I've placed two orders with Mann Lake this year, well, ever. On a scan of 1-10 (10 being the best), my satisfaction level is hovering somewhere around a
2. I saw BeeyBoy's and PapaKeith's comments yesterday in chat in response to a comment I made... but are they know for absolutely poor customer service and communication? I'm rarely one to ACTUALLY complain, but, by golly, I did just that yesterday. What's worse, is their desire to make me a satisfied customer was non-existent. I just don't understand. Maybe I'm being unreasonable. Please read my two stories below... Am I just being absurd?
1) My first order was placed in April over the phone because the free shipping wasn't working online. Because I placed my order so early in the day, I was told my order would be shipped the same day, I'll receive confirmation once it's packaged, and that I'm in the 1-day ship zone so I'll see it either the next day or the day after. Late the following day I called because I hadn't received tracking info. I was told that it will be packages and shipped the next day. This makes 2 days since my order was placed and it "should" have been shipped. I called the next day to verify it was going out, I had received the email. They told me my order had shipped and gave me the tracking number. Upon trying to track it, FedEx had no record of it. Day 4, late afternoon, FedEx has record of it. I received the email from Mann Lake the next day. I received the package two days later... INCOMPLETE. 1 item missing. By this point my bees were delayed, so I wasn't concerned, but why hadn't they told me that 1 item was back-ordered? This didn't bother me too much at the time, it happens, and I wasn't getting the bees quite yet anyway.
2) I placed an order on Monday, May 9th. Among the items ordered were frames. I can make frame for FREE, but ordered them because I was in a rush and knew I would not have time, so I broke down and spend the $$. I followed up the order with a phone call to try to figure out when I would receive the items so I can plan my week out. I'm very CDO* about planning things. I was told the order was received and should be shipped by the end of the day. My goal was to have my order by Friday at the latest, but I was assured I should see it on Wednesday, but no later than Thursday. I'm not going to go into the details of the email confirmation in this story, but I will say it was
FAR WORSE than in the previous story. When I didn't receive my package on Thursday, I called and was given the tracking info, it will arrive Friday. Friday the order arrives... MISSING
ALL THE FRAMES!!!!! Again, why hadn't they told me this? I called (yes, hard to believe, but it's true). I was told they had been back ordered. I explained my dilemma about NEEDING them. He called the PA location where my orders ship from. They have some on the showroom floor and will ship them right out. I'll see them Saturday or Monday. Wednesday night rolls around and I still don't have them. I called at ~ 11:15am. They're back-ordered, he'll see what he can do and get back to me within an hour. At 3:15pm (4 hours later)
I called after never hearing back. The person I spoke to couldn't help me, he's going to get me customer service. After sitting on hold for 7-8 minutes I heard the woman answer, state her name, the call went fuzzy, and then dropped. I was on a land line, phone system issue, no biggie. I called back within seconds, and she was the one that answer! I explained to her what was going on and she said she's look into it. After a couple minutes she came back on the line. She told me the top bars are currently being made. She apologized for the misinformation I had been provided over the past week and a half. I should have been told from the beginning I would see the frames for 3-4 weeks. She put me on hold again and came back to tell me the truck to PA, where my stuff ships from, has been loaded and has left. Because of the way trucking works I won't see my frames for at least another two weeks, maybe more. I politely, but firmly, explained how unhappy I was with the situation and that if I had know it was going to take this long I never would have ordered them because I could have made them, for FREE, but needed them in a hurry. She's sorry. I asked if there was anything she could do to get me my frames in a more timely manner. There's absolutely nothing she can do, but she's sorry. I then explained my utter displeasure in the service that I've received from Mann Lake and verified that there's no way they can get me my frames faster. I verify she
is customer service and would like to keep a customer happy. She said she is, but there's nothing she can do. I ask if they have frames at their MN location. They do. I ask about getting them shipped from there. It's not possible and would take longer than just waiting from PA. I asked about overnight shipping from there. It would still take longer? ? ? ? I then play the card that I
NEVER, EVER, EVER use (I really don't believe in this, but I actually did it)... This will be my last order from Mann Lake. They've lost a customer. She is suddenly able to offer shipping from MN. I verify that it will be overnight, it will. Well, at 12:47 this morning I get an email from FedEx. My package will be delivered June 24th.
Believe it or not, I left out much of the drawn out details, but I am sorry for making it this long to begin with.
Has anyone else experienced treatment like this from Mann Lake? Am I being ridiculous? I think I stayed pretty level headed. I really don't expect more than simple, honest communication. Things get back ordered, shipping gets delayed, I understand this... I just expect to be made aware if it, ESPECIALLY when I ask! Had I known it was going to take this long I would have made time to make my own frames over the past two, or at least enough to get by, but I've used my time doing other things I need to get done because I "knew" my frames were coming.
*for those of you who are unfamiliar with CDO, it is the same thing as OCD, only the letters are in alphabetical order,
as they should be!
