[rogerg (Roger)]

Gez this thread could explode.

I have bought 90% of astro purchases within AU from Bintel & Mathew because they're the only 2 that have provided consistent good customer service to me.

I've tried many other AU companies over the past 5 years (many, but far from all) and given up on the rest because of many various reasons including poor communication.

This confirms how much of a case-by-case thing this is: Some people have great experiences with some retailers while others have bad experiences with them and great experiences with others, or vis-versa. While I wouldn't first think to buy from the people I've had bad experience with in the past I still keep some of them in mind because I know it could be a case of me just hitting a bad strike the last time(s).

This poor communication is one thing that distinguishes AU from US in my mind, I've never had such problems from the companies I purchase from in the US, it's like they do a customer service training course that most AU places don't. Seems to be the opposite for wholesalers - suppliers in the US seem to have poor service and don't give a second thought to AU retailers.

It is unfortunate for the retailers that in this relatively new world of emails and "extreme communication" where people expect replies almost instantly and constant connectivity between parties involved (whether it be personal communications or business communications), that the retailer somehow has to keep up with that without it completely consuming their time. I pitty their situation - it's not like us customers want to pay for the extra 24/7 communication. I'm as guilty of it as the next customer. It's not surprising they can't keep everyone happy.

It's when retailers are dishonest, don't have a clue, intentionally unresponsive or use 'bad tactics' to get business that I get really annoyed at them, and there's some in AU I put in this category.

Roger.