Comment on varying standards of service

[sakura11]

Last week made two orders from two different manufacturers
Received one within 3 working days which was from victorious miniatures
Vs tactic figures and really impressed with both product and service
Will be ordering again
Still waiting for the other order and waiting for postage to be added
They will be excellent figures and the company is A top manufacturer
My point is that in an age of competition and Amazon prime companies need to be more proactive
Reply to emails
Communicate and compete with rivals
Looking at two projects for major investment.. .at the moment Napoleonic west Indies has the nod

[vodkafan]

I can understand your point. But, on the other hand the vast majority of figure makers in this hobby are one man companies who operate on low profit margins but with huge reserves of enthusiasm, often as a second job.
Considering their resources, I find that most of them do a fantastic job of getting orders out quickly. Sometimes their business model means they can only cast stuff on certain days, package and post orders on other certain days, and answer emails when they get a chance... I think as customers we sometimes forget to be reasonable.   

[olicana]

I have to agree, some wargame companies manage quickly, some manage slowly. I still expect to wait 10 working days for orders and I'm simply pleased when I get faster service.

Given the low sales volume of some wargame companies, I wonder what price increases we would see if their owners decided to pack in their 'good wage day job' to run their wargame company full time to be able to send stuff out within a 3 day turn around.

[Malamute]

My point is that in an age of competition and Amazon prime companies need to be more proactive

I'm not sure you draw the comparison with Amazon Prime to the average wargames company 

[sakura11]

I agree with rhe  sentiment about one man operation and enthusiasm being key. I just find the differences between companies of similar sizes interesting. I also feel replying to emails within 72 hours is just polite and profeprofessional. I am full of admiration for the companies that don't really make a huge profit and some companies go beyond what is expected   aventine fighting 15s and gzg spring to mind. Not meaning to sound grumpy!

[vodkafan]

I agree with rhe  sentiment about one man operation and enthusiasm being key. I just find the differences between companies of similar sizes interesting. I also feel replying to emails within 72 hours is just polite and profeprofessional. I am full of admiration for the companies that don't really make a huge profit and some companies go beyond what is expected   aventine fighting 15s and gzg spring to mind. Not meaning to sound grumpy!

Yep understood. I have been astounded sometimes by the speed that packets of miniatures can arrive through my letterbox. I have had stuff 36 hours after ordering it on a couple of occasions. And other companies it is always 3 weeks. The size of the company doesn't seem to have much bearing on it, and the process therefore has more than a bit of mystery to it 

[olicana]

I just find the differences between companies of similar sizes interesting.

Indeed, it's not usually the size of the wargame company that counts. Given that the industry is (or at least has been) hobby led, it's not surprising to find two companies of the same size with different driving forces though, as you say, the dynamic is interesting.

You might have company A, making a profit of £30,000 a year (in the UK, at least, that is usually seen as a living wage) and company A is owned and run full time by a man who is happy with that. Company B makes similar profit but the owner has another job that pays him £100,000 a year. It's not difficult to see why the owner of B wouldn't treat his company in the same way as the owner of A who absolutely relies on his venture for his income - when you take into account that B will also be paying 40% tax on any income above a total of £45,000 the £30, 000 (reduced to £18,000) might seem even less 'important'.

[vodkafan]

I'm just waiting to win the lottery so I can start up the mother of all miniatures companies 

[black hat miniatures]

some of us dream of making £30,000 a year from a full time wargames company.....

Mike

[Captain Reid]

I'm not sure you draw the comparison with Amazon Prime to the average wargames company 

 You can't directly. But now next day delivery is a very common thing, it raises people's expectations across the board (rightly, wrongly, doesn't matter, it happens).

 I've found Front Rank absolutely impeccable in terms of service with Galloping Major not too far behind. For me these two companies set a standard that others generally fall short of either by not sending figures promptly without emailing a reason/explanation, or by charging ludicrous 'percentage-based' postal fees (I'm looking squarely at Perry here, who have lovely figures but surely must be trying to discourage direct purchase from their website). In fairness most companies are pretty reliable in terms of fulfilment but sometimes sluggish, and for the reasons outlined by others above. The most irritating thing I find is when a one man band goes on holiday and doesn't make it clear on his site that he's away and orders won't be completed for however many weeks.

[sakura11]

My gripe is money being taken and order confirmed immediately
Waiting for additional postage to be asked for
Despite asking for this 3 days and No Reply
If an email saying sending  next week was receuved then understandable if annoying
It is the lack of any news
An eBay seller has just dispatched emailed within 2hours
Congrats to so many in the industry

[Littlearmies]

My top companies in terms of service would be:

Fighting 15s (he has some kind of wormhole he sends his figures through - less than 24 hours delivery in one instance).

Front Rank - excellent service and super clean castings.

Calpe - only placed the one order but he sent the figures before I'd paid for them which was pretty incredible to me, and he was so helpful asking my ignorant questions about Prussian Landwher. And the figures were lovely when they arrived.

I agree about Perry and the flat rate postage - but they are also pretty sniffy when you suggest their metal casting quality could do with improvement, they simply don't see what the problem is.

[Inkpaduta]

To the US nothing bets Irregular Miniatures.
One week, some times less, for delivery.
Have purchased from them for over 20 years and
only had one mix up with an order.

[Battle Brush Sigur]

I'm OK with waiting for stuff. Let's be fair: in 80% of times once the stuff arrives it will be tossed on the lead pile anyway I'm just more comfortable with small companies who do minis rather than knowing that what I spend will be pumped in some sort of sci-fi fantasy game with tournament ambitions and a GW marketing model.

Yeah, next day delivery is a slightly delusional thing and people feeling all too entitled to insane internet retail giant (who don't produce even) ways of dealing are rather welcome to try to deliver that kind of stuff on the producer's end of the stick.

Seriously - I like Front Rank figures. They're cool, they're pretty, Front Rank are a great source of figures. So I wouldn't care if I'd have to wait two months for an order. I prefer ordering from people rather than faceless entities exploiting (as we all know and as everybody knows) people. My point is: Small businesses selling minis are cool. Amazon isn't. Cool things should NOT aim to be like uncool things, no matter how skewed the views of some people are due to exploitative, damaging systems.

[rumacara]

Well, try to make a order today and after a month and a half the order doesnt appear.
Yup, that happens with some of the "big companies".
While others that make a effort with two jobs send stuff within a day or two.
I dont think its a comparative matter.
I´ve experienced both situations on the same company so its a matter of comunication with the customers.
A email stating that the casting is delayed wont hurt no one and it shows a good service.

I respect all, or i try too but having two jobs isnt a excuse to a delayed service or a crap one.
When we go to business we have to respect those who spend money on our stuff so we better send it fast.
After all when we go shopping we expect to be well attended.