TimR

[quote name='Jazzneck' timestamp='1432127286' post='2778382'] OK people, it was me that started this argument trying (angrily) to quell the witch hunt and point out that the actions taken had unexpected and unwanted spin-offs. I also stated back in post #165 that, like the OP, I want to draw a line under the discussion. My views are still the same. Some people on BC, just like in the real world, are more pragmatic and easier going than others. Just let's leave it at that, shall we? I think stuckinthepod and I have had enough, thank you. [/quote] I suspect most people in the real world are more pragmatic all round. It's only when they get on the internet that everything becomes black and white, blows up out of proportion and everything is taken to extremes. I wonder what the response had been if Stuckinapod's wife had taken the bass inside quietly and just told him when he got home. Instead of sending a photo while he was at work (along with whatever other pressures he was dealing with). Funny thing life.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1432126017' post='2778362'] It's ok I got shot at, the guy didn't hit me. [/quote] No. My wife sent me a picture of a cardboard box leaning against the gate in my back garden.

So the bass was 'thrown' over the gate. [quote name='stuckinthepod' timestamp='1431350360' post='2770256'] I really hope so too. My wife checked for impact damage and couldn't see any so I've got everything crossed all is well when I open it up tonight. [/quote] He'd not even seen the box. Just has a pic that his wife took!

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1432108410' post='2778126'] Easy to say when you are not personally involved and have the benefit of collective hindsight... For someone who has plenty to say about what [i][b]other[/b][/i] people think, you seem to have a lot to say about this "incident" yourself! I'm not sure you are changing anyone's minds or perceptions. [/quote] Even the OP said he'd calmed down the next day after opening the pack and finding the bass was fine. That's what I see as one of the problems with the Internet. No one takes a step back and has a think about what's actually happening. Straight away get on a forum, get more worked up with the help of forum members, fire off an email, demand your pound of flesh. Disproportionate reactions. .

That's another black and white view. Where you think we're either supporting the lazy driver, the hard done by OP or the evil big corporation. How about we look at what actually happened and formulate a proportional and appropriate response. Before going 'nuclear'. .

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1432055298' post='2777647'] So the bass is ok? [/quote] Yes but it might have been struck by lightening and everyone could have died. Or something.

[quote name='pfretrock' timestamp='1432053952' post='2777625'] I often get my bank manager to sign my cheques [/quote] Shockingly I even give out my bank card details over the phone when ordering takeaways. You guys slay me. So much righteous indignation.

My postman often signs stuff for me. I don't live in a black and white world where things are either done right or done wrong. In my opinion the OP got his bass in time and undamaged.

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1432046150' post='2777531'] ... By contrast you seem to suggest that if you pay for a service and don't get what you paid for then you should just not say anything about it, which sounds like a recipe for perpetual bad service to me. [/quote] No. I already explained what I would do. I would complain using the proper channels and wait for a reply within an acceptable timeframe corresponding to the inconvenience and damage I had been subjected to. Which isn't an email to the MD within 8hours of receiving an undamaged package. Read some of the replies on the first page. Publicly shaming parcel force? Complaining the f..., plus others. Get a grip.

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1432028590' post='2777322'] +1 from me. [/quote] Maybe I'm reading a different thread. The first page is full of people wanting the driver hung drawn and quartered.

[quote name='Bassistclem' timestamp='1432030808' post='2777351'] Cheers Tim, but it's a question of what is obsolete I suppose. My "old" G5 works perfectly well and don't feel the need to feed the big fat cats at Apple quite yet. The point is that there are many in the same position, more than the lines of dropbox may have realised. [/quote] Something is obselete if the makers stop making it. That's the definition. You don't have to feed the fat cats. There are plenty of people already doing that. Second hand is cheap as chips. Especially if you go for minimum spec that'll be better than what you're running at the moment. The world moves on and improves. If you want your business to remain competitive you have to move on and improve as well. Sure your Mac works fine and does what it says on the tin. BUT if it fails you won't be able to replace it like for like and you run the risk of not being able to do any work while you replace and upgrade. The better path is to upgrade now while you still have a working system in place and manage the switch over.

It's not really suicide because the alternative is iCloud which AFAIK isn't supported either. It's a legacy system and developers have to make business descisions on how much they spend on supporting obselete systems. You should be able to pick up a very cheap second hand machine. .

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1431977809' post='2776938'] It says on our website that we aim to dispatch all orders within 2 working days, ... [/quote] That's essentially what I'm getting at. Anyone not receiving their strings the next day isn't going to be pacing their hallway waiting for the rattle of the letterbox and phoning your managing director on the stroke of midnight on his home phone Communication.

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1431970877' post='2776793'] Some people regard shipping times as an aspect of customer service. People don't like to wait too long. Usually any holdups with our deliveries is completely down to the postal carrier. We have a very clear policy on dispatching orders ASAP. We then let the customer know if there will be any hold-ups with the delivery (public holidays, strikes, times of high demand, etc etc). And I think our customers really appreciate that - I know I'd appreciate it if I was on the receiving end. [/quote] That's fair enough. But as soon as possible is very vague. If I'm planning a project I need to know lead times. As soon as possible could be 4 weeks or 6 weeks.

Since the subject is customer service the answer is: It really doesn't matter how long each item takes or in what order the items are delivered in. What matters is that the customer is informed on the estimated delivery time before he places the order. If I order a lead and they say two weeks and my gig is in 4 weeks, It really doesn't matter.

And there we go... At the end of the gig on Saturday I'm left standing staring a pile of 'kettle' leads. 14 in total. All of them 0.75mm. I know one of them is for my amp and 4 of them are for my lights. The others belong to the guitarist, PA, smoke machine and Laser. This is why it becomes a bit of nonesense to fuse each lead depending on the device. People will just grab a lead without understanding they're different. I'm now left searching for my 3amp/5amp leads and my 10amp/13amp leads. Otherwise I'm going to blow a 3amp lead next time we use it on an amplifier. Time for some labelling?

[quote name='Nibody' timestamp='1431960662' post='2776614'] Is it? I just don't get.. The comparison is in both cases someone did something wrong... So any time someone providing a service does something monumentally wrong we should put up and shut up? Total b***s. Just about sums up these forums these days. Used to be a lovely place. [/quote] It still is a lovely place. I think somehow you have confused 'monumentally wrong' and 'trying your best to help' as two separate things. Relax.

Tonight is Keyboards. Deep Purple, ELP, Yes, and Genesis. Interview is with Tony Banks (Genesis). Should be a good one.

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1431874031' post='2775743'] 60 parcels a day! Round my way the drivers have over 120 parcels a day, and with 'pressure' from management to 'not' return any they dont have the luxury to build in waiting time. In my experience some people have totally unrealistic expectations where cheap couriers are concerned [/quote] I think it's the couriers who have unrealistic expectations. If they expect to make a profit and their company to survive then they need to sort out their business model. If you say you are going to deliver for a certain price then you have an obligation to do that.

I don't think anyone should get too hung up on dance music tracks. They're to be danced to not micro analysed. Some bands do get too busy live especially bass players but I think that line isn't too bad.

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1431725304' post='2774487'] Coming out of your comfort zone is essential for lasting change and improvement. The vast majority of the populous are risk averse by nature....but in reality, whats the worst that can happen? [/quote] Definitely. My audition 'failure' didn't stop me from auditioning again. It did teach me several valuable lessons.

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1431722839' post='2774461'] I bet he didn't actually have a band, Tim. :-) [/quote] He definitely had a band. They were very busy. Their bass player recommended me. I was just made to feel very uncomfortable. Auditions are funny things.

Yes. I 'auditioned' for a band. Essentially, I had to learn about 20tunes in 4 days. Pop/rock standards that I mostly knew. So I brushed up on them and off I went. "Just bring your bass, it'll be only me (the guitarist) there. I don't want to waste the rest of the bands' time." Impossible. I had to play along with his guitar playing. No drums/machine, no vocals, tunes he knew inside out. Forget about wasting his bands' time. What about my time? Win some/lose some. Lucky escape for me I think.

This must be what it means. http://youtu.be/IfeyUGZt8nk

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1431618818' post='2773297'] Surely they have to calculate stuff like that against minimum wage? So if you don't make enough deliveries you will still get minimum wage? [/quote] They're probably all self employed. Can't see how any of it can work. For a start how many will have business insurance on their cars. Can of worms.