Do all Bee Keeping Suppliers give rubbish service?

[Winker]

Ten days have passed, since placing an order with T****es .
Just telephoned to inquire the whereabouts .
Answer " post code please" on receipt being asked "Is your name W****son ?"
"yes" was my response .
"Hasn't been dispatched yet, maybe in a couple of days or next week , usually takes a fortnight "
No apology, so matter of fact it was toe curling !
Ok the total spend was only £50 but as their bumph say's next day delivery by our own courier or by parcel post , you would have thought 10 days and still counting would have merited at least an apologetic grunt ?
As I said in an earlier post , complacency will be their undoing .
It goes without saying I shall be voting with my feet !

VM

I wont use them again. Either

 

[MrB]

I received an incorrect order from Th**nes about 4 weeks ago and 2 correct orders since then, on both of the correct orders i was told that i could return the incorrect one to the driver as an exchange and on both occasions the driver has refused to take it!
Perhaps they don't want it back.

 

[Midland Beek]

Two months of chaos follows the BBKA Spring Convention. They somehow think that messing around customers in this two months is a satisfactory trade-off against the money made at the Convention.

 

[susbees]

Crownboard also snapped.

How DO you snap a crownboard in transit...?

I acknowledge that companies are busy at the moment, but it's how they rectify mistakes that proves what sort of customer service they give.

Quite....the Maisemore order above with the badly packed thymol? Also when I opened the foundation box they'd sent the wrong size deeps (too small). Quick email. Replaced almost by return with a polite apology. Sorted. And properly packed thymol too.

Yes, I could moan they should check their orders before dispatch but with one of Thornes' machines down they were against the ropes a bit (except economically ).

 

[MJBee]

Order placed with Th***es 16/5/11 @ 12:20

Received today (26/5/11) @11:00. The corner of one carton was crushed and the driver opened it in my presence - no problem there was 6" of packing round the contents so no damage.

Considering the distance and multiple changes of carrier I am well pleased with the service.

 

[victor meldrew]

Order placed with Th***es 16/5/11 @ 12:20

Received today (26/5/11) @11:00. The corner of one carton was crushed and the driver opened it in my presence - no problem there was 6" of packing round the contents so no damage.

Considering the distance and multiple changes of carrier I am well pleased with the service.

Maybe they're trying to break into the French market I got an article from Hong Kong in 24 hours ,now that's what I call good service !

John Wilkinson

 

[Beeline]

Ordered an option 2 (hive and kit) from Th****s on the 4th May. Rung last week and was told in no uncertain terms that 2 weeks after order is far too early to expect delivery. So I rang yesterday, a week later and 3 weeks after I placed this £300 order and was again told sorry, the website says 3 weeks. I reminded her that yesterday was 3 weeks?? Oh, was the response, well it should be with you either by Friday or next week. I explained I was getting my first nuc this weekend and needed my veil etc (part of my order) and could they at least try help me out but again, no intention to help me whatsoever. Very disappointing as it's my first experience with them.

BL

 

[Erichalfbee]

I ordered a polynuc from p a y n e s at 6.30 pm on Monday and it was delivered at 8.30 the next morning...........

 

[Headnavigator]

it's how they rectify mistakes that proves what sort of customer service they give.

Ordered a contact feeder from M a i s e m o r e last week and it arrived next day with a mesh not properly welded to the plastic lid - half hanging loose. OK they should have checked before dispatch, but a quick phone call had another lid on its way which arrived the next day. Can't complain at that and I was grateful to have it so quickly. However having mailed the faulty lid back as I promised I then realised it had cost me quite a percentage of the purchase price to return it. Who loses?
I need to get a bit meaner, don't I?

 

[BKF Admin]

I placed a big order for foundation online the weekend after Stoneleigh with a large beekeeping supply company.

Next day I sat down and thought it a bit daft as they will be snowed under with orders from the weekend so rang and cancelled order and drove to my local branch and got what I needed off the shelf.

Two weeks later a courier arrives with the order I cancelled two weeks before!!

Shame they had managed to take the money the day I ordered and never put it back in my account,so I ended up paying twice and now have twice as much as I needed.

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Having worked in the logistics industry for 15 years, and living in a very rural area - I now hardly ever bother ordering anything to be delivered. The likelihood of damage / slow delivery is just too high.
Some of these beekeeping supplies companies can end up at the mercy of their carriers.
As admin says - much easier to jump in the car and drive to the nearest supplier.