Is there anyone from Crimson Guitars on this forum? Not answering emails...

TJT1979

Sassafras said:

What is it that Crimson sell that can't be had more conveniently from the Americas?

Haha, everything. Really.

Any imported goods are very hard to find and hideously expensive here. Guitars, PA equipment, mics etc - all this sells for 2x up to 4x the price you'd pay in the UK. More specific stuff (luthier's tools for example) is simply not available easily. I have a mate who recently moved here from the UK - he was a respected classical guitar luthier based in Brighton. In terms of hand tools and supplies he brought everything possible with him Even decent quality properly-dried wood is hard to find here, and absurdly expensive! Welcome to the 3rd world....

Nitefly

TJT1979 said:

Regarding phone vs email, if an email doesn't get a prompt reply I will phone. In this case living abroad it's something I try to avoid. 

My ethos is this: if a company is happy to use the internet to sell a product and take my money, then the internet should work well as a method of communication.

In the case of Crimson it's clearly a company growing quickly and it seems as they adapt to greater volume they are having some teething problems. As mentioned above it was resolved quickly and professionally when I phoned - IMHO they should have read my email from Monday and done the same thing. If I hadn't phoned what is an acceptable wait for an email response? I didn't get a reply after 3 days. Is 5 days OK? A week? Two weeks?

Anyway, I have no problem with Crimson - I just feel like they probably need more staff to handle a growing business.

This is the point - so many small businesses seem to think "We must have an email address!", but then are surprised when people actually want to use it to contact them!

I am having a similar problem with a specialist book shop - I ordered online (and paid for) two books on 2nd December.  Understanding that Christmas is a busy period for them, and not being in much of a hurry for the books, I didn't bother until last week, when I sent them an email asking them for a progress report on my order - so far, no reply.

Oh well, I guess I'll have to dig out their number and phone them.

By the way, I remember the days BEFORE the phone was king - if I was dealing with somebody face-to-face, and the phone rang, I left it ringing until I'd finished my face-to-face business.  My last boss just couldn't understand it - in my view it was just manners, because someone had actually turned up to see me in person, and that trumps the "speak to me now!" machine...

midlifecrisis

these days we have more means of communication than ever, yet it seems harder to communicate. i hate endless text or email conversations that span over days when a simple 5 minute phone call can sort it all out.

SimonC

Personally, I hate it when you are being attended to in a bricks and mortar shop, and they stop serving you to answer the bloody phone.
Why can’t people just send an email instead?

Kalimna

One major advantage of txts/email is the evidence of any matters discussed, and crucially when they were discussed.
I dont like phoning people, and i find email much easier.
If you provide an email address and dont reply then, a few exceptions aside, that is just plain rude. Same applies to messages left on an answerphone.

Adam

SNAKEBITE

The youth fear the phone.

We have it at work where you ask them to ring and get an answer, they say they'll email. I say no, ring and this normally goes round in a cycle a few times before I leave it.

Later I'll ask what the answer was and they say "I sent an email" and they get funny when I tell them what a waste of fricking time that was.

An old manager once said "Email is the worst form of communication, phone the next but the best is to speak directly to someone so you can see them squirm if they lie"

Jalapeno

They're good at answering phone calls, but email response is patchy IME. They sell good stuff and 121 on the phone the people are great.

BRISTOL86

Stavros said:

Have to disagree, providing of course that a phone call is answered it is much more personal and far more effective in getting results. 

Some people cant keep on top of emails, so not at a rapid if they are dozens or hundreds of emails behind.

Then they shouldn’t market online. 

Whilst I agree that often a phone call can often be the best way to resolve an issue, if you can’t deal with online communication then don’t market your goods and services online. 

Really narks me when you see people defending a company with ‘they’re good if you actually speak to them but hopeless with email’ - well then don’t set up to conduct business that way if you can’t/won’t keep on top of it!

Musicman20

Emails are key for keeping a record. 

lukedlb

The OP and others have all hit the nail on the head: immediate communication and resolution is simply good business. Nothing new as it comes down to respect of social interaction. However, our expectations of response time have severely shortened. 

Stavros

BRISTOL86 said:

Stavros said:

Have to disagree, providing of course that a phone call is answered it is much more personal and far more effective in getting results. 

Some people cant keep on top of emails, so not at a rapid if they are dozens or hundreds of emails behind.

Then they shouldn’t market online. 

Whilst I agree that often a phone call can often be the best way to resolve an issue, if you can’t deal with online communication then don’t market your foods and services online. 

Really narks me when you see people defending a company with ‘they’re good if you actually speak to them but hopeless with email’ - well then don’t set up to conduct business that way if you can’t/won’t keep on top of it!

All fair points.

However these days retailers have to be open to various channels of communication and ways of selling their stuff, indeed there is an expectation that bricks and mortar shops have an online presence, and are contactable via telephone, email or website. Personally I would be suspicious if there was no proper land line attached to a website, ie just an email address, but maybe that’s just me?

Small businesses, especially if they are single owner/operator, can be too busy to be able to keep on top of everything, they will priotise the customers in the shop and phone calls, and if that takes up all their time along with stock ordering, book keeping etc etc then something has to give. Doesn’t make it right, or good customer service, but I can understand how it happens.

I was looking at it from the point of view of getting something resolved, always more effective to be face to face or calling rather than email, in my experience.

BRISTOL86

Stavros said:

BRISTOL86 said:

Stavros said:

Have to disagree, providing of course that a phone call is answered it is much more personal and far more effective in getting results. 

Some people cant keep on top of emails, so not at a rapid if they are dozens or hundreds of emails behind.

Then they shouldn’t market online. 

Whilst I agree that often a phone call can often be the best way to resolve an issue, if you can’t deal with online communication then don’t market your foods and services online. 

Really narks me when you see people defending a company with ‘they’re good if you actually speak to them but hopeless with email’ - well then don’t set up to conduct business that way if you can’t/won’t keep on top of it!

All fair points.

However these days retailers have to be open to various channels of communication and ways of selling their stuff, indeed there is an expectation that bricks and mortar shops have an online presence, and are contactable via telephone, email or website. Personally I would be suspicious if there was no proper land line attached to a website, ie just an email address, but maybe that’s just me?

Small businesses, especially if they are single owner/operator, can be too busy to be able to keep on top of everything, they will priotise the customers in the shop and phone calls, and if that takes up all their time along with stock ordering, book keeping etc etc then something has to give. Doesn’t make it right, or good customer service, but I can understand how it happens.

I was looking at it from the point of view of getting something resolved, always more effective to be face to face or calling rather than email, in my experience.

Absolutely, but there’s no obligation to have an online presence - seems many retailers want the marketing benefits that come with it but don’t want the admin that it brings and you can’t have it both ways....it’s wrong to expect people to come back to you within minutes, but I think expecting an email to be answered within 24-48 hours isn’t being unreasonable. 

Kalimna

BRISTOL86 said:

Stavros said:

BRISTOL86 said:

Stavros said:

Have to disagree, providing of course that a phone call is answered it is much more personal and far more effective in getting results. 

Some people cant keep on top of emails, so not at a rapid if they are dozens or hundreds of emails behind.

Then they shouldn’t market online. 

Whilst I agree that often a phone call can often be the best way to resolve an issue, if you can’t deal with online communication then don’t market your foods and services online. 

Really narks me when you see people defending a company with ‘they’re good if you actually speak to them but hopeless with email’ - well then don’t set up to conduct business that way if you can’t/won’t keep on top of it!

All fair points.

However these days retailers have to be open to various channels of communication and ways of selling their stuff, indeed there is an expectation that bricks and mortar shops have an online presence, and are contactable via telephone, email or website. Personally I would be suspicious if there was no proper land line attached to a website, ie just an email address, but maybe that’s just me?

Small businesses, especially if they are single owner/operator, can be too busy to be able to keep on top of everything, they will priotise the customers in the shop and phone calls, and if that takes up all their time along with stock ordering, book keeping etc etc then something has to give. Doesn’t make it right, or good customer service, but I can understand how it happens.

I was looking at it from the point of view of getting something resolved, always more effective to be face to face or calling rather than email, in my experience.

Absolutely, but there’s no obligation to have an online presence - seems many retailers want the marketing benefits that come with it but don’t want the admin that it brings and you can’t have it both ways....it’s wrong to expect people to come back to you within minutes, but I think expecting an email to be answered within 24-48 hours isn’t being unreasonable. 

Indeed - especially when there are 2-3 additions to YT per week. It isn't as if t'internet is an unknown quantity for them.

BRISTOL86

Kalimna said:

BRISTOL86 said:

Stavros said:

BRISTOL86 said:

Stavros said:

Have to disagree, providing of course that a phone call is answered it is much more personal and far more effective in getting results. 

Some people cant keep on top of emails, so not at a rapid if they are dozens or hundreds of emails behind.

Then they shouldn’t market online. 

Whilst I agree that often a phone call can often be the best way to resolve an issue, if you can’t deal with online communication then don’t market your foods and services online. 

Really narks me when you see people defending a company with ‘they’re good if you actually speak to them but hopeless with email’ - well then don’t set up to conduct business that way if you can’t/won’t keep on top of it!

All fair points.

However these days retailers have to be open to various channels of communication and ways of selling their stuff, indeed there is an expectation that bricks and mortar shops have an online presence, and are contactable via telephone, email or website. Personally I would be suspicious if there was no proper land line attached to a website, ie just an email address, but maybe that’s just me?

Small businesses, especially if they are single owner/operator, can be too busy to be able to keep on top of everything, they will priotise the customers in the shop and phone calls, and if that takes up all their time along with stock ordering, book keeping etc etc then something has to give. Doesn’t make it right, or good customer service, but I can understand how it happens.

I was looking at it from the point of view of getting something resolved, always more effective to be face to face or calling rather than email, in my experience.

Absolutely, but there’s no obligation to have an online presence - seems many retailers want the marketing benefits that come with it but don’t want the admin that it brings and you can’t have it both ways....it’s wrong to expect people to come back to you within minutes, but I think expecting an email to be answered within 24-48 hours isn’t being unreasonable. 

Indeed - especially when there are 2-3 additions to YT per week. It isn't as if t'internet is an unknown quantity for them.

I know nothing of this particular retailer but in the main yes, I agree, I’ve had dealings with companies who are savvy enough to set up a website, sell online, publish YouTube content, maintain a presence on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram but take a week to reply to a simple query sent by email! 

Halikus

This is my experience with ordering direct from crimson sadly.  The way round is to order via ebay as they have to keep to the times stated on the listing.  Of  the 5 orders i've made 2 went direct and took a week+ to ship with no notification that anything was sent out. 3 orders via ebay and the items turn up in a couple of days with notifications of shipping.

Strat54

Bring back Postal Orders and 'Allow 28 days for delivery'  lol 

rico

In contrast, I emailed two different guitar part suppliers yesterday querying the stock of a few things and I had replies from both of them within half an hour. It's a shame the parts aren't in stock for a month or so but the speed of contact is excellent. 

Jez6345789

I am surprised that Crimson has not got there act together a bit better on the mail order side.
We get hammered if we don't get stuff out next day. There seems to be a trend here for 7-14 day average.

especially as they are heavily using the internet for marketing purposes. In this day and age, a week to get anything is considered a long time. 

All that said I understand how crap UK courier services are and how much trouble we have with them. As we grew we were given a limit to how many parcels they would collect from us per day if we went over they would not take anymore as the drivers van was full. Not prepared to put in an additional collection or anything the answer was simply tough. So we changed but its all a pain you dont need.  

Niallseroreilly

Does the fella who owns Crimson Guitars not have tatoos all over his head? 

bingefeller

Niallseroreilly said:

Does the fella who owns Crimson Guitars not have tatoos all over his head? 

yes he does mate.   he looks scary but sounds posh.