even for guitars that I have ordered or put a down payment on. I think as soon as it arrives, the dealer takes them out of the shipping box and puts the guitar aside. I've never picked up a guitar that was still in the box.

I've only seen the original shipping box once and that was because I happened to be at the store the day the bass arrived and the dealer hadn't had a chance to unpack the instrument.