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Adwex

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Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
379
Location
Long Island, NY
As much as a pain engineering can be, even complex machines and computers are much easier to understand than people.
 

jar546

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Joined
Oct 21, 2007
Messages
206
I think it is poor business to air dirty laundry like this, especially the inner workings and thought process of customer service. This guy may have been out of line in your opinion but this should have been dealt with internally directly with him. Who cares if he blows off steam somewhere else. It is bad business to glorify beating your chest when you think you are right when you are in business. It shows a compromise in your valuation of a customer.

Posting something like this, in my opinion is just bad business and not worth the cost of a pickup. You may have been following your SOP for customer service and been technically right but publicizing this is wrong.

You are also preaching to faithful followers getting plenty of sympathy and undersanding in a bias arena.

I would delete this thread if I were in charge for the good of the company. This seems more like an unprofessional knee-jerk reaction rather than a well thought out business move.

Just my opinion as a customer of your basses and strings.

Jeff
 

koogie2k

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Joined
Dec 28, 2002
Messages
5,859
Location
Moyock, NC
Jeff...I think you may miss the point on this. Cool post and I respect your opinion.

I think what the problem is...this person felt that he should be given "special" treatment by a sense of self entitlement. I have been around long enough to know that not all complaints, CS being cussed at, etc don't get posted.

It was more of....this is what we have to deal with...what do you (forumites) think. Big Poppa has changed some "rules" in regards of certain things and this is how he went about it. Same thing with GC and Marty posting questions.

Not only that...BP has been PM'd to death because people think that the access to him is so readily easy...they are entitled to circumventing the CS system and go straight to the top. I have access to him, but, I don't go there for that. That is what the CS folks get paid to do. He has warned, publicly, on this very forum that sending him PM's about complaints will result in being posted.

Yes, I think there is a certain bias. We are EBMM fanboys/fangirls. Is it good for business? I don't know...I don't have 1% of Big Poppa's business sense. I know he is very successful based on the team he has. When his team starts getting beat up on by an unruly customer, he is going to protect them. I would.

Just my opinion and how I see it. I could be completely off base....but...I think I am in the right ball park. ;)
 

bovinehost

Administrator
Joined
Jan 16, 2003
Messages
18,200
Location
Dall-Ass, TX
I have also made it my personal mission to share my experience with every person who considers buying one of your products.

Jeff, you're certainly entitled to your view on how things should be handled, but in the internetz age, when someone makes a statement like the one quoted above, I think it's fair to publish the details.

There are three or four popular bass forums. We all know what they are. I see an advantage in not waiting for the "aggrieved" party to begin slamming Customer Service, BP, the American flag, etc, before letting people know what really did happen.

We all know what happens when one unhappy teenager posts his horror story on Talkbass. "Ken Smith wants to kick my puppy!" And unfortunately, people are all too willing to be led by the nose and it becomes a slamfest. "The Man is keeping us down!"

The "inner workings" of customer service are hardly a secret to most of us. If you've been around a while, you already know and understand the policy of not selling parts. This is completely unclassified information. And that is really what this is about - someone getting petulant and stomping their little feet because they sold the original pickup and then changed their mind.

"I'll spread my story of abuse far and wide!" Well, okay, but then let's inform the Internet Bass Crowd of the reality. Again, you can disagree, but it's not your call, nor is it mine.

You are also preaching to faithful followers getting plenty of sympathy and undersanding in a bias arena.

Sure, although sympathy is hardly necessary. It's more of a cautionary tale, isn't it? And the faithful followers sometimes take it upon themselves to correct bad information elsewhere, if possible. Even I do that occasionally. It's good to be armed with the facts.

If the guy in the cautionary tale had been straight-up and realized that he didn't have a God-given right to DEMAND SATISFACTION, things might have been different. Who knows? But to then say, in effect, "I'm going to smear this company's name wherever I can"? Nah, don't try to nudge that door open a little bit and then not expect that BP won't kick the sumbitch all the way open.

Jack
 

Big Poppa

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Feb 9, 2005
Messages
18,598
Location
Coachella & SLO, California
JEff

Respect your opinion. Emily Post has yet to write he rules for the new era of instant media.

Where does it say that I disrespect the customer. From my vantage point the internet is about open exchange of ideas and positions. I think that it should go both ways. You dont and that is the great benefit of this forum.

I dont think there is a shield just because you are a customer. I find it interesting that you are now self appointing yourself the censor and moderator and asking us to close the thread. Why? Because you dont agree? I think that everybody should have an opinion as long as it isnt personal.

If the response was against us we would have learned something. Period.

I say all of the above with the utmost respect for your perspective and hope you understand our position. You may disagree with me and my involvement may cost me some customers but I cannot participate in a honest and credible manner here and not be straightforward.
Most companies choose to avoid the customer and let their politically correct media and ad guys be the face. I am not that smart.
 

jar546

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 21, 2007
Messages
206
I am a little more understanding after the above posts in reply to me.

The day and age of the internet and media makes for very interesting decision making on the part of businesses. I actually share a similar situation with people being able to post on a forum that I sponsor and luckily I have not had any problems but have wondered what I would do in such a case.

I would think that these things just sort of go away and the threads become buried and archived.

Just keep providing great customer service and continue to make a high quality product and little thorns in the side like this guy will lose their relevance.


As far as my opinion of having the thread deleted,..............it is my opinion and I know I am not a moderator, just offering an opinion. I think it would be best.
 

jar546

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 21, 2007
Messages
206
One more thing. I had no idea this was going on until your post bringing this to my attention and the attention of many others who probably had no idea it was going on.

In the mean time, I will continue to play my kick ass SR5HH and enjoy your great products.

Thanks,

Jeff
 

Big Poppa

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Joined
Feb 9, 2005
Messages
18,598
Location
Coachella & SLO, California
thanks Jeff.....The real deal is that maybe people will think twice before telling a one sided story laced with inaccuracies if they knew the company would tell their side too.....

the more posts the longer a thread lasts!
 

Russel

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Messages
452
Location
MS
Most companies choose to avoid the customer and let their politically correct media and ad guys be the face. I am not that smart.


I personally find BP's straightforwardness and honesty to be very refreshing.
Whether or not there is intelligence involved doesn't matter to me; It's brilliant for somebody like BP to interact with his customers-I mean, he took the time to respect opinions and actually respond. like, PERSONALLY respond. Pretty much the coolest thing ever.

As far as I know, EB is the only company like this. F*nder sure doesn't do that!

as for the post.....*shrugs*
 

AnthonyD

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 23, 2005
Messages
3,683
Location
New Jersey
...The real deal is that maybe people will think twice before telling a one sided story laced with inaccuracies if they knew the company would tell their side too...

Bingo!


Ain't nothing wrong with providing the other side - one of the reasons I appreciate and frequent this place is to get my info "straight from the horses mouth"... ;)
 
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