Genuine Feedback for Dan (I dont like calling you fat_dog i am affraid!)

[gunslinger11]

Posted by Dan (aka fat-dog) today 16/01/2012
"That doesn't mean it has to be done in a sarcastic, griping hate-filled way. How many of those people would take the time to say something in person? My name is Dan. You can find me at Zero One, Ground Zero and the NAE. If you have a genuine problem - a real issue - come and speak to me about it. Somehow I think that when you actually have to approach a person, suddenly it isn't so easy to tap away on the keys moaning about anything and everything, just for the sake of it."

Dan as you quite rightly said, you don’t take kindly to sniping,bitching, whatever you want to call it. So i am creating this thread in a polite manner and with a genuine reason. Please consider my request with severity and if you feel you would like me to elaborate on my point i would be more than willing to accept an invitation to your offices to discuss this.

Right to the point...

After a bad experience buying from a retailer before i even started airsoft i am now always careful about what i buy online. I like to have a clear idea of what i am about to spend my hard earned cash on. (I am a student on less than a grand a month so i really don’t have ample amounts to play with) This is particularly true with Airsoft items as most of the retailers in the UK are not large chains such as Game.co.uk with dedicated aftersales support and such departments designed to assist/exchange/advise on products that have been sold to a customer) I tend to only buy items which have a good description and if i can find a retailer that has a few photos and possibly a review by a previous purchaser then they are laughing they will have my money in their pockets by the time the day is out. This is because i like to visualise what i am about to purchase and a detailed description will allow me to calculate what kind of crap i have at home that will fit on it. (E.g. if i know the size of the RIS Rail i can work out if i can fit a v-grip, with a PEQ box and possibly even a bipod. Get the point?) It helps me make my mind up on whether the item is suitable for me.

I am sorry but everything i come to buy on Zero One never has enough detail to make my mind up. For example I am creating a High ROF MP5k and I was looking to use a TM MP5k as the base.
I look for the MP5k on your site (which is well designed and easy to navigate i must say!) http://www.zerooneairsoft.com/produc...oducts_id=2017

I get a tonne of photos which is great! However I don’t know anything about the gun other than you recommend an 8.4v stick battery. Ideally i would like to know the stock FPS, the stock ROF, Bushing/Bearing size, length of the gun (i have a number of gun box's i would like to know if i can fit it in one i already have, or do i need to buy another), what is in the box (do i get two mags, are they the short type that are generally with MP5k's) the inner barrel length (almost everyone i know fits a TB before they even fire the gun.) included retailer warranty period. Anybody who says "use Google or whatever" that really won’t help me or Zero One in any way as they won’t get my cash as i don’t have a clear idea from them as to what i am buying.

Whilst i understand your viewpoint from a business director... you stock thousands of items and it will take ages to write about it all, and you don’t have the staff to do this etc. However please try to understand my point. I am telling you this straight, if i saw the above, listed on your TM MP5k page tomorrow (and if it was in stock ) You would have an order on your desk from me for one the same day. If i was to see a review from a customer previous to me, i would have no hesitation in opening my wallet.

If you were to do the same for as many of your products as possible, then i am sure others will be signing from the same hymn sheet as me, and you would have 20or so orders on your desk that day.

I find it hard to believe that some overseas retailer give better descriptions of their products that Zero One, especially when i ring them and the guys have brought in outside translators to create a English version of their site just for their overseas, English speaking customers. I am sorry but this really does not do you any favours and thus is the reason they get my cash and not you.


Before i leave you i would like to make a suggestion that i think is working wonders on another retailer’s site. In my opinion whatever manager decided to push this would even get a pat on the back from Sir Allan Sugar.

On WGC Shop they are offering a $100 store credit each month to the customer with the best review of one of their products. Looking on there this morning and i see most items have one of more in depth reviews about the product some oven taking 10mins or so to read. That kind of detail is so valuable when ordering from them i can’t even word it.

I am sure that if you offered a similar scheme then within a month or two every one of your products would have a couple of in-depth reviews that would paint a clear pic of what you are selling. At the cost of £100 to yourself. My order alone would cover the prize for the first month. Not to mention the other orders that would come from buyers who are looking to buy but not yet 100%sure.

If you think i have misunderstood the reasons why you have not given some of your products good descriptions then please explain your side. Never know there may be a genuine reason i have not considered. At the end of the day you are the businessman with first hand knowledge of how your company works.

Mods-please don’t delete this. Dan asked for genuine points to be addressed to him in a polite manner (fair enough) which is what i have done!
I added the retailer for Dan to look into should he wish, not to direct all customers to them!

Like i said at the beginning I would me more than happy to attend your offices should you wish to discuss this in more detail.

Thank you for reading and goodevening.

Andy.


DO NOT POST ON THIS GUYS! I WANT MY POINT TO BE TAKEN ON BOARD NOT JUST PISSED ON LIKE EVERY OTHER THREAD ON ZEROIN!

[Rampage]

Re: Genuine Feedback for Dan (I dont like calling you fat_dog i am affraid!)

I will point him in the direction of this thread.

[fat_dog]

Re: Genuine Feedback for Dan (I dont like calling you fat_dog i am affraid!)

Hi Andy,

Great genuine feedback there - and indeed, it is the "being pissed on" that makes the few genuine important feedbacks get washed out to sea... so thank you to those people for allowing the good stuff to remain good and get noticed!

Regarding what you say, I couldn't agree with you more. I am very conscious that our items do lack description, when on our previous site, it was praised for having some of the best content in the country. Whilst we have now developed the framework to support more information than ever (including the detail pictures, features, box contents, etc.) most of that information is currently lacking. With the development of the new site, we wanted to present some of the best, in-depth detail pictures of our products available on the web. I think we are achieving this slowly and I know that there are many more images to come (including pictures of the packaging etc.)... going to this level however does take a ‘decade’ - previously it has been a team of two of us to handle this side of the business (myself and Steve). We have realised we need to get cracking on the extra information and have now taken on a new member of staff to join the development side, Alex, who will be working on this information. We would also like to get some video reviews up in time as well. The willingness is there trust me, it's time that is the git... we're not by any means saying we think there is enough information there already and are doing nothing about it... it couldn’t be further from the truth.

Just to elaborate on that, we have some 8,400 product and detail pictures that we have already taken, and are being edited for the web at the minute. Some 907 new products are in stock and due to be added in addition to that. I know it doesn't matter to you, the customer, the information is either there or it isn't. However it isn't pleasant to see people thinking we just don't care. Personally, I invest a minimum of 2 months work time prior to the NAE organising the facilities, website, and site let alone the shop for the event, to make it the best it can be. This has an impact on the other things we can do. I know people are keen to slate us like they would slate a high street store, along the lines of we just don’t care, without realising we are a family business, and do care a lot. Since September (with the NAE out the way) things have come on a long way with the information side. Pictures are being prepared rapidly and things will suddenly all appear all at once, and we have the features and contents for 95% of all the guns we sell listed and ready for addition. Information such as:

Velocity Feet Per Second (FPS): 310
Rounds Per Minute (RPM): 720
Gearbox Version (GBV): 2
Length: 990mm
Battery Type: 7.2v Large
Weight (with Magazine): 3100g

Velocity Feet Per Second (FPS): 304
Rounds Per Minute (RPM): 780
Gearbox Version (GBV): 2
Length: 635mm / 720mm
Battery Type: Lipo
Weight (with Magazine): 3000g

Velocity Feet Per Second (FPS): 280
Rounds Per Minute (RPM): 650
Gearbox Version (GBV): 2
Length: 870mm
Battery Type: 8.4v Large
Weight (with Magazine): 3300g

Velocity Feet Per Second (FPS): 317
Rounds Per Minute (RPM): 1140
Gearbox Version (GBV): 2
Length: 910mm
Battery Type: 7.2v 2200mAh Crane
Weight (with Magazine): 3800g

All of which hasn't been pinched from other resources, but tested in house for accuracy. These will all be appearing shortly, along with in time, as I have said, video reviews and extra pictures. What I would stress though is, if you can't see the information you would like to know online, do, please, drop us an email or pick up the phone. Our team here now really is great and I would be surprised if you received less than 110% from any of them. Indeed an email sent now would render you the answer in the morning if not sooner.

Another point we have addressed is email replies. Historically, our speeds were very good. The role of answering our general emails was then passed on to a member of staff who’s primary job was in the workshop. Sadly they got neglected, wrongly, and the reputation for answering emails went out the window. He then moved overseas to Costa Rica and the reply time got even worse due to staff availability (you can only give good replies to over 100 emails a day so quickly). We have however addressed this now and have taken on a new staff member to answer these daily - if you have emailed Zero One since December you will have had a good reply I hope, and generally within a 24 hour period. I am very keen to give the best, most knowledgeable customer service in the business. We have always strived to be the best in the business and any areas we are failing we will address, unquestionably.

With regards to the review 'competition' this is actually quite a good idea - perhaps offering a free pistol or something could work. Leave it with me, it is primarily a case of just sorting out how we can work it, I like the idea.

And lastly - good or bad, any genuine feedback like your post above will always be taken on board. Be it for Zero One, Ground Zero or Zero In, changes will happen, and will happen generally very quickly, if they are approached in the right manner. Thank you for taking the time to do so.

[palmer234]

Re: Genuine Feedback for Dan (I dont like calling you fat_dog i am affraid!)

I applaud you for putting so much time and effort into your business and staff, and taking the time to reply to the OP's post.
However:

"We have however addressed this now and have taken on a new staff member to answer these daily - if you have emailed Zero One since December you will have had a good reply I hope, and generally within a 24 hour period."

I bought a 226 from you last week, i sent an email asking for a tracking reference as none was given. The gun arrived, quickly, and im extremely happy with it. But i still haven't received a reply to my original email.
This did dissappoint me somewhat, but i am still happy with the service i received, and would shop with you again.

Good luck with all your business ventures. I look forward to the new additions to the Z1 franchise.

[FlangTal1ty]

Re: Genuine Feedback for Dan (I dont like calling you fat_dog i am affraid!)

This question about descriptions has been asked many times by many people and yet only now does it get the response it deserves. Why does feedback have to come in the form of a very long winded brown-nosing way (sorry gunslinger11) in order for it to be noticed and allowed to stay, also do we have to offer advice and ideas within the criticism like gunslinger did just for a response? I for one have never been bothered with the lack of descriptions since I like to watch video reviews online, however some issues that I have had seem to be 'washed away to sea'. It seems to me that if someone has a problem on Zeroin and is not interested in writing an essay full of praise like the OP then it will be ignored or worse, deleted.

[shoreham]

Re: Genuine Feedback for Dan (I dont like calling you fat_dog i am affraid!)

With regards to ZeroOne's site my main gripe has to be the massive number of items that aren't in stock. For example, if you click on the Rifles section of the store the first page has sixteen different guns, of which thirteen are out of stock. This seems to be a regular occurence, and is extremely frustrating when searching. Page two is worse - there are only two guns that are in stock from the sixteen listed, and one of those has no picture.

I appreciate that it's not easy to keep up with all stock items but surely the site could be updated with a little more regularity. To be fair there's been a whole load of scary looking hand weapons, but surely an "airsoft" retailer would want to be a little more concerned with selling airsoft related stuff rather than the Brooklyn Smasher or the Gunstock War Club? I can't honestly see any use for these two items other than as offensive weapons, after all. (The Brooklyn Smasher is never described as a baseball bat. "No matter what you hit or how hard you swing them, they just won't break." You're supposed to hit baseballs with them. That's all.)

This isn't meant as just slagging off ZeroOne as you guys have a business to run but devoting a little more time to the maintenance of what used to be a good web store wouldn't hurt. It's very frustrating to have to trawl through a swathe of products that I can't buy to try and find the one that I want. That's why my business goes to stores where it's easy to find what I want, and not somewhere akin to a treasure hunt.

[Orion1]

Re: Genuine Feedback for Dan (I dont like calling you fat_dog i am affraid!)

Just one thing, (Sorry to post on this thread)

If you want I could review some of my kit for the website, I mean I have a fare few guns that I have owned and I dont mind reviewing them for you, That way not money would be spent sending guns to be reviewd and sent back when I could just use my own if that makes sence,

Just swing me a PM if you want to talk further.

[blytm]

Re: Genuine Feedback for Dan (I dont like calling you fat_dog i am affraid!)

My Feedback for Dan:

Keep it up chap Personally I think you've done a great job of staying afloat all these years considering the varied competition and ever changing face and rules of airsoft, not to mention putting up with certain unhelpful morons in all shapes and sizes.
Ive always had great service and decent deals from you since day one of using you in 2007 (wish I'd found you in 2005 when I first started.

As for the forum I think people forget just how good the place is, we have some great members in here who help just about anyone even with the daftest of questions (BAMF, MIDAS, Gaffa etc to name a few). Tonnes of info, reviews and pics to inspire us to open our wallets until even the moths start charging for lack of money in there.

As for the whiners/ keyboard warriors who offer no actual feedback towards the site and just moan about what the Mods have done or think after 6 months they know it all theres a simple solution for you: Leave. If its that bad then delete your profile and go else where but 99% wont because you know the forum is great.

Speaking of the Mods, I feel sorry for the poor sods when then have to deal with the aforementioned whiners. Imagine if their time could be better used for helping genuine problems and help needed... Afterall they are just humans (shocking I know).

I will be gutted once im back in Afghan and I miss out on all the fun but good luck to Dan and the Zero In team with 2012 :D

[fat_dog]

Re: Genuine Feedback for Dan (I dont like calling you fat_dog i am affraid!)

I applaud you for putting so much time and effort into your business and staff, and taking the time to reply to the OP's post.
However:

"We have however addressed this now and have taken on a new staff member to answer these daily - if you have emailed Zero One since December you will have had a good reply I hope, and generally within a 24 hour period."

I bought a 226 from you last week, i sent an email asking for a tracking reference as none was given. The gun arrived, quickly, and im extremely happy with it. But i still haven't received a reply to my original email.
This did dissappoint me somewhat, but i am still happy with the service i received, and would shop with you again.

Good luck with all your business ventures. I look forward to the new additions to the Z1 franchise.

Hi palmer,

We now (since last week) email a tracking number automatically with all ParcelForce and FedEx services. It could be the case (since orders arrive next day) that by the time the following day your email was going to be answered, it was tracked and already shown as delivered, so the person didn't think you needed the spam... although that is what the delete key is for I guess!

This question about descriptions has been asked many times by many people and yet only now does it get the response it deserves. Why does feedback have to come in the form of a very long winded brown-nosing way (sorry gunslinger11) in order for it to be noticed and allowed to stay, also do we have to offer advice and ideas within the criticism like gunslinger did just for a response? I for one have never been bothered with the lack of descriptions since I like to watch video reviews online, however some issues that I have had seem to be 'washed away to sea'. It seems to me that if someone has a problem on Zeroin and is not interested in writing an essay full of praise like the OP then it will be ignored or worse, deleted.

Up until very recently the staff within Zero One have not monitored the forums or engaged with them, this is a new avenue for us. Also, it's one thing to simply say in a respectful manner "come on zero one, we need more descriptions!" (that some have said, we know)... but it's another to drop sarcy comments and generally bitch in a degrading dimener. Thats what you will find gets removed, not harmless comments no matter how small. Unfortunately the people who insist on going down the road of basically a hate campaign will degrade any legitimate "read-worthy" material and the thread may be removed entirely - thats the fault of the few and the solution to that is pretty obvious I would have thought.



A few customers have called in to the shop who just read the forums for which I thank them also.

[palmer234]

Re: Genuine Feedback for Dan (I dont like calling you fat_dog i am affraid!)

Hi palmer,

We now (since last week) email a tracking number automatically with all ParcelForce and FedEx services. It could be the case (since orders arrive next day) that by the time the following day your email was going to be answered, it was tracked and already shown as delivered, so the person didn't think you needed the spam... although that is what the delete key is for I guess!

Thankyou for taking the time to reply, appreciate it. :-)

[UnionJack87]

Re: Genuine Feedback for Dan (I dont like calling you fat_dog i am affraid!)

I'd just like to add how good it is to see a retailer actually engaging with their customers on a one to one, and dare I say, human, level. There is far to many retailers out there who promise the world, and then you only ever, at best, get a second rate and rushed response to any comments or quieries.

I am yet to order from zeroone but after seeing the way that this thread was handled and the obvious time and care the staff have for their customers I am now a lot more likely to put money your way.

[ThePope]

Re: Genuine Feedback for Dan (I dont like calling you fat_dog i am affraid!)

Have to say the new Z1 interaction on the forum is a hell of a lot better than it used to be it certainly adds to a more friendly and personal retailer vibe!

[S3V3R]

Re: Genuine Feedback for Dan (I dont like calling you fat_dog i am affraid!)

I have to say, I agree with GunSlinger here. However, in terms of performance, I can't fault Z1. In my experience, when they haven't had something in stock its because no one can acquire it at that time.
Performance wise, I'm please with Z1 though - I ordered a handful of upgrades for my P226 yesterday at 2pm. Payment was taken at 3pm and I got a text 20minutes later saying it had left the warehouse.
Had it in my hands at 9am today just as I was leaving the house! Overall very impressed.
On a note of reviews - I do some review writing for a couple of forums. Would be happy to put some stuff up on Z1 if they had the facility. I haven't got a substantial library of reviews though. Only 6 or 7.

[kommissarboris]

Re: Genuine Feedback for Dan (I dont like calling you fat_dog i am affraid!)

the forum needs more purple.

make it so!