Haaay guise, new space as we hit another 100 comment milestone, way to go!!!! (EDIT: YES, I FUCKING KNOW HOW TO SPELL. 'Hay guise' is part of an Internet meme, used especially in misspelled captions for funny cat pictures. What is a meme?? Google it. Welcome to da internetz)
What's the latest news in the PTI-sphere and stamp-o-sphere? Remember you can also share experiences about other companies, how you are liking them/or not, so we can all know where we can all split to for better stamp designs.
PTI Smacker 3 has personally just received some goodies from Denami and a place called The Ribbon Retreat. So many replacements for colors from PTI if that is what you are worried about AND much cheaper especially the ribbons and OH THE COLORS :) Disclaimer: not being paid to link them up just thought I would share the love.
Rant/Rave/Vent/Smack all you like- this is the place!
108 comments:
First!
Second! What, what!
So, between Lawn Fawn, MFT, and Waltzingmouse - Trell here is thinking about branching out. I still like the PTI stamps, and I've never had an issue, but I'd hate to have to get all ghetto on someone. I think that should only be allowed during Black History Month. If course, I'm not actually ghetto. Hmm.
Of course*
LOL! Trell you crack me up!!
Anybody else sick of hearing how "busy" CS is at PTI?? So tired of J posting that excuse! They brought on the avalanche of emails themselves with their poor business practices and horrendous website. I'd like to see a major boycott of them. Taking a major hit in the bank account is the only way they will ever change.
I, too, am tired of the "we are swamped with e-mails!" excuse from Jenn. Um, THEN HIRE MORE CS PEOPLE! Why oh why does PTI have to make things so damn complicated? Sheesh.
So what the hell does Dave the-knew-CS-guy do if Jenn is still just as swamped as ever? It seems hiring a new employee/relative hasn't improved email response time at all. Waste.
Oh wait....maybe initially he did help some but PTI just keeps giving customers a new array of shit to complain about. God I'm so glad I don't buy what they are peddlin'.
EXACTLY!!
I'd love to know how Jane and Julie can keep on with such horrible business practices. I couldn't stand it if I ran a business and it was such a fiasco All the time! Don't they have ANY ethics? Any pride?? Wonder of wonders heskemp printing is still in business.
I wonder what the design team members on PTI are thinking? Would you jump ship? I would stick with Nichole though.
i just read the SASE debacle. i love how the default solution presented by the leaders of pti is to make the customer jump through hoops. it's like their first knee-jerk response is "if they want them so badly why don't they help us get it to them by " and ONLY after the outcry do they revise their statement to "oh fine, we'll just send them out to everyone who ordered one." which is what they should have done IN THE FIRST FUCKING PLACE!!!!!!!!!
my lordy bees, how on earth have these hags been able to ride this broken legged beast called PTI for so long???
@Trell - what is your style? I should check out your blog (if you have one?).
Lawn Fawn is very cutesy - cartoony (like Paper Smooches - maybe you'd like that too?). MFT has various styles, but girly cutesy. Waltzingmouse is more elegant-vintagey.
Post and maybe I can send you some MFT stamps. I don't have very many of the others.
Trell,
you also have Flourishes, Hero Arts, Amuse, Technique Tuesday, Unity, plus the cheaply made stamps, but sometimes SUPER cute and worth it, by the paper manus like Jenni Bowlin, MME (love theirs), Maya Road, Prima (super crappy), American Crafts, OA, etc.
http://forum.papertreyink.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=31664
holy crap, another disaster and PR fail in the making. Based on past performance there is not a chance in hell this girl's family member is getting that package next week. If it gets there on time, I'll eat my hat. I figure we'll all be reading the fall out thread next week.
WTF? They are still playing the "swamped" card? This is dumb. One person with a laptop and access to the accounts side should be able to process those emails by now. It should not take more than 2 minutes to take an action on each one. And fucking Jenn, what is so fucking hard about looking up order numbers and telling people their shipping status. Those kind of emails take a whole lot less than two minutes each to process.
WTH kind of primitive administrative system do they have over there? Chits of paper stuck into a nail on a wood board that they have to flip through? LOL. This is the twenty first century you morans.
Jenn says they are 9 days backed up on email. Doesn't she realize that more email will be coming as people get more upset that the OLD emails have not been answered, their packages aren't here, they were charged wrong, reward points did not work, etc? This will be never ending if they have now, on Feb. 29, only answered emails up to Feb. 19 and are working on Feb. 20 today (their goal for the day is to only get through the 20th). They are falling further and further behind. Jenn's hands are tied so how is her being employed even helping anything. What do you want to bet that Dave also has to run everything by Julie?
Not to mention that in just a few days they have to have peeks of the next release up and rolling. The quicksand is pulling them down until one day we will all try to login to the PTI store and it won't be there. Poof!!
Re: Jenn- Where is CS at with responses?
by jenniferellefson » Wed Feb 29, 2012 1:57 am
The goal today is to get through the emails from the 20th. There are roughly 200 from that day.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
OMG the 20th? AYFKM??? We know people aren't even getting satisfactory or cogent responses to the ones they HAVE already dealt with. So WTF is taking so long? This whole thing is so retarded.
I ordered the evening of the 16th and immediately sent CS an email. My order came to $71 and 2 anniversary stamp sets. I tried to input 0 rewards points and the system wouldn't let me. It kept changing it back to 48, also taking $48 off my bill. Jenn's response was that the anniversary sets do cost 24 rewards points and that the system was working when I ordered.
Really? Did you READ my email? Did you look up my order??? Not a chance.
I paid via PayPal($23) so they won't be charging my cc without my permission for the remaining $48. Guess I'll have to wait and see if I get my package.
Jenn's response was that the anniversary sets do cost 24 rewards points and that the system was working when I ordered
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
How would she know that? She never "knows" anything. Her answers are always a study in vagueness.
Again, does anyone know why customers are not getting shipping notices or tracking/dc anymore? I'm sure providing that would cut their email volume significantly.
Hi PTI Smacker 3,
I apologise for being the spelling police, but it's guys not guise. Sorry, it's bugging me.
Oh, man ... I can't imagine the backlog of emails that CS has to go through. It must be incredibly daunting! At this point, they can't train someone new to go through them but really Nichole/Jane/Julie should be helping out if it's this bad ... I so want them to turn this around ... but it seems pretty hopeless right now ... ;(
It's also 'hey', not 'haaay'.
Also, you forgot a few quote marks. Your punctuation is awful, spell checker.
Maybe scrap smacker was using a popular Internet meme that you're too isolated to know about?
Sorry, but ignorant hand slaps bother ME.
LOL @10:09. Thanks for saying that so I don't have to.
And I am 8:14. Guess what arrived with the mail today? Yup. My PTI order. Everything is in there.
I guess I'll wait until they contact me about that $48 I owe them.
When they ask you for the money make sure to send them a form answer and tell them that you will pass the request along to your bank at the earliest convenience. Then, 2 months later let them know that the check is in the mail. Rinse and repeat. :-)
I really like the little chicks and animals from Denami, but they are SO expensive for such tiny, TINY stamps! It's insane! I don't know how they get off charging that much.
I'll stick with Lawn Fawn for now. Sad, but for my $15 (full price) I can get a lot more than three tiny images affixed to useless wood.
I'm also a Greeting Farm person.
OMG!! Even the TWO People in CS can't get their act together and give the same answer!!!!! And the "we will take good care of you" comment from jenn?? Yea, right I believe that.
LOL @ 10:58. Yes, but then that would make me just as low as they are. I do pay for my purchases. But I'm not going to contact them; after all I don't want to contribute to their email backlog in CS. They'll get their money eventually I'm sure.
I case they go on their FB to delete it:
Papertrey Ink.com
As has been mentioned on our forum and our newsletter, Customer Service is experiencing significant delays due to volume. Your patience is appreciated while we get to each person's questions/issues. Please understand that we view Customer Service too important to allow Facebook to be a substitute.
Like · · Share · 33 · 33 minutes ago ·
3 people like this.
Michelle La Grue Nicely worded!
32 minutes ago · Like
Nora Rosebrock And THAT is why we love y'all! ♥
31 minutes ago · Like
Aeryn Kelly-Reitmeyer maybe if you hired more people and gave them the ability to fix things instead of just forwarding emails to an owner it might go faster and people might get served.
21 minutes ago · Like
Way to go Aeryn for your comment on Facebook!
Another Facebook comment before it gets deleted-
Then hire more people. The lack of communication is painful. My money is worth a reply before it is too late, as has been the case on numerous occasions. If your company is so successful you can't keep up, it is time to honor your customers with CARE not excuses.
why oh why is FB blocked at work? LOL
....and the whole post on Facebook is gone. Surprise!
Jenn must either really need the job or she is very good friends with Nichole. There is no other way to explain staying with Papertrey.
I just saw the Facebook thread. It must still be there.
http://forum.papertreyink.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=31664
This poor girl is screwed. :(
Now the post is there but the comments have been removed.
They deleted all the comments on the FB post, and added this comment:
Papertrey Ink.com We welcome open, respectful discussion on our company forum.
45 minutes ago · Like · 2
How is pointing out the obvious disrespectful??? Don't you think that they are being disrespectful to their customers by treating them like crap?
Papertrey Ink.com
As has been mentioned on our forum and our newsletter, Customer Service is experiencing significant delays due to volume. Your patience is appreciated while we get to each person's questions/issues. Please understand that we view Customer Service too important to allow Facebook to be a substitute.
Like · · Share · 2 hours ago ·
5 people like this.
Papertrey Ink.com We welcome open, respectful discussion on our company forum.
48 minutes ago · Like · 2
Aeryn Kelly-Reitmeyer You can keep deleting comments, but that doesn't change the fact that you're neglecting your customers. MY comment was the truth, not excuses, which apparently is the problem.
2 seconds ago · Lik
Anyone want to put bets on when Ted will post his monthly "just sayin'" thread?
Aw Aeryn, I bet you are going to get banned soon! I totally agree with your comments though!
Go to Google maps and Google this address for PTI: 3517 Cardiff Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45209
Look at the pic that comes up on the left, or do a street view with the satellite pics. So much for a boutique store!!!! hahaha Wouldn't be surprised to see monkeys coming out the door!
<3 Aeryn!!
We should all go to FB and like Aeryn's comment! Let's see how many likes we can get in before they delete it...
Hmm, maybe someone should contact the owners at Heskamp Printing?
3517 Cardiff Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45209, United States
(513) 871-6770
I encourage anyone with outstanding, unresolved issues to contact the BBB and leave a review on PTI's Yelp page:
http://www.bbb.org/cincinnati/business-reviews/scrapbooking/papertrey-ink-in-cincinnati-oh-90007032/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/papertrey-ink-cincinnati
I wish these complaints had been readily available to me before I started buying from PTI.
Announcement on the new website - Attention Jenn
by barbara32ca » Wed Feb 29, 2012 3:43 pm
Jenn,
With such a huge backlog of customer service emails it would probably be a good idea to post a large message on the front page of the new website along with posting on Nichole's blog to let customers know that issues will take a while to be resolved. Not everybody visits the forum or gets the newsletter.
This won't solve the current customer service issues but might serve as a heads up to anyone that is thinking of ordering.
Can you present that idea to Julie? It would be helpful especially to new customers.
Barbara
----------------------------------
Gotta love Barbara!
13:46 Maybe you are trying to be sarcastic or something and I am not getting it...
In case you really don't know... Heskamp is the last name of the other PTI owners. They own the printing co and PTI, which explains why their new packaging includes even more printed material...
Hmm, some people really don't understand sarcasm.
*shakes head at 14:01* No dear, it's you not understanding sarcasm.
Oooh, the fuckers deleted the comments on facebook again!
I think that Jenn just told Barbara to screw off! LOL!
I always chuckle a little when Jenn ends one of her non-answers with "HTH!"
I've often wanted to reply: "You actually didn't help at all, but at least one of you is happy with your answer."
What did you guys say on their FB wall? I can't access it at all now!
Oh it's back, but no announcement at all. Hmmmm...
SASE... That is hilarious!!! Or it would be if they didn't have customer money. Have never posted here before, and have never had trouble w/ PTI before, but this latest issue has me really angry. I am still waiting on three gift certificates that were ordered as birthday presents. My husband has emailed CS three times now with no response. He is going to make a complaint with our credit card company if there is no resolution soon. Of course, we have already been charged! How else would Cedar Ridge get paid for? Also, I did not see any personal attacks in the latest forum thread, only saw legitimate complaints/issues! Ok rant over!
I remember your thread, I feel really bad for you. I hope they sort it out soon, I don't disagree with your DH disputing the charge, I would!
and the nutter is off again
http://forum.papertreyink.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=31708
with her passive agressiveness...
Why would Mormon devotionals be allowed? I wonder if other religions started posting little "sermonettes" how it would be received. A lot of SU sites post Mormon things too. Is PTI yet another Mormon owned company? If so, they are not representing very well.
You know, the more I think about it the more I wonder what the hell is Jenn's role over there at this point?
I don't mean what is her new job title, I mean literally what role does she fill? I think she just makes things worse.
I mean, what function does she serve when she can't do the most basic CS things like looking up orders to see when they shipped, find out whether a refund was processed, or if an item came back in stock or when it will???
The fact is that every single response she gives on that board is USELESS and simply serves to further frustrate people who are already fed up of not getting any attention to their problems.
I think you can even see the writing on the wall at this stage that she is also going to undermine the new CS guy in his actual CS role.
So I believe she is completely redundant and should be either canned or put to work doing something that actually fills a need within the company.
btw, all those emails would have been filtered and prioritized by now if they had anyone with half a brain or an ounce of common sense doing the job.
Just like their interminable "we are a small, growing company" line of BS, how long are they going to lean on this "we are so overwhelmed by all the CS enquires" line before people catch on?
I don't know but wouldn't it be fun if they posted a message about their own customer service issues on the front page of their website? Lol!
Very good points 19:01!
It is sad to see this company practically implode because they could have been such a great company...
And this is like a really bad wreck... I can't turn away! I have to see it happen no matter how ugly it is.
@19:01 I'm starting to wonder if she really even works for them as they (PTI owners) don't seem to answer her questions either. LMAO! She's constantly "passing things along" and never gets answers back.
Everytime Jenn/NH reiterates how much time goes into "each & every decision" I have to pause and ask myself, "REALLY?? 'Cause at first glance it looks like you pulled these ideas out of your arse." (i.e. SASE ... throwing a 5% discount into the fray like red meat to wolves ... still no CS after 5 years ...yada yada yada)
TOTALLY agree 19:17 - like a bad, bad wreck. I stopped buying over a year ago but I still can't look away. I really am hoping this is their "rock bottom" that finally leads to real change.
What is their facebook page called??
Just placed an order with Waltzingmouse - didn't quite qualify for free shipping, BUT postage is only going to be about $6.00.
Very different from the PTI minimum charge of $33 (for internationals).
And from past experience with WMS, I have always received their orders in about 10 days.
Jenn's role is no longer supposed to be customer service. Her new role is described by Nichole:
------------
Jennifer has a new title & set of responsibilities with us as our Communications Director. This means that she will be acting as our official representative on our forum, she will be handling many of the responsibilities behind the scenes here on the blog as well as coordinating the events on our forum & prize winners information, organizing the newsletters and so much more. Basically representing a direct line of communication between the customers and the three owners. With these changes, she is stepping away from the majority of her customer service responsibilities to focus on her new tasks.
-------------------------------
So she is only helping out with CS (email wise) right now because of the incredible backlog of emails that Dave is facing.
^^ helping? with no information or no power to find out. That's not helping. She may as well just not be there as she adds nothing of help to the situation whatever her job is. I have nothing personal against Jen - someone from PTI should be frickin on the forum and telling customers what is going on!
Not good enough
The more I think about it, the more I think that there is an internal problem between NH and the 2 J's. Maybe Jenn is now being used as the moderator between the 3 of THEM as well as the customers and PTI. NH is a perfectionist, anyone can see that. I bet she is so frustrated that the CS end of PTI sucks ass but her hands are tied as she is outnumbered and she is off site. So now she can go through her good friend to relay CS issues without dealing with both J's.
And why is it that we have never heard from either J's? If they are on site and in charge of CS, how come they don't come to the forum with explanations like NH did? NH was the one who was constantly cleaning up the mess. I'd get fed up too if I were her.
It all just saddens me. I would give my left arm to have NH's talent and the opportunity to make a lot of money. Her ship is sinking fast. I just hope she has a back up plan.
29 February 2012 09:36
Yes it is 'guys' and it's 'hey'; these are internet memes.
Welcome to the interwebs.
I have a feeling NHs hands are tied as well. Sucks for her. Should sell The House That Stamps Built and buy the heskamps out.
You also realize that Jenn works from home in VIRGINIA, right? She is even less "on site" than NH. Thats why she can never just "see" if things have shipped or what is going on. I think Jennifer is sweet as can be but she's in a no-win job. From what I see her new duties must include deleting comments from fb & NH's blog anytime a legit ?? is aired.
Here's an anniv celebration idea: "FREE NICHOLE" t-shirts. Hahahahaha!!!! Why the heck does that kind of talent stick around with those two lead balloons in Ohio?? If she were "bought out" or started her own thing I have no doubt 99% of pi$$ed customers would return & follow her.
Being off site is also why Jenn constantly looks like a fool by Julie when she is told all remaining anniv sets were mailed out last Oct. I doubt Jenn would EVER lie to customer. IMO, Julie has no prob w/that.
I was wondering how long before Ted proposed yet another low-priority idea to the "PTI PTB". He's desperate for them to love him. Sad.
5:24. NH probably has language in her agreement w/2 J's preventing her from leaving and starting competing company. I too cannot look away from the train
wreck of PTI.
Love the "free Nicole" idea!!! Should start a movement and boycott pti
5:46 You must be right. Why else would she associate herself with that mess? I'm not saying she's w/o fault - as someone said the other day, she's 1/3 responsible. It just seems that Ohio is the hub of all things wrong with that company.
Maybe Heskamp printing is the source of the card stock? Not sure, but other than being legally bound, I can't see ANY advantage to NH to stick with them. And where would they be w/o her? Printing stuff in the ghetto ...
So, any guesses as to whether they will hold back on the March release to catch up? My bet is that it will be the usually 3ring circus with new products they can't ship, no answers, typos in the sentiments .... YAWN ...
How about a sentiment set called, "FREE NICHOLE". Here's the first stamp, "Happy Anniversary....a year late." LMFAO!!! Anyone else care to play?
Nicole should leave and take the hit. Hopefully she didn't sign a non-compete. I am sure 99% of the customers follow her anywhere.
The problem could be, she has the design talent. But she doesn't know who to turn to on the business end.
One for the 'Free Nichole' set (abbreviated: F'N Sentiments, LOL.) :
"How do I love thee? Let me count the cash..."
ANYBODY on the business end would be better than the 2 J's!!! Nicole and her kids could do a better job!!!
6:16 She used to work at PaperCrafts. Surely she has connections in the biz. She idolizes MS - maybe Martha can buy her out.
F'N sentiment: "HURRAY up with my order" lol
Dave must be thinking, "Of all the unemployment in all of the USofA .... I had to get the single.most.retarded job ever."
Dave must have known what he was getting himself into. He was already employed by Heskamp Printing.
F'N sentiment with appropriate monkey images..."Hear no evil, See no evil, Speak no evil...Sell no evil!"
Well, just got the newsletter and it seems they are going ahead with the March release as per the regularly scheduled program! No comment, cause my Mom taught me that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything....so difficult here!
Isn't Maile now part of the Sr design team ? Why didn't she contribute to the stamp set revisit ?
The email does say that Danielle is subbing for Maile
So, the newsletter calls this a "transition period" for PTI. Let's recap the transition, shall we? Same 3 owners. Add 1 CS guy (Dave), subtract 1 CS gal (Jenn), add a billion more customers. Simple math tells me they are transitioning into the toilet.
Love Maile.
Lol 6:38. Maybe another image of HOOPS. With a die cut person on a slider jumping through them.
@ 6:55 difficult here 'cause its a smack blog. Hang out on the PTI forum if you want to politely eat the shit you are served.
Really wish they wouldn't waste my time with the whole, "we restocked some stuff, go see if you can figure out what!" b.s. in every email. How about telling us wtf you restocked??? Is it that difficult to keep up with? Oh... Wait, Jenn must be writing these emails and has no idea what's going on at the warehouse. Never mind...
TRANSITION PERIOD. Jeez. "Welcome to the new PTI ... where your CS questions will be answered in the order that older customers give up and walk away."
Papertrey Pride??!!!? You have GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!! Wear their gear and advertise for them??? And spend my $$$ on the items to boot?? No freakin way! And PRIDE in what? The worst customer service? Slowest shipment of orders?? Biggest back log of emails ever??? Greediest people ever? Cause that is what going ahead with the march release tells me. Really, get your act together and DO NOT release another thing until you have sent every anniversary set out, answered and RESOLVED every single email and CS issue!!
Can someone post the newsletter?
Did we say PTI PRIDE?? So sorry... that's another typo. The gear should say Papertrey SLIDE. Thats right folks. Put on your PTI SLIDE gear and photograph yourself by every train wreck you see. You may win something that we'll never send you. Hahahaha. Good luck with that.
7:10....I was being sarcastic and spend no time on the PTI forum Honestly couldn't say enough crap about their poor poor business practices and decisions. I LOVE this SMACK blog! LOL
FN Stamp set:
"Endless Possibilities" in big scripty font...then smaller add-ons
to fit underneath...
-of when you'll get your order
-of when you're questions will be answered
-of who will bash you on the forum
-of what could go wrong
Put this on the wrong thread. One more for FN set:
Capture the Moment...but free Nichole!
Just stumbled upon this blog - it seems the posters here say they don't care about the company and proceed to spend their time talking about this same company. Very interesting. Move on to other companies and live your lives!
What did Ted's deleted comment say?
18:06, bite my ass.
If you actually could read what these people are writing, you would deduct that they DO care about getting their questions answered, their orders filled sometime in this millennium, and the fucking anniversary stamps they earned. They care about a company having a navigable website. They care about shit being in stock. They care about being able to use the reward points they earned. They care about being able to use a fucking gift card that someone bought them.
So yeah, they actually DO care about this company. Fuck off with your hand slapping and learn to read while you are at it.
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