Delayed Order Notification - Who cares?

[polandro]

Hi

So I got a delayed order notification having paid for nextday delivery.

I called customer service 25 min ago to see what they were going to do about it.

I spoke to David:

'I have been sent a delayed order notification, what does this mean?'

reply

'It's a notification to say your order has been delayed <chuckling>'

Wellll, yes I can see that but where was the customer service?

I asked to speak to his supervisor.

I listened to recorded messages promising great customer service if I got a managed account, etc.

He put Dawn on.

'I sit next to David,' she said

'Are you his supervisor?'

'Oh yes.'

Anyway she thought it was ok for David to be flippant after I said perhaps he should have been more professional.

She confirmed with some coaxing that my order would be 24hrs late arriving but told me that nextday delivery was from the point of dispatch and I would not get any kind of refund for its late arrival.

So, what am I moaning about?

1. David's flippant and unprofessional approach to my enquiry.
2. Dawn's attitude which was similar and fairly uncaring.
3. The fact that, having ordered the goods on Friday, paid for nextday, tried to get an earlier delivery date on the site I now have to wait another day.
4. Scan seem quite indifferent where other companies show a helpful and caring response.

What does it mean to me?

I will take the goods I have ordered because I need them as soon as possible. I definitely don't want to cancel my order. I will never buy from Scan again. I will tell as many people in the industry about their openly mocking customer service department. I will spend my company's IT budget with more professional companies.

Unless you can convince me that this is not the way Scan likes to do business.

[this_is_gav]

So, what am I moaning about?

1. David's flippant and unprofessional approach to my enquiry.

[snip]

3. The fact that, having ordered the goods on Friday, paid for nextday, tried to get an earlier delivery date on the site I now have to wait another day.
4. Scan seem quite indifferent where other companies show a helpful and caring response.

To be fair, I find dealing with customer services who have a relaxed sense of humour to be much easier. I do appreciate that is not everyone's cup of tea, and no doubt it can come across as uncaring, but to be fair to Scan it is better than outsourcing customer services to India, as many larger firms have and will.

Next day delivery, while perhaps not written clearly (not saying it's not, I've never used it, so haven't noticed) is always from the point of despatch, and it's the same with every company I've used. You get an estimated delivery date and at the point of order it clearly states estimated, but unfortunately that's about as close as you'll get. It's just a side-effect of online ordering, and I don't think Scan could be expected to improve that.

I myself have only just 10 minutes ago got off the phone to Scan - I've no idea who they were (I should have asked in hindsight), but they were very helpful and jolly, while being straight and to the point, not keeping me on the phone longer than was necessary. I never mind criticising Scan or any other company if I feel they can improve from it, but I can't fault them on this occasion - everything I could have asked from phone support.

Perhaps you just caught David while he was about to jump up and get a coffee?

[polandro]

Next day delivery, while perhaps not written clearly (not saying it's not, I've never used it, so haven't noticed) is always from the point of despatch, and it's the same with every company I've used. You get an estimated delivery date and at the point of order it clearly states estimated, but unfortunately that's about as close as you'll get. It's just a side-effect of online ordering, and I don't think Scan could be expected to improve that.

Hmmm, I had this problem with Misco the other day over a dvd writer and they immediately reduced/refunded the cost of delivery. I know it wasn't much and obviously margins are tight but it showed a willingness to deal with my grievance rather than dismiss it out of hand.

[DavidM]

polandro - I believe my colleague has spoken to you about this now?

[wesleyaldred]

polandro,

Whilst i appreciate your points the notes on our site when you are ordering are very clear.

Standard Delivery Service

We will endeavour to meet the above despatch date and we will send email confirmations to keep you updated with the progress of your order. Once your parcel has been successfully despatched, we offer a guaranteed next working day courier service.

Hope this helps.

Wesley

[BinaryBob]

I think your over reacting myself, you asked a question and got a straight answer, at least you were speaking to someone who knows what they are talking about rather than a guy in india reading instructions off a computer screen.

I've never had anything but good service from scan and will continue to go there.

Fair enough you have to wait another day than expected, but I don't see the problem with a bit of light hearted humour to break the ice...

I think it all depends on the type of person that you are, had I recieved that comment I would have laughed along with them and kicked myself for not phrasing the question better.

Each to their own

[polandro]

polandro - I believe my colleague has spoken to you about this now?

Yes she has. I'm happy that she has tried to improve the situation.

polandro,

Whilst i appreciate your points the notes on our site when you are ordering are very clear.

Standard Delivery Service

We will endeavour to meet the above despatch date and we will send email confirmations to keep you updated with the progress of your order. Once your parcel has been successfully despatched, we offer a guaranteed next working day courier service.

Hope this helps.

Wesley

Well shame you are the victims of your own success over these delays.
I can only say I've been spoiled by other companies who do try to compensate clients for missed delivery dates.

I think it all depends on the type of person that you are, had I recieved that comment I would have laughed along with them and kicked myself for not phrasing the question better.

Each to their own

OK Bob fair enough, but if I say to a customer in my business I will do something and I don't then his opinion of my company may fall and eventually it may affect its prosperity and my wages. If I am relying on a supplier to deliver on a certain date and it doesn't then even if I tell my customer that the supplier let me down it reflects on me.
This wasn't that kind of situation but the principal still applies.

[Agent]

If I am relying on a supplier to deliver on a certain date and it doesn't then even if I tell my customer that the supplier let me down it reflects on me.

Which is exactly why it is clearly an estimated dispatch date
Simple answer : Dont tell the customer dates which are not for certain. Thats a bad way of doing business.

Out of curiosity, why did you ring Scan asking what a “'delayed order notification” means ?. It is pretty self explanatory isn’t it ?

[slinger]

A great example of how you cant please everyone but one I sympathise with

If you think your treatment was bad with Scan then you want to try ordering something from Gamestation! I ordered a DS Lite and games for my neices birthday on Sat 20th and the website said in stock, got order confirmation etc etc but by last Thursday nothing had arrived, not even the despatch email. So I emailed via their online query link and had no reply by 9am the following morning so decided to try phoning. I was continuously ringing from 9 am through to 4.45pm when I eventually got to speak to someone (the phone wasn't engaged, just nobody would answer) I was informed that for a reason unknown to who I was speaking to, that the order had been delayed but promised that it had been despatched that day (Friday), "thank you" I said... end of call.
Yesterday morning, whilst "still" waiting for the DS to arrive, I received a reply to my email saying that the item would be despatched that day (Tuesday) despite being promised it had already been despatched on the Friday! My reply was polite and straight to the point, this was my first order with their company and most certainly my last!
The DS arrived later that day by luck but I base my opinions on first appearance / experiences, as I do with my business, and I won't deal with unprofessional and unreliable companies.

* edit * - I would just like to add that I have been buying from Scan for over 6 years and Ive been very happy with the service and goods I have received!

[polandro]

There are an awful lot of people unhappy about the delays, airing their views on the forum. I thought I was the only one

I can count 4 other, similar posts on the first page, can't link them as I've less than 5 posts.

Look once Scan get their act together it will all be good. In the mean time a lot of customers are being disappointed. The response I got from everyone at Scan, once they realised how I felt, was great. I did feel happier about the company. I expect the strain is affecting the Customer Service team, after all it can't be fun answering the same question time after time...

Out of curiosity, why did you ring Scan asking what a “'delayed order notification” means ?. It is pretty self explanatory isn’t it ?

Well, Duh and Mark thought that too (you're not Mark, are you)

[JohnS]

What is Preorder calls are always fun.

[dave87]

What is Preorder calls are always fun.

That reminds me of the Ronseal adverts - Does what it says on the tin

[EtheAv8r]

There are an awful lot of people unhappy about the delays, airing their views on the forum. I thought I was the only one

I can count 4 other, similar posts on the first page, can't link them as I've less than 5 posts.

Look once Scan get their act together it will all be good. In the mean time a lot of customers are being disappointed. .........


Well, Duh and Mark thought that too (you're not Mark, are you)

A little unfair - you simply generally don't get posts from the 1,000s of happy satisfied customers, (unless to respond to anothers complaint post), only from people with a grumble - that is the way it is I am afraid,

I think SCAN are generally very good.

[polandro]

A little unfair - you simply generally don't get posts from the 1,000s of happy satisfied customers, (unless to respond to anothers complaint post), only from people with a grumble - that is the way it is I am afraid,

I think SCAN are generally very good.

Well no, but why put in a presence at a dedicated forum if you don't can't deal with criticism?

Obviously the amount of posts of this type should (will) encourage the company to improve.

I admire Scan for accepting an open forum for customer response. I am sure many of us are familiar with another company that have a forum closely linked with their site that prohibits criticism of that company on the forum.

Reading your post again I am struck by the loyalty of Scan's happy customers - obviously doing something right!

[Splash]

Am I the only one suspicious of the amount of new members here that are complaining about the delays?

[Robert]

Am I the only one suspicious of the amount of new members here that are complaining about the delays?

That's really odd as I was thinking the same thing