D
Deleted member 88683
Guest
Sorry i am a keen pc builder, this topic is not doing me much good, i have deleted some of my comments, sorry to all, wish you all the best and hope you get your system soon. 
Every week my order gets delayed.
- Thread starter TwoBrainCells
- Start date
I think this is one of the few occasions where this forum has actually been detrimental to PCS. I genuinely believe that people feel they are airing their concerns to PCS when writing in here. The frustration is then building because "PCS" aren't doing anything about it.
If everyone has been continually emailing, calling and asking via live chat about their orders then maybe I'm wrong, but I honestly feel that the reaction from PCS is late because they haven't been aware of the size of the growing concern of their customers. This has exploded over the past couple of weeks because of the vocal group expanding and coming on here to vent..... being met with further frustration at the apparent lack of action on their queries.
If I had just purchased a PC I would probably be in the same boat, coming to the forum to vent and expect some sort of information flow. Unfortunately, it's not well recognised that this forum won't actually get any real reaction without direct intervention from the mods.
PCS would have of course been aware of the increasing timescales etc, but they are very unlikely to have been previously aware of the level of unrest due to the lack of clarity and information...... because the numbers coming here offset what was visible to them.
If everyone has been continually emailing, calling and asking via live chat about their orders then maybe I'm wrong, but I honestly feel that the reaction from PCS is late because they haven't been aware of the size of the growing concern of their customers. This has exploded over the past couple of weeks because of the vocal group expanding and coming on here to vent..... being met with further frustration at the apparent lack of action on their queries.
If I had just purchased a PC I would probably be in the same boat, coming to the forum to vent and expect some sort of information flow. Unfortunately, it's not well recognised that this forum won't actually get any real reaction without direct intervention from the mods.
PCS would have of course been aware of the increasing timescales etc, but they are very unlikely to have been previously aware of the level of unrest due to the lack of clarity and information...... because the numbers coming here offset what was visible to them.
TwistedAnimator
Member
I'm on the same timescale (WD 21) and I've just got the notification that my PC has gone into building.
For those that are interested, I spoke to PCS on Saturday and was told I was 295 in the queue so they're clearly still pushing out a fair few builds each day.
ubuysa
The BSOD Doctor
Just so that people don't think the mods only ban people, last Friday I contacted the PCS employee who administers these fora to alert him to the complaints being aired on here. I also emailed a special 'mods only' address within PCS that same Friday to alert them to what was happening on here. I know other moderators have been taking similar action.
Both replied. The forum admin was working from home (he has lots of other responsibilities, forum admin is the least part of what he does) and wasn't able to help much. In ordinary circumstances he'd have wandered over to the customer service people to see what was going on, but these aren't ordinary circumstances.
The 'mods only 'email generated a reply from customer services at PCS who told me of the manual email updates they planned to implement and which they seem to be now doing. I didn't post that information on here because it's not for me (not a PCS employee) to speak on behalf of PCS.
Even on here then, where we're all volunteers, it has not been the case that nothing has been happening. We have been escalating the concerns voiced on here and PCS have been listening. Change takes time however, you can't turn a ship around in its own length. Change is happening.
Yes Scott - quite possibly an element of that. Possibly also customers being alerted more quickly to the delays on here ahead of reaching their original 'estimates' where the would originally start wondering whats going on - so the concern has ramped up more quickly.
But then it will perhaps work in favour of them too - in normal situation people would get their PC and just vent on trustadvisor, facebook or google reviews etc. Lot of people venting on here will then not need to do so in other channels affecting longer term ratings and this thread will get lost in time. So i see the benefit and disadvantages.
Appreciate it sounds like they've had a large surge in orders in space of the end of May / start of June which they couldn't handle off their reduced manpower and the backlog just escalated. My issue is every time I have tried to talk to them I get a response that doesn't leave me any clearer whats going on (and have been emailing them - live chatting). All they can say is here's our usual process its been disrupted but our previous estimate (the 15-18 days which is clearly wrong) is our best at present. So it feels like nothing was getting through their initial customer service wall that there was concern mounting.
Positively it looks from above like they are perhaps starting to get things done at the 20-21 day mark so fingers crossed they're over the crest now and estimates do start to come down.
I think most recognise and appreciate the help and advice you all give, even through the heated moments driven by peoples frustration / misunderstandings. I certainly do even if my frustration hasn't made that clear at times.
But then it will perhaps work in favour of them too - in normal situation people would get their PC and just vent on trustadvisor, facebook or google reviews etc. Lot of people venting on here will then not need to do so in other channels affecting longer term ratings and this thread will get lost in time. So i see the benefit and disadvantages.
Appreciate it sounds like they've had a large surge in orders in space of the end of May / start of June which they couldn't handle off their reduced manpower and the backlog just escalated. My issue is every time I have tried to talk to them I get a response that doesn't leave me any clearer whats going on (and have been emailing them - live chatting). All they can say is here's our usual process its been disrupted but our previous estimate (the 15-18 days which is clearly wrong) is our best at present. So it feels like nothing was getting through their initial customer service wall that there was concern mounting.
Positively it looks from above like they are perhaps starting to get things done at the 20-21 day mark so fingers crossed they're over the crest now and estimates do start to come down.
I think most recognise and appreciate the help and advice you all give, even through the heated moments driven by peoples frustration / misunderstandings. I certainly do even if my frustration hasn't made that clear at times.
Apologies, re-reading it looks as if I've suggested that nothing has been done in the background, I'm obviously well aware of the highlighting and pushing to get this noticed.
I was more meaning the time-line of events. It took a little time for us to recognise the escalation initially, for it to get to a point where we heard the "danger will" alarm bells going off.
Perfectly put by yourself the course of events though, so completely support the statement
Last edited:
Ultimately I think that is what has been the problem - PCS could've done more to communicate and engage their customers here in the forums. It's all well and good to allow volunteers and [volunteer] mods to speak but as Ubuysa rightly says, there are some things that only PCS employees can address.
As I said previously, there have been many posts going back years where people have called out the inaccuracies of the predicted timescales from delivery to order - they simply do not seem to have been based in reality at times.
And whilst I do believe that people are genuinely accepting of bad news, what they don't like is no news or inaccurate news. It's good that PCS have switched to manual reports.
I do wish they'd have staff spend a bit more time here sometimes - now is probably, ironically, one of the times most needed but also one of the times they can least spare the people to actually do it.
At the end of the day, it boils down to a simple choice for people though (note I said simple, not easy): wait and hope the end result is worth all what ultimately will be a short term frustration period (and of course vent some of it here), or take a gamble to either another builder can meet the same spec, price and tighter timescales, or even build their own machine with all the associated potential issues that brings.
I am not trying in any way to be dismissive, but by the same token, none of the mods can do any more than they have. It sucks to have to be in such a position and I do feel for everyone in it.
As I said previously, there have been many posts going back years where people have called out the inaccuracies of the predicted timescales from delivery to order - they simply do not seem to have been based in reality at times.
And whilst I do believe that people are genuinely accepting of bad news, what they don't like is no news or inaccurate news. It's good that PCS have switched to manual reports.
I do wish they'd have staff spend a bit more time here sometimes - now is probably, ironically, one of the times most needed but also one of the times they can least spare the people to actually do it.
At the end of the day, it boils down to a simple choice for people though (note I said simple, not easy): wait and hope the end result is worth all what ultimately will be a short term frustration period (and of course vent some of it here), or take a gamble to either another builder can meet the same spec, price and tighter timescales, or even build their own machine with all the associated potential issues that brings.
I am not trying in any way to be dismissive, but by the same token, none of the mods can do any more than they have. It sucks to have to be in such a position and I do feel for everyone in it.
ubuysa
The BSOD Doctor
That would be ideal and perhaps after this one or two might.
It's worth adding that whenever anything is posted here that any of the mods think needs a PCS employee to respond (or even just see) we do pass that up the line to PCS.
There is also a private moderator and administrator forum where we and the PCS forum administrators can highlight issues, seek guidance, etc.
The mods on here are not as autonomous as it might appear, there are several lines of communication between us and PCS and they are well used.
Via Tapatalk
miz
Member
Same i'm waiting 33 days and I bought this PC as my birthday present thinking it would arrive relativity quickly.
MichaelSmith457
Bronze Level Poster
Hi
I have read with interest the comments on this thread, I do have empathy with the Mods as they do make it quite clear they are not employed by PCS.
I have had solid advice from Scott and SpyderTracks and a couple of other forum users and eventually cancelled my first order and rebuilt to their suggested specs plus a couple of extra bits. I am currently on WD 7 (ordered on the 12th June) and received an email on Monday to say that my estimated build date is the 22nd July, I don't know what the protocol is as far as parts availability, like for instance do they guestimate the date that they will receive parts or do they actually have them in stock when you order and they accept your order.
If I had known that the build could take up to 2 months I probably would have not paid nearly £1500 deposit straight away, I would of paid a smaller deposit and kept the rest in my bank should I wish to change my mind.
I have copied the transcript of the email I received so that the moderators can see what we are being sent, the email obviously has a lot of get out clauses, but at least it is a step in the right direction.:-
Dear Michael
Just a quick update to keep you informed on the build status of your order. We aim to send you this update email every 5 days until your order is assembled so that you can keep track on the progress.
We have a finite number of staff and a varying orderbook and this means that lead times change daily depending on the number of orders we are processing. We can calculate an estimated build date based on the number of orders placed before you and the number of orders we are assembling per day. This date is not a guaranteed assembly date, nor is it a promise that you order will be assembled on or around this date, it is simply our best estimate of when we will assemble your order.
The current estimated build date for your order is: Wednesday 22 July 2020.
We will send you another email with an updated build schedule in 5 days time, or if we discover any foreseen delays we will call you.
Kind Regards
PC Specialist Ltd
Thank you Moderators for what you do, stay safe.
Mick
I have read with interest the comments on this thread, I do have empathy with the Mods as they do make it quite clear they are not employed by PCS.
I have had solid advice from Scott and SpyderTracks and a couple of other forum users and eventually cancelled my first order and rebuilt to their suggested specs plus a couple of extra bits. I am currently on WD 7 (ordered on the 12th June) and received an email on Monday to say that my estimated build date is the 22nd July, I don't know what the protocol is as far as parts availability, like for instance do they guestimate the date that they will receive parts or do they actually have them in stock when you order and they accept your order.
If I had known that the build could take up to 2 months I probably would have not paid nearly £1500 deposit straight away, I would of paid a smaller deposit and kept the rest in my bank should I wish to change my mind.
I have copied the transcript of the email I received so that the moderators can see what we are being sent, the email obviously has a lot of get out clauses, but at least it is a step in the right direction.:-
Dear Michael
Just a quick update to keep you informed on the build status of your order. We aim to send you this update email every 5 days until your order is assembled so that you can keep track on the progress.
We have a finite number of staff and a varying orderbook and this means that lead times change daily depending on the number of orders we are processing. We can calculate an estimated build date based on the number of orders placed before you and the number of orders we are assembling per day. This date is not a guaranteed assembly date, nor is it a promise that you order will be assembled on or around this date, it is simply our best estimate of when we will assemble your order.
The current estimated build date for your order is: Wednesday 22 July 2020.
We will send you another email with an updated build schedule in 5 days time, or if we discover any foreseen delays we will call you.
Kind Regards
PC Specialist Ltd
Thank you Moderators for what you do, stay safe.
Mick
I believe all the parts should be in stock and allocated to your build. There are obviously occasions where this won't work out, as if a machine fails and requires the same GPU, it will end up removed from the furthest back order. Clearly this is an extreme case but I believe it's the only time where it will come build day and for your parts not to be there.
mikey77
Member
the part that is hard to believe is that where they are saying that my order will be with me at theend of next week
When I ordered it was 10-18 working days to build
ubuysa
The BSOD Doctor
We've pointed out several times now that the early delivery estimates, like your 10-18 working days, were coming from the automated estimating system which was clearly unable to factor in the COVID restrictions. Those dates should be disregarded in favour of the information now being supplied manually via email.
Regarding stock levels, when their 'just in time' stock reorder system was working well I'm sure that parts were allocated to new orders as they arrived. In the current uncertain climate and worldwide stock shortages I doubt that's the case. The individual manual build advice emails should include any stock shortage delays I would think.
Via Tapatalk
Just for reference to anyone interested, I ordered on the 3rd June and on the call last night I was informed that I’m #1300 in the queue, down from #4600 at the time of purchase.
I agree with some of the comments previously made regarding updates etc. I think it’s the fact people do not know when their PC will be built. Knowing what position I am in the build queue is actually quite satisfying as I now know not to expect my PC for at least the next 2 weeks. I can forget about it until then!
I agree with some of the comments previously made regarding updates etc. I think it’s the fact people do not know when their PC will be built. Knowing what position I am in the build queue is actually quite satisfying as I now know not to expect my PC for at least the next 2 weeks. I can forget about it until then!
ubuysa
The BSOD Doctor
keithbeaks
Enthusiast
I ordered June 1 and my build is July 3. But I have read other orders from June 1 who have a build date two days before and some two days after.
I ordered at the worst time possible I think haha. But hey amazing help from the forum with my build, my PC knowledge is 6000% better and all being well I'll have a great machine in 7-10 days.
I've also changed my build a few times which has both made it better and saved me money.... I wouldn't have been able to do that if it was built and shipped in a week.
Last night and was on hold for about 20 mins or so. Nothing worse than I’ve experienced with other companies.
they said I didn’t have an estimated build time but the guy on the phone said it could be about 2 weeks before it’s looked at but not to hold him to the date which I respect as he doesn’t actually know he’s just trying to give some estimation!