Why have a business email address if no-one responds!?

[Ms Piggy]

Okay, so some of you know I am on an ongoing quest to find a helmet for my mutant head. See: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?p=1129378258#post1129378258

On Sunday I emailed a couple of central Wellington motorbike shops to find out what brand of helmet they stock. I live in Lower Hutt and didn't want to come into town on Saturday if the shops have what is available out near home.

Speedy reply 1st thing Monday from shop #1. No response from shop #2. So a few days later I went back on shop #2's site to check there wasn't an alternative email address - nope there's not. I'm a busy person at work, it's very rare for me to get 5 minutes to make a personal phone call and I also prefer email and if a business offers this as a means of communication then I feel I should be able to expect a response.

I decide to phone shop #2 today - friendly voice on the phone - I explain that I had emailed them and had no response to date, what email address asks he, the only 1 on your website says I. Ah, yeah Carl, who has the only email address on their site, is on holiday in Rarotonga (how nice for him) and then he says: "...but you can contact us by phone".

You know what mate with an attitude like that you stick your helmets!! :finger: I am sick to death of smart arsed sales assistance who think they have a right to try and put me in my place cos I expect to get a service that's offered, i.e. a reply to my email enquiry.

If your company have an email address on their website then shouldn't the person it belongs to (at the very least) activate 'out of office' message so that customers (which is what I could've been) know they won't get a quick response?? And maybe in future you should have an alternative email address. Oooo or I know, I know - not be a smart arse to potential customers! And then he obviously assumed that I wanted a cheap crappy helmet for a scooter!!

Rant over! As you can see I've had a tough work week...

[vifferman]

I agree.
I think lots of businesses have email addresses and/or websites, just to prove they're up with the play, part of the 21st Century, etc., when really it's mere tokenism.
While the phone is often the quickest way to get hold of someone, it's not always the most convenient for various reasons, like not being able to make a toll call, different time zones, it being clearer to write down what you require than explain it to someone (particularly if English isn't the first language for you and/or them).

[slofox]

I reply to all emails that I receive through my work email address...even those that reckon my willy needs enlarging. I usually say.."OOooooo! WOW! I always wanted a bigger donger! How much bigger will it make it? Can you come round here and show me yours so I can see how well it works????"

Funnily enough, I don't often get a reply to that....

[MadDuck]

And then he obviously assumed that I wanted a cheap crappy helmet for a scooter!!

What an absolute wanker.....nice rant MsP

[Jonno.]

Exactly. I would rather go to coleman's take an extra twenty minutes to go to Coleman's because they actually answer my emails :oi-grr:

[Mom]

Doesn't that piss you off!

Bet you want a pink one (helmet, you rudies) too doncha, doncha? :dodge:

[Owl]

Totally agree Ms Piggy!:yes:

I recently e-mailed a business to enquire about an advertised air compressor, to which I had no response.

I happened to venture into that shop a few weeks later for an $18 purchase and mentioned I'd just spent over $1200 on a new compressor. "Oh where did you buy it? We've got a great range at really good prices. You should have come in to see us!"

"I probably would have if you'd answered my e-mail enquiry!":oi-grr:

I did get an apology!:whistle:

[Gremlin]

Out of Office would only exist if they had a back end that supported it. Often the bike shops are too advanced IT wise, using it more to list bikes etc.

I do agree however, if they list email addresses, they should monitor them etc.

On top of that though, you do have issues with spam filtering etc, so its possible emails could be blocked like that etc.

[Ronin]

Out of Office would only exist if they had a back end that supported it. Often the bike shops are too advanced IT wise, using it more to list bikes etc.

I do agree however, if they list email addresses, they should monitor them etc.

On top of that though, you do have issues with spam filtering etc, so its possible emails could be blocked like that etc.

IMHO if they have an email address then they should take the time to check their spam. I know I do.

[Gremlin]

IMHO if they have an email address then they should take the time to check their spam. I know I do.
Not quite as simple as that... if your spam filtering system removes the email entirely, its like it never existed.

Just a heads up anyway...

[Ronin]

Not quite as simple as that... if your spam filtering system removes the email entirely, its like it never existed.

Just a heads up anyway...

True and a good point :2thumbsup

[Quasievil]

mmmmmmm I get bucket loads of emails a day from customers and I work very hard to answer them.........sometimes to very late at night, a couple of weeks ago I missed one (fuck knows why n how but I did) the guy contacted me again thankfully and I checked back to see that I fucked up.
Im so glad he didnt broadcast it live on Kiwibiker so as to get shredded by the masses !

[Quasievil]

Out of Office would only exist if they had a back end that supported it. Often the bike shops are too advanced IT wise, using it more to list bikes etc.

I do agree however, if they list email addresses, they should monitor them etc.

On top of that though, you do have issues with spam filtering etc, so its possible emails could be blocked like that etc.

Well so I thought to buddy, but no, here is a little trick that we used while shamefully going on holiday for a week.

http://office.microsoft.com/assistance/asstvid.aspx?assetid=XT012197121033&vwidth=884&vheight=540&type=mediaplayer&CTT=11&Origin=HA012194181033

[Skunk]

Well so I thought to buddy, but no, here is a little trick that we used while shamefully going on holiday for a week.

http://office.microsoft.com/assistance/asstvid.aspx?assetid=XT012197121033&vwidth=884&vheight=540&type=mediaplayer&CTT=11&Origin=HA012194181033
Cool - it's taking a week to load...

[allycatz]

A lot of the shops on Trade Me are very slack to get back in touch...sent six email and got one reply

[Little Miss Trouble]

I understand the frustration entirely MsP, but on the other hand my inbox is often rather full at work with things that need to be addressed sooner or later but we also have 10 phone lines ringing off the hook demanding my attention NOW

[Mully]

Maybe they read about the size you wanted and were still ROFLing....

[avgas]

So did it fit your ego? or they couldn't get your size

[ready4whatever]

Yeah it seems all companies i email dont reply, whats the point.

[YellowDog]

I understand the frustration entirely MsP, but on the other hand my inbox is often rather full at work with things that need to be addressed sooner or later but we also have 10 phone lines ringing off the hook demanding my attention NOW
Whatever needs to be done; needs to be done.

OR you just give the impression that you are a bunch of slackarses and unfit to do business with.

[Little Miss Trouble]

Whatever needs to be done; needs to be done.

OR you just give the impression that you are a bunch of slackarses and unfit to do business with.

Oh don't get me wrong, it all gets done, I'm often there early or after hours to get it taken care of.
My point was, you will (almost) always get a prompter response from a phonecall

[Ms Piggy]

You know I don't think it was so much that they hadn't replied to my email but mostly the attitude of the guy I spoke to on the phone that has me in an uproar. However, if you offer email as a form of communication then as a business you need to have systems in place to manage it properly.

I appreciate that if I choose to send an email, as opposed to pick up the phone, it may take a few more days to get a reply but the guy on the phone made all sorts of assumptions about me and what I wanted and he was rude to a customer that may have been willing to spend a reasonable amount of $$ on a new helmet.

[Ms Piggy]

Maybe they read about the size you wanted and were still ROFLing....

:p Actually I didn't divulge to them the mutantness that is my tiny head.

[Taz]

When I'm looking for a particular product I do a mass email and the one shop that replies if any gets my custom. Simple as that. My time is too important to me to deal with shops that just don't give a shit.

[Little Miss Trouble]

the guy on the phone made all sorts of assumptions about me and what I wanted and he was rude to a customer that may have been willing to spend a reasonable amount of $$ on a new helmet.

Haha stories like this alway reminds me of the day I walked into a particular bike shop in Auckland when looking for my first bike.
I'd already had time for a quick look around before the sales guy bounced up to me and without a 'hello, how are you' and declares to me, "if your looking for a scooter, they're over there'
My response - 'No actually, I have X amount of dollars burning a hole in my pocket for a 250 full-fairing sprotsbike, but thanks anyway' and have never set foot in said shop again.

[StoneY]

IMHO if they have an email address then they should take the time to check their spam. I know I do.


Not quite as simple as that... if your spam filtering system removes the email entirely, its like it never existed.

Just a heads up anyway...

No- spam FILTERING bins the suspected spam for later inspection by default. Its never deleted just removed from the inbox unless some moron configures it otherwise and anyone who DOES that to a business e-mail IS an utter moron for sure - even xtra learnt that the hard way and now provide a spam bin for later inspection

I'm on the side of 'offer the service, then fuckin monitor it', its how it is in my business world- and I notice few bike shops have any decent e-mail systems

However TSS and WMC have always responded within what I consider appropriate response period to any e-mail query I have sent them - so there is hope if the other shops take the hint and MOVE into century XXI

On ya lads ;)

[Gremlin]

No- spam FILTERING bins the suspected spam for later inspection by default. Its never deleted just removed from the inbox unless some moron configures it otherwise and anyone who DOES that to a business e-mail IS an utter moron for sure - even xtra learnt that the hard way and now provide a spam bin for later inspection
:killingme I guess you just called me and plenty of other systems administrators morons...

We process 1000-2000 legit business emails every day for our clients. Spam is at 80-90% of all emails, so the real figure we process is in the order of 10,000 approx per day or more

We're not even a public server, so our spam rate is lower than theirs.

Yes, we dump spam, but I can tell you that if spam didn't exist, my days would definitely be more pleasant.

[StoneY]

:killingme I guess you just called me and plenty of other systems administrators morons...

We process 1000-2000 legit business emails every day for our clients. Spam is at 80-90% of all emails, so the real figure we process is in the order of 10,000 approx per day or more

We're not even a public server, so our spam rate is lower than theirs.

Yes, we dump spam, but I can tell you that if spam didn't exist, my days would definitely be more pleasant.

Ill rephrase a bit
Your not morons, my apologies

I was in your job for 4 years mate- Sys admin for the Govt- an exchange admin for 2 of those years- lotus notes the other 2 before I moved into a service coordinator role in the private sector

We actively blocked any recognized spam- but a HUMAN had to request the sender/org to be blocked- our automated rules spun purely around inappropriate material flags and size of attachments- blocking had to be done on request only and any message we received kept for 12 months (even spam) due to the rules we lived by forced on us by higher authority

As that's been such a huge part of my IT career as well, I probably didn't think too hard when making earlier comment as I was comparing the situation against the processes I understand to be 'best practice' form my experience so apologies to the sys admins I may have offended

I have seen many 'hosted' mail services flag legitimate business mail as spam as well- its not a perfect world I guess

[Gremlin]

Ouch... couldn't imagine keeping spam for 12 months. We archive accepted emails for 7 years though.

We use SPF checking, DNSBL, scoring on content, attachments etc

The hard part is balancing success of legit vs failure of spam, but the server chat logs assist in pinpointing issues. Users don't care how their emails look like, spammers try their hardest to look legit.

Anyhoo, enough of this, we're sending the normal humans to sleep :zzzz:

[Ms Piggy]

It doesn't matter now anyway! Today I found a helmet that fits! :wari::wari::wari:

[Owl]

It doesn't matter now anyway! Today I found a helmet that fits! :wari::wari::wari:

Mint!:2thumbsup

[Robert Taylor]

mmmmmmm I get bucket loads of emails a day from customers and I work very hard to answer them.........sometimes to very late at night, a couple of weeks ago I missed one (fuck knows why n how but I did) the guy contacted me again thankfully and I checked back to see that I fucked up.
Im so glad he didnt broadcast it live on Kiwibiker so as to get shredded by the masses !

Ive got to relate to that, sometimes you get so busy e-mails can get passed over for 2 or 3 days and with volume its easy to miss the odd one. There are frankly too many methods of electronic communication and if anyone wants a more immediate answer then heck a phone call is still the most immediate way of getting a response.
I wouldnt beat too readily on the shops that are ''slow'', they may be so busy they cannot be at a keyboard every single minute of the day. If they are lazy about it then yes someone else may get the sale but Id have to say its like any modern motorcycle business in a low volume economy, low staff levels so that overheads are not disportionate to the returns. Many many of these guys are worked off their feet, if some of them are like me they struggle to keep up with enquiries and much of this is done after hours at considerable sacrifice to family.

[Ms Piggy]

Ive got to relate to that, sometimes you get so busy e-mails can get passed over for 2 or 3 days and with volume its easy to miss the odd one. There are frankly too many methods of electronic communication and if anyone wants a more immediate answer then heck a phone call is still the most immediate way of getting a response.
I wouldnt beat too readily on the shops that are ''slow'', they may be so busy they cannot be at a keyboard every single minute of the day. If they are lazy about it then yes someone else may get the sale but Id have to say its like any modern motorcycle business in a low volume economy, low staff levels so that overheads are not disportionate to the returns. Many many of these guys are worked off their feet, if some of them are like me they struggle to keep up with enquiries and much of this is done after hours at considerable sacrifice to family.

That's fine to be a little slow to respond however to get a smart arse response from them when I gave them my feedback is not fine.

If a business offer email as a form of communication then they should have systems in place to manage it or don't offer it. Simple.

I'm a customer not their mate and I expect to be treated with respect because I had a genuine enquiry for a legitimate reason and...
My time is too important to me to deal with shops that just don't give a shit.

[Robert Taylor]

That's fine to be a little slow to respond however to get a smart arse response from them when I gave them my feedback is not fine.

If a business offer email as a form of communication then they should have systems in place to manage it or don't offer it. Simple.

I'm a customer not their mate and I expect to be treated with respect because I had a genuine enquiry for a legitimate reason and...

Thats all fair enough, I was just trying to illustrate that as there are now so many forms of communication it becomes yet more of a headache to manage it all. And most motorcycle businesses are so short staffed ( neccessarily so to survive ) that somewhere sometime it falls on someone to answer in their own time.
For the most immediate form of communication nothing beats the telephone, even though to some that may appear an old fashioned concept.

[Tony.OK]

Thats all fair enough, I was just trying to illustrate that as there are now so many forms of communication it becomes yet more of a headache to manage it all. And most motorcycle businesses are so short staffed ( neccessarily so to survive ) that somewhere sometime it falls on someone to answer in their own time.
For the most immediate form of communication nothing beats the telephone, even though to some that may appear an old fashioned concept.

Ph calls are all well and good if its the odd one, but as a customer ringing around to find a good deal it can become quite costly if they are all toll calls. Alot of businesses still don't have a toll free number, and some even expect you to ring a cell ph.

I use emails purely for that fact they're free, if I get a response that is good for me then I will make the ph call.

Just another point of view.

[Ms Piggy]

Thats all fair enough, I was just trying to illustrate that as there are now so many forms of communication it becomes yet more of a headache to manage it all. And most motorcycle businesses are so short staffed ( neccessarily so to survive ) that somewhere sometime it falls on someone to answer in their own time.
For the most immediate form of communication nothing beats the telephone, even though to some that may appear an old fashioned concept.

Yep okay I hear ya but if you are in a business where the staff are legitimately too busy to answer email enquires then don't have it as an option of communication OR have an automated response letting customers know that if their enquiry may be answered in 5 business days or something. And as I say it wasn't so much that my email wasn't replied to more than when I did make a phone call the guy I spoke to was a rude prick.

[Ms Piggy]

Im so glad he didnt broadcast it live on Kiwibiker so as to get shredded by the masses !

Hey Quasi - it wasn't because my email wasn't replied to that I began this thread, more because the salesperson was incredibly rude to me...hmmm, maybe I should change the title of the thread to: "Why do sales people think they can speak to me rudely when I give them feedback".

[Quasievil]

Hey Quasi - it wasn't because my email wasn't replied to that I began this thread, more because the salesperson was incredibly rude to me...hmmm, maybe I should change the title of the thread to: "Why do sales people think they can speak to me rudely when I give them feedback".

I speak rudely to my customers all the time, it was only a few Months ago I called Tony ok "a four eyed git" I publicly call whitetrash a Homo, the list goes on

[Ms Piggy]

I speak rudely to my customers all the time, it was only a few Months ago I called Tony ok "a four eyed git" I publicly call whitetrash a Homo, the list goes on

Hah hah hah! On ya! :Punk:

[Robert Taylor]

Yep okay I hear ya but if you are in a business where the staff are legitimately too busy to answer email enquires then don't have it as an option of communication OR have an automated response letting customers know that if their enquiry may be answered in 5 business days or something. And as I say it wasn't so much that my email wasn't replied to more than when I did make a phone call the guy I spoke to was a rude prick.

There are 2 sides to every story and yes a lot of salesman are rude and also devoid of product knowledge, as are many private citizens. Was there any provocation whatsoever to make him respond in that fashion?

[Ms Piggy]

Was there any provocation whatsoever to make him respond in that fashion? No there wasn't.

[PeterJ]

mmmmmmm I get bucket loads of emails a day from customers and I work very hard to answer them.........sometimes to very late at night, a couple of weeks ago I missed one (fuck knows why n how but I did) the guy contacted me again thankfully and I checked back to see that I fucked up.
Im so glad he didnt broadcast it live on Kiwibiker so as to get shredded by the masses !

Mate, I have been trying to get a reply from you about two weeks now!...:brick:

Got one, Thanks.

[sinned]

My experience with email messaging to bike shops is complete failure. I have emailed two bike shops in the last year with a straightforward product-in-stock query and never received a reply.

Monday last week I sent an email asking price and availability of tyres to the shop that has fitted tyres for me in the past. Then followed up on Thursday by forwarding the email with another request. On the second email I placed a read receipt and got acknowledgement the email was opened/read. I am still waiting for reply.

I initially made a phone call and was sent to voice mail. Instead of leaving a message I sent an email. I find emailing works well for me in the other areas of my life and business - is this a motorcycle business area of incompetence.

Why is this so hard?

An email request - simple as it was - gave the shop time to find out the prices during a quiet period and get back to me at their convenience . (I have been there recently and they have quiet periods.)
My email had my name and telephone numbers. If they didn't want to key a response a tel call would have worked. If I got them on the phone I would have got an answer - seems okay to ignore email requests.
I have been a customer so my name should be in their records.
All email business inquiries should be acknowledged - by the next day.


There are other places to shop at but for tyre fitting I prefer to make an appointment and wait until the job is done.

Richardson Motorcycles have set up in a new location in Johnsonville; can anyone offer feedback on their service, especially for tyre supply and fitment? As I live just up the road this should work for me.

[White trash]

I speak rudely to my customers all the time, it was only a few Months ago I called Tony ok "a four eyed git" I publicly call whitetrash a Homo, the list goes on
Actually, customers pay. So I aint one.

You're welcome.

[marioc]

Businesses that are not web savvy these days are losing customers.
A lot of the time these places are run by people out of touch with the modern world.

I have had this situation so many times its not funny.

I always do business with people/companies with a decent web presence.
It tells me they know what they are doing and realise its importance.

Nz is so backward in this department.

A bit like the quality of our internet connections.

[sinned]

Businesses that are not web savvy these days are losing customers.
A lot of the time these places are run by people out of touch with the modern world.

I have had this situation so many times its not funny.

I always do business with people/companies with a decent web presence.
It tells me they know what they are doing and realise its importance.

Nz is so backward in this department.

A bit like the quality of our internet connections.
Agree, except with "I always do business with people/companies with a decent web presence.
It tells me they know what they are doing and realise its importance.". There are businesses with sites that grossly overstate their size, competence, service etc etc.
Non response to an email inquiry has to be one of the best indicators of a business that hasn't got its act together.

BTW - I am still waiting for a response to this (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showpost.php?p=1129440920&postcount=43).

[sleemanj]

Like everything, it depends on the shop.

If the shop is owned by a crusty old biker, your chances of getting an email reply approach zero. If the shop is owned or managed by a younger chap(ette) then you stand a much better chance. Unfortunately I think a lot of (smaller) shops are run/owned by crusty old bikers.

When I'm looking for something (part, service, whatever), I always look at businesses with websites, and seldom look at businesses who don't.

When I go through the yellow pages (online of course), I basically only look at the ones which have at least an email address. Preferably a website.

Part of this is probably because I'm a web developer, so got to support my business y'know, but mostly it's because I like to do a lot of research without the pressure of sales people etc...

[Ixion]

Age is no excuse for technological illiteracy.

[marioc]

Yep of course there are exceptions to this rule

[vindy500]

Richardson Motorcycles have set up in a new location in Johnsonville; can anyone offer feedback on their service, especially for tyre supply and fitment? As I live just up the road this should work for me.

Richards motorcycles, had a few tyres fitted there, no problem at all.