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Communication During Times of Corona Crisis

Showerfan

Active Member
I'm really confused about manufacturers' lack of communication during this coronavirus crisis. I have jackets on order from three major (for us) makers who rarely, if ever, reply to emails. I know it's a real first-world problem, but I just have to vent. I mean, to be fair, they didn't really communicate very well before the lockdown. I wanted to vent then, too, but I knew they were so busy making jackets that I should just shut my trap. But now that we're all working from home...???

Of course, places of work have been shut down during the crisis, so i get that there can be little manufacturing or packing and shipping going on right now. Good. I'd prefer people stay safe and I hope they can find a way to replace the lost revenue -- either through government grants, or an increases in sales after this lockdown is lifted, or both. But that seems to leave email and telephone communications as pretty much the only thing they can do. I mean, aren't most of us working from home right now? I am answering more emails than ever. I am replying to things I never would have in the past. I am taking time to unsubscribe to all of my spam. I've even totally reorganized my underwear drawer, i completely marie kondo'ed that sht, and it's not even taking up half my day.

I don't mind waiting a few extra months for a jacket. Hell, I don't even need a jacket, if it means risking the health of others. But it is frustrating to get no response, or massively delayed responses, when it seems like it would be so easy to just say, ``hey, we got your message.'' ``I can confirm your order.'' ``We're going to have an xx month delay.'' ``We still care that you want to do business with us.'' ``Hope you're having a good lockdown!''
 

dinomartino1

Well-Known Member
If any of the makers are actually shut they have plenty of time to check their emails at home, I mean how hard is it.
I can never work these people out if my business was suffering I would be bending over backwards to get sales.
They all say "so busy so many emails to answer" yet now they have all day and you would expect less people buying now so less emails to deal with.
Lack of competition means they can make their own rules.
Funny how the cheapest jacket maker puts them all to shame.
 
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busdrivermike

Well-Known Member
I was just talking about this during my online computer training last week, this pandemic
Is probably going to lead to big upgrades in personal and business online connectivity
There are examples of stores here where I live, those who had online presence, communication & payment
Were able to switch easily do drop off pickup services as they were not deemed essential the stores were
Closed to the public but they could still do business this way while many others who had not Set up this up are
Now in dire straits.
On the human side many were unable to see their friends or family as often as they wanted and those
That could found the systems lacking with being slow, freezing making it difficult to talk or do business
Especially from an iPhone or iPad, people are gonna want bigger Faster and better to talk to grandparents
Friends and colleagues.
while I’m old enough to remember dialing a phone and going to the library using the Dewey decimal system
And can find some of the smart phones and televisions creepy for how intrusive they have become they really
Are not the Star Trek future of communication I was promised and I kinda want that as long as I can turn it off.
 

busdrivermike

Well-Known Member
Tracker apps, now there's a thing. While our online activity has always been easily traced (if we are not careful) and our smartphones can provide our location etc, big play is being made in the media here regarding the benefits and social responsibility of downloading and using an app that will show if you have been in the vicinity of someone infected with C19.

I'm not sure I wish to be assimilated that deep into the hive just yet...
Fully agree on your thoughts about tracker apps, personally I think they are creepy and perhaps outright evil
They remind me off the app that was and may still be available in Saudi Arabia that lets you track your female
Family members and apparently can alert you to their proximity to places like airports ect....
 

Pilot

Well-Known Member
John from GW responds immediately to buyers ( ask Raph and Peter and others about it).
John knows from here, since visiting permanently without posting, who is a potential buyer ( happy for investing 1.2 to 1.6k ) and who is a just a tyre kicker ( t-k = Ken‘s words).
As per the tracking... hahaha , Like it or not... again hahaha...pay with credit cards, connect to wifi, roaming, gps, rental cars....etc... „we“ all know already what „we“ need to know...and this since approx 10 or 15 years...( not my words ).
Loosing saliva or spitting against it ...yeah ( again, sorry hahaha... ) sure...means, throw away all a.m. and go back in the early 70ies if...
All „new „ tracking systems are just a bit more selective...and surely will be „ alive“ as soon as one... uses wifi, credit cards, roaming, gps, rental cars, paying the parking fee...boarding passes, surveys... etc...
No chance at all to avoid them..( your IP address looking at this here...discloses all „big bro“ wants to know... if he wants to know...:so ...hahaha..). unless one goes back and lives in the „ mountains caves „ . Sorry, no punting, no offense... just funny how naive one can still be..
 
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ButteMT61

Well-Known Member
I'll not enter into the responses from vendors, but I will chime in that I am NOT installing a tracer app on my phone.
If "you" want to do so, have at it, but I too am not willing to be assimilated to that extent at this point. I also am one of those who will not give my DNA to a company to sell/share as they wish.
What little privacy we have left I'm holding onto...
 

Nickb123

Well-Known Member
I'll not enter into the responses from vendors, but I will chime in that I am NOT installing a tracer app on my phone.
If "you" want to do so, have at it, but I too am not willing to be assimilated to that extent at this point. I also am one of those who will not give my DNA to a company to sell/share as they wish.
What little privacy we have left I'm holding onto...

Last year my uncle gifted my grandparents that Ancestry DNA kit for Christmas. I knew as soon as I saw both boxes there'd be hell to pay, as I was going to be the one tasked with getting them set up. Neither are great with computers. 3 spit samples later (one deemed 'unusable') and about 8 months later, the fruit of our labors revealed a "southern European heritage", as if that wasn't already obvious.
Absolutely useless gift.
 

Brettafett

Well-Known Member
I'll not enter into the responses from vendors, but I will chime in that I am NOT installing a tracer app on my phone.If "you" want to do so, have at it, but I too am not willing to be assimilated to that extent at this point. I also am one of those who will not give my DNA to a company to sell/share as they wish.What little privacy we have left I'm holding onto...
Same. I'll not even invite them in for a cuppa, and they can keep that 'vaccine' also.
 

Dany McDonald

Well-Known Member
John from GW responds immediately to buyers ( ask Raph and Peter and others about it).

Wish that was my case...

I've tried to buy two labels and a DVD from Good Wear, in the last 2 years maybe 3 with no result. He answers the first email and then radio silence for 10-12 months, to nothing...
It's too bad, love the jackets but man, well you get it...disappointing... Maybe it's just me...

Dany
 

Brettafett

Well-Known Member
Me also. I've emailed regs two jackets that were in the sale section and he never responded. Missed out on a 42 Star that looked epic. Its all good though, one never knows if the emails got through, or went to spam or just missed. I'll just say patient persistence...
 

Dany McDonald

Well-Known Member
I know, I am also sorry, even tried another email account to avoid being trapped as spam...

Weird thing is the initial response is uber friendly, and I am like man I' am gone buy a jacket from this guy one day...
 

ButteMT61

Well-Known Member
I'm not apologizing for anyone, esp vendors with your orders fellas, but I can tell you this, I'm going through similar things to JC the last couple years, and it's been esp bad during this Covid-19 thing. I'm spent and some days barely get out of bed. I still have a job and I'm hobbling at times to keep up. I think that with a small biz at this point in time, more patience is needed.
I've bought from JC and will do so again - or am. I know the game going in, and I'm lowering the bar for my expectations with him and others now that I've bought from.
I have outstanding orders from all sorts of small vendors. I'll just hope they are OK and at some point, I get my goods. I did all that knowing ahead of time that things could end up different than I hope.
 

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
Well said Butte!
These are uncertain times for everyone. I think that sometimes I have a tendency, like most, to be critical when I don’t get a response or a return email from a vendor whose goods I happen to be interested in . I think to my self “ well hell Im trying to support you and your business by spending large amounts of cash on your product and you can’t even get back to me.... WTF!” After a cooling off period I realize that you never know what’s going on behind closed doors. The guy is dealing with pretty much the same shit as all of us, trying to keep his family safe, finding the necessities of life when there may be limited availability’s of them, trying to stay healthy and alive and in the middle of all of this trying to keep a small business together. Once I wrap my head around all that , I’m ok with the rest of it and just hope the guy is doing well and that when this shit goes away both he and I are still here.
Cheers
 
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ButteMT61

Well-Known Member
@B-Man2 - well put. For me, in spite some larger amounts of money spent, I need to realize and remember that these things I have bought are generally - almost always - things I don't need!
I've neighbors and friends and 2/3 of my kids out of work and struggling to keep afloat, let alone sane.
I've come close to pulling the trigger on a "tele-med" session for my mental health.
Believe it or not, supporting others takes it's toll, and I'm incredibly lucky that I still pull a check right now.

Didn't meant to tramp on the OP's thread. I just feel that I need to speak from a slightly different position.
Cheers fellas. I wish you all a nice new jacket(s) for the upcoming winter!
 
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