BPS - customer service?

[David Hunt]

Hey folks,



Do you have this same issue?



I ordered some plastics online from BPS on a Monday thinking I would receive them by Friday that same week. Didn't happen. I think they came in on Tuesday more than a week later. I was not impressed. I wanted them for that weekend. I figured 4 packets of plastics. Pull them off the shelf and ship them. NOT.



Now last Monday late morning, I ordered some software from a firm in New York. I received it the next day! With no special shipping request. That is customer service!



Who out there in the shipping world ships fishing stuff faster?



thanks for letting me vent.



david......

 

[Jim B]

David Northern bass ships stuff pretty fast if you live close by, otherwise it can take a week. Keep in mind a place like bps has thousands of orders to fill in a day and im sure not all of them get picked to be shipped same day as the order. they also ship ups ground and that normally takes 7 busniess days. I have no problem with bps's shipping. I expect it to take a week and it normally comes within a week of when i order. If i need it fast i pay the extra to get it there fast and unless its backordered it comes on time.

 

[Kraig Clement]

here is my take on getting good customer service..... find one person you like to deal with in a dept. .... try to use the same person and build a relationship w/ that person..... I promise you your overal opinion will change..... if you don't like a person get someone else.... not saying this is the way it should be ..... but it works... The guys at BPS in Grapevine have been for the most part great...... there are a few jerks, but I won't deal with them......



Kraig

 

[Julio Santana]

I don't know about that.



I work for Caterpillar and one of our machines go down we try to promise to have a spare part anywhere in the world within 24 hours.

 

[David Hunt]

Kraig - I agree. Note though that my order was done on-line. Simple and fast.....except for the pick and delivery part. An online merchant should be able to move the materials out the same day or the next day at the latest. It shouldn't matter if they get 1 order or 10,000 orders. Customer service, customer service, customer service!



The software I received in one day was also ground shipped UPS.



I met a guy at the BPS in Baltimore. He was great and took care of a finding me the small plugs that cover up the grease cocks on the wheel bearings. He took my info and $, then mailed them to me when they came in. I really liked him and try to work with just him when I am in the store.



david.....

 

[Texas Transplant]

First question, what time of day did you order?



Most firms that have catalog sales, have a cutoff time each day for processing orders.



Second, finding soft plastics in a warehouse that houses all types of fishing gear, versus finding a CD in an office setting, is completely different. If you order on-line from a smaller shop (tackle - like Barlow's in Dallas), you will get faster service every time.



Thirdly, what was the advertised (if any) promise on shipping of orders? Some sites show you an expected delivery - others do not.



Fourth, what method did you choose for shipping? Did you ask for express, next day, 2nd day or something else? Everyone should be aware that express service from the post office is NOT FAST! It's at a minimum 3-5 days, usually longer.



Having been someone that orders quite a few things on-line, I now have my expectations adjusted accordingly.



On the other hand, my experience is that Cabellas is one of the best. I order; it shows up very quickly. People like Amazon, Lands End and others that specialize in on-line/catalog ordering, generally do a better job on this front.



I think that ordering sometime on a Monday (which is a heavy order day), and receiving it the following Tuesday, is not bad at all - unless you ordered it next day or 2nd day.



Tex

 

[Staci Matheis]

I'm in St. Louis; shipping time to Maryland from here is 3 days IF it's called in/entered early enough to get it out the same day.



Shipping time from Springfield is likely 4 days.



If you place the order after the time on Monday for "same day", then the following Monday would be about right.



If it got to you on Tuesday, the one day difference could also be a problem with UPS; I understand that their truck has been busy doing commercials with Dale Jarrett.



I have always received EXCEPTIONAL delivery time and service on all orders I've placed with BPS either over the phone or internet.



me!







P.S.



While in Springfield a few years ago, I went to their warehouse to pick up an item the store didn't have in stock..... That place is absolutely AMAZING! I can guarantee you that they move their merchandise in and out every bit as quickly as or more quickly than any small merchant - and probably a lot more efficiently!

 

[John McManus]

I think I know what happened my friend because I've been through this with Bass Pro Shops. If you don't order over a specific size package and weight they do not ship it to you via UPS which normally is 3-5 days. Instead they opt to ship via The United States Postal Service bulk packaging system which your mailman may see in 7-10 days. Keep this in mind when ordering small items from them

 

[Bryan Fary]

the deal with bps lately is they are using usps instead of ups for their shipping. i ordered a pair of shoes from them and it took them over 2 weeks for them to arrive.



bryan

 

[Larry Harp]

I've always recieved orders from BPS in just a few days. On the other hand I have recieved orders from Amazon the next day. Blew my mind.



I believe that since you are in Maryland the differance in the delivery times could be as simple as you are closer to the software company in New York than you are Springfield MO. The pigeon didn't have to fly as far. ;>)



Harpo

 

[Staci Matheis]

OH! So THAT'S the problem..........



There was a survey done about a year ago by the Post Office themselves - they found it took them 1/2 a day longer to get Priority Mail to it's destination than rregular First Class! (A freind of mine was doing some marketing research for them.)

 

[Carl Meyer]

Guess living in Springfield I am spoiled at BPS. If they don't have it on the floor or out back, I can usually pick it up at the warehouse across town. And we are so close to so many lakes...You guys just need to move here, LOL.

 

[Steve Rizza]

David-

I order alot of stuff through JANN'S NETCRAFT and my orders have always been right and fast.

I sometines order 200 tubes in 20 different colors and sizes and they have nailed it every time.

 

[David Hunt]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I appreciate it!



david......

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Staci,



Priority mail is Parcels and first class mail is "usually" letters and such. It always takes parcels longer than letters unless you send it "overnight" mail.

I've never seen that survey. Other surveys have shown first class mail arrives at its destination in one to two days.

Priority packages in two to three days. NOT guaranteed, and if you've ever seen the myriad of ways people address and mail parcels you'd know why

Bulk mail takes forever but you get what you pay for. The mail carrier has 72 hours to take out a bulk item AFTER it gets to him/her.



Bill

 

[John McManus]

Hey Bill, As an ex- post office psycho I can tell you that parcels are not necessarily shipped Priority mail. If the patron does not pay extra to ship their parcel Priority or First-Class, that package gets shipped Bulk Rate just like junk mail. Bass Pro uses Bulk Rate to ship when they use the USPS and it is super slow.

 

[Staci Matheis]

Bill -



Priority mail can also be envelopes. It costs considerably more than Parcel Post or First Class.



I often use their "Flat Rate Priority Envelope" to mail letters and paper to customers. It may not get there any faster than First Class, but I do it for the effect of having my letter arrive in a FedEx-style envelope.



The study was not one that was published. LOL! You know they wouldn't want the public to know that kind of truth! It was done internally by the Post Office and the consulting firm my friend worked for.



me!

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Bassyankee, I am also an ex-postal person but I didn't say all parcels are shipped priority mail. I agree that bulk takes forever and as I said before, you get what you pay for.

Satci, priority envelopes are flat rated, as you say, and they ARE more impressive to send than just a regular envelope with stamps all over it.



Bill