You have to be cruel...
Sep. 18th, 2009 08:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ffutures...to be... well, in this case, to put the boot in.
SENIOR SCIENCE TECHNICIAN
FAO: MARCUS ROWLAND
Dear Marcus,
We are currently trying to update our records and understand that you are the person responsible for the ordering of the science equipment.
According to our records it would appear that you have not ordered from us in a while and wondered if you needed a copy of our 2009-2010 catalogue sending for your attention.
Alternatively, you could visit our user friendly website [deleted]
If you can not find a particular item you require, or you would like us to quote on an item that you have found cheaper in another catalogue, please do not hesitate to contact our sales department who will be more that willing to help.
Kind Regards
xxxx
Sales
And of course I had to reply positively
There’s a very simple reason why we haven’t placed any orders recently – we had problems with most of the orders we placed with you over several years, as you should know if you’ve checked our records.
Most noticeably VERY delayed arrival of goods on back order (more than a year in one case) which frequently took us into the next financial year and meant that the department was effectively paying for things twice, since the money was taken from our budget when the order was placed, and wasn’t credited to us if an invoice hadn’t been received by the end of the financial year. There were also lengthy disputes over incomplete deliveries, broken glassware, meters with the wrong sized plug sockets, etc.
Basically, when we last checked you didn’t seem to offer any advantages over other suppliers who haven’t given us problems, and in most cases you seemed to be more expensive.
It’s possible that you’ve got your act together since we last bought from you, but given your track record I haven’t been prepared to take that chance. Having said that, by all means send us a catalogue – I can’t promise that we’ll place any orders, but we might as well see what you currently offer.
Was the last bit too soft? And should I have mentioned that I just spent £14K+ on laboratory supplies, none of it with them?
SENIOR SCIENCE TECHNICIAN
FAO: MARCUS ROWLAND
Dear Marcus,
We are currently trying to update our records and understand that you are the person responsible for the ordering of the science equipment.
According to our records it would appear that you have not ordered from us in a while and wondered if you needed a copy of our 2009-2010 catalogue sending for your attention.
Alternatively, you could visit our user friendly website [deleted]
If you can not find a particular item you require, or you would like us to quote on an item that you have found cheaper in another catalogue, please do not hesitate to contact our sales department who will be more that willing to help.
Kind Regards
xxxx
Sales
And of course I had to reply positively
There’s a very simple reason why we haven’t placed any orders recently – we had problems with most of the orders we placed with you over several years, as you should know if you’ve checked our records.
Most noticeably VERY delayed arrival of goods on back order (more than a year in one case) which frequently took us into the next financial year and meant that the department was effectively paying for things twice, since the money was taken from our budget when the order was placed, and wasn’t credited to us if an invoice hadn’t been received by the end of the financial year. There were also lengthy disputes over incomplete deliveries, broken glassware, meters with the wrong sized plug sockets, etc.
Basically, when we last checked you didn’t seem to offer any advantages over other suppliers who haven’t given us problems, and in most cases you seemed to be more expensive.
It’s possible that you’ve got your act together since we last bought from you, but given your track record I haven’t been prepared to take that chance. Having said that, by all means send us a catalogue – I can’t promise that we’ll place any orders, but we might as well see what you currently offer.
Was the last bit too soft? And should I have mentioned that I just spent £14K+ on laboratory supplies, none of it with them?
no subject
Date: 2009-09-19 11:14 am (UTC)More seriously, from your description of their customer service I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole - unless they were the only supplier. I might have requested their catalogue separately, to make sure I was covered for that possibility, but not mentioned it in the letter of complaint. I don't think it'll detract much from the complaint though - it's quite comprehensive.
no subject
Date: 2009-09-19 07:04 pm (UTC)