Oops. Customer Service at it's strangest.
This post is actually about UPS but with how much trouble I've had from them in delivering to me an order from Element Games I think "oops" is a far more accurate way of pronouncing their acronym.
So while lockdown was on and all the shops were shut I placed an online order with element games for some more supplies (spray paint, couple paints couple brushes) and some easy to build guardsmen. I had noticed my cadian army was special weapon heavy, while only having 25 regular lasgun troops, so the quickest and easiest way to bulk out (after making 21 from a bitsbox raid utilising tank commanders and valkyrie crewmen) was the etb kit that worked out barely more than a pound per model. So I ordered 50.
Anyway, as the order included spray paint and Royal Mail won't deliver that, it had to be shipped via UPS. It took a few weeks to dispatch (GW were struggling to keep up with the demand for stock so I didn't quibble about this) but eventually I get the email from element saying "order despatched" and one from UPS saying "we'll deliver it Friday by End of Day" End of Day was a bit vague, I tried looking on their website and googling, but the best answer I got is the drivers are generally back at base by 10pm so probably before then. Bit vague but ok.
So Friday I wait in all day. Nothing. No call. No email. No missed delivery card. Nothing. I give the benefit of the doubt, busy times, I wait Saturday too. Nothing. Sunday I at least get an email saying "we'll deliver it Monday by End of day" so ok I don't waste that day. Monday comes, I wait in... 6pm I get an email "change of plan, we'll deliver it tomorrow" Bit annoying but at least I'm up to date. Tuesday I wait in, and about half past three I get an email saying "Sorry we missed you, it will automatically be delivered tomorrow" I'm in. We've had some doorbell trouble on our block of flats lately though so, the next day, I put a note on the door saying "UPS, delivery for flat 4, here's my number call me I'll come and collect it." About 3pm... I get an email saying "Sorry we missed you..."
At this point I'm getting quite frustrated so I call UPS. The automatic system takes my tracking number and confirms the parcel will be delivered tomorrow. While I'm on hold for a real person I write an email to element. I didn't complain about their service, I said they have always provided an exceptional service to me, but that UPS is letting them down and it may be worth considering a different courier in future as, while I know it's not their fault, not everyone will think of it that way and it could reflect badly on them.
Anyway, finally a human answers my call and asks for my tracking number and confirms the parcel will be delivered the next day and then I relate my tale of woe. She listens and then says "UPS does not issue it's drivers with mobile phones" Wait, what? I never suggested you did. But this is the western world, damn near everyone has one! I am currently working for two employers and have an allergen guide for one and a product guide for the other on my phone. If a customer has a query, I will use the phone to find the answer... I don't refuse to because my employer didn't provide it. I use it to provide good customer service. So the lady on the line, to try to make it up to me, promises to have my package delivered the very next day. I point out that the system had already arranged that anyway, so her way to make amends was to do the standard response. Hardly helpful.
So after that complete waste of time, I went on to the ups website where I managed to arrange for my parcel to be dropped at a ups collection point in a shop not far from me. It was dropped off there on the thursday and I picked it up the following day. Bit of a faff that I had to go out and collect it myself, but job done.
The next day I get a reply from element. "Sorry about the trouble you've had with DPD, please send us the order number and we'll look into it"
DPD? Huh?
So I replied. I pointed out the problem was with UPS. I gave them the order number as requested. I then filled them in on how useless UPS customer services were, and how I eventually got a satisfactory resolution to my problems. Thought nothing more of it.
A few days later I get an email off element.
"We've spoken to UPS and had just as much trouble as you had. They insist they have delivered the package which is clearly a lie. We have recreated the order and will send a replacement immediately via a different courier. Please accept 10 pounds credit as an apology."
Oh no no no no... did they not read my email properly? So I very quickly replied saying clearly and concisely that I had, EVENTUALLY, received the package, that a replacement was not necessary, technically neither was the store credit but greatly appreciated nonetheless, don't send another order.
The next day I got the automatic "your order has been dispatched" message. Now given my emails generally took a few days to be responded to I assumed that they'd set the ball rolling before I replied but once they found my email they'd cancel the order.
I was somewhat annoyed that the order had been dispatched, once again, via UPS. Despite their promise of a different courier.
So the order was supposed to arrive Wednesday, about 6pm weds I got an email saying change of plan it'll be delivered Thursday. The same thing happened Thursday. The same happened Friday (with a promise of a Monday delivery) And as annoying as their further terrible service was, I didn't mind as I felt it would give element time to recall the package. But no. Six days after I emailed saying they didn't need to send me more stuff, still no response. So I did the same as last time and sent the package to the shop for me to collect. So after 3 days of me waiting in and them failing to deliver and me eventually arranging a place for them to drop it off, I collect this...
This utterly battered box that basically fell apart from around the contents after I cut the sticky tape holding it together... now under normal circumstances I would complain that my package had basically been delivered by Ace Ventura, but given how well Element were doing at actually reading my emails I feared to point out that UPS were letting them down again they may send me the package a third time.
A couple of days later I got an email from Google review asking me to review element... I'm not sure how to respond to that. Well let's see, they completely ignored what I said in my email, replied about the wrong courier, then when we established the right courier they promised not to use them again but did anyway, and they didn't respond at all to my last message telling them not to send me extra stuff... but... they gave me a bunch of stuff for free. I'm effectively 96 quid up because they couldn't read an email properly so... 3 stars? Average out the complete lack of attention paid to the problem against their willingness to throw money at it? At first I felt guilty about getting the stuff twice but after the amount of hassle UPS were and Element not reading the emails at all well I don't feel guilty about it any more... helped by passing on some of the second package to other people to spread the good fortune around some. Besides, I've just painted 70 guardsmen I don't want to do another 50...
So while lockdown was on and all the shops were shut I placed an online order with element games for some more supplies (spray paint, couple paints couple brushes) and some easy to build guardsmen. I had noticed my cadian army was special weapon heavy, while only having 25 regular lasgun troops, so the quickest and easiest way to bulk out (after making 21 from a bitsbox raid utilising tank commanders and valkyrie crewmen) was the etb kit that worked out barely more than a pound per model. So I ordered 50.
 |
| Jumping ahead of the narrative, here are my 71 painted new recruits |
So Friday I wait in all day. Nothing. No call. No email. No missed delivery card. Nothing. I give the benefit of the doubt, busy times, I wait Saturday too. Nothing. Sunday I at least get an email saying "we'll deliver it Monday by End of day" so ok I don't waste that day. Monday comes, I wait in... 6pm I get an email "change of plan, we'll deliver it tomorrow" Bit annoying but at least I'm up to date. Tuesday I wait in, and about half past three I get an email saying "Sorry we missed you, it will automatically be delivered tomorrow" I'm in. We've had some doorbell trouble on our block of flats lately though so, the next day, I put a note on the door saying "UPS, delivery for flat 4, here's my number call me I'll come and collect it." About 3pm... I get an email saying "Sorry we missed you..."
At this point I'm getting quite frustrated so I call UPS. The automatic system takes my tracking number and confirms the parcel will be delivered tomorrow. While I'm on hold for a real person I write an email to element. I didn't complain about their service, I said they have always provided an exceptional service to me, but that UPS is letting them down and it may be worth considering a different courier in future as, while I know it's not their fault, not everyone will think of it that way and it could reflect badly on them.
Anyway, finally a human answers my call and asks for my tracking number and confirms the parcel will be delivered the next day and then I relate my tale of woe. She listens and then says "UPS does not issue it's drivers with mobile phones" Wait, what? I never suggested you did. But this is the western world, damn near everyone has one! I am currently working for two employers and have an allergen guide for one and a product guide for the other on my phone. If a customer has a query, I will use the phone to find the answer... I don't refuse to because my employer didn't provide it. I use it to provide good customer service. So the lady on the line, to try to make it up to me, promises to have my package delivered the very next day. I point out that the system had already arranged that anyway, so her way to make amends was to do the standard response. Hardly helpful.
So after that complete waste of time, I went on to the ups website where I managed to arrange for my parcel to be dropped at a ups collection point in a shop not far from me. It was dropped off there on the thursday and I picked it up the following day. Bit of a faff that I had to go out and collect it myself, but job done.
The next day I get a reply from element. "Sorry about the trouble you've had with DPD, please send us the order number and we'll look into it"
DPD? Huh?
So I replied. I pointed out the problem was with UPS. I gave them the order number as requested. I then filled them in on how useless UPS customer services were, and how I eventually got a satisfactory resolution to my problems. Thought nothing more of it.
A few days later I get an email off element.
"We've spoken to UPS and had just as much trouble as you had. They insist they have delivered the package which is clearly a lie. We have recreated the order and will send a replacement immediately via a different courier. Please accept 10 pounds credit as an apology."
Oh no no no no... did they not read my email properly? So I very quickly replied saying clearly and concisely that I had, EVENTUALLY, received the package, that a replacement was not necessary, technically neither was the store credit but greatly appreciated nonetheless, don't send another order.
The next day I got the automatic "your order has been dispatched" message. Now given my emails generally took a few days to be responded to I assumed that they'd set the ball rolling before I replied but once they found my email they'd cancel the order.
I was somewhat annoyed that the order had been dispatched, once again, via UPS. Despite their promise of a different courier.
So the order was supposed to arrive Wednesday, about 6pm weds I got an email saying change of plan it'll be delivered Thursday. The same thing happened Thursday. The same happened Friday (with a promise of a Monday delivery) And as annoying as their further terrible service was, I didn't mind as I felt it would give element time to recall the package. But no. Six days after I emailed saying they didn't need to send me more stuff, still no response. So I did the same as last time and sent the package to the shop for me to collect. So after 3 days of me waiting in and them failing to deliver and me eventually arranging a place for them to drop it off, I collect this...
This utterly battered box that basically fell apart from around the contents after I cut the sticky tape holding it together... now under normal circumstances I would complain that my package had basically been delivered by Ace Ventura, but given how well Element were doing at actually reading my emails I feared to point out that UPS were letting them down again they may send me the package a third time.
A couple of days later I got an email from Google review asking me to review element... I'm not sure how to respond to that. Well let's see, they completely ignored what I said in my email, replied about the wrong courier, then when we established the right courier they promised not to use them again but did anyway, and they didn't respond at all to my last message telling them not to send me extra stuff... but... they gave me a bunch of stuff for free. I'm effectively 96 quid up because they couldn't read an email properly so... 3 stars? Average out the complete lack of attention paid to the problem against their willingness to throw money at it? At first I felt guilty about getting the stuff twice but after the amount of hassle UPS were and Element not reading the emails at all well I don't feel guilty about it any more... helped by passing on some of the second package to other people to spread the good fortune around some. Besides, I've just painted 70 guardsmen I don't want to do another 50...
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