Poor Service from Xpres - Again

[Justin]

Good to hear they can still get it right then

[logobear]

I have found them the rudest people ever !
A couple of years ago I recieved some samples from them by post as I was about to invest in a new process.
Naturally, I wore them, and washed according to instructions, and the transfere part came off at the edges!
This was only a couple of weeks before Print & promo at the nec, so I took the garment along (a red t-shirt with a cartoon duck i think) - to ask them about it.....
The T-shirt was snatched from my hand, and the Xpress rep dissappeared. He returned a few minutes later, and denighed all knowledge of the garment, and refused to talk to me about it!
This is not the only example, but is the woorst ! - don't know how they survive...

[Stitch Up]

To exhibit at a major show like Printwear costs an enormous amount of money.

Do you think it was the right time & place to confront them with the problem?

[logobear]

Re Stitched Up,
it was the first/best opportunity I had, and the chance for them to show that they cared!
I was aware that I was giving them a challenge, I waited until one of their people was free and he approached me, it was just the two of us, and since I value customer care I wanted to see how they would respond, we made our introductions, I said what I was looking for, then produced the shirt from my bag. Xpress responded MUCH worse than I could ever have predicted, absolute denial!
From what I understand a number of their staff have left in the last few months....., 'thou this incident was probably 3 or 4 years ago.
I suspect their PLC structure makes them more sales orientated as oppose to people focussed.....
We all make buying decisions based on logic and emotion. Xpress are a large and well researched company, but it's corporate philosophy clashes with mine, unless there is a change I cannot see myself doing biz with them, but I am sure they are good for many.

[socialgiraffe]

I think approaching them at a show is one of the best ways to get to them. Regardless of how you approach them (attack attack attack or softly softly) if a company is going to peddle their goods at a show then they should be prepared to face the music if something is wrong, regardless of how much it costs to exhibit.

The fact that they denied all knowledge of the garment speaks volumes on the rep concerned and it is something suppliers need to address. Look at Logo Bears situation, he approached them 3-4 years ago and has not purchased since because of the service he received. Bad customer service, whatever and whenever it occurs, should be highlighted in the same way that we highlight the good service and suppliers need to know that one bad service could result in a few years of loss of revenue.

Lets face it, we have all had problems with suppliers in the past, and we have all had problems with customers where it was our error. It is not the fact that we/them made a mistake that is the problem. It is how it is dealt with that really matters.

I find too many suppliers these days concentrating on the few sales from large customers and forgetting the smaller outfits. Fine by me but then they should not advertise their products as available in 1 or 2 units.

Perhaps we should draw up a suppliers charter and present it to those who reach the standard. In return they could advertise that they have reached the DSF standard and means that we as a forum know who we are really dealing with... just a thought

[AdamB]

Perhaps we should draw up a suppliers charter and present it to those who reach the standard. In return they could advertise that they have reached the DSF standard and means that we as a forum know who we are really dealing with... just a thought

That's an idea

[AdamB]

It's a fact that customer service plays a VERY important part in any business. You may be a good salesperson and can sell a product to someone but if you lose their custom after that sale it's a wasted venture.

Customer service is little like building a relationship with a customer and making sure that they want to pursue that relationship, and it takes nothing to be polite.

I remember reading somewhere that a customer that receives a good service will tell 1 person, where if they receive bad service they will tell 10. It's a natural occurrence and this thread is an example of just that (not knocking this thread - just using it as an example).

[smo]

The problem with something like a forum charter is the responses are just so varied as shown in this very thread. Several people have had bad experiences but some of those were years ago, personally i've had excellent experiences with the very same company and then there are some who have had bad but i'm sure their location plays a part in the poor service with couriers not offering a true next day service so its swings and roundabouts!

[Stitch Up]

I think approaching them at a show is one of the best ways to get to them. Regardless of how you approach them (attack attack attack or softly softly) if a company is going to peddle their goods at a show then they should be prepared to face the music if something is wrong, regardless of how much it costs to exhibit.

Please don't take offence as this is just my view

Personally I think it's a poor way to present a problem to a supplier. As we all know, there's many problems that can occur in the printing process and care of the garment afterwards. We all try to ensure the goods we supply are first class, BUT, we also make mistakes and I could imagine that some of the garments I've supplied to customers, might not have been free of defects somewhere in the printing process. I wouldn't knowingly sell defective items, but sh*t happens.

If a customer does have good reason to complain, I replace the garment or refund without any hassle.

I feel taking your problems to an exhibition where the supplier is promoting their products is wholly unfair and could cost them dearly. It's similar to selling an item on Ebay and getting bad feedback without the customer contacting you first! I know many on this forum have complained of this sort of issue.

In the case of Xpres, I'd be pretty certain they don't sell product knowing them to be faulty. I also know from experience that if you do receive a defective product, the problem is resolved after a phone call or two.

In the case illustrated by logobear, he states he followed the washing instructions, I don't doubt that for a moment BUT, what if the thermostat of your washing machine was faulty and the water temperature was higher than it should have been? Would Xpres be at fault? Is it unreasonable to even consider that something else might have been wrong that isn't the fault of Xpres?

I can't comment on how Xpres reacted at the show but I can understand if they felt a tad annoyed. Was it really the first opportunity to question Xpres, at a show that probably cost them £60k? Did you really have no time to pick up the phone first?

If I've supplied goods to any of you guys that haven't come up to your expectations, please do call me - don't use the forum as a first point of contact.

John

[AdamB]

The problem with something like a forum charter is the responses are just so varied as shown in this very thread..........

Why would that be a problem? I mean, the 'varied' responses bit?
I thought that's how the 'review' sites work with the good and bad points - and also for companies to see their faults and rectify from them.

Or (and it's happened many times in the past) have I missed the point again? (lol)