Hassles with Hasslefree - merged issues thread

[Chairface]

No. That’s not what’s happened here.

Drive by fans describing legitimate complaints as a ‘constant stream of entertainment' helps no one, least of all Hasslefree or any business in the same position. It just antagonises people and escalates things.

Yeah, but its kind of what happened here. Maybe not that extreme but somewhere in the middle. First of all I think you're misquoting, it was "Constant stream of entitlement." People have come to expect instant gratification. "I want it and I want it now." "I want answers and I want them now." So a company like Hasslefree, known for excellent service for years, has a few major bumps in the road. Staffing problems. Surgeries. Hospital visits. Freak weather occurrences. The orders pile up. And all of a sudden a certain element of the population starts loudly demanding their stuff. They want it, they want it now. And even though communication from the company has been pretty clear and decent they start emailing, constantly. And then they complain that their emails aren't being replied to, and their angst is heightened even further. But we know that distribution at Hasslefree is a one man operation. Time is precious. So time that could be used filling orders is spent fielding emails from the angsty ones and the process gets even more backed up.

The moral of the story is settle down. Wait patiently and things will go back to normal. Keep on raging and it causes further delays.

[Blackwolf]

Well said Chairface.

[twrchtrwyth]

Yeah, but its kind of what happened here. Maybe not that extreme but somewhere in the middle. First of all I think you're misquoting, it was "Constant stream of entitlement." People have come to expect instant gratification. "I want it and I want it now." "I want answers and I want them now." So a company like Hasslefree, known for excellent service for years, has a few major bumps in the road. Staffing problems. Surgeries. Hospital visits. Freak weather occurrences. The orders pile up. And all of a sudden a certain element of the population starts loudly demanding their stuff. They want it, they want it now. And even though communication from the company has been pretty clear and decent they start emailing, constantly. And then they complain that their emails aren't being replied to, and their angst is heightened even further. But we know that distribution at Hasslefree is a one man operation. Time is precious. So time that could be used filling orders is spent fielding emails from the angsty ones and the process gets even more backed up.

The moral of the story is settle down. Wait patiently and things will go back to normal. Keep on raging and it causes further delays.

You would have a point if it wasn't for the fact that they were still accepting orders and taking people's money.

[Andrew Rae]

@Chairface: Bloody autocorrect!

I don't agree on the helpfulness of criticising and projecting characterisations onto those who have a complaint, either in James' post or your own, but I'll let it there.

[JamesValentine]

You would have a point if it wasn't for the fact that they were still accepting orders and taking people's money.

How very dare they continue to be a business...........

[twrchtrwyth]

How very dare they continue to be a business...........

They would have still been a business had they stopped taking orders and allowed themselves to catch up, the only difference is they'd have a lot more goodwill. 

[JamesValentine]

That is just...beyond stupid for a company to do.

[FramFramson]

That is just...beyond stupid for a company to do.

No?

Perhaps you'd care to tell that to the successful several business owners here on LAF who've had to do such a thing on occasion? That they're stupid for taking a bit of time to catch up when needed?

[twrchtrwyth]

That is just...beyond stupid for a company to do.

Really? Have you actually read this thread?

[soldado]

I'll just point out that there is a company that does stop taking orders when they need to catch up, and they are criticized for doing so, I wont name them as I dont feel the need for such things.

so Damned if you do and damned if you dont I guess 

[mcfonz]

Chairface is bang on the money.

In this instance, the thread was started by someone who hadn't even placed an order. But who wanted responses to their emails so thought an inflammatory post here would be the best way to go about it.

Eventually they actually put in the order and low and behold - they received it.

This actually belittles not only the company at question but those that have genuinely had issues with delayed orders.

I have challenged some stuff that was posted before because it was verging, if not, libelous. I have suggested to some Mods that they may want to check with Northstar, who now own the forum, how close to the bone they would like people on a forum linked to their name to be able to go? It could be argued that they are enabling libelous statements to become popular belief.

Personally, I think not getting email responses is not reason enough to justifiably start a thread bemoaning a company. It is disingenuous.

I can tell you as someone that helps organise a show and who organises participation games for clubs at other shows. If I were to start a thread for every occasion I don't get a response in a timely fashion I would be pretty much occupying this part of the forum all by myself. That is companies and shows big and small. Equally, if I were to have such a high expectation then perhaps I wouldn't even put myself in the position to be doing it. I mean, I have a Product Design degree from a University of Art. I studied for four years alongside artists, sculptors, design managers etc. I also know that many, many artists, like companies in our hobby, are just themselves and they don't always have time to respond until they sit down for a cuppa with their laptop at home after a couple of days. If you don't know that about the industry behind this hobby then perhaps get to know it a bit better and the people behind it.

Take a look at the thread created by the guy who is starting a gaming club at his school and watch how many companies, no matter how small, pass things his way. The vast majority of these people are top notch. You would share time over a drink with (whether that be tea/coffee/booze). Many have stories you would love to hear, many of them are willing tellers. This isn't an industry of faceless fast food.

[Silent Invader]

The first post in the thread:

Been trying to communicate with Hasslefree for a bit now, given them lots of time to respond; in the past, they’ve been excellent - have they become a problem company?

Note: my order was resolved, but there are literally pages of issues from others.

Is that  what you’re really describing in this way:

In this instance, the thread was started by someone who hadn't even placed an order. But who wanted responses to their emails so thought an inflammatory post here would be the best way to go about it.

 Unless something was edited out or I’ve missed something in a later post, I really don’t see how you could know what Grant was thinking. 

[mcfonz]

The original post has most definitely been edited as it was far more descriptive. I will concede that maybe 'inflammatory' is a bit strong of a word possibly for this instance.

But also, you have to ask yourself what a thread, started on a forum that a company may not even be aware of or frequent, will achieve? I would have understood if the original post was asking about alternative contacts or if there was anyone else who could relay a message in case their emails were going to the spam folder, like another chap has posted re - Gripping Beast.

Not only that, but there have been a number of threads recently that you couldn't really miss and that, IMHO, should have been merged.

As I said before. If I even started a nice, 'haven't heard back from them in a couple of days' thread in every instance that it occurred, I'd be here a very long time.

[FramFramson]

Grant DID place an order though, edits or no.

Regardless, I wouldn't hang too much on the OP. Note that the fourth post in this thread is a moderator linking another thread regarding the same issue as it was a recurring problem.

[mcfonz]

Grant DID place an order though, edits or no.

Regardless, I wouldn't hang too much on the OP. Note that the fourth post in this thread is a moderator linking another thread regarding the same issue as it was a recurring problem.

Yeah, none of that adds to anything not already covered though.