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well they are trying their best, update on me bits.
As you can tell the Eflite parts have not arrived and we still do not know what is in that shipment. This still leaves us in a position of not being able to tell you what the exact position of these parts are.
I understand the annoyance and are working on solutions. To give you a bit of understanding of the problem, we have 64,023 items in our database, 56,122 are listed as available, just over 15,000 being Horizon, 764 Eflite, we have 96 Eflite order lines (this can be more than one item and repeats of the same item) 54 of those order lines are older than one month. This is an unusual situation and we are in contact with Horizon to find out what is going on (as mention a shipment was due last week, but there was no other information). Every month we receive a CD from Horizon with a list of available products, which the carbon blades have been on everyone.
To keep every product up to date prior to a customer ordering is a logistical nightmare. What we are doing about it is introducing a stock indicator. A beta version has been made available to registered customers on our sister web site (teamxray.co.uk). This has not been rolled out to the Podium web site or unregistered customers, as it is not reliable enough at the moment. Some items have been listed as in stock, when they are not. So with 2,021 products we are manually locating the problems and rectifying them. After your comments I am also considering a stock indicator that will identify to customers any products we have had on order for more than a month from our distributors.
Once a customer does make a purchase and a problem is discovered with a specific item, it is much harder to deal with. Each problem needs to be looked at individually. We do monitor and chase up general problems, like our large back order of Eflite parts. As you can see the answer we get from the distributor is not always specific. Once again I will take on what you have said and will look at an automated e-mail to say there is a problem and to get in touch for a specific answer or about sourcing the part elsewhere.
In the normal run of things we have a stock of 'wearing' items, like blades. Items that are not so wearing will be ordered as and when needed, unless they are a frequently ordered item. Currently we have one or two deliveries per week from Horizon, so most orders are fulfilled within 2 weeks. Horizon seem to employ a similar strategy with less frequent parts being ordered by them from Eflite as and when, which can have a knock on effect of about a week. When Eflite do not have them in stock or a production run, we really do have a problem. So it can take up to 3 weeks for a new problem to show its self.
Lisa does get the job of dealing with the majority of inquiries. I shall have a look in to her manner. As for the lack of information, we can only pass on the vague information that we get from our distributors.
As for expecting the items in stock next week, I would may say we are hoping that our distributor comes through with what they have told us. As for sourcing the parts elsewhere, we would rather see happy fliers, rather than people disillusioned with the RC industry. All I can say is get in touch next week and we will see if the parts have arrived with Horizon.
You may post the above if you wish. I have marked some discount on the parts. Sorry to say carbon parts do not have much mark up. We do need customers to give us feed back. I have a policy of getting in touch with customers who have had to wait an extended period. This is to ask if they wish to wait or cancel. The usual answer is a short e-mail that can say 'wait' or 'cancel'. Call the discount good will for taking the time to let us know what you think. I now have some key areas to look closely at. The stock display is important, but these points can now be looked at to.
Regards
Colin.
As you can tell the Eflite parts have not arrived and we still do not know what is in that shipment. This still leaves us in a position of not being able to tell you what the exact position of these parts are.
I understand the annoyance and are working on solutions. To give you a bit of understanding of the problem, we have 64,023 items in our database, 56,122 are listed as available, just over 15,000 being Horizon, 764 Eflite, we have 96 Eflite order lines (this can be more than one item and repeats of the same item) 54 of those order lines are older than one month. This is an unusual situation and we are in contact with Horizon to find out what is going on (as mention a shipment was due last week, but there was no other information). Every month we receive a CD from Horizon with a list of available products, which the carbon blades have been on everyone.
To keep every product up to date prior to a customer ordering is a logistical nightmare. What we are doing about it is introducing a stock indicator. A beta version has been made available to registered customers on our sister web site (teamxray.co.uk). This has not been rolled out to the Podium web site or unregistered customers, as it is not reliable enough at the moment. Some items have been listed as in stock, when they are not. So with 2,021 products we are manually locating the problems and rectifying them. After your comments I am also considering a stock indicator that will identify to customers any products we have had on order for more than a month from our distributors.
Once a customer does make a purchase and a problem is discovered with a specific item, it is much harder to deal with. Each problem needs to be looked at individually. We do monitor and chase up general problems, like our large back order of Eflite parts. As you can see the answer we get from the distributor is not always specific. Once again I will take on what you have said and will look at an automated e-mail to say there is a problem and to get in touch for a specific answer or about sourcing the part elsewhere.
In the normal run of things we have a stock of 'wearing' items, like blades. Items that are not so wearing will be ordered as and when needed, unless they are a frequently ordered item. Currently we have one or two deliveries per week from Horizon, so most orders are fulfilled within 2 weeks. Horizon seem to employ a similar strategy with less frequent parts being ordered by them from Eflite as and when, which can have a knock on effect of about a week. When Eflite do not have them in stock or a production run, we really do have a problem. So it can take up to 3 weeks for a new problem to show its self.
Lisa does get the job of dealing with the majority of inquiries. I shall have a look in to her manner. As for the lack of information, we can only pass on the vague information that we get from our distributors.
As for expecting the items in stock next week, I would may say we are hoping that our distributor comes through with what they have told us. As for sourcing the parts elsewhere, we would rather see happy fliers, rather than people disillusioned with the RC industry. All I can say is get in touch next week and we will see if the parts have arrived with Horizon.
You may post the above if you wish. I have marked some discount on the parts. Sorry to say carbon parts do not have much mark up. We do need customers to give us feed back. I have a policy of getting in touch with customers who have had to wait an extended period. This is to ask if they wish to wait or cancel. The usual answer is a short e-mail that can say 'wait' or 'cancel'. Call the discount good will for taking the time to let us know what you think. I now have some key areas to look closely at. The stock display is important, but these points can now be looked at to.
Regards
Colin.
compatible. 
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