VisorCentral.com (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/index.php)
- Customer Service (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=12)
-- Iincompetent e-mail responses from Handspring (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=6185)

This would be funny...if it were not soooo sad. I've sent several e-mails to various executives at Handspring...and returned e-mails from the [email protected] e-mail address trying to cancel an order. (I have a life and can't stay on hold any longer.)

Today (1-3-00) I received not one...but several replies. None on task...and many violating the privacy of others...as you will see (I've changed the names to protect the innocent).

quote:

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Dear Mr. Red,

Please contact our Customer Support line at 1 716 871 6442 to verify the status of your order. Our Customer Service Department is open 8 am to 8 pm Eastern standard time.

Thank you for your interest in Handspring.

Regards,
Handspring Sales Team

---

quote:

---

Dear Sephora Customer,

In order to find the Sephora products in your area please call one of these Sephora Stores in your area listed on our web site.

These are the cities on our web site for Italy:

Bergamo
Como
Ferrara
Firenze
Milan
Porto San'Elpidio
Verona

They would be able to answer your questions and find a store near you.

Thanks again for your interest in Sephora.com. You can always find us at www.sephora.com

Yours truly, Sephora.com Customer Service Representative

---

quote:

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Thank you for contacting Sephora

We are so glad you enjoyed the music in the Sephora store. The music is specially mixed for our Sephora store and is unfortunately not available for purchase. We do hope you continue to enjoy the music each time you visit the world of Sephora.

Thank you for interest in Sephora.com As always you can find us at www.sephora.com

Yours Truly Mark Shockley Sephora Customer Service Representative

---

quote:

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Dear Mr Orange

To place your order, please contact our Handspring Sales Department at 1 888 565 9393 or our online store at www.handspring.com that will be up shortly. Our Sales Department is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist you.

Thank you for your interest in Handspring.

Regards,
Handspring Sales Team

---

quote:

---

Dear Mr. Yellow

Yes we do ship to Canada. To place your order, please contact our Handspring Sales Department at 1 888 565 9393 or our online store at www.handspring.com that will be up shortly. Our Sales Department is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist you.

Thank you for your interest in Handspring.

Regards,
Handspring Sales Team

---

Wow! Now I am really glad I did not give those losers my updated credit card info via e-mail.

Hmm, Let's see...
LynnBob didn't post any original messages (not even her own), or any of the many replies to her message. Of the 5 messages posted, two are from some store called Sephora (one referring to a music collection not being available for sale).

May I ask just WHAT the point of this post was?

I'm with you Theo.....I don't get it.

confusion....was [s]he just changing the names everytime...just to get us confused

------------------
Greg Moore
[email protected]

First...I'm a guy...my parents were weird...what can I say...

Second...I thought my point was clear...I sent the following message multiple times...more or less the same...to [email protected] (see below)

I received back the previously posted messages....hence my puzzlement....

Is the sales/customer service dept. handspring uses handling more than one account...and getting them confused....??? That's my guess. Anyway...I got no response to my brief message...other than a reply with no additional text added (apart from my original)...or...I got the previously posted messages...obviously destined for others...but sent to me...

Hence, my conclusion that something is quite screwed up...here's my message...

quote:

---

Cancel my order

Lynn Godwin

---

quote:

---

---Original Message-----
From: "email deleted"
Sent: 1999-11-05 06:51:55
To: [email protected]
Subject: Product Information

Is it possible to purchase your products in Pieve D'Alpago (Belluno - Italy)? I appreciate them, but they are impossible to find out.
Thank you
"name deleted"

---

quote:

---

----Original Message-----
From: "email deleted"
Sent: 1999-11-05 06:58:44
To: [email protected]
Subject: General Comment/Question

i visited your store in atlanta ga
got some items and enjoyed the visit.
However
there was music playing in the background that was lovely - How can i obtain it ?
Thanks
"name deleted"

---

ohhhhhh...that clears it up for me now. So they just sent you E-mails that were bogus.
Well thanks for clearing that up. atl east we know that it is Handspring that is crazy...not you



------------------
Greg Moore
[email protected]

I received an e-mail from Donna and she personally has asked a Handspring rep to find out the status of my order... That rep has e-mailed me and my order is being checked... Their e-mails where very professional...

Hey...I just got an email from Donna too. I concur...very professional...very on the ball. Too bad everyone in CS is not a Donna clone. I feel really badly after reading her email...she seems so honest...so sincere...so willing to help...and for her to take the time to email me...meant a great deal. I may yet change my mind about Handspring...

But...it is a sad commentary that the execs at Handspring are having to fight fires and handle the screw-ups caused by CS. It does not bode well for their future.

Approximately 80%-90% of new products fail in their first year...and the vast majority of these failures are due to tactical (as opposed to strategic) mistakes. I think the Visor strategy/concept is great. The tactical execution of it, however, has left a lot to be desired. When I get weird/non-sensical email responses...others wait on hold too long...are told things in error by CS...these are horrible tactical mistakes...mistakes which will (or may) alienate the early adopters and opinion leaders that Handspring so desperately needs to succeed and survive....then I worry about their future...and I feel sad for the execs who are trying so very hard...

Ok, so it's rather bone-headed CSR screw-up. Makes much more sense now.

As far as the lack of response to your original message, unfortunately I'd have to say that I'd be more suprised if you'd gotten a 'We've canceled your order.' message back from them, having provided so little information to help them find your order. If they had multiple Lynn Godwins in the system, they wouldn't have been able to tell which you were.

Oh, and sorry about the 'she' mix up. You're right, your parents were a bit wierd. Must have been an 'interesting' experience growing up with that name.

Theo,

Actually...I did include the order number with my e-mail to Handspring. I just deleted it in my post because I didn't want anyone checking my order and seeing that I was stupid enough to order an extra stylus 5-pack...the better to scratch the screen with. Should have checked the posts here first...lesson learned.

[This message has been edited by LynnBob (edited 01-05-2000).]

I e-mailed customer support from the handspring website. They were great. It took 7 weeks for my visor to come but they upgraded me to a Deluxe and sent me a free case. The e-mails I got came from [email protected](not sales). (I don't want the people who helped me be deluged by e-mails.

I am working in Germany, and know at least 10 colleagues personally who want to order a visor. The potential here is gigantic, with somewhat 10.000 colleagues in Frankfurt alone. We want it for group planning, many somehow wanting to upgrade from a Palm Pilot.

I know they are not delivering internationally - which I don't understand - FedEx CAN handle international deliveries; And they want the credit card to be on an american billing address - which I don't understand, because my credit card is as valid as anyone else's. So where the heck is the problem ?

Isn't production planning, market forecasting and sales planning tought in Harvard Business School - I know it is !

After 40 minutes on hold in an overseas call, bold and impersonal replies on questions on how to order internationally, I am at the point where I just say: leave it, it's not worth it.

It just doesn't take a good product, much more important is good customer relationship and a good marketing and sales plan (and a production that holds it, of course)

If these guys don't quickly get their act together, they'll have serious problems.

You say you emailed to Donna: From where do you have the email address ?
Anyone care to help me ?

Thanks and regards,
Erik

Erik -

International orders are not being taken because of FedEx or any other shipping company. In case you weren't aware, Handspring had some *serious* shipping problems due to an overwhelming response and some order database problems (it crashed on them and they had to rebuild it). It doesn't make sense for HS to open up to the world when they are just getting a handle on US orders. Waits would be even longer and customers more unhappy than they are now. There were some really unhappy people (rightfully so) who pre-ordered in September for the November launch. I think some people are *still* waiting.

As a Canadian, I'm in the same boat as you. In fact, Canadian orders were taken the first month or so, but stopped later.