RealityCheckr said:
(revised post)
After lurking on this list for 5 years I signed up not long ago because of this thread. My handle reflects the reason for signing up. I would like to remind folks that things are far more complex than generally assumed.
This most recent post is once again a customers who is out to get something by about publicly complaining about a company company, or is simply not making normal and reasonable efforts to contact a small company at a busy time of year.
Broadcast buyers face up to the fact that broadcast is a TINY market and the companies that specialize in equipment are small businesses. If you call once or twice and get a busy (or, for that matter no answer) maybe that is because people who never bother to read manuals and who have no engineering background are tying up the support line. The complete lack of knowledge by many "broadcast engineers" these days is astonishing, but broadcast companies are more often than not willing to teach you your job. This takes time and hurt those who need emergency support.
I have never worked for the folks at Radio Systems, but I have been in the industry long enough to know Garrett and Dan well enough to know that they goal is to take care of their customers well. If you have made "attempts" to contact Radio Systems (or 95% of other broadcast manufacturers) and not gotten through you might try again (maybe the next day) before you blast the company. Just remember, if you hurt their sales, support will be affected just as the rest of the company.
While there is absolutely no excuse for the poor service customers receive from large mega companies such as the phone company, cable TV, or many other industries (for example consumer electronics), the factors that effect a small business such as most manaufacturers are much different. Remember, the companies in the broadcast business are a TINY fraction of the size of those giants. And despite that, overall they do far BETTER than these mega companies.
Yes, of course, broadcasters need a high degree of support, and of course broadcasters expect and deserve good support. And, the vast majority of times they get it. If however, occasionally you get a busy signal, or it takes a few days to get a response to an email, consider that someone might be out sick, on vacation, or overworked just as much as you are. I can tell you form having worked for many companies this is the truth, not some lack of caring by the owners of these companies.
Worst case, call the President of the company (try that with a mega company) and let him/her know that things are not going as well as you expected. S/he will THANK you for your comments and, if the problem is systemic, work to fix it.
It is extremely rare that the company truly doesn't care, but to many on forums such as this that is the assumption by many users. If you want to blackmail someone on-line blackmail a mega corporation, not the people at broadcast manufacturers who are generally trying very hard to take care of you. After all, if your companies were being unfairly attacked how would YOU feel?
Just a reality check.... from RealityCheckr
Interesting nick there.
In no way were my original comments a form of "blackmail".
I do most of my correspondence via email. I deal with dozens of companies, all over the world and in my home country.
I have discovered over the years that there are a lot of companies who simply never check their emails. Why they even have an email address listed on their website amazes me.
I know this to be the case, because in 95% of instances where I have received no reply after sending up to a dozen emails over as many weeks, I have called them up on the phone to find out why. The general response? "Oh, we don't check that very often" or "we are having trouble with the system". Yeah, right.
Yes, I agree - a lot of broadcast companies are small outfits. But they all have a secretary or someone who answers the phones, and while she is sitting there filing her nails or playing Solitaire on the computer in front of her she could at least check the emails once a day!
Another situation I have had - the website gives the name of a technical representative in the list of email addresses, so I fire off an email to that person.
The following week I happen to be at the very company concerned, and the person I sent the email happens to walk past. I ask "Did you receive an email about X and Y last week?" and they reply "Yes, I did, and I forwarded it on to such and such - has he not got back to you?"
This person should have at least replied to me and said "I have received your enquiry and forwarded it on to ..... ". Then at least I would know what was happening and who I needed to contact for further information. It only takes a few seconds to send me an acknowledgement.
It is also apparent to me that bosses don't always know that people are having difficulties in communicating with their company. It's not until a complaint comes in and makes it to their desk that they even realise someone is not happy. The receptionist / office girl is often the first person that a customer has any dealings with, and if she is not promoting the business or attending to inquiries as she should, it leaves the customer feeling very disgruntled.
I have worked for large corporations and small businesses, so I know exactly what it is like in both areas.
The number one philosophy that I have always held however, is that every customer is acknowledged and followed up. If I take a call from them, or an email, it is noted - time, day, date, point of contact, reason for enquiry. If I have not personally followed their requirements up, I will call them within a week to make sure that someone else has! I go back through my daily planner and follow up. It only takes a few seconds to put a call in and make sure that their needs have been met. These few seconds can mean the difference between repeat business and lost sales.
If you wish to survive in business, you have to provide timely and efficient service to your clients - no matter whether they are calling up for a 50 cent lamp or a new on-air studio.
Whether you believe it or not, there are companies out there that don't give a toss - and this usually shows when they close their doors finally due to poor/non-existent sales. I have dealt with such firms in my time and it's easy to see why they don't last.
Once again I must point out that Gerrett was extremely helpful and followed up with everything that I asked about. I don't have any issues with the service he provided, in fact it was outstanding.
This was not an attack on Radio Systems - as mentioned above, it was a general submission. I simply asked if anyone knew of any other sources of RS parts.
Yes I could have phoned directly - but given that I am in a country on the other side of the world, where the time zones don't exactly allow for practical communication, and the toll (long-distance) rates are hideously expensive - I try where possible to avoid such calls.
