Advice to those in customer service/sales

[Mashup47]

Hi I ordered one of your top of the range laptops 17.3in Valeon which set me back £3300 and a few odd quid. I did notice that you were still selling it with and esitmated build time of 10 days, up an till 1 day before my build date one and a half months ago with an estimated build time of 10 day's. But alast after a email saying Waiting on parts 1 month time delay and then a couple more emails saying in 3-5 day we will update you on the progress. I now get a email saying i have to wait another 30 days before I get any more info of my next build date! I know these are hard time's but still do you really have to torture me with this teasing of estimated build date's. At least you could change the estimated build date from a mythical 10 days build time to a 28 day build time or a more realistic 10 weeks judging by the comment made by @ubuysa "I read on another thread today that said there were 5000 orders in the pipeline and they are building 'more than 100 per day'. Every one of those 5000 customers is having to wait, and wait a long time for the reasons stated above. They clearly realise that these are abnormal times.". rather then giving people false sence of hope of a quick turn around (IT'S the 10 day estimated build time that is what is annoying people plus the stringing along in 3 to five day more info emails).
I would start by up dating your software so it can handle delay's and properly esitmate build time's by what stock it has in stock not what's on order.

 

[AgentCooper]

Hello there. The forum is mainly looked after by volunteer moderators and as such, your suggestions are not something we’d have the ability to implement. Some PC Specialist staff do have accounts here, but their visits are fairly rare.

You may wish to contact them via email, the address is:

[email protected]

 

[Mashup47]

Hello there. The forum is mainly looked after by volunteer moderators and as such, your suggestions are not something we’d have the ability to implement. Some PC Specialist staff do have accounts here, but their visits are fairly rare.

You may wish to contact them via email, the address is:

[email protected]

Cheers and thank you for the quick reply. I will leave the post up here for now but I will take you advice and forward a copy on to them.

 

[ubuysa]

Hi I ordered one of your top of the range laptops 17.3in Valeon which set me back £3300 and a few odd quid. I did notice that you were still selling it with and esitmated build time of 10 days, up an till 1 day before my build date one and a half months ago with an estimated build time of 10 day's. But alast after a email saying Waiting on parts 1 month time delay and then a couple more emails saying in 3-5 day we will update you on the progress. I now get a email saying i have to wait another 30 days before I get any more info of my next build date! I know these are hard time's but still do you really have to torture me with this teasing of estimated build date's. At least you could change the estimated build date from a mythical 10 days build time to a 28 day build time or a more realistic 10 weeks judging by the comment made by @ubuysa "I read on another thread today that said there were 5000 orders in the pipeline and they are building 'more than 100 per day'. Every one of those 5000 customers is having to wait, and wait a long time for the reasons stated above. They clearly realise that these are abnormal times.". rather then giving people false sence of hope of a quick turn around (IT'S the 10 day estimated build time that is what is annoying people plus the stringing along in 3 to five day more info emails).
I would start by up dating your software so it can handle delay's and properly esitmate build time's by what stock it has in stock not what's on order.

They can't update their build dates based on what's in stock because everyone in the build queue is free to amend their order at any time up until it goes into build. They would need a system that constantly recalculates everyone's build estimate every time anyone amended their order!

We all know how frustrating waiting for your build is, because we've all done it, and this isn't meant to be rude or unhelpful but it really does take as long as it takes. PCS will build your order when your order is at the head of the build queue - if they have the parts for your build in stock at build time.

Since PCS still don't know when they will get deliveries of components, nor how many parts they will get in each order, often until just a few days before delivery, there is no way that any automated system can provide even a rough estimate of build dates.

 

[Mashup47]

They can't update their build dates based on what's in stock because everyone in the build queue is free to amend their order at any time up until it goes into build. They would need a system that constantly recalculates everyone's build estimate every time anyone amended their order!

We all know how frustrating waiting for your build is, because we've all done it, and this isn't meant to be rude or unhelpful but it really does take as long as it takes. PCS will build your order when your order is at the head of the build queue - if they have the parts for your build in stock at build time.

Since PCS still don't know when they will get deliveries of components, nor how many parts they will get in each order, often until just a few days before delivery, there is no way that any automated system can provide even a rough estimate of build dates.

You make a fair point but they do make a rod for there own back when a customer visit's the sit and makes an order and is presented with info like (image below)

 

[SpyderTracks]

You make a fair point but they do make a rod for there own back when a customer visit's the sit and makes an order and is presented with info like (image below)

You may have missed the large banner on the homepage?

PCSPECIALIST - COVID-19

We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0333 011 7000 should you have any further concerns.

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

COVID-19 UPDATE

In light of the recent economic and social conditions relating to Coronavirus (COVID-19), we would like to reassure our customers that we are doing everything in our power to ensure that there is minimal disruption to the fulfilment of orders placed with us.

We have taken steps to ensure that the health and safety of our staff and customers remains prioritised, and we have implemented further procedures to ensure safe working practices.

We have a small number of production staff who are following government guidelines and self-isolating, but in response to this we are also recruiting further staff to help cope with demand.

NUMBER OF ORDERS​

COVID-19 has resulted in PCSpecialist receiving a large influx of orders, presumably down to two reasons:

• There has been an increase in people working from home, resulting in an increased demand for computers, laptops and AIO PCs.
• Some people have more free time at the moment due to being at home, and are increasing their online shopping expenditure.

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT​

As a supplier of high-end computing solutions, there are thousands of companies across multiple continents who contribute to the manufacture of computer components. We are fortunate enough to have ample warehouse storage capacity with 5+ months stock on some products, but some product lines could fall into constraint over the coming months. We are working to minimalise such constraints where possible, and we offer a broad range of products which will allow for alternative choices should a component become unavailable.

LEAD TIMES​

As a result of the above, the lead times that we are working towards might be impacted, and we ask that our customers please bear with us during this period. We are trying our best to avoid any disruption where possible.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT​

You can still contact the Customer Service Team for Sales & Tech Support via phone, email or live chat during opening hours. We are still extremely busy and as a result we are taking a longer than average to answer your calls and reply to your emails, so we ask that customers wait a reasonable amount of time before contacting us for any order tracking queries. The most up to date information for your order will be provided via the automated update emails that are sent for each stage of the production process.

We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0333 011 7000 should you have any further concerns.

 

[Mashup47]

Hmm that page/banner did not pop up or was not presented to me when making an order. And the only why I can find that Covid update is on the home page and to be honest this is the first time visiting that page in the past 5 or so years of using this site.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Hmm that page/banner did not pop up or was not presented to me when making an order. And the only why I can find that Covid update is on the home page and to be honest this is the first time visiting that page in the past 5 or so years of using this site.

It's been on the homepage since last march in the same place.

 

[Citrus_9]

Hmm that page/banner did not pop up or was not presented to me when making an order. And the only why I can find that Covid update is on the home page and to be honest this is the first time visiting that page in the past 5 or so years of using this site.

Popup blocker?

It's a temporary measure during Covid. Nearly all businesses are effected by Covid and have their own temporary changes.

 

[Mashup47]

Ok. I'm no webmaster but that notice only really works if that is the only way to access the website which it is not. As i stated above in the five years of using/ plus the 20 or so orders i have made using this site, Today was the first time I have visited the homepage in search of said banner/popup.
Sorry for being a blind bat But i believe my point still stands that a customer can be left with the wrong/false impression/expectation of delivery date.

 

[ubuysa]

Ok. I'm no webmaster but that notice only really works if that is the only way to access the website which it is not. As i stated above in the five years of using/ plus the 20 or so orders i have made using this site, Today was the first time I have visited the homepage in search of said banner/popup.
Sorry for being a blind bat But i believe my point still stands that a customer can be left with the wrong/false impression/expectation of delivery date.

I understand your point, especially since you received conflicting build estimates. I suspect that the normal automated email system, that relies on reliable JIT deliveries of parts, may still be sending some emails and that may have caused the confusion. I think your main issue is that you were first given a 10 day timescale and then later this rug was snatched from under you because of the unavailability of parts? TBH I have no idea what the implications of turning the automated system off may be, I suspect that much of their business is built around it, and you're not the only customer to have been receiving 'false' build dates from it.

You can always phone PCS and ask whether there are any changes you can make to you build that will speed up your build time, though if there are delays on the chassis then you're pretty much stuck. You're also free to cancel of course and see whether you can get a similar build faster somewhere else.

It is a sad fact that communication has long been a weak point in PCS's operations, the COVID crisis and the resulting global disruption in component availability has made what was a bad situation worse. It's difficult to know what PCS can do to avoid these problems however, some time ago we had people asking for regular update emails and others saying that they didn't want to hear anything unless PCS had something new to say. They're damned if they do and damned if they don't.

If you're still unhappy you should of course write directly to PCS with your complaints and suggestions but TBH, with their supply chain in such disarray at the moment, and likely to stay that way for many months to come, I doubt they'll want to make any major procedural changes now. I know I wouldn't, this period is an awful anomaly that we all just have to suffer through.

 

[Mashup47]

I totally accept the situation that I am in and I mean no malice. PCS is the only company I would trust to build any of my computers/laptops outside of me building them myself. As for canceling my order that is not a option, I have two kids to feed and a roof to keep over my head I need this computer so I can work. I was just trying to point out observation's I have made that may cause other buyer's confusion.

 

[SpyderTracks]

I totally accept the situation that I am in and I mean no malice. PCS is the only company I would trust to build any of my computers/laptops outside of me building them myself. As for canceling my order that is not a option, I have two kids to feed and a roof to keep over my head I need this computer so I can work. I was just trying to point out observation's I have made that may cause other buyer's confusion.

It's a valid point, and we see where you're coming from.

Perhaps suggesting to PCS that that Covid page appear before the order is put through on the configurator to set realistic expectations would be a way forward.

 

[Martinr36]

It's a valid point, and we see where you're coming from.

Perhaps suggesting to PCS that that Covid page appear before the order is put through on the configurator to set realistic expectations would be a way forward.

Maybe as well as there, put a link to it on the customers account page, as i know that's where i normally end up when i log into the main site, maybe also on the top of the initial configurator page where you select either intel or AMD

 

[Mashup47]

Just an update on my order of the 17.3in Valeon RTX3080
I phoned PCS today (they are Quick and friendly, Nice 10 out 10 for phone service) and gently told me I would be waiting until July 15th for the case to arrive and my laptop will posted out to me about the end of July. Oh well it is what is.

 

[Mashup47]

Hmm

So why dose it say it's out of stock until 30th May on the website?
when they just told me " I would be waiting until July 15th for the case to arrive" https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/notebooks/valeon-17/

😳🤯🥴😧😟 😞

 

[Mashup47]

And I gave them 10 out 10 😞

 

[ubuysa]

Hmm

So why dose it say it's out of stock until 30th May on the website?
when they just told me " I would be waiting until July 15th for the case to arrive" https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/notebooks/valeon-17/

[emoji15][emoji2962][emoji3061][emoji47][emoji45] [emoji20]

Any number of reasons....

There may be orders in front of you who will get all those delivered at the end of May.

There may be something else delaying your order.

The website might be wrong.

The agent who told you 15th July might be wrong.

In the kind of volatile environment that system integrators are in right now, certainty is a quantity that's in short supply. I have no idea why the website says 30th May and you've been told 15th July but the best I can suggest is that you ask PCS (again) why your build date is so much later than the web site's delivery date.

 

[Mashup47]

will do.

 

[Mashup47]

@ubuysa

just phoned them and confirmed 15 July delivery of 3080 Valeon case. and I should get my Laptop by end of July.