Order placed -- no response after two weeks.

**Oms** · 01-29-2015, 11:03

Originally Posted by Raos

Responding to customer inquiries seems to be an ongoing issue for HG. I had a very similar issue with them last year and I got multiple emails from other members who told me the same thing happened to them. Perhaps instead of blaming being too busy they should hire someone to respond to customer inquires? Just a though as this does not seem to be a one off issue.

If you want that kind of response you need to shop at REI. This is a family-run operation not the corporation.

**Raos** · 01-29-2015, 11:13

I have shopped with plenty of other cottage venders and never had anything close to the issue I and others have had with HG responding to customer inquiries. As a matter of fact I find most cottage vendors respond quicker than corps. None of my multiple emails or phone calls to UGQ, for example went longer than one hour so saying that it is acceptable to have multiple requests go unanswered of the course of weeks because they are a cottage vendor and not a corp is ridiculous. If they are doing so well that they have too many emails and phone calls to answer in a timely manner then it is not unreasonable that they could hire a part time employee to help them keep up with demands.

**MarkThompson** · 01-29-2015, 11:22

Originally Posted by Raos

I have shopped with plenty of other cottage venders and never had anything close to the issue I and others have had with HG responding to customer inquiries. As a matter of fact I find most cottage vendors respond quicker than corps. None of my multiple emails or phone calls to UGQ, for example went longer than one hour so saying that it is acceptable to have multiple requests go unanswered of the course of weeks because they are a cottage vendor and not a corp is ridiculous. If they are doing so well that they have too many emails and phone calls to answer in a timely manner then it is not unreasonable that they could hire a part time employee to help them keep up with demands.

My friend's email was in my spam folder. He forwarded me the info but I didn't know because of this. He used an email addy that he normally doesn't (no clue why).

So, this in no way was HQs fault. I also only posted as a simple inquiry -- not to in any way start an argument.

Lastly, they post on their website how long to expect an order to take. And being that it's a USA based company, and a small private business, I'm all for waiting a little to keep this type of business alive and well. There's probably not a lot of orders during the summer for UQs, so I can work with them since they've been so willing to work with me in the past.

**OneClick** · 01-29-2015, 11:34

**thorwren** · 01-29-2015, 11:36

Raos - I completely understand. Your complaint was justified, but in the last several months, we have really cleaned up the reply system, and we're still improving, so I hope folks can forgive us for the past infractions of 2013 and the the first half of 2014. All we can do is ask forgiveness and keep improving as we have been.

**Raos** · 01-29-2015, 11:49

Originally Posted by thorwren

Raos - I completely understand. Your complaint was justified, but in the last several months, we have really cleaned up the reply system, and we're still improving, so I hope folks can forgive us for the past infractions of 2013 and the the first half of 2014. All we can do is ask forgiveness and keep improving as we have been.

Please know my post was not a complaint. It was merely a suggestion for how to improve based on your own word of "Stormcrow has been quite inundated with calls, and he is trying to return calls while working on all of his other roles."

My issue that I had last year was resolved to my satisfaction last year. My bringing it up was not a continued complaint, but a way of showing that there seems to be an ongoing issue that most other other cottage venders do not seem to have.

HG makes great products. I even recommended to one of my friends that he purchase from HG, which he did. My post was just a simple outsiders suggestion on how to continue to improve as you indicate you want to do.

**gtstricky** · 01-29-2015, 12:10

***deleted most of post*** (I don't need to add to forum drama)

My email last week was responded to within 48 hours and the answer was no, they do not make 2 piece snake skins anymore. just the one piece.

**Fancy Ramen** · 01-29-2015, 12:27

Haha. I think Raos might just be looking for a job with HG and was playing the game of "act like I don't like you when I really love you sooo much and want you to be my girlfriend forever and ever..."

**Raos** · 01-29-2015, 12:36

Relax people. All I was doing was making a suggestion for improvement based on first hand experiences and the experiences of others. It was no more and no less. If they want to take the suggestion, great. If they don't, no one is forcing them to.

**AdventureMyk** · 01-29-2015, 16:12

Raos, easy to say not always easy to do. When in the cottage industry you have to keep in mind if their margins are high enough to actually afford to hire an extra person while still being able to meet their own obligations. It isn't just the $8 an hour, it's the other fiasco's that go with hiring that really add up in the background.