179 replies to this topic

[vintage penman]

The latest re CS seems to be non response to customer enquiries for pens, parts and general help........ probably on the slippery slope once again when added to hte QC issues we seem to hear about. No doubt more will be banned from FPN for daring to criticise the god CS and St Mary Burke !

[AndyR]

What I find very strange is that CS customer service (or lack thereof) must surely be one of Mary Burke's directorial responsibilities there (if only to draw this issue to the attention of the other owners and directors). Yet she seems happier to respond piecemeal to comments and complaints lodged on FPN rather than correcting the basic problem which seems to have rumbled on to a greater or lesser degree for years. Whatever else is happening inside a business, ensuring prompt and courteous replies to all incoming queries is an instant way of giving the outside world more confidence in your company.

Andy

[vintage penman]

What I find very strange is that CS customer service (or lack thereof) must surely be one of Mary Burke's directorial responsibilities there (if only to draw this issue to the attention of the other owners and directors). Yet she seems happier to respond piecemeal to comments and complaints lodged on FPN rather than correcting the basic problem which seems to have rumbled on to a greater or lesser degree for years. Whatever else is happening inside a business, ensuring prompt and courteous replies to all incoming queries is an instant way of giving the outside world more confidence in your company.

Andy

Hear Hear.


CS is in trouble I'd say - if you alienate your existing customers and ignore potential new ones how on earth do you expect to sell any pens ?
At a guess, FPN is their main conduit by now - how long will it be before that link perishes ? Interesting question.

[Hugh]

CS is in trouble I'd say - if you alienate your existing customers and ignore potential new ones how on earth do you expect to sell any pens ?
At a guess, FPN is their main conduit by now - how long will it be before that link perishes ? Interesting question.

I'm not sure they've been out of "trouble" for a while!! Seems at present they simply push out a "new" limited ed. every month as a cash cow...and that's a strategy that fails. The current owners have now had ample time to asset strip the company purchased at about 10% of value if they so desired so I expect to see CS either offered for sale ( with about 2 bobs worth of assets...) or wound up sooner rather than later which probably goes a long way to explaining why someone who has already bought a pen with a problem isn't a priority ( ignoring them is cost effective....). I suspect some will make a handsome profit out of this.

Regards
Hugh

[vintage penman]

CS is in trouble I'd say - if you alienate your existing customers and ignore potential new ones how on earth do you expect to sell any pens ?
At a guess, FPN is their main conduit by now - how long will it be before that link perishes ? Interesting question.

I'm not sure they've been out of "trouble" for a while!! Seems at present they simply push out a "new" limited ed. every month as a cash cow...and that's a strategy that fails. The current owners have now had ample time to asset strip the company purchased at about 10% of value if they so desired so I expect to see CS either offered for sale ( with about 2 bobs worth of assets...) or wound up sooner rather than later which probably goes a long way to explaining why someone who has already bought a pen with a problem isn't a priority ( ignoring them is cost effective....). I suspect some will make a handsome profit out of this.

Regards
Hugh

Undoubtedly the shareholders will profit. I certainly would not like to be a customer or a dealer waiting the fulfilment of an order. This time next year I expect them to be gone.

Edited by vintage penman, 15 February 2012 - 09:57 PM.

[AndyR]

I would just like to add that (whatever the other faults of the company), from what I know of the personnel involved, I don't see any evidence of asset stripping or other cynical business practice involved. Whether or not they have the right business model to stay in business is open to conjecture, but this is another matter. These are difficult times to keep afloat a business based on the supply of luxury goods and to me it would seem that first rate customer service should be close to the top of the list of priorities, however your business model is set up.
Andy

[Hugh]

I would just like to add that (whatever the other faults of the company), from what I know of the personnel involved, I don't see any evidence of asset stripping or other cynical business practice involved. Whether or not they have the right business model to stay in business is open to conjecture, but this is another matter. These are difficult times to keep afloat a business based on the supply of luxury goods and to me it would seem that first rate customer service should be close to the top of the list of priorities, however your business model is set up.
Andy

Hi Andy,

Asset stripping can be subtle, I would assume the only asset of value would have been the premises as little else would be worth the value quoted by the receiver. In fact so subtle those closely involved may have no idea that assets have changed ownership not connected with the operation, remembering in this instance the "main" player was the previous company accountant who seemed to arrange a pretty good deal for .....himself....out of the previous debacle which somewhat taints things a bit . Declining customer service is a clear sign all is not well, made even clearer in a current topic on the FPN where the Australian distributor suggest contacting him instead if all else fails !!.....and he is useless, you can't even buy a CS in Australia's largest city, Sydney. Notable is the absence of input from M/S Burke in that topic.

Regards
Hugh

[AndyR]

I think one of their main assets must be the Conway Stewart name, unfortunately they don't seem to be cherishing that in the way you might expect. Though if the present operation goes under, would anybody would be brave enough or foolish enough to take over and try again?

The contrast with the seemingly smooth expansion of the Onoto operation is quite pronounced and of course Onoto are going head to head with CS on their new Churchill range. What are the odds on a merger one day............?

Andy

[vintage penman]

I think one of their main assets must be the Conway Stewart name, unfortunately they don't seem to be cherishing that in the way you might expect. Though if the present operation goes under, would anybody would be brave enough or foolish enough to take over and try again?

The contrast with the seemingly smooth expansion of the Onoto operation is quite pronounced and of course Onoto are going head to head with CS on their new Churchill range. What are the odds on a merger one day............?

Andy

God forbid. Onoto has its priorities right - good products and good service. It really does not need to sully itself with the increasingly tarnished CS name. If anything, CS would perhaps be better left on the shelf for a while before being resurrected by a properly organised and capitalised company whenever it folds next.

[Hugh]

A revisit to the latest topic on the FPN as seen the BDC in action again, using the methods and logic that only a person who defies reality would rely on. This quote from him "I find it quite interesting NOT, that people find it necessary to attack a company when they write to them to get a personal advice, while they will only sell to retailers in the first place, retailers where you'd have to get your pen." defies logic again as you can buy on line....and where does the retailer send the pen for repair anyway? Our old "mate" Wimg deserves the "Dummy of the Day" Award again, no wonder the CS forum on FPN is such a mess with that idiot handling PR.


Maybe Andy's not far from the mark with a merger, would make sense to put the brands under the one roof. Onoto has the model and financial backing to continue, something CS lacks, and an owner who has a sense of history. The major problem I see with any one taking over the current operation is how big the backlog of warranty claims may be, I can't see it being "massive" though if QC has been lacking for a while this is an unknown. Of course the current financial climate does make it a risk, still the brand name is well known and that's a good start. I've had doubts about the real motives of the latest owners, I'd like to be wrong .


Regards
Hugh

[AndyR]

I see the BDC has now started wading round the FPN CS forum closing topics and removing posts again!! We remember what was going on when this last happened.
Absolutely priceless.........!
Andy
PS still felt moved to post this even though Hugh got there first!!

Edited by AndyR, 16 February 2012 - 09:08 PM.

[AndyR]

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I think one of their main assets must be the Conway Stewart name, unfortunately they don't seem to be cherishing that in the way you might expect. Though if the present operation goes under, would anybody would be brave enough or foolish enough to take over and try again?

The contrast with the seemingly smooth expansion of the Onoto operation is quite pronounced and of course Onoto are going head to head with CS on their new Churchill range. What are the odds on a merger one day............?

Andy

God forbid. Onoto has its priorities right - good products and good service. It really does not need to sully itself with the increasingly tarnished CS name. If anything, CS would perhaps be better left on the shelf for a while before being resurrected by a properly organised and capitalised company whenever it folds next.

One asset CS must have at present is spare manufacturing capacity. If you are currenly only selling 100 LEs per month to members of the Collectors' Club compared to the previous reasonable quantity of regular production of standard models, there must be machinery lying idle for much of the month. It is this that another pen company might find attractive despite any other negative connotations.

Andy

[JonSzanto]

I find so much of this both unfortunate and hard to understand. I also realize that, for whatever reason, some of you seem to have more invested in the issues surrounding both the company and the other forum than I do.

But I went and took a look, and sure enough, a locked thread.

I posted in that thread simply because I couldn't believe the repeated lack of customer service - really, the very basics of replying to an inquiry! - would be seen as anything other than a real Achille's heel to a struggling company. I can't begin to comprehend how people can overlook that, and even further, to consider pointing it out and suggesting remedies to be criticizing the company.

They damn well need the criticism, it appears, but it may be too late.

All in all, a very odd situation.

[vintage penman]

The BDC has in all probability let it slip inadvertently through his actions that CS is about to fold again.

[vintage penman]

The BDC has in all probability let it slip inadvertently through his actions that CS is about to fold again.

My comments stating that customer care is important and that this lack of it is the start of the slippery slope to oblivion have been deleted by that megalomaniac Dutchman. Probably too close to the truth. Very sensitive over there are they not ?

By the way, a simple check at Companies House reveals that statutory returns for Conway Stewart Global Brands (presumably connected) are overdue and that Conway Stewart Manufacturing Ltd previously known as AMALCO Ltd have yet to file accounts (otherwise up to date and within the time window).

Edited by vintage penman, 17 February 2012 - 09:35 AM.

[AndyR]

In case you weren't quick enough to see earlier today, the new FPN CS forum topic started by ZZZ asking precisely how he had contravened the forum rules to cause his previous topic to be removed was also removed very rapidly!

However, I have to say that I have heard nothing at all on the grapevine to indicate that CS is in any immediate danger - the only outward sign of difficulties (apart from the customer service issues) are the recent antics of the BDC on FPN and the lack of response by Ms Burke to some of the topics there!

Andy

[vintage penman]

In case you weren't quick enough to see earlier today, the new FPN CS forum topic started by ZZZ asking precisely how he had contravened the forum rules to cause his previous topic to be removed was also removed very rapidly!

However, I have to say that I have heard nothing at all on the grapevine to indicate that CS is in any immediate danger - the only outward sign of difficulties (apart from the customer service issues) are the recent antics of the BDC on FPN and the lack of response by Ms Burke to some of the topics there!

Andy

What a surprise - unfortunately I never did see that posting. It seems to me that the "damage limitation exercise" unilaterally undertaken by the CS forum mods and the BDC will probably result in damage magnification ! Posters are not completely unaware of what's going on and will soon tire of the antics of the CS mods. Surely, it is better to have issues out in the open then there is a slim chance that the problems will be addressed, not papered over. I am still wondering about the existence of a financial connection between CS and FPN which might explain the trigger happy oversensitivity.

[Hugh]

Well...it looks like not just your comment but a couple of topics have just...gone..!! Neatly sanitizing the forum using the " Kim Jong il method" , I'm sure the BDC will like that analogy when he comes for a visit and reads it. It is sad to see what is essentially a good board lowered by the actions of the owners ( or one in particular) in one forum, surely CS can take the good with the bad without the BDC on nappy change duty...yet another "Dummy of the Day" Award for "old mate".

Given the way things appear to be going perspective purchasers of new CS pens should only buy from an authorized retailer at this point and not pay in full until the pen delivered. Purchasing from the web site carries a risk if CS folds...ie you lose your money. By all means buy their pens, just use a method that gives you some financial protection . Better safe than sorry, something the company run FPN CS forum prefers to overlook which places the board owners in breach of their "duty of care" .


Now wasn't CS Global Brands going to be the connection with Brand Cellars? Anyway that joint venture which did seem like a very positive move seems to have fallen by the wayside for whatever reason, had (or if ) it comes to fruition then CS may well have emerged as a long lasting entity with a solid future. I guess only time will tell.

Regards
Hugh

[AndyR]

If you'll excuse a little slightly 'off topic' diversion here, it is quite instructive to have a look down the list of FPN forum moderators and see how active some of them actually are on the board in terms of their recent postings. Names retained for window dressing?

Andy

[Hugh]

Well after all the fuss....in wanders Mary (topic) with another gem..

"Thankfully there are several moderators who check this forum, making sure that FPN continues to be a fun and friendly environment"


Given recent events I'm speechless.....


Regards
Hugh