This, this is how it's done.

[Primarch]

In the middle of September, my mother asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I told her that I wanted the armylist book to go with Hail Caesar by Warlord Games due out at the end of September.
The end of September rolls around and I get an email from Warlord saying that there were problems at the printers and that the book would be delayed until at least mid-October.
Mid-October rolls around and Warlord say that the book is finally being printed and would be shipping at the end of the month.
October 31st I get an email saying my book had been dispatched.
My book arrived today.

Now, this isnt a big book, or a hardback. It's about the size of a warhammer codex. It wasnt particularly expensive or necessary to play the game.

When I opened the envelope there was a covering letter inside with the book.

It is a letter of apology from the General Manager of the company Mr. John Stallard the EX-ceo of GW. In the letter, he apologises for the book being delayed AND included a 10% discount voucher for my next purchase (no matter how much it may be). And they offer free worldwide shipping and knock the VAT off your purchase.

SCREW GAMES WORKSHOP.
VIVA LA WARLORD!!!!

Now THAT is how you do business people.

[Spevna]

Yes, yes it is. That warms my heart.

[Mike the Pike]

3 unexplained delays in the printing of a small-run book. Is THAt really the way to do business? Hmmm.

[Spevna]

3 unexplained delays in the printing of a small-run book. Is THAt really the way to do business? Hmmm.

No, but offering to make up for it is. Trying to do something above and beyond for the customer is.

GWs take on such matter is to sell shoddy overpriced merchandise made from an inferior material to previous merchandise and then, if need be, replace it. Yep, much better way to do business there.

Unexpected delays are much more acceptable than illogical price hikes, sh*tty quality control, products made with cr*p materials, and a blatant disregard for what your customers want.

[me_in_japan]

I'm with Prim and Spev on this (quel surprise...). Occasional f*** ups are part of life, and that applies to business as much as anything else. How a company (or indeed, an individual) deals with them is telling indeed. While I still have zero interest in playing historical, I see Warlord as a games company I can respect, since they clearly respect me (as a member of the gaming public.) Certain other gaming companies who completely disregard their customers' views and clearly care not one whit that they are haemorrhaging goodwill like a man with his legs chopped off, do not get my respect, cos their treatment of me and my friends is, frankly, bloody offensive.

[Mike the Pike]

At least GW books arrive on time and/or don't fall apart within a few weeks a la Warlord, Flames of War and Cutlass. Nor is miscasting etc a GW only problem. It is very common with FOW and I have heard of at least one case with Wyrd miniatures. Privateer press produce faulty models too and also seem to have customer service issues too...
http://privateerpressforums.com/showthr ... ast-parts.

As for doing things right, I seem to recall someone or other calling GW to say a piece was 'missing' from a rather large and expensive kit and was promptly sent an entire new replacement kit, no questions asked, free of charge. I can't remember for the life of me who it was

I have also personally experienced the same service myself with smaller kits. I also received for free a completely unsolicited copy of the "Apocalypse re-loaded" supplement free of charge with an order that went through around the time it was released. Pretty shit service that.

3 ==> ( )*( )GW

[Spevna]

At least GW books arrive on time and/or don't fall apart within a few weeks a la Warlord, Flames of War and Cutlass. Nor is miscasting etc a GW only problem. It is very common with FOW and I have heard of at least one case with Wyrd miniatures. Privateer press produce faulty models too and also seem to have customer service issues too...
http://privateerpressforums.com/showthr ... ast-parts.


3 ==> ( )*( )GW

Last time I checked, none of those other companies were writing complete gash about how their new FineCast line would revolutionize the hobby. If by revolutionize they mean making the minis out of a cheaper material, sending them to the shop with all to common QC issues, and charging you more for them then yes, they did revolutionize the hobby. Seriously, did you even read that complete cr*p they posted when they released the FineCast range?? It's like anally raping someone and at the same time telling them they are privileged to be trying out the all new and improved lube from KY.

[Primarch]

3 unexplained delays in the printing of a small-run book. Is THAt really the way to do business? Hmmm.

3?
Where do you get 3 from?
The first email said that it would be AT LEAST mid October. In mid October I was informed that they were being printed and it would be shipped at the end of the month, which it was. That is 1 delay.

After breaking the spine of my Cutlass book to make photocopies so people can have a copy of the army lists (no need to thank me, just part of my job), yes, it is falling apart. My Warlord books are in perfect condition thank you and with the exception of the army list book mentioned above arrived promptly. My Space Marine codex is falling apart despite me NOT breaking the spine on it.

[me_in_japan]

Sorry - I'm not with the cool, hip with-it gang. wtf does

3 ==> ( )*( )GW

mean?

and aye, I think the point that Pikey is missing throughout this is:

We dont expect GW to be free from flaws. We just expect them to not treat us like complete idiots. Y'know, a small email newsletter along the lines of "Sorry, we rushed out finecast. Our bad. We'll replace any faulty ones free of charge. Bear with us while we iron out the kinks in the new material" would've helped a lot.

Did we get that? No, we got "hey kids, buy our shiny new product: Liquid finecast filler!"

I know they do replace faulty finecast minis. That isnt my problem with them. It's the way they seem to actually believe their own hype, and they really do seem to think we believe it too. That's just insulting. Is anyone that stupid?

PS:

http://privateerpressforums.com/showthr ... cast-parts.

Well done. You have located one, single, solitary slightly miffed PP customer. However, he was hardly frothing at the mouth, and given the dates of that post, it would appear that the issue was resolved. Compare that to:

Well, there goes my 40k army idea. I guess there is always ebay for second hand stuff...until GW decides to ban GW products from ebay as well.

They suck. End of story - an unhappy one at that.

You know what? I'm sick of trying to be optimistic. The new models look awesome, there is some cool sounding stuff in the pipeline but I'm sick of it all. I've got some Necrons on order with Ikeda san at the moment. After that.....it's going to be a long time before I buy any more product either here or from home.

and that's just on this forum...

[Primarch]

Is anyone that stupid?

Pikey apparantly.