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ilovebass23

Customer service?

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This might seem really horrible to start a forum about, but I feel like it is needed.

I emailed FI through there contact tap asking questions about the Subwoofer I wanted to order. I waited a couple days and got no response(still nothing today). So I figured maybe it didn't send, or you know something happened and they didn't receive it. So I went ahead and ordered 1 18 inch SSD, about two and a half weeks ago. I have been checking my email everyday to see "awaiting fulfillment" go away and have a tracking number so I know it shipped. It has been 18 days since I ordered it and so I decided to email them again, hoping to get a response since I actually ordered something. I still have not received an email. Not a F&ck you or anything.

    

 Now their website says 10 -15 days for build time (estimated). Now the way I read that is, it will take 10 to 15 days to build. You know like they estimated that between that tenth and fifteenth day it will be completed and be ready to ship. No.. I'm still "Awaiting fulfillment". Now the part of my Subwoofer not being completed on time is not my issue, if they are truly that busy I will be patient and wait due to what I have read about how great these products are. I am p!ssed about the horrible customer service. If they are truly that busy, I'm sure they make enough money to hire someone to reply to emails. It might just be me but I feel that is not very professional. I'm sorry but if I give you $300.00 without meeting you, or talking to you, the least you could do is reply to an email. Am I wrong?  I would like to know that there is actually someone there that can help me.  I'm not sure if I'm the only who has had this problem, but if they are such a great company why cant they do such a simple thing as reply to an email? 

 

 Maybe someone from FI will actually read this and give me a reply. Thanks.

Edited by ilovebass23

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10-15 BUSINESS days. They are really working on the customer service aspect. Email Sales"at"ficaraudio.com.

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Yeah buddy they are slammed right now and just now catching up. Statements have been made about this as well and the owner made a comment on this. check the thread under General called "Disappointed." I myself am still waiting on two Fi Q12s ordered Feb 16th

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I know it sounds like I'm "Reaming" them, but yeah its a little ridiculous. I'll take a look, and I'm sorry Bro, that sucks. 

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From Scott at Fi

 

 

Thanks to all that have chimed in on this one.  I agree that our lead times have been excessive and are truly sorry for the delays.  Just when we dig out of one delay we get right back into another.  The current issues are multiple and are being worked through as rapidly as possible.  Customers are currently being contacted about delays via phone (or email if messages are left).

 

Now to address the overall issues:  

Adding employees... 2 new ones over the past month.  Neither of which are office staff and are not currently building drivers.  It is impossible to find skilled staff that can simply sit down and a build table and go.  New staff is handling other aspects of production besides building drivers.  They are already alleviating some back up.

 

Need more machines... we just purchased another hydrolathe and will be receiving it later next week.  While not an instant cure, it will go onto the shop floor and help our other massively overburdened hydrolathe once it is set up and dialed in.  (These are the task specific lathes that run the profiles of all back plates and top plates)  Our current one runs non-stop and is backed up.

 

Need more customer service...  Again, not the easiest of tasks.  We have people tell us simply to hire teens to handle email and phones.  Having this approach in the past set us up for significant issues.  Only some of the emails are straight forward and can be handled by a tracking number or simple confirmation.  Most emails entail something tech related as well and then need to be sent to someone that can handle them.  The overall customer service need is for skilled audio industry individuals and not just a warm body.  We are working on this one as well. Implementing a new email system will help keep track of emails/tasks that will let everyone quickly know if it can be answered by anyone or if it needs staff with a specific skill set.

 

Seasonal... for us this is normally a busy time, but internationally as well as domestically we have be hit by massive orders.  It seems that distributors have really upped the orders and we didn't see this coming.  As Fi customers, distributors get put into line with everyone else, but when there turn comes... its a big turn.

 

OEM... while most do not know, we do manufacturing for other companies as well.  This normally isnt as big of an issue as we schedule most OEM runs ahead of time and can shuffle them around some when needed.  But, OEM has exploded for some of our companies as well and when their turn comes, it takes a toll on the scheduling board.  We have seen this coming and are working with our customers on long term solutions for their needs.  This will greatly ease the increasing demand from our long term OEM customers keeping the Fi customers rolling along smoothly.

 

And there are other issues that add up...

 

I truly appreciate our customers patience for a quality US manufactured sub.  It would be a simple solution to get speakers made in China or to have steel made overseas, but it truly goes against what I believe in (in doing as much work in house and supporting the US economy through manufacturing).  In spite of this we are doing everything we physically can to up our efficiency and lower our lead times.

 

I am disappointed too... but look at this as an opportunity to dial in our processes and streamline things for the long term.  We are working hard in the meantime to get things back to our normal 10-15 business day lead time (and then back to the older 7-10 day time).  

 

Again, I do share your frustration, but thank you whole heartedly for putting your faith in us and our products.

 

Thanks,

Scott

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I know it sounds like I'm "Reaming" them, but yeah its a little ridiculous. I'll take a look, and I'm sorry Bro, that sucks. 

They are working on it man, have no fear as you will be receiving an awesome product. The wait does suck but it is worth it.

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10- 15 bizz  days  too.. and like you said its estimated,  you have to understand that they have to keep a super small staff to keep the prices low on the amazing drivers that you order... ..

 

 you could very easy buy some jap crap .. for the same price,.. get an email back and a 1 800 number to chat with some indian  and get a chrome plated piece of shit  again for the same price...

 

  i understand its scary when you pay a stranger 300 bucks,. and cant even get an email back.. but trust me you will get your sub.. and  you will be very happy. and you will forget all about the wait

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I understand what your saying man. But wouldn't it have been nice if it said something like this? "Due to the massive increase in orders, our estimated build time has also increased from 10-15 business days to 20-30". This way people knew what they were getting into. I understand the staff part Partially. Only certain people can build subs, but most people can email u back saying, how much longer you have, or any other questions. This is just how I feel, I could be completely wrong.

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well then they would have to pay a person just simply to run around checking on orders and emailing people back ALL DAY!! and thats not profitable  

 

  they have someone that emails people back but from what i gather they do it more as a favor then a job, and they are NOT on location.

 

  i have been in your shoes before.. i have ordered from FI.  and alot of other companies too.. just gotta sit back chill and check the email   and wait for it to ship.

 

 here is a topic that may help you...

http://www.soundsolutionsaudio.com/forum/topic/58715-your-order-and-when-shipped/

 

 people post there order number and when it was shipped.. so you can have an idea of where and how much longer.

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If you ordered after March 6th then you are well within the estimated build time.

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That would be awesome! May I ask how you know that?

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your not understanding what duran said.

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Things are running a bit behind, you can figure an additional 2 weeks or so on normal lead times as Scott said quoted earlier they were exceedingly behind due to large international orders.

 

If you ordered the 6th you're at like 14 business days right now.

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Okay, for the people that only got my build time out of the post! I'm p!issed that they don't email you back!!!!!!!! I could care less right now about how long it is actually going to take. Don't you think its sad you guys had to tell me when it is going to be hear instead of the person I gave $300.00 too?

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They're working on that. Occasionally emails that are filled out on the order forms are incorrect (ran into that a lot) and occasionally things got thrown into spam folder.

 

As quoted in the text above by Scott, it's acknowledge and things are being improved upon.

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