Suggestion to SpyderLover Vendors

[Cruzr Joe]

This is just my point of view, but i bet that many others on here will agree with me.


SHIP OUR ORDERS IMMEDIATELY.

Don't wait till two or three days after we order an item to ship it.

I have been to Spyderpops shop and watched him with orders, as soon as he gets the order he gathers it together and he ships it the same day if it is before 1:00 P.M., if the order comes in after 1:00 P.M. it ships the very next day.

Your business depends on happy customers, we are happy when we get our orders in a reasonable time.

END OF MY RANT, Thank You

Cruzr Joe

[Chupaca]

:agree: most companies with good customer relations ship within the next 24 hours...:thumbup:

[samewok]

I agree totally.

[arntufun]

Some Spyder Vendors probably have/need real jobs ......... Please understand sales of Spyder farkles isn't enough to support a family on it's own.. I know a few vendors that have great products but can't afford the price of admission to advertise here. Please cut the ones who can afford a spot here a little slack, because most likely they are selling to many different motorcycle brands. Not everyone has the luxury to be sitting next to their computer waiting for an order to come in. :thumbup:

[JerryB]

Hi Cruzr Joe,

Re: SHIP OUR ORDERS IMMEDIATELY.

I will assume you have never been self-employed or the owner of a small business. If I am wrong on this, I apologize.

I design & make products for a small, special-interest market. It is usually not financially possible to have the finished goods in stock; if for no other reason than you simply do not know if you will ever get another order. It is tough enough ( and expensive also ) just to keep the raw materials in stock.

At times I stock well over $2,000 of raw materials for products that wholesale for about $80; and often, ~$4.000 in raw materials.

And Spyder owners are a smaller market than that which I supply to.

And for every buck that you make, the gov't. gets about 50%.

Do you tell your neighbor how he should take care of his lawn? ( sorry, I could not resist ) ;)

Jerry Baumchen

[pitzerwm]

IMO if you are going to be in business, small or otherwise, be professional. If you have a delay in shipping, due to outside issues, let the customer know. If you need time to get it together and ship, then put that on your web site, so the customer understands. IMO if you have another life and just can't drop that to provide professional service, then get out. IMO when you "open those doors and say that you are in business and a profession" then be a professional. If you are just running a hobby/business then state it up front so your customer can buy or go somewhere else.

I have bought from 2 advertising vendors here and I emailed one with a product question (a week + ago) and nothing. The other, the product's instructions and reality didn't match. First phone call/leave a message, not returned. 2nd phone call/message not returned within 24 hours. So will try again tomorrow.

Being self employed isn't a 9 to 5 job. If you don't want to do what is necessary to provide customer service, forget being successful. Yes you might "get along" but having happy customers that recommend you, don't count on it.

[Cruzr Joe]

IMO if you are going to be in business, small or otherwise, be professional. If you have a delay in shipping, due to outside issues, let the customer know. If you need time to get it together and ship, then put that on your web site, so the customer understands. IMO if you have another life and just can't drop that to provide professional service, then get out. IMO when you "open those doors and say that you are in business and a profession" then be a professional. If you are just running a hobby/business then state it up front so your customer can buy or go somewhere else.

I have bought from 2 advertising vendors here and I emailed one with a product question (a week + ago) and nothing. The other, the product's instructions and reality didn't match. First phone call/leave a message, not returned. 2nd phone call/message not returned within 24 hours. So will try again tomorrow.

Being self employed isn't a 9 to 5 job. If you don't want to do what is necessary to provide customer service, forget being successful. Yes you might "get along" but having happy customers that recommend you, don't count on it.


:agree:, If you don't stock what you sell, then make that clear to your customers.

Cruzr Joe

[Cruzr Joe]

Hi Cruzr Joe,

Re: SHIP OUR ORDERS IMMEDIATELY.

I will assume you have never been self-employed or the owner of a small business. If I am wrong on this, I apologize.

I design & make products for a small, special-interest market. It is usually not financially possible to have the finished goods in stock; if for no other reason than you simply do not know if you will ever get another order. It is tough enough ( and expensive also ) just to keep the raw materials in stock.

At times I stock well over $2,000 of raw materials for products that wholesale for about $80; and often, ~$4.000 in raw materials.

And Spyder owners are a smaller market than that which I supply to.

And for every buck that you make, the gov't. gets about 50%.

Do you tell your neighbor how he should take care of his lawn? ( sorry, I could not resist ) ;)

Jerry Baumchen


Apology accepted, I am currently retired, was in a small business for myself for a short time many years ago, quit because my boss was to demanding (yes i meant ME).

This thread is meant especially for those that claim to have a business but need feedback from customers to help them make their business more successful.

And if you are confident in your product, keep a small amount in stock for your customers.

I am not a customer in regards to my neighbors lawn and he does not financially rely on me to maintain his lawn, so i don't understand that remark. :dontknow::dontknow:

Also you might take note that this thread was simply a suggestion to vendors as to how to make customers happy.

Cruzr Joe

[robmorg]

Joe, that long explanation wasn't necessary. You should have just said....

Shut up! ...I keel you! ;)

[Cruzr Joe]

Joe, that long explanation wasn't necessary. You should have just said....

Shut up! ...I keel you! ;)


99853 Silence .................Infidel. :roflblack::roflblack::roflblack::roflblack:


Cruzr Joe

[Empty Pockets]

:agree: Well put Joe. Unfortunately what I call LAZY customer service is more common these days.

[Cruzr Joe]

:agree: Well put Joe. Unfortunately what I call LAZY customer service is more common these days.


Good point, that too is a real problem, especially when you have an employee that is not concerned about the future of you or your company.

Cruzr Joe

[Oldmanzues]

I can understand a delay in shipping a order, but when a vendor says it is in stock (90) and bills your credit card, then two days later says, oh by the way, I am out of stock and should ship in a couple weeks. That is wrong.Did not credit account until shipped I put the order on hold, please notify me when in stock. the money was refunded to my account, but I never heard from the vendor again
Put on the web site, normallly ships in ??? days. Most people understand that. If it is something they want/need right away, they can make other plans.
Just my opinion
Oldmanzues
I did run my own business at one time, but retired

[sealfloorboards]

On my website FAQ I say that you can expect your Floorboards within 2 to 3 wks. I have never had a customer wait that long, that is just a worst case scenario in case one of MY vendors has a melt down. I generally ship the day after the order comes in. I do stock everything, but "stuff" can happen. I know my track record is great, but understand not everything is in your vendors control. I once had my vinyl floor mat company delay shipping because his supplier was on strike. It happens! Order by Dec. 18th and you should have it by Christmas (assuming Fedex is on the ball). My stock is good, so order now and.........

Ride in comffort,
John
Seal Floorboards

[cognaccruiser]

My only experience has been with BajaRon and his swaybar.

That was shipped immediately and received extremely fast.

Perhaps if vendors just told folks when they would ship and then do it as they have said. If there is a problem and a delay, I feel the vendor is responsible to advise the customer of the delay and the new time.

I always found that my clients appreciated me keeping them in the loop rather than them having to come looking for info.

Gary

[Cruzr Joe]

My only experience has been with BajaRon and his swaybar.

That was shipped immediately and received extremely fast.

Perhaps if vendors just told folks when they would ship and then do it as they have said. If there is a problem and a delay, I feel the vendor is responsible to advise the customer of the delay and the new time.

I always found that my clients appreciated me keeping them in the loop rather than them having to come looking for info.

Gary



:agree:

Cruzr Joe

[robmorg]

:agree:. Yep. I agree with both your statements, Gary. First, BajaRon's services is outstanding, and secondly, all that is necessary is for a vendor to inform the customer when to expect delivery , and then keep customer advised as to any delays. That should satisfy the needs of both the vendor and the customer.

[jthornton]

Selling stuff your out of is just wrong when you indicate you have it. My store will not allow you to order if I'm out of stock. All I have to do is keep my inventory correct LOL.

One problem for vendors is once you hand your nicely packaged up goodie to the shipper it is out of your hand. I've seen packages go to the wrong coast first and delay the receipt of the goodies by days and sometimes they just don't make the delivery on time. Weird thing is I get 2 day service to Florida and it takes 3 days to make it from swamp east Missouri to north west Arkansas. I can drive there in 3 hours!

I do try to answer every e-mail but as I get older sometimes I forget... what were we talking about? And that is frustrating to say to yourself "go do this and check that then answer that e-mail" only to find out days later you forgot to do it.

JT

[Motorcycledave]

Hi Everybody...
I am very anal about customer service.... I once took a doctor to small claims court for
me sitting in the waiting room for 4 hours then told to come back in 2 hours only to sit
there for 2 more hours... that day cost me an entire days pay. " I won"
That said, with me almost every time when you call me to order I am making out the shipping
label right then, and the order is sent out the same day. That is how I want my stuff to be handled
so that is the way I handle your stuff.... If there is going to be a delay like when the 20S SENA
units were announced I will keep you informed...
I hate bad customer service to... It has been my experience that every vendor here on the Spyder Forum
has your best interests in mind and do their best to get you your order out fast.
Ride Safe
Dave

[jthornton]

That said, with me almost every time when you call me to order I am making out the shipping
label right then, and the order is sent out the same day.

That's no lie, I ordered some stuff from Dave and called back a few minutes later and he said it is already shipped! I don't know how he does it.

JT

[2Paw]

Good service is a perception. I have found that if you communicate with customers what is happening, and are honest with them, so that they know what is going on, it impacts their perception of service in a positive way. It is a matter of expectations. As long as the expectations are met your customer gets good service, Just MHO from someone who has been in service related occupations all his life. The selling and shipping of a product is still a service, so in a way every one of us is in the service business. Again just MHO.

[Bob Denman]

Joe...
:shocked: Do you feel better now? :shocked:

[Cruzr Joe]

Good service is a perception. I have found that if you communicate with customers what is happening, and are honest with them, so that they know what is going on, it impacts their perception of service in a positive way. It is a matter of expectations. As long as the expectations are met your customer gets good service, Just MHO from someone who has been in service related occupations all his life. The selling and shipping of a product is still a service, so in a way every one of us is in the service business. Again just MHO.



Excellent point. :agree:

Cruzr joe

[Bob Denman]

Joe, that long explanation wasn't necessary. You should have just said....

Shut up! ...I keel you! ;)



https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=-gZ6-6RbSEg

[JerryB]

Hi Cruzr Joe,

Re: Also you might take note that this thread was simply a suggestion to vendors as to how to make customers happy.

All suggestions are accepted.

IMO a good business is one that keeps their customers informed. Communication is the answer. If you ( the seller ) thinks it will take 6 weeks to get the product shipped, then tell your customer. IMO they will always find that OK. Then they ( the customer ) can make a decision as to go elsewhere with their business or wait the 6 weeks.

For me; all of the stuff that I design, make & sell is custom-made for that customer. That is why I cannot have it in stock, ready to ship that day.

And I've spent my time in the trenches of being on the receiving end of poor customer service.

In today's world,my biggest b**** is the CONTACT US that goes into the black hole of nowhere.

The above opinions are worth what you paid for them. :joke:

Jerry Baumchen

[ARtraveler]

Every one has good points.

Customer service should be the prime objective from all vendors.

In a past life, I ran a retail leather goods and mail order store for over 29 years. In the early days, mail order was the backbone of our business. 99.99% of my orders were shipped out the same day as received. Phone orders, were usually filled within an hour and they went out the door if before 4:00 PM. UPS pickup time for us.

That said, things do happen. Supplier out of stock. Store out of stock. A rush happens in the store and mail order processing must stop. There was usually myself and one employee to do everything. Pre-computer days.

When we could not complete an order, the customer was notified immediately about a potential delay. That's what the phone was for. Pre-computer days of course. IMO: notifying the customer was important to avoid them getting mad. If they know what the status is, then, in most cases all is well with the world.

RE: SL We have seen a few vendors come and go over the years. We seem to hear less and less about those that do not offer great customer service.

I always try to use SL vendors first when possible. I have had good results from all I have dealt with. I have only one instance where I communicated a question and it was never replied to. I bought the product elsewhere that time.

We seem to have some great products and vendors on SL. :yes::yes:

[PW2013STL]

I also have had great service and communications from all the vendors on Spyderlovers that I have ordered from. Just today I ordered the KOTT grills and missing belt guard from Spyderpops and within 1/2 hour of paying I received the shipping notice. :yes:

[ARtraveler]

I also have had great service and communications from all the vendors on Spyderlovers that I have ordered from. Just today I ordered the KOTT grills and missing belt guard from Spyderpops and within 1/2 hour of paying I received the shipping notice. :yes:

RE: KOTT grills. You can probably expect delivery later this PM. :roflblack::roflblack: Spyderpops is fast and the grills are GREAT. :thumbup:

[Gray Ghost]

I am a vendor of services rather than product so I don't have a dog in this fight. But I will throw my opinion in.

All of us like great customer service, and most of us like farkles. As has been mentioned before some of the folks who offer neat goodies here are a small time operation. I personally appreciate the folks who have taken the time to come up with some good stuff to modify our Spyders. If that means that they have to custom build the part as it is ordered then I am fine with that. The suggestion that they just get out of the business just means that the farkle is not available anymore.

One thing that has not been mentioned is that most of us travel at some point in the year, whether business or personal. For the small one person shop they may be in place where the means of responding is not available. And of course if they are at a family reunion somewhere they probably won't have any stock with them to ship out.

[jcthorne]

Just a bump to say I agree with Cruzr Joe's complaint.

I am currently dealing with one of our vendors on a product that was represented as available and ordered Nov 24th. Now looking doubtful it will be here by Christmas.

If the product is not in stock SAY SO and what the expected delivery TO ME is. Just be upfront. Also some of our vendors are not US based and just adds to the shipping frustrations when not disclosed up front.

I'll let this run its course before disclosing the vendor's name here but I am not real happy right now. Guess I should go gift wrap the paypal reciept....

[Bob Denman]

:shocked: I hope that it gets here in time; good luck! :thumbup:

(Got the same thing going on here, with one of the gifts that Santa ordered for the Missus... :gaah:)