What is a reasonable response time for a PS Vendor

[noobie]

What's a reasonable response from PS vendors? Am I too spoiled by the service I got from DI, who responded in literally hours and all cases no more than one day? DCD also previously responded to me in no more than one day in all cases.

I've recently contacted a couple of PS vendors who I have been working with to find something for me and have not heard back for three days. I know they may not have the information to answer me, but would it be unreasonable to expect a quick note saying I'll get back to you in x? Edited to add: I know they have been online since they have been active here the past few days.

I limited my first diamond(s) search to four vendors, since I didn't want them working for a low chance of sale and purchased from 2. A pretty good hit rate for the vendors, I think.

Maybe my anxiousness is exaggerated by the fact that I am ready to buy now!

I would go back to DI in a heartbeat, but they don't sell what I'm looking for.

What's your experience on response and what should I expect? Am I being reasonable?

I don't want to feel like I should be chasing them to spend my money.

 

[chialea]

They might not all be back from that convention in Las Vegas yet, so you might want to cut em a little slack or send another email.

Of course, if you mention who hasn't responded, I've seen that light a bit of a fire under certain people's bums...

 

[moremoremore]

hmmm, and what might you be looking for????....I bet I know!!!

I know of one vendor who is just really busy....and going through some changes in the store...I say 24-48 hours is acceptable...But you know what, sometimes it's just better to call....it's easier and quicker for them and you!

 

[noobie]

No More it's not who you're thinking. I'm looking for a couple of things. Just getting a litte frustrated since I had to call before as well and I don't like to ask for things unless I'm serious.

Wanted to hear what other people were experiencing.

 

[Hest88]

Because of Vegas I'd also cut them some slack. However, if you have certain needs that aren't being fulfilled and people are missing deadlines, then I'd take my business elsewhere.

 

[CaptAubrey]

everyone is in vegas right now, ps and otherwise.

 

[mm]

I have had a very mixed experience with response times.

One vendor gets back to me in 24 hours every time- no fail

One other vendor that claims a 24 hour response time didn't respond at all to two email requests over the space of a week and a half. It was not until I cc'ed the CEO on the request (his email was listed, so i thought I'd give it a go) that I magically got a response- after that they were quite good.

The third vendor I tried and tried again- kept being ignored. Finally got some reponses then it stopped again. Wrote a somewhat annoyed email and got an apology from the company, but again subseqent emails took ages to be responded to. I missed out on one stone I was interested in from this vendor because it took 2 weeks tlo respond to the first 3-4 emails. I stuck with them originally because they were the cheapest. But now I found the vendor that gets back to me in 24 hours, every time also price matches and offers a call-in service- so they are more likely to get my business.

cheers
mm

 

[researcher]

I worked/still work with Denise from WF, and she almost always gets back to me within hours, or at least the same day. When I don't hear back from her immediately, it's usually because she's waiting for a supplier to get back to her about the stone(s) I've inquired about. But, when she does get back to be I've got TONS of information! I've never had her take more than 24 hours though--she's super woman!

 

[hoorray]

I've had mixed results. Some are super prompt, but I've had one that has really lost my business twice by taking days (3-5 at least) to get back to me. Beautiful stones, but when everyone else is responding, I'd moved on in my buying process by the time they responded. I figure that's their way of doing business, and it's not what I'm looking in for in a vendor. I think others have had similar results -- there was a thread a while back on this.

I think the answer for you is that you are picking not only sontes/jewelry, but a vendor when you are making big purchases, and you should decide if that is who you want to do business with. PM me if you want to know if it is the one you are talking about. I'm not going to blast people for this kind of thing because others may have different experiences, and then it's a non-issue.

 

[jenery]

I have had similar experiences -- I emailed several PS vendors through their websites and have still not received a response after 2 weeks. I understand if they don't have the information handy, or if what I am asking is something they just can't answer, but an acknowledgement would be helpful. I'm in school or teaching all day and it's very difficult for me to get to a phone during normal working hours so email is pretty much the way I handle most internet purchases.

Maybe it's just the fact that I said outright I only have $2000 to spend? I know it's not much compared to some but it's two month's rent for me and I don't feel comfortable dropping any money on a vendor (no matter how highly they have come recommended on this forum) if they can't acknowledge my inquiries.

 

[aljdewey]

Good lord, I wonder how anyone functioned at *all* before email, don't you?




We've all gotten used to the modern conveniences, but that doesn't always make them the best way to communicate. If someone is that hot to purchase, what's wrong with picking up the phone?




1. Email is not the only way to reach people, and it's often the most ineffective way. If you don't hear back from a vendor via email, why not pick up the phone? Most of them have toll-free numbers to reach them on, and I found when I was shopping that *every* one of them was generous of their time when I spoke to them on the phone.




2. How many spam emails do you get in a day? I get nearly 160 a day, and I'm ONE person whose email address isn't plastered all over the world like those of the vendors. If I get this many, I can only imagine how much junk these folks have to weed through to find the "real" emails.




3. Email isn't infalliable. My FI is a system administrator, and he has to filter through emails that are intended for employees at his company but don't make it through for whatever reason. It could be that your email didn't get through. If you email from a company address and someone else could have identified your company as a potential spammer for any reason, email from your address may be blocked by anti-spam software programs.




4. As someone else pointed out, nearly all the vendors have been tied up at the JCK convention in Las Vegas, so that too could contribute to the slower than normal response time.




Email is a great way to communicate if your pants aren't on fire over something, but if you really are "ready to buy", it's probably not the best method.

 

[strmrdr]

In general I expect a reply within 24 hours.
If I dont get one I resend.
If after 48 hours and 2 emails I dont get a responce Id move on.

Unless there is a bad virus going around taking down email systems or I know they are out of town at a convention.

 

[noobie]

Well, interesting responses.It seems like there is variability in the response times from vendors.Judging from my own experience and reading the posts in PS it’s not entirely consistent even within the same vendor.It’s not surprising given that they must receive tons of e-mails in a day and really don’t have a good and effective way to pre-qualify the inquiries and separate the serious ones from the not so serious ones.The only vendor that seems to consistently set an excellent standard on response is DI. I haven’t read or experienced anything from them other than excellence.

I have often wondered how the vendors here handle the volume of e-mail because their business model makes it easy for potential customers and anyone with too much time on their hands, to abuse their services.It’s easy to send out ten e-mails to vendors looking for the same thing when sitting behind a computer and a vendor has to treat each request as genuine.When a B&M store offers to look for something for me or bring in goods, I don’t do it unless I’m very serious.I use the same standard for searches with PS vendors.

That being said, my question was also a sanity check on what a reasonable response time. Is it 24 hours, two days?Seems like three days is getting a little long?

Al, you raise some good points, but I can’t say I agree with all of them

1. Email is not the only way to reach people, and it's often the most ineffective way. If you don't hear back from a vendor via email, why not pick up the phone? Most of them have toll-free numbers to reach them on, and I found when I was shopping that *every* one of them was generous of their time when I spoke to them on the phone.

Yes, I agree that vendors are very generous with their time. However, I am very busy during normal business hours and often don’t have time to call, can’t wait on hold for them to finish up (not that I expect them to be available at all times by any means) or am not available to take a return call. When they are searching for items it’s much more convenient to review them when you can on e-mail and then close the deal by phone which I always do.I like to review my choices when I have time after hours.If they had a phone to talk to them at 8 PM or 11PM, I would almost always call.I don’t even care if the number is toll free.Their chosen business model is internet, which by nature means e-mail communication.Consistency and promptness of reply is a reasonable expectation.

2. How many spam emails do you get in a day? I get nearly 160 a day, and I'm ONE person whose email address isn't plastered all over the world like those of the vendors. If I get this many, I can only imagine how much junk these folks have to weed through to find the "real" emails.

Valid point, however, the business model again is on-line and that’s a cost of doing business this way.

3. Email isn't infalliable. My FI is a system administrator, and he has to filter through emails that are intended for employees at his company but don't make it through for whatever reason. It could be that your email didn't get through. If you email from a company address and someone else could have identified your company as a potential spammer for any reason, email from your address may be blocked by anti-spam software programs.

Yes valid point again, but you would think that blocking should be minimal if this is the way they generate most of their leads.It’s similar to blocking series of phone numbers from calling you.And if they have received e-mail from you in the past it should not be blocked.

4. As someone else pointed out, nearly all the vendors have been tied up at the JCK convention in Las Vegas, so that too could contribute to the slower than normal response time.

Yes, I understand, that’s why I waited to June 7 to e-mail.A simple automated out of office note if they are saying longer in Vegas would have been acceptable as well.Or even quick don’t know yet and will get back to you.

Email is a great way to communicate if your pants aren't on fire over something, but if you really are "ready to buy", it's probably not the best method.

Yes, but if they have taken it upon themselves to get back to you when they are looking for something for you, then it’s pretty effective. And when someone says they will get back to you by a certain time and don’t?

 

[strmrdr]

aljdewey,

Just saw your post I don’t know why I missed it the first time.

There is a very good reason I wont call I chose to do business by email because I hate talking on the phone.
I communicate much better in email or other written/typed forms.
A vendor that wont accommodate that loses my business.

Another point is that a voice conversation suffers from lack of recall and contract legality, Id never close a deal without something in written form.
That holds true if im ordering something for the company I work for or myself.
My suppliers that are not set up for web ordering have to fax us a copy of the order and an order id number and we call back and tell them to ship or change the order.
The ones that do web ordering better have a printable order summery page before the final commit page.
Any vendor that will not do so does not get our business.
Evidently its fairly standard in the business world because none of our suppliers think its unusual and only one over the last 5 years has even commented on it.

 

[aljdewey]

Noobie, you raise some excellent points as well, although I don't agree with all of them, too.

Yes, I agree that vendors are very generous with their time. However, I am very busy during normal business hours and often don’t have time to call, can’t wait on hold for them to finish up (not that I expect them to be available at all times by any means) or am not available to take a return call. When they are searching for items it’s much more convenient to review them when you can on e-mail and then close the deal by phone which I always do.I like to review my choices when I have time after hours.

I can appreciate tremendously what you're saying here. I spend nearly all day long on the phone, and as such, it's difficult for others to return my call....it turns into a vicious game of phone tag. However, both of us are somehow able to squeeze time in our days for those folks like doctors, dentists, etc who are only open during our normal business hours. Yes, it's a inconvenience, but we find a way. If you want the convenience of e-mail, then you need to accept the inherent pitfalls of the medium, one of which is that you are not likely to get an immediate reply as you would with a phone call. Keep in mind, too, that others who ARE phoning are initiating projects that now begin before yours.

Lastly, yes, email is convenient and there's no reason you can't avail yourself of that convenience throughout the buying process. What I'm saying is that a phone call to *initiate* the purchase and let the vendor know to seek out your email puts things on the right path. After speaking with my vendor initially, most of our corresponding occurred via email.

Their chosen business model is internet, which by nature means e-mail communication.Consistency and promptness of reply is a reasonable expectation.

Not true, actually. Most of the often-recommended vendors here are storefront vendors first and foremost, and they have expanded their business to include internet sales, but it's not their chosen *primary* business model. Regarding consistency and promptness......again, you're assuming they got your emails in the first place, or that they have found them after sifting through all the crap.

Valid point, (on the volume of spam ) however, the business model again is on-line and that’s a cost of doing business this way.

That's fine, but again, it's not the ONLY way you can reach these people. If they were saying "we will ONLY respond to emails" and then not replying promptly, I could see the beef. Listen, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and if I want to make sure I get them, I will pursue as many methods as I think it takes to do that. It takes people time to go through the emails and separate the serious inquiries from the crap, and if you're willing to let your contact be a part of that queue, then you know the risk of delay up front.

Yes valid point again, but you would think that blocking should be minimal if this is the way they generate most of their leads.It’s similar to blocking series of phone numbers from calling you.And if they have received e-mail from you in the past it should not be blocked.

I'd say this means you aren't familiar with the many blocking services. Our company had one, and the service was responsible for maintaining the "block" list. They would often add stuff on there because OTHER people were experiencing it. You're assuming that someone at the "vendor" determines how much to block and who to block.....that isn't how it works. The service my company uses has blocked folks on my "accept" list if the email contains something it deems suspect.

Yes, I understand, that’s why I waited to June 7 to e-mail.A simple automated out of office note if they are saying longer in Vegas would have been acceptable as well.Or even quick don’t know yet and will get back to you.

Noobie, it depends on how their email system is set up, but in many organizations, the out-of-office note only fires off internally.....to other employees. It doesn't reply that way to email from outside the company. One primary reason companies are reluctant to turn that feature on outside the company......because they participate in a number of list-servs, industry forum groups, and if they are out of the office, every time one of those comes in, it fires back to EVERYONE on the list.....and they get dropped from the subscription.

Yes, but if they have taken it upon themselves to get back to you when they are looking for something for you, then it’s pretty effective. And when someone says they will get back to you by a certain time and don’t?

TOTALLY agree with you there. If you are IN process with them, and they make a commitment to respond on a certain date, they should. If they don't, you should absolutely let them know that's not acceptable to you as a customer. I had two instances of that, and both times, I let the vendor know that I expect a reply when it's committed. If you don't have a result, let me know that and tell me when it will be forthcoming.

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