[Crystal-clear]

i personally feel they could up prices by 1% have someone on £10 on hour dedicated to answering calls we would still buy from them as very good poles well the best i think and this way we could have better customer service they do call back but if you are busy you need to email again and hope you aint on a conny roof when they call 

[dazmond]

ive never needed to speak to them in person for years.i just order online.if there was a problem/query im sure they would get back to me if they didnt answer the phone straight away....gardiners customers service is usually excellent.....

pure freedom on the other hand are virtually always available on the phone and i usually end up having a good chat and a laugh with them.sometimes i end up chatting about all sorts of things nothing to do with window cleaning!

[Alex Gardiner]

Hi Crystal-clear

This should make an interesting poll!

Just to clarify, we already have a team of 10 customer service advisors (2 new team members started last month) whose only job is to sit in the office and assist customers, by phone and by email.  Although some of these advisors are part-time workers we have a minimum of 4-5 advisors each day handling customer queries.  However,  we had to take the decision to operate a call-back service as the team could not cope with the volume of telephone calls that we are receiving this Summer.  Unfortunately due to the technical nature of the advice our team offer, it is not as easy as employing another person to answer the phone.

We accept that we will lose customers who do not like this new system and fortunately there are many other WFP suppliers to chose from, but we have already found with this system that we are more able to assist customers in an efficient and timely manner.  Many customers have given feedback that they prefer this system to having to wait in a queue for an indeterminate length of time.  In reality, our previous system often resulted in a large number of customers having to leave a message as all the lines were busy and they would get the answermachine message.

Please be assured you can still speak to us on the phone, you will just need to leave a message first or an email first and we will then call you back.

[Tom-01]

I think that's totally fair.

I had a customer call me a couple of times but never left a message (I didn't know it was a customer at the time).

When he text me, we chatted and I arranged to look at his new house, and he called again when I was on the loo and I didn't answer ("Hello?" *plop plop plop*)   he text straight away with the hump and cancelled us!

So, you just can't please everyone, some people expect to be dealt with straight away and it's not always possible.

[Bernie Green]

Alex, I sent you an email a few days back, I tried to order a pole and some bits but I couldn't get past that silly CAPTCA thing. I tried lots of times but it kept rejecting me. In the end I ordered it from WCW.
I don't find your website user friendly when Im using my phone, its too complicated for a small screen. I much preferred it when I could just phone through an order while sitting in my van eating lunch.  I know what I want, don't like spending hours trying to search and key in endless details

[Soupy]

I've started ordering Gardiner's stuff from daqua for this reason (and cheaper postage too).

[Alex Gardiner]

Alex, I sent you an email a few days back, I tried to order a pole and some bits but I couldn't get past that silly CAPTCA thing. I tried lots of times but it kept rejecting me. In the end I ordered it from WCW.
I don't find your website user friendly when Im using my phone, its too complicated for a small screen. I much preferred it when I could just phone through an order while sitting in my van eating lunch.

Hi Bernie

I did see your email (thanks for the feedback) and we are looking at changing this Captcha page for new accounts (it is not on any other page) to the new simpler V2 Captcha.   

The website format has been up and running for nearly 4 years and 41% of internet orders are done via the customer's phone.  Most of these will be repeat customers, not trying to set up a new account which may be why your experience was not as simple for you as it appears to be for others?

If you really need to place an order by phone, then you can request a call back by phone or email and if you put a specific time frame (at lunchtime for example) the customer service team will try to accommodate this although please bear in mind that lunchtime is a busy contact time for window cleaners 

Glad you got sorted with a pole 

[Alex Gardiner]

I've started ordering Gardiner's stuff from daqua for this reason (and cheaper postage too).

Glad you have a system that works for you - living more locally to Daqua helps I imagine too 

[Walter Mitty]

It's up to Alex how he runs his business; customers who try to tell me how to run mine receive short shrift.
Personally, due to them being reliable at returning calls, I've not experienced any major issues.
I did go elsewhere for equipment just the once some years ago, but that was due to an item being out of stock which I needed it fairly urgently.
The thing that would help me most is if it were possible to have something delivered to a place like Argos, for instance.  I would happily pay a bit extra for such a facility.  Although it's possible to pay extra (was £15 I think) for a pre 10am delivery, that isn't viable for cheaper items.
Anyone I know who could receive a delivery is out at work in the daytime.

[Alex Gardiner]

It's up to Alex how he runs his business; customers who try to tell me how to run mine receive short shrift.
Personally, due to them being reliable at returning calls, I've not experienced any major issues.
I did go elsewhere for equipment just the once some years ago, but that was due to an item being out of stock which I needed it fairly urgently.
The thing that would help me most is if it were possible to have something delivered to a place like Argos, for instance.  I would happily pay a bit extra for such a facility.  Although it's possible to pay extra (was £15 I think) for a pre 10am delivery, that isn't viable for cheaper items.
Anyone I know who could receive a delivery is out at work in the daytime.

We've looked into this previously and the issue we encounter is that the majority of our parcel shipments are long pole boxes.  Most couriers and holding services consider this to be 'ugly freight'.  If we sent out only 5% of our parcels as 'ugly freight' this would be fine with most courier services but as it makes up 65%, most simply do not want to handle/process/store such shipments.

However we will consider to monitor such offerings as Argos Collect and myHermes Collect should they be able to handle our shipments.

[nathankaye]

Sadly we live in an age of high speed this and high speed that, ie high speed broadband etc etc.   This makes people in general impatient as we expect everything else now to be as quick.   Ie people moan in fast food places for having to wait a couple of mins for their food.
So it's not surprising many are impatient in waiting in call ques or having to wait for a convenient time for a call back. Or waiting for a customer to come to the door to pay a window cleaner cash for cleaning their windows when they could be elderly or be occupied themselves in the toilets or busy in the kitchen.

We as customers are quick to make recommendations without thinking of the dynamics of making that happen in business terms which is ironic to say we are suppose to be business minded but I suppose the rules we live by to govern ourselves or our business doesn't apply to others.

Atleast it makes for interesting reading, whilst your waiting for a call back 

[Soupy]

I've started ordering Gardiner's stuff from daqua for this reason (and cheaper postage too).

Glad you have a system that works for you - living more locally to Daqua helps I imagine too 

 

Saves you having to post stuff 700 or so miles.

[Slacky]

I think Crystal Clear should employ a dedicated phone operator to field calls placed by potential customers, and do nothing else. I also think he should up his prices by an unspecified amount to cover this cost to himself because I know best how to run his business to maximise his profits.

Personally, I ignore various calls and email quote requests for the simple reason I cant be arsed. I think you get to know over time who are likely to be the messers and dont warrant you wasting your time with them.

[Stoots]

Doesn't bother me as I only order poles every so often. Everything else I usually order from various online as Gardiners usually works out quite expensive especially for little bits.

[Go]

I order lots of stuff(5 poles this year), I don’t know what the problem is? I order it, then a couple of days later it arrives.
The kit is all pretty basic. Not sure what questions can’t be ordered by email?

The free carabiners are great for working at heights.

[The Jester of Wibbly]

I order lots of stuff(5 poles this year), I don’t know what the problem is? I order it, then a couple of days later it arrives.
The kit is all pretty basic. Not sure what questions can’t be ordered by email?

The free carabiners are great for working at heights.

I was thinking the same.

Intereresred to know why they have so many calls coming in where they need 4 or 5 staff members on the phones.

If its all new orders then business is booming as each incoming call makes a profit for them.  All enquiries can also lead to sales potentials and gives you the oportunity to up sell providing more profit. That's how retail works.  Or are the calls coming in all complaints? 

[Nick Day]

They will be lucky to make a profit on half the calls , if that. To make a profit on the phone for twenty minute to sell a tuppeny halfpenny widget  is not good business. If every call made them a large profit they would be over run with staff. They are not stupid people.

[Crystal-clear]

Hi Crystal-clear

This should make an interesting poll!

Just to clarify, we already have a team of 10 customer service advisors (2 new team members started last month) whose only job is to sit in the office and assist customers, by phone and by email.  Although some of these advisors are part-time workers we have a minimum of 4-5 advisors each day handling customer queries.  However,  we had to take the decision to operate a call-back service as the team could not cope with the volume of telephone calls that we are receiving this Summer.  Unfortunately due to the technical nature of the advice our team offer, it is not as easy as employing another person to answer the phone.

We accept that we will lose customers who do not like this new system and fortunately there are many other WFP suppliers to chose from, but we have already found with this system that we are more able to assist customers in an efficient and timely manner.  Many customers have given feedback that they prefer this system to having to wait in a queue for an indeterminate length of time.  In reality, our previous system often resulted in a large number of customers having to leave a message as all the lines were busy and they would get the answermachine message.

Please be assured you can still speak to us on the phone, you will just need to leave a message first or an email first and we will then call you back.

Thanks very much for the response Alex
Sorry was busy at work all day indeed I thought myself will be quite interesting!
25 voters so far seems pretty mixed 24÷ not over the moon and asking you to put prices up another whooping 24÷ actually ordered else where (I don't know if id go that far as very happy with your products but I do order rarely) I thought you might appreciate this post It could give you an insight and figure out a possible way to sort it! Obviously a lot of us have no idea what it's like running a business of your stature I can believe that you are totally inundated all I can say is from my part it would be awesome if you could somehow turn it around to how it used to be the statistics I think show I honestly think you have no problem charging an extra fiver or a tenner per pole to cover the cost 

[Nick Day]

You could not make it up. Charge an extra few quid and you will earn what....up to £100,000.00 from that pole. The biggest mistake Gardiners made was not to rent the poles.

[dazmond]

Hi Crystal-clear

This should make an interesting poll!

Just to clarify, we already have a team of 10 customer service advisors (2 new team members started last month) whose only job is to sit in the office and assist customers, by phone and by email.  Although some of these advisors are part-time workers we have a minimum of 4-5 advisors each day handling customer queries.  However,  we had to take the decision to operate a call-back service as the team could not cope with the volume of telephone calls that we are receiving this Summer.  Unfortunately due to the technical nature of the advice our team offer, it is not as easy as employing another person to answer the phone.

We accept that we will lose customers who do not like this new system and fortunately there are many other WFP suppliers to chose from, but we have already found with this system that we are more able to assist customers in an efficient and timely manner.  Many customers have given feedback that they prefer this system to having to wait in a queue for an indeterminate length of time.  In reality, our previous system often resulted in a large number of customers having to leave a message as all the lines were busy and they would get the answermachine message.

Please be assured you can still speak to us on the phone, you will just need to leave a message first or an email first and we will then call you back.

Thanks very much for the response Alex
Sorry was busy at work all day indeed I thought myself will be quite interesting!
25 voters so far seems pretty mixed 24÷ not over the moon and asking you to put prices up another whooping 24÷ actually ordered else where (I don't know if id go that far as very happy with your products but I do order rarely) I thought you might appreciate this post It could give you an insight and figure out a possible way to sort it! Obviously a lot of us have no idea what it's like running a business of your stature I can believe that you are totally inundated all I can say is from my part it would be awesome if you could somehow turn it around to how it used to be the statistics I think show I honestly think you have no problem charging an extra fiver or a tenner per pole to cover the cost 

25 people have used the poll......it's hardly an insight into what Alex should or shouldn't do.....  .