I think most companies allow breaks for lunch or time away from the desk/work enviroment. Only recently mobile phones have become widely avaliable to the general public - they are brilliant - you can even speak to people on them

Are you serious? if people cannot maange to speak to each other/have the confidence to do so then heven help us all, what a weak and pathetic line to take sounds like the PC answer - not like you Trout!

 

In my exsperience ian is a top bloke and always tries to help you out im sure you will give him another chance.

 

I was expecting mixed reaction to my post and I can see both sides of the arguement.

I work in sales and have a phone glued to my ear for most of the day, so e-mail was my preference, plus I'm lazy and copied and pasted the same e-mail to a few suppliers which took all of 30 seconds.

To be fair I tried another method, PM which I didn't think was that unreasonable given that Litchfield pay to advertise on SN. I receive e-mails when ever I get a PM, so I guess Iain hasn't enabled this based on his comments above.

As mickp said above, if you can't manage a method of cummincation don't advertise it, IMO.

Anders

 

If the email didnt get a reply then the chance is the same notification email about a PM will probably have gone in the same IN box though so it isnt really any different to a direct email imo,
Ive never used Litchfields or even spoke to them but it seems a bit of a poor attack when you could have just picked up the phone and spoke direct too them,
As you say you just C&P`d it off to lot of people so it wasnt that important to you but you wanted a answer from them all,
A friend of mine does run a parts/Motor factors and he can get over 1000 emails he admits there is no way he can reply to and read every single email, he does put a small note on his contact details about if its important to you please ring as the volume of emails blah blah so maybe this needs adding.

 

Thanks for the kind comments, much appreciated

I have now turned on the email notification when we receive a PM so hopefully we won't miss them again.

Regards

Iain

 

Put your handbags down girls we all know litcho is a top notch outfit and is 2nd to none in customer relations and even exstends that same respect to his competitors which not many people/firms do. now let this thread RIP.

 

Bleedin' techno-peasants!

 

Compared to how it was when I first started using email, we've all gone a long way. Do I put my trust in it? do I hell! It's not too bad if someone is expecting something from you as they at least will ask what happened to it, but there's been plenty of emails I've sent out blind that just vanished into outer space.
I find I get a damn sight more action from the sound of my voice booming down a phone line, and it certainly can't be beaten if you want to get someone off their butt.
I absolutely won't do business with anyone who doesn't have a phone and the will to answer it.

 

Guys

Personally I believe email is an accepted and also effective form of communication.
If people do not intend on responding to emails in an acceptable timeframe then they should not accept any emails.

Personally at the beginning of March I also sent Litchfield Imports and email requesting several bit of information with regards to purchasing a new STI.
I asked for 7 different pieces of information on the 02/03/2010 with regards to a potential purchase

I'm still to get a reply.

Personally when people don't respond to emails (which obviously require a response) I find it send out an "I don't actually care" message

I'm sure Iain's a busy man etc - But I'm also busy too.
Plus I always find it hard to track car sales people down because when you phone they're either with customers, out on test drives or on another call.
So email should be an acceptable form of communication

Shaun

 

I find myself answering emails at all hours of the day and night so don't tell me "I don't actually care". We constantly monitor pm's from a dozen forums. My point is that far too frequently the system just doesn't work, and for more reasons than I've got time for.
If you truly believe that the internet is infallible, then I'd say it's time to smell the coffee.

 

If there are enough hours in the day, e-mail is fine as a means of communication but should not replace the phone, unless your only form of contact with humanity is via e-bay messages.

I've found Iain (and Jenny) have generally been better with phone calls, if not answered at first attempt, I've often had a call back within minutes and sometimes seconds.
Now that e-mail notification is turned on, there'll be less time for the phone :-)

There's little point in ordering or sometimes enquiring if the item isn't in stock - in general I'd try to find out before parting with money.

 

I've personally never had any issues with Iain or Jenny's customer service... if I do not get an answer to an email, then I'll ring them...or re-send the email... they always reply to a chase up
When it comes down to it they are a small business run by 2 very helpful and friendly people...9if they miss an email (now less likely with Iain's notification system) then accept it and just chase it up.

 

I don't think the post was aimed at you Alan unless i am missing something

 

Thread momentum FTW !

 

Emails go astray, always best to call someone up imo, I work in the communications industry (have done since I was 16), and alot has changed, emails are ok, woulodnt put my life on them, same with text messages, amazing how many people think texts are instant but its all becoming too removed when communicating with people, you just cannot beat either speaking face to face or phoning someone up

Tony

 

Did I say you don't actually care?

NO - I said "Personally when people don't respond to emails (which obviously require a response) I find it send out an "I don't actually care" message"

As for PM's - they are not an acceptable form of communication.
If you advertise an email address then my point is you should be monitoring it.
If you don't monitor it then you should not advertise it in the first place.

I'll await that apology then

 

I totally agree Tony
Emails are generally OK and if something is undeliverable for whatever reason then you're normally told something.
But yeah - I wouldn't put my life on it either.
But folks should remember that a lot of communication happens via email nowadays.
We have customers "automating" our ERP software in various different areas of their business to cut telephone costs.

I'm not having a dig at Litchfields here or anything by the way everyone

But in this case
I'm from N.Ireland - so face to face is not an option
I didn't need an instant response to that particular email - it would have been fine for a day or two, so no real point interrupting a man from other stuff because of it.
And I raise my other point that sales folk are usually pretty busy when you try to call - On phone, test drive or with clients etc, so either of these 3 things causes you to then email anyway and we're back to square one again

Shaun

 

I spoke to Iain Litchfield last year after my engine went on a track day, he was there testing a couple of cars, told me to send an email with what I wanted to do, so I did, asking for info, prices etc for a rebuild and what my options were! I also sent an email to David @ API and Alan @ Engine Tuner, both of which I received very detailed replies with what I should expect my rebuild to cost.

Weighing up the pros and cons, I went with Engine Tuner then lots of PMs and emails were exchanged and numerous phone calls to get the ball rolling and I was a very happy bunny I even had Martyn ring me up on a Sunday evening to sort out a problem which wasn't his fault

Now that's customer services

 

I said not to tell me that "I don't care," merely as a result of you not getting a reply to an email!
Without PM's, my workshop wouldn't be as busy as it is. I find the medium much more reliable than email, and available from any pc. ( I own 5 laptops and 7 desktops!)
We DO monitor emails, usually as often as five times a day, and occasionally up until midnight. Try me, and see how long it takes for you to get a reply.

I'm a great big fella, and if an apology will make your day any brighter and breezier, I'm happy to oblige, in the spirit of cross culture cooperation.

My point is to back up the notion that blind emails are not reliable, and not getting one back isn't any indication that somebody doesn't care.

Iain wouldn't deliberately ignore emails, the same as I wouldn't.
Unless, of course, he knows he's about to communicate with an a$$hole ..

 

We'll Alan

First thing I can guarantee you is that I'm not an a$$hole
I'm a very genuine bloke and as honest as they come.

I'm just making my point as to how I see it.
I didn't get a reply and yes that doesn't mean the person doesn't care
But to me who is willing to part with a substancial amount of money I'm afraid that sends me a very alarming message

I've also spoken to Iain on another occaision via telephone - imagine that!

Emails are the most convienient medium - I even get all my emails on my phone.
I would imagine that for you to read all those PM's you've got to login to each of those sites which I would imagine is pretty painfull.

Fair play to you're email checking

Good luck

Shaun

 

I like many many others have had nothing but great advice and service from Ian and his team

I have used loads of different mechanics, tuners and parts suppliers over the years and Litchfield's are among the best in the UK at what they do...

 

Emails on your 'phone! too much.. bl**dy teenagers with sodding heads down, frantically poking little slivers of technobabble like thier lives depend on it. ban the lot of them I would.. rant...

 

Guys - give us all a break from this nonsense.................let this thread die!!