Pipes & Cigars Debacle - Part II

[scloyd]

Every time I've called there have been extended hold times.

Waiting on hold bugs the ? out of me. It makes me even more angry than when I dialed the number in the first place. And what pisses me off even more is the recording that states "For English press 1. If you know your parties extension dial it now. For billing press 2. If you want to place an order press 3. If you are checking on an order press 4. For our hours of operation press 5. If you want to know what the cafeteria is serving for lunch press 6. If you want to compliment us on what a fine job we're doing press 7. All other inquiries stay on the line for the next available representative".

Hope it all works out for you Hoosier.

 

[saintpeter]

For English press 1.

It should say, For English Press 1. For Aros Press 2. For OTC Press 3. For Blending Tobacco Press Numbers at Random.

 

[anotherbob]

Waiting on hold bugs the ? out of me. It makes me even more angry than when I dialed the number in the first place. And what pisses me off even more is the recording that states "For English press 1. If you know your parties extension dial it now. For billing press 2. If you want to place an order press 3. If you are checking on an order press 4. For our hours of operation press 5. If you want to know what the cafeteria is serving for lunch press 6. If you want to compliment us on what a fine job we're doing press 7. All other inquiries stay on the line for the next available representative".

Hope it all works out for you Hoosier.

what gets me are those voice activated systems that don't have number prompts. You know when you have to say yes ten different ways before it ask did you say you want a pet lama?

 

[shanez]

before it ask did you say you want a pet lama?

To which, of course, the answer is always yes.

 

[anotherbob]

not me. Most animals love me, except Lamas. Lamas really hate me. They love spitting at me. So big nope on pet lama for me.

 

[cohibajoe]

It's fair to bring up issues at the places we shop...but if ones does a search on the history then P&C is up there..and while I shop very little at P&C...my last week order( C&D Carolina Red Flake) did have the shipping box's getting crushed, 2 Tin's dented...The shipping box's are the worst I have seen.

 

[lawdawg]

P&C used to be my go-to until I encountered similar customer service problems. I still order from them on occasion, but I heavily favor SP these days.

I also agree with those who say its time to initiate a chargeback through your credit card company, or open a paypal dispute.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I used to shop there all the time, until Russ shot my dog. Well, not really... I just felt bad for not having a good anti P&C story. They always did me right, but the worst part of them being so damned good to me is that I don't have a good P&C story... damn them.

 

[3rdguy]

Got 12 tins from them yesterday:

10 tins in a box well padded.

2 more tins and a calendar from the same order in the 2nd box in which I could put a refrigerator.

 

[brian64]

I don't have a good P&C story... damn them.

Don't give up hope.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

@blendtobac (Russ) may or may not have posted here since the site change, but I did contact him through the Direct Message system about an availability question a few weeks ago and he responded promptly. That was during regular M-F business hours.

 

[Worknman]

Apparently, STG/Swedish Match bought the parent, Cigars International, which owned Cigars.com, CigarBid, P&C, and a few other companies. Or at least that’s my understanding... I don’t closely follow the tobacco business... I just buy the stuff.

I wonder if having so many subsidiaries is interfering with their ability to properly manage everything.

 

[weezell]

Sounds to me one of two situations:
A- Everyone is over paid and walking around not giving a shit.
B- Everyone is under paid and under staffed to give a shit.
Sad part is Russ GIVES a shit! It's not rocket science, call some people out and get it straight. I've been running businesses for years, time to shake em up...

 

[diamondback]

Whoa. Thanks for the heads-up. IIRC, my last order from P&C was earlier this spring and like most of you, I’ve never had a problem.

Hope this gets turned around!

 

[SpookedPiper]

Waiting on hold bugs the ? out of me. It makes me even more angry than when I dialed the number in the first place. And what pisses me off even more is the recording that states "For English press 1. If you know your parties extension dial it now. For billing press 2. If you want to place an order press 3. If you are checking on an order press 4. For our hours of operation press 5. If you want to know what the cafeteria is serving for lunch press 6. If you want to compliment us on what a fine job we're doing press 7. All other inquiries stay on the line for the next available representative".

Hope it all works out for you Hoosier.

I always hit the I want to place and order option, they are so excited and BLAMO! I tell them the situation and they can usually transfer me quicker that waiting for the complaint line to pick up!

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I did finally receive my refund. I filled a complaint with PayPal. Not sure if that did it or if it was already in process. Regardless, I'm done with P&C.

 

[diamondback]

I’m in a mild panic buying up (Peterson’s) Nightcap after @BROBS sent me a tin to try. To my chagrin I’d yet to try the blend despite smoking a pipe since late 2007. It was a transcendental smoke and is going in my cellar in large quantity.

Oh wait, it’s available at P&C but sold out at a couple popular places. Aaaand, it can sit there.

There’s someone else carrying it and has it in stock. Even if there was no one but P&C who had it, wouldn’t buy it from ‘em.

Moral of the story: these types of threads with several posts saying the same thing does affect a company’s sales. Turn your act around P&C and we’re golden. Meanwhile those tins of Nightcap will sit there. If they sell it’s not me buying. And I’m definitely in the market for it.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I’m in a mild panic buying up (Peterson’s) Nightcap after @BROBS sent me a tin to try. To my chagrin I’d yet to try the blend despite smoking a pipe since late 2007. It was a transcendental smoke and is going in my cellar in large quantity.

Oh wait, it’s available at P&C but sold out at a couple popular places. Aaaand, it can sit there.

There’s someone else carrying it and has it in stock. Even if there was no one but P&C who had it, wouldn’t buy it from ‘em.

Moral of the story: these types of threads with several posts saying the same thing does affect a company’s sales. Turn your act around P&C and we’re golden. Meanwhile those tins of Nightcap will sit there. If they sell it’s not me buying. And I’m definitely in the market for it.

I appreciate your Principles. I'll say this. I don't believe for a second the folks at P&C are evil or malicious. I have all the tobacco I need to last the rest of my life plus some. I can easily afford to refrain from buying from them based on my personal experience. OTOH, if you're really craving something they have, I'm thinking you may wish to make a pragmatic decision. Not that it matters but I'd be good with you whichever decision you make.

 

[Worknman]

Ive had 4 or 5 successful transactions with no problems. Not to say that others have never had problems, but keep in mind for every 1000 good transactions just by probability there will be a couple/few bad ones. But you won't hear anything on the forums from the 995 happy buyers, you'll here from the one unhappy customer that's pissed off.

Having said that, we all know every one makes mistakes and employees aren't perfect, but its how companies handle these types of problems is what speaks the most about their management team. Hopefully P&C will take heed of these complaints and make steps to improve, only time will tell.

 

[Worknman]

I suppose I could be wrong but I would bet money P&C never shipped my order to begin with. The story is, UPS lost it before they could transfer it to USPS. Odd though when I simply asked to resend it 3 of the 4 items I had ordered were "backordered".

What did the tracking show? Just curious if it was ever marked shipped. If UPS ever had it it should have showed up in the tracking since they don't usually transfer it to USPS until it gets close to your town.