Sunday 22 July 2012

324 "Thank You, Games Workshop Customer Services!"

Hullo, All - I have news!

Remember that slightly shirty letter of complaint I emailed (it's worth a read)? Well, a GW Customer Services representative has been kind enough to reply...and I'm impressed. Here it is:

Hi [Drax],


Thank you for email and apologies for the length of time it has taken to respond to you.

Even though the release of the new 40,000 Rule book was a huge success, we have been receiving feedback regarding issues experienced by our customers. The main one being that the information for the pre-order delivery dates was unclear. All this feedback has been passed on to our web team in order to update and prepare for future pre-orders.

Games Workshop made the decision earlier last year to change the despatch date of White Dwarf and pre-orders so they now fall in line with all the new releases. This decision was made so we could protect new releases and avoid any leaking of information that would ruin the excitement for our hobbyists. As soon as White Dwarf is released, you can Advance Order any of the New Releases, or you can buy them from your local Hobby Centre just one week later. That’s just one week from the time you find out about a New Release to being able to own it and use it in your games which, we think you’ll agree, is much more exciting than having to wait several months to get hold of it!

Not only that, but if ever you buy a product that is replaced by a New Release, providing the product you bought is still unopened and in its original packaging, we’ll happily exchange it in any of our Hobby Centres.

However we fully understand your frustration regarding this and acknowledge that this information was not made clear on the website. As a gesture as an apology we would like to offer you £15 worth of Games Workshop vouchers. These can either be in virtual form to use on the website or in paper form to use in one of our stores.

Once again apologies for the confusion caused and if you have any further queries please get in touch.

Regards,
[+++++ +++++]
Games Workshop Customer Service

So there we go. It pays, sometimes, to make an articulate point, I think!

Thank you, Games Workshop.

- D.

(PS: Now all I have to do is claim my actual vouchers!)

11 comments:

  1. Emperor's Beard! Victory! Although I do like the way they keep calling it 'confusion' rather than 'late/failed pre-order'. On an individual basis, whenever you speak to people on the phone/in a store/receive a letter from GW, they're generally pretty friendly. But even I wouldn't have counted on getting a voucher! Now, what do you spend the £15 on?

    (Also, I've been meaning to ask for donkeys' years - how did you do the sharks' teeth on the sentinel in your page banner? Is that a transfer or hand painted?)

    ReplyDelete
  2. "we have been receiving feedback regarding issues experienced by our customers" in English is "we have had complaints"! :-D Well done on getting somewhere!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks, chaps.

    Yes, it's encouraging, isn't it, eh?!

    >Scipio:
    1) £15? I reckon I could just about buy a single Guardsman for that, couldn't I?!
    2) They're all hand-painted, in chronological order left-to-right. That first one was the first freehand painting I ever tried! Thank you for the comments, though (obviously the styles are based on old RAF P-40 Kittyhawks).

    ReplyDelete
  4. Bloody hell, I'm impressed. Don't spend it all at once ;) At least they're actually (just about) acknowledging problems rather than just pretending they don't exist.

    Seconded on the sentinels too, always thought they looked ruddy superb

    ReplyDelete
  5. wow!?!?!

    You know I still haven't received my preorder for my gamers edition, though at this point I am certain that it was stolen out of my mail box...BUT GW CS has responded to my emails with template emails asking me to call despite I am physically unable to call them during their business hours due to my work and commute schedule.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow at least you got a response. I sent a similar letter:
    Hi,
    I recently saw the post on your facebook page about the 'Ultimate Warhammer 40,000 edition" freebies. I was originally going to order this edition but decided that since I was going to be unable to give my money to my local game store through the 2 versions of the rule book I would do so through the templates, tape measure, and psychic cards.
    On June 25th I received an email saying that my order had been shipped. I was ecstatic! I checked my order status on the site and it read "Dispatched."
    During the week I convinced the owner of my local game store to remain open until midnight to sell the new edition at the first possible moment! I might have had my book early so I could read up and get ready to run demo games during the release day, or make ready to answer questions to those who had just purchased the book. However I did not get my book on the day before release, I was okay with this as it would have been unfair for those that pre-ordered to get their books early. I ran the event and all had a merry time. I was able to help the store sell its entire stock of nearly 30 books before the first hour of normal business hours.
    After running this I made my way to the local GamesWorkshop store in Grapevine Mills Mall where I waited for an hour for the store to open so I could purchase my Ultramarines Lanyard, and Imperial Beanie. I stayed up there for a while talking with the friendly and knowledgeable staff and was offered to purchase the rule book. I explained to the manager that while I would have purchased one from him I had my two rule books coming soon. I returned home and checked my order status, still "Dispatched."
    Today I called the customer support line and after being on hold for 30 minutes, I talked to Antonio about an update on my still "Dispatched" order. He told me that my rule books had not been shipped and "if I was lucky they would hopefully ship today" and that it was just "too bad" that my books were not shipped on Friday when they were supposed to be, and when the rest of the books did. When I asked to speak to his supervisor he told me that this was normal policy and that wasn't necessary. I then asked when I should receive my order were I fortunate enough for my order to be dispatched today, he explained that I may receive it in 4 days. I asked if there were going to be any upgrades on shipping or anything to make up for this latency, as this is past the promised shipping date, and he said there would not.

    I have been playing Games Workshop games for 11 years now. I have over 50,000 points of Ultramarines, 30,000 points of Imperial Guard, 15,000 points of Grey Knights, and I am working on 4 warhound titans. I worked at my local game store for 5 years to pay my way through college and during that time I fostered a very tight knit and welcoming gaming group. I ran bi-annual gaming leagues that were responsible for upwards of 50 gamers, and have driven multiple states to go to both Independent Grand Tournaments and official Grand tournaments. In the past I have had nothing but positive dealings with Games Workshop getting miscast parts replaced or getting prize support while working for the store.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The fact that I am going to wait one week "if I'm lucky" after the release date of the product, and the fact that I was treated with such disrespect was insulting. This is the first time I've ever felt that Games Workshop as a company has not cared if they had my business or not.

      I have never written one of these 'angry customer letters' before and never thought I would have a reason to, especially to a company whom I have worked so hard to promote and has always in the past treated me with respect.

      I am appalled at the behavior of not only the customer service representative but also of the pre-order department.
      Why was I given a shipping confirmation on the 25th of June if my item was not ready to be shipped?
      If there was going to be a delay in the shipping of my product why was I not informed?
      When another "online exclusive" comes up on your site, I'm afraid I will have to refrain from ordering it, as the method in which this release was handled did not show the usual dedication to customer service that I had come to expect from your company.
      Sincerely,
      John

      Delete
    2. Antonio got back to me...here is what happened...I am not getting my Gamers edition (they don't have anymore), but he refunded my money and is sending me the rulebook for free.

      Delete
  7. Result! Congrats sir, a rare event if ever I heard of. My first interaction with GW was back in the late 80's when made my first mail order..... order. (?) I even called them up to make sure I was doing it right with my silly boy soprano high pitched voice. They were cool as beans and I felt like I had just dealt with the best company ever. Fast forward twenty-five-odd years and it's surprising that such a large gaming company with a reputation for putting profit above all else, is still able to provide a little pleasant customer service to it's loyal customers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I remember ringing up the Mail Order Trolls many a moon ago and they'd be happy just to answer my daft child's questions lol. You can't even ring the buggers now.

      Delete
  8. Thanks for the supportive comments, Guys, and Vern: I'm glad you got some satisfaction at least.

    I think what I might actually put the money towards is...

    (and don't all pillory me at once)

    ...a GW spray gun. I need something cheap and cheerful for undercoating. We'll see. At least it saves deciding on which models I can't afford!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for taking the time to comment!