Submitting a Support Ticket at GotVapes - Do's and Dont's

[dannoman]

I go through support tickets daily, sometimes two sessions a day or more. Most people are understanding, some are frustrated but they keep their emotions in check and some are so brutally obnoxious it would challenge your imagination.

You guys mean everything to us and we appreciate your patronage. If it weren't for you we would have no business, of course, and we are aware of that. With that said please understand and read this before you send in a ticket. Your issue will be handled more more efficiently and we will bend over backwards (within the scope of our policies outlined when you make a purchase). There are times both Chris and I will even break our own policies and rules if we have a very well mannered exchange with one of our customers. We sympathize and we do care as fellow vapers.

So keep these items in mind when submitting a ticket:

1. Do take a deep breath and write out the facts of your situation without using foul language.
2. Keep any emotions in check.
3. We DO appreciate it when a customer shows us some respect and that will get you much further than otherwise, don't be combative. Have manners and keep your dignity.
4. If we give you suggestions to help you with any issue you have, we are trying to help, we aren't trying to avoid issuing an RMA. Cartos are non-refundable, unless DOA, but in extenuating circumstances we will bend those rules, but that is at our discretion. See point 2 above.
5. We may suggest for you to visit our forum as a legitimate means of helping you. There are just two of us and our forumis well tended to and has many, many helpful suggestions and tips and techniques shared by other users that can be a big help.
6. DO NOT demand and say, "you will do this and you will do that." You are challenging our policies which we have in place as any business must. When you demand you give us no further option than to stand by our policies, firmly. You cannot dictate what those policies are that you agreed to when making your purchase.
7. Again, try to take a deep breath. We have shown we are here for the long run and in a very visible fashion and will try to be as much help for you as possible.

I may post some examples later of very real exchanges we have had, not identifying the customers, to show you what we are up against at times and why I made this post. I don't know if its a mindset where people think you have to be bullying and pushy to force your way into gettign what you want on the Net, but that's actually the worst thing you can do, at least with Chris or I and GotVapes. That will backfire honestly.

You are more than welcome to make comments, respectfully in this thread, will leave it open for now.

Out support portal is at http://www.igotvapes.com - we try and answer all new and ongoing tickets within 24-48 hours depending also on holidays and weekends.

 

[Briar]

I do want to answer with something that perhaps may give folks a bit to think about...

I can appreciate what's going on from both perspectives. I worked in customer service when I was in grad school and needed money - in a health insurance company of all places. That was just about the worst, because people *only* called when they were very stressed and already unhappy with the company. I've also dipped my toes in here and there over the years as I've needed extra income. My "real" work - science, then art, and later other non-profitable things, never gave me much of an income.

And, also, as all of us, I have been a consumer.

From both perspectives, I can say with some assurance, that the quality of customer service out there in the "physical" world has been deteriorating. My experience with Internet-only companies has actually been better than average, and in the vaping world even better than that. I suspect that has to do with the fact that in our particular field we are still often dealing with small vendors that deal with things and people personally, and are not at all far removed from being consumers themselves.

The point, however, is that customers are being "trained" in combative attitudes. You guys are getting the fruit off someone else's tree. Meaning that the large, impersonal corporations out there have been taking the attitude of making quick profit without paying all that much attention to the best interests of their customers - and yes, that seems to be against the principles of free market capitalism, but without going into the details of modern economics, yes, it's quite possible to do so, and it's being done. Unfortunately.

Average people are becoming habituated to a subtle (and sometimes overt) "us vs. them" attitude towards those who provide services and products - and because often that attitude is almost on a subconscious level, people take it out on those who do not in any way deserve it from any reasonable perspective.

I got curious about this whole dynamic in the vaping world, and looked at the complaints forum. It seemed to me that all too often the complaints were petty and unnecessarily combative. Not always, but often enough to suggest a trend. To me, at least... I've dealt with a lot of vendors out there in the vape-land, and not even once had a bad experience. Reading some of those complaint, I often get the feeling of unreality, like: are these people talking about the same folks I dealt with? Wha..?..

I'm sorry, this is not really constructive, just an observation. I could, of course, be wrong.

 

[dannoman]

I do think that comes into play, they think they have to take a certain attitude and if they make enough noise or are angry enough it will spur someone to action, its calculated many times. But, sometimes I will show you/thread some full exchanges where I responded courteously with an attitude to help, etc and the response got even more surly. Was showing Chris tonight and he was astounded at some of the stuff that came in in just one day. Not just one or two either.

This sticky is just to remind people of the most effective way to deal with us in CS and to keep everythign sane.

 

[samsun]

Hi, I just started purchasing this year from GotVapes. I have been vaping now for a bit over 2 years and have been purchasing all kinds of different vaping e-cigs, mods, tons of eliquid and tons of parts from many different vaping shops online. I have seen in the forums some people have been giving you guys bad reviews and some are just mean ramblings. I do understand what it is like to purchase things that end up not being as good as they are advertised to be, even to the point were I try it once find I am not happy with it and have not used it again. Yes I have a lot and I mean a lot of vaping parts sitting around not being used now, but I may mod some day so I keep it all. I do not have a lot of money so yea it upsets me that I purchase these things and they do not turn out to be as good as they seem to be when advertised. But guess what! This has happened many times and with pretty much every Vape store I have purchased stuff from and not just to me but many, many customers. I am not here to knock any vaping stores because I believe the people that have opened up these stores are all doing the best they can to find and put out the best in vaping products they can.

I think that GotVapes goes above and beyond trying to find the newest and best priced products. But they also go beyond that by trying to make sure these products are going to work the best for us, buy asking us for are input and taken the time to improve each product until it is finally problem free. It is not going to happen over night but I believe these two guys are running them selfes ragged for all of us the vaping community. Not only that They have some great new products that I am lov ing. Please cut them a break and be respectfull, I think they work above and beyond for us so they do deserve it. Thank u Gotvaes

 

[priorities]

"some are so brutally obnoxious it would challenge your imagination." Gosh..that's got to be tough***yikes...!

 

[Briar]

...
I think that GotVapes goes above and beyond trying to find the newest and best priced products. But they also go beyond that by trying to make sure these products are going to work the best for us, buy asking us for are input and taken the time to improve each product until it is finally problem free. It is not going to happen over night but I believe these two guys are running them selfes ragged for all of us the vaping community. Not only that They have some great new products that I am lov ing. Please cut them a break and be respectfull, I think they work above and beyond for us so they do deserve it. Thank u Gotvaes

I totally agree with this. Putting aside the techy product stuff, what impresses me the most is that Chris and Dan are here, and accessible, and willing to help, and *personal* about everything. I won't, if I can at all help it, deal with people who treat me as a "thing", or as just another brick in the wall, so to speak. I am loyal to GV because I feel like a real person here. Of course, fascinating techy stuff is a big bonus.

 

[tidegirl]

Haven't these people ever heard you catch more flies with honey than vinegar? Not that I am above showing my hiney when necessary (will have to tell you about The Comcast Incident sometime), but it is rare that I have to. Usually a little courtesy goes a long way.

 

[Briar]

Haven't these people ever heard you catch more flies with honey than vinegar? Not that I am above showing my hiney when necessary (will have to tell you about The Comcast Incident sometime), but it is rare that I have to. Usually a little courtesy goes a long way.

Yep. I have a friend who once (purposefully) reacted to a very rude customs official who was giving her a really hard time by thanking him in a very friendly and sincere manner, as if he was the nicest guy in the world. He responded by immediately turning from an ogre to an exemplary representative of his profession. Looked like a miracle.

Very few people can resist an sincere, nice smile. Hard to do in an email, tho.

 

[tidegirl]

Yep. I have a friend who once (purposefully) reacted to a very rude customs official who was giving her a really hard time by thanking him in a very friendly and sincere manner, as if he was the nicest guy in the world. He responded by immediately turning from an ogre to an exemplary representative of his profession. Looked like a miracle.

Very few people can resist an sincere, nice smile. Hard to do in an email, tho.

except state troopers. At least in Florida, no amount of niceness removes the 2 x4 that has been shoved up their ... sideways.

 

[badkolo]

oh tidegirl how i feel your pain, i lived in ft lauderdale pembrook pines for 6 years and those troopers are the worst ever, you can be nice and they treat you like you killed ten men.

 

[dannoman]

Its interesting--the last FOUR times I have been pulled over by police for traffic infractions I was extremely nice to the officer each time. I would just be calm and not act perturbed, greet them with a cheery (but not overdoing it), if not meek-ish, "Hi". When they asked for stuff I said, "Sure, hold on a second" and just acted like an innocent guy going about doing my business, looking up at them in a non-threatenign way, sort of wide eyed a bit with a bit of innocent worry on my face. Each time I got warning tickets.

except state troopers. At least in Florida, no amount of niceness removes the 2 x4 that has been shoved up their ... sideways.

Yep. I have a friend who once (purposefully) reacted to a very rude customs official who was giving her a really hard time by thanking him in a very friendly and sincere manner, as if he was the nicest guy in the world. He responded by immediately turning from an ogre to an exemplary representative of his profession. Looked like a miracle.

Very few people can resist an sincere, nice smile. Hard to do in an email, tho.

 

[dannoman]

LOL--Hiney or Honey! Not sure thats what you intended but catchy way of putting it...

Haven't these people ever heard you catch more flies with honey than vinegar? Not that I am above showing my hiney when necessary (will have to tell you about The Comcast Incident sometime), but it is rare that I have to. Usually a little courtesy goes a long way.

 

[dannoman]

Yeah - same rule applies to us, we have to take a deep breath and not react with emotion. The only time I will read the riot act is if it persists.

"some are so brutally obnoxious it would challenge your imagination." Gosh..that's got to be tough***yikes...!

 

[Briar]

Its interesting--the last FOUR times I have been pulled over by police for traffic infractions I was extremely nice to the officer each time. I would just be calm and not act perturbed, greet them with a cheery (but not overdoing it), if not meek-ish, "Hi". When they asked for stuff I said, "Sure, hold on a second" and just acted like an innocent guy going about doing my business, looking up at them in a non-threatenign way, sort of wide eyed a bit with a bit of innocent worry on my face. Each time I got warning tickets.

Same here. Never got a ticket in my life. Last time I didn't even get a warning. I forgot to put on a seat belt. Of course this was a local village officer where I live, and all he did was give me a long lecture. Nice young kid. But it works wonderfully.

 

[daisyd]

I nearly always start out as nice as I can be with any CS. If I don't get a satisfactory result, then I get a lot more mean. Collections calls on the other hand... I've never felt the need to get mean with any vaping supplier. I don't always get the answer I was hoping for, but it is always more than reasonable. I think some people want something for nothing. These are the same people that put a hair in their mostly eaten food to get a refund. Yet another reason why I haven't really gone after selling my crafties online. There are too many idiots with internet access and nothing better to do.

 

[kia2]

I would love to submit a support ticket to GotVapes using the only form available on your site, however it is an unsecure page and my software will not allow any personal information to be submitted on an unsecure page - including my email address. So, how may I submit this ticket or receive support otherwise?

 

[dannoman]

Hi Kia - what browser are you using?

 

[kia2]

Hi Kia - what browser are you using?

I have Opera and IE. My security software is Trend, but I won't disable it, the reports I've been receiving of what have been stopped from going out scare me.

 

[dannoman]

You can go into Trend and manage the part about sending your name and things like that. It sounds like it has you on a maximum lock-down.

I have Opera and IE. My security software is Trend, but I won't disable it, the reports I've been receiving of what have been stopped from going out scare me.

 

[tidegirl]

LOL--Hiney or Honey! Not sure thats what you intended but catchy way of putting it...

HAHAHA I didn't catch that. I should play it off like it was intentional, but I'm a bad liar.

I get warnings from other cops. Never got a ticket from anyone but a trooper. They are just mean and nasty around here.

Briar- Hubby got a seat belt ticket a few years ago. If I had the officer's name I would send him a thank you note. 15 years of my preaching about the horrors I have seen in the ER and SICU didn't faze him, but he never forgets it now that he's had a ticket. Best $100 I ever spent.