DeAgostini: Jazz At 33/Beatles Vinyl Collection... customer satisfaction?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by OneStepBeyond, Mar 31, 2018.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. OneStepBeyond

    OneStepBeyond Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    North Wales, UK
    PLEASE READ!

    I thought it was high-time that I opened this opinion poll about how people feel about DeAgostini and their Customer Service department, as I collected all the issues of the Beatles Collection and some of the Jazz At 33 LPs. I had this in mind some months ago and wanted to do it after the Beatles Collection ended and give it enough time (in my estimation) for every subscriber to receive all their free gifts and any replacement records they were awaiting.

    Creating this thread is NOT intended to 'knock' them in any way - I must make that clear!!!

    Subscriber or not - this applies to all, so please vote so I/we/they can get a clear picture. Thank you!

    The reason being that I do so is that the two dedicated threads on these fortnightly publications (I am dealing with the ones sold in the UK and Ireland here) have had many, many posts from people who were very happy with the overall quality of the records themselves, yet whenever they had to contact DeAgostini by email or phone, they became very... annoyed... is the best word I can find... with how their problems were attended to. Anything I needed to get in touch with them for has now been resolved, happily but are there still those who have not had it so good?

    Hopefully then, this might - just MIGHT in some small way, help them improve their 'services.' I've had an email survey sent from them on two occasions and have filled that in with replies that I thought would be *guaranteed* to illicit a response (nothing naughty, I hasten to add... :shh:) but it appears to me as if it's not been taken notice of at all.

    On the other hand... how are we to know if the ones who have had problem after problem with them for example, sending the wrong replacements time after time are just the vocal minority? :) The only way to gauge this is ask people to vote and tell us if they were ultimately happy with everything - although I know the Jazz series has not yet ended; whereas the Beatles one finished at the start of this year. I have read at least one poster saying they had to contact them more than once and they sorted everything brilliantly. But like the saying goes - 'Give good service and one person will tell a friend... give bad service and they will tell ten." Or something to that effect. :D

    After the poll closes in a month, I will contact them via email and let them see them the results of the poll. I put the last option into the poll, just because I'm interested to see how many vote that way...

    Anything to add? Fire away.


    And... Cheers! :cheers:

    Ian.
     
    Robert C likes this.
  2. Somerset Scholar

    Somerset Scholar Ace of Spades

    Location:
    Bath
    Amazing company. They sorted out the issue with AHDN by sending me new copies until I got the 2nd corrected press. Such generosity!
     
    OneStepBeyond likes this.
  3. OneStepBeyond

    OneStepBeyond Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    North Wales, UK
    Thanks for being the first to reply - and vote. :)

    I ended up with 'a few' copies but the ones I didn't need to keep should have made a nice few quid for charity by now...

    They are known for not being shy about sending stuff out, when asked to! :D
     
  4. OneStepBeyond

    OneStepBeyond Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    North Wales, UK
    Only one reply and two votes after two days..? :confused:

    BANK HOLIDAY BUMP!!

    [​IMG]

    :winkgrin:

     
  5. Harmonator

    Harmonator Forum Resident

    Location:
    Glasgow, Scotland
    I didn’t have any problems. Deliveries were regular and on time. Had to contact them once for replacements and they sorted straight away.

    I would use again
     
    OneStepBeyond likes this.
  6. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    I've found them absolutely awful to deal with. Probably the worst company I've ever dealt with. The problems have mainly been:

    *Bad quality telephone lines, making the conversations very difficult to understand for both sides, especially as the customer service advisors main language is not English.

    *Repeatedly sending the wrong item out.

    *Record sleeves badly damaged in transit due to totally inappropriate oversized packaging with nothing to protect the record. This as happened a couple of times, their packaging is usually good.

    *The records being impossible to find in the shops and the Jazz series mail order website has been down ages now.

    *Unjustifiable long waiting times for deliveries, which when they finally arrive are often wrong. These records are sent from Newcastle, about an hour from where I live, yet they almost always take over three weeks to arrive. They soon take the payment.

    At the moment I would like to buy - Grant Green - Idle Moments, Freddie Hubbard - Ready For Freddie & Lee Morgan - The Sidewinder from DeAgostini but the website is down and I find the whole experience stressful and far too long winded. It's putting me off, but I want the albums so I'll have to go for it soon.

    Great products. A very badly run company in my experience.
     
    Robert C and OneStepBeyond like this.
  7. OneStepBeyond

    OneStepBeyond Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    North Wales, UK
    Y'know... a few days ago, I thought of bumping this thread but had a change of heart. I was thinking that maybe it's just a handful of customers that had 'bad luck' or something like that....

    But then, how can these same people have had these things happen to them time and time again? I knew there are/were some that have had no problems whatsoever and like virtually all of us, I loved collecting all of the Beatles collection and what I do have of the Jazz series. I thought I'd let this thread either run a while and gather a page or two before I mentioned my experiences - either that or allow it to die, if hardly anyone wanted to add anything to the effect of their service being good or bad. But I might as well now! LOL

    I don't create many threads and certainly wouldn't to simply rant... just wanted to get an idea here... From the original thread I made about the Beatles Vinyl Collection, I was seeing post after post where subscribers (and otherwise) were saying how badly run they thought this company was. And indeed, the same in the Jazz thread from the same publisher. I'm seeing barely any activity in the two threads now but maybe now people just feel there is little point in discussing even the Jazz series any more, even though that is still running. I was put off from subscribing very, very early on (from both series) - and don't regret NOT doing so for a moment after seeing first-hand experience of a friend who subscribed to both. Posts on the forum mirrored his experiences - and so too, some of mine.

    With me, after asking for a couple of replacements for damaged items and being sent all manner of silly packages like stray booklets, LPs that had damaged covers - two copies of Abbey Road that I'd not asked for in the first place and two further AHDN's that had the fault... after waiting for approximately 10 weeks on one occasion, I ended up just being glad the series had finished and I could say I had everything present and correct. The pleasure of collecting them grew less and less, from about halfway in. This was in no small part due to reading how others were having series problems with finding copies in their local stores (not that I was particularly worried about that for myself - it was just so saddening to read... all the faulty discs, damaged artwork etc.) For at least a couple of months, I'd been telling myself that I had got off lightly once again as my latest fortnightly issue wasn't damaged in any way! I was thinking that the next one MUST be faulty, which took the joy out of it for me. It might sound strange, but that's the way it is (or was)...

    Reading about those who had it far worse than me made me draw the conclusion that I have no interest if they were to release another 'vinyl collection' and may or may not pick one or two up in my newsagents. IF I could be bothered. Many of the replies to my emails - in which I kept as short as needed to do the job of getting over to them what my requests were - told me that they have some trouble in understanding things. I'd tell them that I didn't want something they just sent me and they'd apologise and promise to send me a replacement as soon as it was back in stock... days after they had said in their previous email that the unwanted item had already been posted to me. Baffling. Totally, baffling.
     
  8. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    Another complaint!

    *They haven't ever replied to an email from me. Not once.
     
  9. Daveymoore

    Daveymoore Forum Resident

    Location:
    Manchester UK
    Hardly a big poll so far but 70% happy with service and 10% did not contact them.
     
  10. horslips

    horslips I'd rather be out on my bike!

    Location:
    Dublin
    I am a subscriber to the Jazz series (got issues 52 and 53 yesterday). Only once had a problem. Damaged covers in one delivery which were replaced without question. I am running about 6 issues behind the shops but that does not bother me. I am not in any rush.

    I also collected the Beatles but bought them in the shop here in Dublin (Easons). Only problem was the AHDN and its clipped chord. When I asked, I was sent the replacement without the repair immediately. When I knew the repaired version had been pressed, I asked again and got a further replacement.

    I always communicated by email. I always got a reply in less than 2 days.

    The subscriber website is useful and though, sometimes, it might not be 100% accurate on date of sending or charging, it is largely fine.

    So I am generally happy with the service. I would take another run if there is another vinyl collection, if the subject interested me. Queen - probably. Any word on this or another collection?
     
    OneStepBeyond likes this.
  11. Chris Treece

    Chris Treece Forum Resident

    Location:
    Haworth, UK
    I only wanted Drum Suite - the one LP in that series I'd waited for - but despite several phone calls, I've yet to speak to anyone who understands what I'm requesting. They're adamant the series is called Classic Jazz and only goes up to Issue 26. I've also emailed them half a dozen times, but not had a solitary reply yet. Possibly the worst CS I've yet to encounter. Gave up in the end and went down the dodgy-download route.
     
    Man at C&A and OneStepBeyond like this.
  12. OneStepBeyond

    OneStepBeyond Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    North Wales, UK
    Did you not even get the 'standard'...

    Dear Sir or Madam:

    Thank you for your email.

    Did you know you can view your account online here?

    In addition to this, most of our frequently asked questions are available here.

    We will respond to your email as quickly as we possibly can and thank you very much for your patience.

    Yours Sincerely

    The Publisher


    ... preamble stuff?
     
    Man at C&A likes this.
  13. OneStepBeyond

    OneStepBeyond Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    North Wales, UK
    After my post last night, I thought to check if anyone else had voted recently and was surprised to find they had - same this morning too.. a few more. It's looking hopeful. For DeAgostini... :D
     
  14. OneStepBeyond

    OneStepBeyond Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    North Wales, UK
    Most of the time, both collections were at least a couple of issues behind the shops for the subscribers - I'm sure you know this... but oddly the Beatles one got ahead towards the end and people had been saying that surely subbers should get priority as that is usually the norm.

    I was also one of the many who got sent an 'uncorrected' AHDN at first... I did keep the faulty one I shop-bought and let the duplicate they sent of it, go. Have to say I was impressed and even surprise that it got a recut, rather than us being sent simply the 2012 stereo that's still available for sale. I suppose they couldn't due to licensing, otherwise all the records in that collection would have been the 2012 versions. I know the AHDN issue should never have happened in the first place but on this occasion, it seemed they were keen to make the effort and I was at first, skeptical that anything would be done about it. Wasn't too long after it became public that I got in touch again and then received the corrected one - this looked to be the case for the majority that talked on this subject.

    I've not seen anything about further series... only what is currently running over here and in Italy. The Queen one is only up to issue #4 on Discogs as I type.

    Well, I was tired last night when I was typing and some of my typos too, are embarrassing! But I did say a while back that as something of a fan of Queen, there would be a fair chance that I'd grab a few if they were sold over here.

    They have already done two of my favourite albums (the debut and Innuendo in it's 2LP gatefold looks appetizing - don't need another ANATO as I have an original or very early copy in beautiful condition and 2 different CD releases. A Kind Of Magic I have the original CD for and that's all I require for that.) Live ones that I don't already have (or just have on DVD) would be nice. But, whoops - I'm getting drawn in again... we can't even buy 'em... unless it's from Discogs etc. :tsk: The last one or two haven't yet been added and I've not investigated deeply enough to find what they might be.

    Although I've not noticed any recent activity in the Queen Vinyl Collection (Italy) thread (or threads because a second was started up and may have been merged) I would not rule anything out at this stage... The Beatles collection was first out here in the Autumn of 2016 and then got halted after the first few issues - then it was launched in Italy at the start of 2017 and then had a relaunch over here a couple of months later. I'd be interested to know how the Queen fortnightlys are selling in Italy because that would surely influence whether or not it goes on sale here and possibly elsewhere.
     
    horslips likes this.
  15. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    I've just phoned DeAgostini to try and order issues 49: Grant Green - Idle Moments, 55: Freddie Hubbard - Ready For Freddie & 59: Lee Morgan - The Sidewinder.

    Should have been simple. I had my card ready for payment and all information ready.

    Of course it wasn't. This is DeAgostini! Over the almost inaudible unclear phone line I told them the issue numbers and then asked them to confirm the titles. After a 15 minute hold they come back with "issue 49 is Paul Desmond - Take Ten, 55 is Miles Davis - Milestones and 59 is Wayne Shorter - The Soothsayer. All completely wrong! When using their mail order service I have always received the wrong records several times before getting the correct one after ages of frustrating trying to explain the problem. Their list does not match the correct issue numbers! Incredibly inept!

    After a ridiculous amount of time and stress trying to explain this problem I still hadn't ordered anything as I had no confidence that they would send the correct records and it was £45.

    I asked how can I buy what they are selling. I'm a customer with the money for them. I want their product. The website is down, no shops stock them, Amazon don't stock them or any other sites and the telephone mail order is a shambles that can't even provide a decent phone line or match the correct issue numbers. They couldn't give an answer to how to buy what they're selling. How can this work for a business?!

    DeAgostini. What an absolute shambles. I hate them. All I wanted to do was order some records.
     
    Robert C likes this.
  16. OneStepBeyond

    OneStepBeyond Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    North Wales, UK
    Thank you for taking the time to write and post this - it must be a major frustration to go through it all again... but nowhere near the frustration in trying to get them to understand, of course.

    When I needed a replacement for one record that I bought from my newsagent that I received scratched, I sent them a link from their own website in an email to make it clear to them what I was asking... this is when they sent me only the booklet and a duplicate of a different album that I didn't ask for. I know that with them not answering your emails and the site having gone down the pan for the last so many weeks, that wouldn't help at all but it is just an example of how inept they can be... I then asked for the actual record this time and they told me it was out of stock and after a wait I did get it but a second duplicate of the album I didn't need!

    And I've just been looking at a site that rates various services (it should come up in the first few Google results if anyone wants to look) on which the customers rate them overwhelmingly as 'bad' - first time I can think that I've seen a rating system of this nature that's actually has a category that is below 'poor!' And 82% of people voted that way...
     
    Man at C&A likes this.
  17. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    I'm extremely pissed off with them. Every single time I've used the customer order phone line to order something, without exception something has gone wrong.
     
  18. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    The thing with Queen is the original EMI UK pressings are fantastic and quite easy to find. For most of their albums I don't see any need to put up with DeAgostini. I'd be tempted by Live at the Bowl if I saw it in a shop but not any other way. I have the DVD so it's not essential.

    The most frustrating thing about the jazz series is that the albums are otherwise hard to find good pressings of. I've bought one of the US Blue Note 75th anniversary reissues of Jimmy Smith - Back at the Chicken Shack and it's only OK, not great and I haven't read good things about them.
     
    OneStepBeyond likes this.
  19. OneStepBeyond

    OneStepBeyond Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    North Wales, UK
    Pretty much my opinion on this set and acquiring the albums...
     
  20. OneStepBeyond

    OneStepBeyond Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    North Wales, UK
    I've been present when a friend has *tried* to talk to them, a few times. And for the curious, there is Stripey Rambles on You Tube!
     
    Man at C&A likes this.
  21. jamo spingal

    jamo spingal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Europe
    Fortunately I've never had to phone them and everything I've ordered online has arrived in good condition. Niggles lately are the lack of updating the website and now completely ignoring it. But this must be because they are discouraging further sales I presume. As an overall experience at £14.99 (Jazz at 33rpm) for great quality pressings, decent reproduction covers and the booklets A+.
     
    OneStepBeyond likes this.
  22. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    I love Stripey Rambles! Bless him.
     
    OneStepBeyond likes this.
  23. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    The actual records are great. I've bought around 2/3rds of them with no problems.
     
  24. OneStepBeyond

    OneStepBeyond Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    North Wales, UK
    He's a BIG Madness, Specials and 2-Tone fan of course as well! :edthumbs:
     
    Man at C&A likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine