Silk Mill frustration - your ideas?

[Mabel Figworthy]

Right. I am getting seriously frustrated with Silk Mill, and I don't want to because they are a small mother-and-daughter outfit and they are really kind and their silks are gorgeous.
But. They need to get organised, and they need to work on their communication. And I'm not sure how to tell them either of these things.

It's not that they don't communicate - they do (although sometimes it takes a while). But some questions simply don't get addressed, even when I've repeated them in several emails, and several times now they've sent me the wrong thing.

For those of you with enough patience, can I give a summary of the saga and ask your views?

I ordered about 70 silks in their sale on 16th November. The order arrived on 27th November - a bit of a wait, but I figured they'd had a lot to do because of the sale.
The silks were beautiful, but there were two duplicates and three missing colours, and three blues were so wildly different from the website that no monitor setting could possibly account for it (Serinde's seen a picture). I wrote to them on the same day (also mentioning some greens which I thought were very alike even though they were 2 shades apart in a sequence, but acknowledging that you can't always tell when ordering from a screen picture).

They wrote back the same day saying they were very concerned about this and asssuring me it would be put right. They also told me to keep the two duplicate skeins (I'd offered to send them back.)

In spite of two assurances of an email "tomorrow" it wasn't until 15th December (and having sent several emails and FB messages) that I was told it was going to be sent out that day. In none of the communications was there anything about the problem with the blues, so I said thanks for the message and what about the problem with the blues? No reply to that. But I thought there might be an explanation
in the replacement parcel so I waited.

When in the new year the parcel hadn't arrived yet, I wrote again. Reply: there had been trouble and postal strikes in France (I knew about the former but hadn't realised the latter), so please to be patient. I wrote again four weeks after the parcel had been sent, suggesting they talk to the post office. The reply was "I'm afraid there's nothing to be done on our side as the parcels aren't tracked once they've left France. If the parcel actually goes missing of course we will replace it for you, but this has only happened very rarely, and in this case I'm sure it's just down to the French strikes. Please bear with us, your silks will get to you soon!"
I asked when it would be considered officially missing, so I wouldn't have to keep writing to them. No reply to that question.

Meanwhile, on 7th January, I'd ordered my shade sample cards. They actually arrived on 14th January, and in them was also a small bag with two of the missing silks, plus two other silks which I'd mentioned in my original 27th Nov. email as wanting to purchase them if they could be sent at the same time. The third missing shade wasn't there, and nothing about the blues. But it was puzzling anyway because this couldn't be the parcel sent by them in December, as it had the shade cards in it as well!
I wrote to ask how to pay for the two new skeins, mentioned the one skein still missing, asked about the blues, and asked what to do if the original parcel turned up as well and I'd have two of the missing shades double!

The day after I realised that one of the colours on the shade card was numbered correctly, but was actually the wrong shade. I'd ordered with both number and colour name to make absolutely sure, but one of the greys was now a yellow. As they hadn't replied to my other email yet, I wrote about the wrong colour (with a picture) attached to the other email. This was three days ago, and nothing yet - not even a "we've got your email, oh dear, we'll look into it".

What to do about this? I really like their silks, I want to order more, but it's becoming an increasingly frustrating process! They send out little gifts with their orders, like beeswax, needles, and unnumbered skeins of silk, and that's very nice, but I'd much rather they just GET IT RIGHT!

All right, rant over - and I'd be grateful for any advice!

[rcperryls]

My goodness! They have a real problem and it sounds like they don't know how to solve it. And if other people are having similar problems they must be barely holding their heads above water. Can you tell by the posts on their FB page if this is a problem others are commenting on? I think I would let them know that I am reluctant to not order the silks because they are so wonderful, but that you won't be able to continue doing so until they have a better handle on not just the production of their beautiful silks but in the distribution of them as well, if that is what you are planning. that might get you an answer. If not, know that you will be frustrated with them and you might want to get as many of their silks as you can afford, because they may not be in business too long. Of course, it could be like the people who make the millennium frames. From the number of posts I've read about them, the frustration of dealing with them is more than worth it.

I know this doesn't help much, but this is one of those quandaries that are so hard to solve. Hopefully someone else will have a better idea of what your options are.

Carole

[poppy]

First, French post is a pain. My sister's Christmas parcel sent on the 3rd of December with an M&S scarf, socks for her DH, chocolates and goodies has still to arrive...

I would send another clear email with the title :URGENT ,stating in bullet points what is now to be addressed. I would finish saying:
Your silks are beautiful and I value your online shop, however this need to be resolved asap as it is causing me great concern by now.

I think that what I would do....

Sorry to hear about this, Mabel.

[Mabel Figworthy]

Thanks Carole and Poppy. Part of the trouble is that as a two-man business ourselves (and a one-woman business as Mabel) I feel bad about giving them a hard time. On the other hand, I do want this addressed!

I think I'll give them until a week has passed since my last email, and then do the bullet point thing. I'd ring them, but there is no phone number on their website as they say reception is very bad where they are (out in the sticks). It says:
"The most reliable way to contact us is always by email. Phone service here in the depths of the country can be a little erratic. We look at email all day long so just drop us a line if you have any queries and we will get back to you the same day. " Well.

[rcperryls]

If you had customers that were experiencing the kind of problems with you that you are having with Silk Mill, wouldn't you want them to inform you about it (and I think you are giving them anything but a hard time) rather than just give up and fade away. Plus this isn't the best publicity they can have. I dread to think what it might be like if they were shipping to North America, Australia or many of the other places that our members reside. I know you respond to emails and customer concerns asap, but write the letter you would want to receive if it was a customer complaining to you.

And please don't feel guilty. You have been exceptionally patient (more than I would be)

Carole

[Podolyanka]

It is obviously a wrong shop. I would send them back all their wrong threads and other stuff and demand my money back (if you prepaid). And at least my acquaintances and I would never ever buy anything there.

[richardandtracy]

Incompetence seems to be endemic with them. Failing sending them 1kg of explosives (which would make you feel better, though there would be lots of unintended consequences), I suggest you explain in an e-mail why you are never going to use them again, and then stick to your word. Neither reply to nor open any further communication from them.
Point to this thread in your final e-mail. Post similar threads everywhere else you visit, and also link to them in your final e-mail.
Then behave as if they never existed.

A shame, but given the shambles of their responses to you, they can expect no better treatment.

Regards,

Richard.

[Mabel Figworthy]

Richard, Lyudmila, I see your point, but there is one drawback to it - I really like their silks, I have half a collection of it and need some more colours for two projects for which I am specifically buying these, and no-one else sells them because, well, they're their silks!

So for now I think it'll be Carole's approach, plus letting them know that I am not likely to recommend them if this goes on, however lovely their silks.

[Mabel Figworthy]

I will also quote "we will get back to you the same day" to them.

PS Richard I couldn't possibly send explosives, they'd ruin the silks

[wendywombat]

What a quandary, Mabel! You love the silks, want the silks but you hate the organisation for supplying the silks!

I also think that Richard's idea might just prove detrimental to you getting any more silks, or at least those not smoke damaged!!

I would go with Carole's suggestion too.
The fact that they have no phone number is because they don't want frustrated customers haranguing them!!
I've just looked them up and they are in Prayssas...that's about an hour 15 from me!!!

Odd that! Their currency is £'s not €'s

Helene's comment about French post is a valid one! We have had considerable delays in getting items sent To us in France. Important letters have taken weeks to arrive but I've sent letters and packages To the UK without a problem.

[Mabel Figworthy]

OK, here is what I wrote to them today - I'll let you know if it works!

"Dear Georgie and Wendy,

I'm in a dilemma. I love your silks – they are beautiful, and once you've got used to handling them, lovely to work with. I like supporting small businesses – my husband and I run our own business with just the two of us, and my embroidery business is a one-woman outfit, so I know the challenges. You are very generous and come across as genuinely wanting to be helpful. But communications with you are getting ever more frustrating.

On your website you say "The most reliable way to contact us is always by email [...] We look at email all day long so just drop us a line if you have any queries and we will get back to you the same day." This is very obviously not the case. Several times I have waited for a reaction for days, sometimes more than a week, and sometimes in spite of my sending follow-up emails or FB messages, and in spite of promises to get back to me "tomorrow" or "on Monday". If you find it difficult to reply to all emails quickly, then please say so – don't promise a same-day response which just leads to irritation when it doesn't happen (by quite a stretch).

Added to that there is the fact that when you respond, you seem to respond to only a part of the message. At its mildest, there was no acknowledgement whatsoever of my remarks about the very similar greens in my order. I said in my email that I realised choosing from a monitor was tricky, and that it was not a complaint but a hopefully helpful remark. It went completely unregarded.

More seriously, from my very first email about the November order I have asked about the set of three blues which were so different from the website that no monitor setting could account for it. As that question was not addressed, I mentioned it in several other emails and messages. Nothing. It may well be that there is an explanation about it in the parcel that is so long in coming, which you sent on 15th December – but I don't know because nothing has been said about it!

When I asked about the parcel, I was told it was probably because of the postal strikes. Friends living in France have told me that the situation is indeed pretty dire. I accept that. But when I asked "could you tell me when a parcel is officially classed as 'missing' so I will know when to contact you", that again went unanswered.

When the shade cards turned up (quite quickly, which was nice), there were some extra silks in there. I'd been in contact with you about the shade cards and the missing parcel, but at no point was it mentioned that some of the missing silks would be sent with the shade cards, or what I was to do if the earlier parcel also turns up and I will (presumably) have several doubles.

Two of the extra silks were some I'd mentioned wanting to buy in my 27th November email, but as there had been no mention in any of your emails about whether it would be possible to send these with the missing silks, I must admit I'd forgotten about them, and had in fact put one of those colours on my shade card. I'm not objecting to receiving them, but it would have been nice to know that they were coming, especially as my original email asked about whether it would be possible to send them – a note saying "yes it is, and we will" would have been helpful.

The replacement silks in the package were correct, but one shade was still missing, and still no mention of the blues. I also needed to know how to pay for the new silks. I emailed you about that a week ago. No reply.

A day later I added a note about one of the shades on the shade card being wrong. No reply.

Some of those silks I bought were for two specific projects, and the shade cards were partly to determine which others to get to complete the set I need for those projects. But I'm getting very reluctant to order because most of the time I'm completely in the dark about what is happening, and in both my orders so far there have been errors. I placed my original order more than two months ago, and I still haven't got all the silks I ordered, or an answer to (or even an acknowledgement of!) my query about the blues (which still show on your website as lightish shades, very unlike the extremely dark blues I was sent).

I would appreciate a prompt reply, addressing the points raised above (the main ones repeated here in brief):
- What exactly is in the parcel that has not arrived yet (does it include the missing shade 3138 Pomegranate which was not with the replacements in the shade card parcel).
- Whether that parcel addresses the matter of the blue shades 4001, 4002 and 4003; if so how; and if not, why not.
- How I can pay for the two new silks.
- What you will do about the wrong shade on the shade card (3259 Silver Down has a yellow attached to it).
- What you want me to do with duplicates if some of the silks in the missing parcel are the same as the ones you sent with the shade card.

With kind regards,
Ilke Cochrane"

[Podolyanka]

Well done, Ilke.

1.The text could not have been written better even by a group of the best professional lawyers.

2. Your patience and politeness are really impressive.

3. Your starting with love for their silks made me smile- that's what I call a true lady's letter of complaint.

And no, I would not buy their super silks again simply because there is enough of stress in this life without unskillful and/or careless sellers' adding to it.

[Mabel Figworthy]

I got a practically instantaneous reply, and it explains everything. Without betraying confidences, there is severe illness in the family. Wendy made me a ridiculously generous offer of sending me anything that was wrong or missing completely free of charge (either for the silks or the postage), which I declined with thanks. The silks can wait.

But it's a difficult one, isn't it! I can understand that as a business you don't necessarily want to share personal details with everyone; on the other hand, if there had been even just a line on the website saying "illness in the family - please bear with us", with no further details, I wouldn't have got so irritated! Anyway, I've told her to attend to what is important, and get to the silks as and when life is a bit less challenging.

[rcperryls]

I think that your letter is the most complimentary and positive complaint letter that I have ever read. I've been thinking that these women are in over their heads and that the business took off much more quickly and with more orders than they anticipated. I wondered if it had been a small local one that went online because so many of their customers told them they should expand. Then a serious family issue took time away and they became overwhelmed. Hope things improve for them and I am looking forward to seeing what you do to work your magic with the silks.

Carole

[wendywombat]

Well at least you got a quick reply!!
As you say they could put up a message on their site. It doesn't have to give full details does it, just apologising because of illness is enough!

It still puzzles me how they say that their phone system is unreliable! They must just be operating with a mobile network. There are still villages near me where the mobile network is poor.