Markits - customer experiences

[Colin_McLeod]

40 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

provide resources to match demand or reduce the scope of your business; failing to do so leads to a bad reputation

That's it in a nutshell, whether the problem is capacity, illness, or whatever.

[Bluebell Model Railway]

4 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

That's the problem. It's a very old fashioned and time poor method of working, and is probably the same problem that Modelmasters has.

 

How long is he on the phone for when someone is ordering? Twenty minutes? Half an hour? How many calls can he take a day whilst he should be doing something else. Not many.

 

I can answer far more emails than I can phone calls in the same time. And I'm a total technophobe. How quickly can you read an email. Couple of minutes? 

 

 

 

As for others having stock.

 

https://www.petersspares.com/detailing-markits.irc

 

Great having wheels, but useless without the basics which haven't been in stock for months.

 

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/wheels/rm4/

 

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/wheels/rm2/

 

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/wheels/00axle/

 

Loads of other gaps here.

 

Wizard Markits

 

 

 

 

Jason

Jason,

Indeed it is old fashioned and out of date but again... time to update is difficult... I have a little shop to sell my kits and conversion things... but it takes time...  when I spoke to him a number of years ago, he said he had taken parts out the catalogue because people order the wrong thing so unless they know what they are looking for it cuts down on confusion, I think that's where the phone side for him works a bit better...

How long does it take to read and reply it depends... and depends on the question, I have had a question this week about wagons, and I'm checking getting photos, double checking... so that has gone on for 3 days so far... and I tell you sometimes it's longer than a phone call. So Pro's and Con's.

I do feel maybe he does need some help on the sales and set up side to make it easier to order for public... but probably can't afford or does not want the extra help.

[grob1234]

I have personally found filling out the order form and posting it off to him yields good results, and probably for him means he can spend less time on the order.

I leave the price/total blank and trust that he'll tot it up and charge my card accordingly.

Probably not ideal if you live abroad (as I did previously - in which case I phoned up and eventually had a good conversation with Mark).

It's far from ideal and we are all used to placing orders online and getting the stuff next day, but this is one of those that's different, and actually I quite like it!

Just persevere and it'll happen eventually.

[D51]

I follow the same procedure as Tom, always use the order form and leave the price column blank, and I have been doing it this way for several years; I nearly always get what I want in a couple of weeks, often in a couple of days.  I find the service for such specialised items to be very satisfactory, and the quality of Mark's work is very high.

[melmerby]

Just placed an order over the phone.

Yes, he's a bit brusque and when I queried a mistake on his listings he said, "well, I have to give you something to do"!

Not the most cheery person I have ordered through but it was done reasonably quickly and hopefully accurately.

When I asked how long it would be "When I get around to it"🙂

 

(The phone was answered straight away at about 1600 today)

 

 

 

 

[hayfield]

35 minutes ago, melmerby said:

Just placed an order over the phone.

Yes, he's a bit brusque and when I queried a mistake on his listings he said, "well, I have to give you something to do"!

Not the most cheery person I have ordered through but it was done reasonably quickly and hopefully accurately.

When I asked how long it would be "When I get around to it"🙂

 

(The phone was answered straight away at about 1600 today)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sounds like a far better service than you get from many PLC's. I had to chase up HSBC last week as after sending them a DDI two weeks earlier it was still not showing. Turns out that they set it up, then without my permission cancelled it, they said they were going to phone me but never got round to it.

 

Anyway after a bit of a painful discussion they reinstated it, then it took a further 15 mins to get to another department to arrange for the payment to be sent quickly. 45 mins actually

 

It was for my membership to the Scale 7 group. The good news was they credited my account with £25 for all the hassle they gave me

 

This leads me to my biggest peeve, when you are in a telephone queue and the message asks me to keep holding on as my call is important to them. If speaking to their customers is that important why don't they employ more agents !!!

[Ruston]

I have only once bought anything direct from Markits. I dialled the number and got his answerphone, so left a message. To be fair, he did call back a couple of hours later, but I figured that the bloke I was speaking to was a bit eccentric when his first words were "Someone dared to call Markits?"

 

 

[melmerby]

Can't complain about Markits postal service.

My order was delivered today (Sunday) by Royal Mail!

I was surprised to find it in the porch having been delivered at 12:34. (according to the tracking details.)

[Barry Ten]

I placed a telephone order just before Christmas. There was a follow-up call from Markits to query whether I wanted axles as well, and the items arrived within a day or two.

 

The proprietor is certainly knowledgeable. I'd only specified my wheels and the number thereof when he determined that I was working on a 4MT.

[Mallard60022]

Is Markits now another 'target' for the moaners?

I know that there has been a period when the supplies were low, but I've never had any bother with his service. In fact, the quality of the items, especially the Turned Brass stuff, is superb.

Be grateful he still Trades.

Phil

[melmerby]

25 minutes ago, Mallard60022 said:

Is Markits now another 'target' for the moaners?

That's what this thread was started for.

Nobody seems to complain about the quality, just his erratic phone manner.

 

He didn't come across as the most friendly person to phone but my order was done quickly and accurately and I will use  Markits again in the future. (Probably using the order form route)

 

I had to phone for the order this time because the wheel specification on his list was wrong and I wanted to be assured that I would get the correct ones, so an order form with a blank cost wasn't an option.

 

[Mallard60022]

5 minutes ago, melmerby said:

That's what this thread was started for.

Nobody seems to complain about the quality, just his erratic phone manner.

 

He didn't come across as the most friendly person to phone but my order was done quickly and accurately and I will use  Markits again in the future. (Probably using the order form route)

 

I had to phone for the order this time because the wheel specification on his list was wrong and I wanted to be assured that I would get the correct ones, so an order form with a blank cost wasn't an option.

 

Erratic Phone manner eh?

Grief, 1st World problems; not for you obviously and thanks for clarifying.

Some folk really need to lighten up a bit, or am I just too old and don't really care any more?

Phil

 

[hayfield]

1 hour ago, melmerby said:

That's what this thread was started for.

Nobody seems to complain about the quality, just his erratic phone manner.

 

He didn't come across as the most friendly person to phone but my order was done quickly and accurately and I will use  Markits again in the future. (Probably using the order form route)

 

I had to phone for the order this time because the wheel specification on his list was wrong and I wanted to be assured that I would get the correct ones, so an order form with a blank cost wasn't an option.

 

 

Unlike many of the UK's PLC contact centres at least you can have a conversation with out constantly asking them to repeat what they said

 

I have actually visited (by arrangement) him a couple of times, he is very polite, helpful and knows his stuff and when he has time very interesting to talk to

 

He has to focus on his business to keep all of his customers (retail and wholesale) happy, and with the wheels any holdups are usually due to a third party contractor

 

Our hobby seems to have plenty of charterers who keep us in parts/kits. Please remember they will never please everyone all of the time

[Mallard60022]

12 hours ago, hayfield said:

 

Unlike many of the UK's PLC contact centres at least you can have a conversation with out constantly asking them to repeat what they said

 

I have actually visited (by arrangement) him a couple of times, he is very polite, helpful and knows his stuff and when he has time very interesting to talk to

 

He has to focus on his business to keep all of his customers (retail and wholesale) happy, and with the wheels any holdups are usually due to a third party contractor

 

Our hobby seems to have plenty of charterers who keep us in parts/kits. Please remember they will never please everyone all of the time

Thanks matey. I appreciate that as I thought it was just me getting Meldrew like at a number of folk that just seem to pile into small Traders and start Pitchforking and burning because of some issues. It is something that seems to have become prevalent in the last 4 or 5 years. Impatience, intolerance and having to tell everyone else about it. Characters can be unusual and maybe a bit 'different' but why all this negativity about it , unless there is some sort of unacceptable behaviour or financial problems occurring. people need to grow up and grow a pair and accept 'difference', and accept things that are actually of benefit. 

This sort of crap just results in some folk wanting to say stuff it and I'm retiring, or going to do something else instead. The 'customer' is not always right.

7 Pages to say that the bloke is different for some reason. Most established Modellers know the way to deal with this, as shown by quite a few anecdotal tales. Some have said they found things challenging. Has this not answered the original question and isn't it time to accept that this Customer 'experience'  has been beaten to death yet again? 

Phil

Edited February 15, 2023 by Mallard60022
Spellin'

[hayfield]

23 minutes ago, Mallard60022 said:

Thanks matey. I appreciate that as I thought it was just me getting Meldrew like at a number of folk that just seem to pile into small Traders and start Pitchforking and burning because of some issues. It is something that seems to have become prevalent in the last 4 or 5 years. Impatience, intolerance and having to tell everyone else about it. Characters can be unusual and maybe a bit 'different' but why all this negativity about it , unless there is some sort of unacceptable behaviour or financial problems occurring. people need to grow up and grow a pair and accept 'difference', and accept things that are actually of benefit. 

This sort of crap just results in some folk wanting to say stuff it and I'm retiring, or going to do something else instead. The 'customer' is not always right.

Phil

 

Everybody has an off day, phone at the wrong time (especially if the person is half way through sorting out a problem) may get a response which could be construed as rude, but is nothing other than someone with something more pressing on their mind.

 

As I said Mark is a nice chap, a few of the traders say his methods sometimes differ from the norm, but they all like dealing with him

 

As you say in the past we would send off a letter and wait a couple of weeks for a reply. Now we expect instant replies !! If traders like Mark spent all day talking to customers they would get nothing done!! I may be as bad especially when waiting on the phone for my call to be answered. I di like the system where they say our call is in the queue and they will call back. I hate the system where you are kept on hold for ages and you get a recorded message that my call is important to them, please hold. Large companies have no excuse, especially the banks who all are now mostly online as they close more and more branches.

 

But the smaller companies, especially one man bands have to prioritise or they will go bust.

 

We all expect these smaller companies to have websites equal to Amazon. I recently came across one company who have a new website, but have not turned off (or put in a redirection) their old one which has incorrect prices. I was not bothered about a couple of £'s but a little thought would save problems. But this shows having a website may be equally as bad as not having one !! 

[Mallard60022]

When I worked with the late Geoff Brewin, for a few years before his sad Death (2014...seems like an age, that) I remember him saying he had some issues with getting Markits stuff, however Geoff was old School. he just used to say that's how it is and the product overcomes any 'issues', of which few were errors.

He ONLY dispatched packages on a certain day of the week, as that was his most efficient way of Trading.

He was meticulous about stock taking and being honest about not being able to supply something as it meant a huge waste due to original etch plates being inefficient with different Coaches on a single Plate etc.

He attended Exhibitions, but only really made any profit at Warley and that used to knacker him. He had cut down on those attendances some time before he became ill. Nobody complained, they were just a bit sad not to meet him in person. 

I won't tell you what he said about 'certain customers' of his products, and their 'demands', but he never made it public, such as on here!  However, what he did have was patience and an understanding about the sometime odd ways of others. 

There are some of the 'same old critics' on this thread as have also been negative critics about other Traders, having a poke and a dig and not letting it rest. Some of those 'critics' also run small businesses, BUT not in any way in the same league as Markits.  A bit more tolerance and understanding in a must have it now World,

is required.

P

[Crosland]

38 minutes ago, Mallard60022 said:

I won't tell you what he said about 'certain customers' of his products, and their 'demands', but he never made it public, such as on here! 

 

A thread for small traders to recount how some customers can be "different" or "difficult" would probably run to a few pages. Happily, I've not had too many. I remember one who described JMRI (open source software for DCC systems) as "hippy groupware" and tried to complain to one of the MR magazines.

 

This is NOT a dig at anyone posting in this thread.

 

[DLT]

Nothing but praise for Markits from me! 

Amusing conversations on the phone, excellent product, and efficient service.

[gz3xzf]

I recently phoned in an order, was really pleased that Markits knew when I last ordered (been a couple of years); we then had a chat about heritage steam and finalised the order.
Products arrived well packaged and are always of the highest quality.

[melmerby]

Seems like making a comment about someones less than curteous phone manner in now Verboten by the thread police.

 

I'm old school and expect a curteous reply, the same as I would give for somebody phoning me.

Being polite doesn't cost anything.

8 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

a number of folk that just seem to pile into small Traders and start Pitchforking and burning because of some issues

Well over the top IMO.

I make a comment about him being brusque and now I am trying to destroy his business. Get a life.

[DIW]

4 hours ago, melmerby said:

<snip>

 

I'm old school and expect a curteous reply, <snip>  Get a life.

I see a contradiction in the highlighted excerpts of your post - just sayin'.

[DLT]

Haven't we done this to death?

[rope runner]

Time to close this thread I think. 

 

Paul A. 

 

 

[Colin_McLeod]

Looks like the thread locker

 advocates are back 😁

[cctransuk]

19 hours ago, rope runner said:

Time to close this thread I think. 

 

Paul A. 

 

 

 

IYHO, not mine!

 

CJI.