Grrrrrrrrr - SNG

[Heuer]

A week ago I ordered two small oil relief valve gaskets from SNG at a total cost of about ?1.20. Chased them up today and after much apology about the oversight they said they would send them immediately ............................ at a cost of ?4.65! I asked if they could just put them in an envelope with a first class stamp but the response was "Sorry, Sir we are not allowed to do that" but they were allowed to try and sell me some more bits to "make the postage worthwhile" :? . I cancelled and will make my own!

Have our suppliers lost the plot altogether? Oddly if you ask for a catalogue they send it free - I was going to ask them to slip the gaskets in but I feared the response.

[ralphr1780]

David,
Not to say negative things, but rather being realistic and practical.
While other suppliers have variable dispatch charges depending on weight/volume, they have a min charge for 5kg parcel to Belgium (?48 by UPS, ?42 expedited mail, or ?21.60 for upto 2kg by standard uninsured surface mail)... This tends to be discouraging for regular needs for bits and pieces.
The catalogue remains free but you pay the shipping!

[Heuer]

I have no other quarrel with SNG as they, along with Hutson's, have always provided excellent service. Perhaps I spoke to the 'wrong' person as others there have been most accommodating when it comes to small parts. Just wondered why they have suddenly become so prescriptive in their dealings, especially with regular customers.

[christopher storey]

I think someone really ought to draw this to the family's attention . It is costing them both business and goodwill and has the potential to be really damaging

[Dave K]

David,

I also bought this to their attention a few years ago when ordering something small and they replied that they do not run the business neither do any other mail order companies like they are selling parts off ebay.

Rather than one of the office staff running down to the post office and dropping small stuff in there, they have a contract with a shipping company who collect everything from them and for that they have a minimum charge which has to be passed onto us.

I can understand this but still don't like it.

Dave

[Heuer]

Don't buy their excuse Dave, they must have regular correspondence (e.g invoices, purchase orders) going 1st or 2nd class so they can easily send small stuff that way if they wanted to. Probably some accountant who says the manpower required to take the order, pick the item and pack it has to be paid for no matter how low value the item is.

[Dave K]

David,

I would agree with you all time has to be accounted for in an 8 hour shift. Where I work the cost of just raising an individual order is costed at ?80. No orders can be placed for under ?50 so I use my CC to do this. Faster anyway.

Dave

[Bob Falfa]

It's small incidents like this, where customer care is lacking, that makes people vote with their feet. It's a shame that some businesses only want large orders.

Try another supplier.

[Malk]

I had 2 small seals arrive from SNG last week, emailed them to say this was a back order that was cancelled weeks ago by Simon Hemsley and heard nothing. Then get phone call to say 'We've sent you some parts that haven't been paid for can we have a card number?' "Uh no I didn't want them!!" Promptly returned them

Their back order system is diabolical and recent work we have nightmare upon nightmare with them at huge cost to Simon on his time waiting around.

We did email and get a suitable response which was fairly defensive I might add!!

M.