Whats up? Gray Bull Precision Orders

[Elkslayer1]

Hi, whats up with Gray Bull Precision? I ordered a olive stock back on March 15th. At that time the stocks were three weeks out. Now we are almost 7 weeks out and no responses from my emails or phone calls...other than...
Thank you for contacting us. We are away from email access for a short period. Our apologies for the inconvenience. We'll get back to as soon as we can.

Not very good customer service!!! The last time I actually spoke with a person was over 3 weeks ago. Never have received a personal email.....just a computer generated one.

I hope that John Burns will comment here.

Thanks

 

[Dr. Vette]

Their stocks are made by Bell & Carlson, who chronically seem to run 12 weeks behind. I suspect that is part of your issue with the delay.

No idea why they won't respond, though.

 

[C.O. Shooter]

There's another thread going on about a guy who ordered a scope from them and has been trying to contact them!

 

[Elkslayer1]

Sounds familiar! Thanks

 

[SidecarFlip]

Companies go tits up, every day. Maybe their tits are pointing vertically.....

My suggestion is if you ordered by credit card, you initiate a chargeback to them removing the debt from your credit card, if, you don't hear from them in a week or so.

 

[Elkslayer1]

Great advise!!!! Will do!!

 

[Dr. Vette]

Or, try calling Ray Milligan at Milligan Brand Outfitters. He's one of the principals in the company (as is his head guide) and may be able to help, or at least know where John Burns is hiding.

(575) 756-2630

milliganbrand.com - Home

 

[WapitiBob]

I don't think Greybull charges till the item ships, they didn't on my stuff a few months ago.

 

[MOOSE39465]

I talked one of my friends into buying a scope from them. On there website it said the same wait tine 2 to 3 weeks. Call them after the dead line and they said that they would be shipping out the next week. We also ordered his barrel and stock for his 6.5 x 284 build. Sent the parts off to his smith to have his rifle put together. The rifle was built in one month and had to sit in his safe for another 2 months until his scope showed up. I was really looking forward to ordering me one but I don't do business with people who treat there customers poorly. What really made me mad is I was sort of his adviser for this build and they made me look like a fool.

 

[Coyboy]

I have pending orders with GrayBull, but I never get too worried when they come, because eventually they all show up. Many of you guys like to blame somebody, as to why you feel your getting shafted, well guess what. This is a very small market, most things are custom hand build to order, that means you wait. Sometimes these producers get large contracts, guess you wait a little longer then.

When some one comes up with a new idea and ask another company to build it, that company will always promise the world to the little niche company so that they get the business, but when the timeline doesn't work out there is not a lot that can be done.
graybull is at the mercy of B&C and Leupold.
G-7 is at the mercy of NF.
Guys who make DBM's are at the mercy of the mag supplier, or anodizer.
the list goes on.

It would be so nice if everyone had everything in stock 100% of the time, sorry it doesn't always work that way, with all the options and request, timeliness for production runs, order deadlines and the economics of stocking ballooning inventories by small company's, you will be setting yourself up for dismantlement. If you feel you could make a killing doing what any of these company's are doing, because you could do it better. Well then see your banker and go for it.

 

[6.5Express]

I agree with the above post BUT, I ordered a stock from those guys several months ago and was told 2-3 weeks out. After three weeks, I called to change the shipping address. I wanted to have it shipped to the smith as I had already sent the rest of my components and didn't want to pay for shipping twice. After three more weeks and no charge on the credit card, my wife called to check with them. Whoever answered the phone said, "oh yeah, it's right here." They had just flat forgot to ship my stock. I had heard rumors of poor customer service with the company but thought I'd give it a shot anyway. I'm glad I did because I really do like the stock, but sooner or later, this will hurt them in my opinion.

My suggestion to the original poster would be to check current stock here on LRH - if it's available order it through Len, and send an e-mail to Greybull requesting cancellation of the order and print / save the e-mail.

I think most smaller companies that try to direct ship stuff instead of exclusively using dealers fight the same issues.

 

[SidecarFlip]

.............Well then see your banker and go for it..............

I presume so long as it's not Citi Corp, Wells Fargo or Bang of Amerika......

You can buy from me anytime Coyboy. I think you are about the only person who understands supply chain economics. Most of my customers don't, however....

At least with my in shop manufactured items, I have excess inventory on hand most all the time becaue production runs aren't economical unless the quantity is sufficient.

That don't hold true with products I see that I source from other manufacturers. I try to anticipate demand but I'm not always successful and third party inventory can kill the bottom line...... quickly.

My previous comments were directed solely at the lack of response from the seller as it concerned inquiries from the buyer.

After the sale but before the shipment bedside manner and decorum is paramount in continued business and avoids Internet assisination.

Personally, I correspond with my customers regarding any and all delays. It makes for a much more conducive to business relationship and at least in my business, repeat sales are necessary to stay in business.

Simply put, a dealer should update a shipment status when requested to do so.

 

[MOOSE39465]

I have pending orders with GrayBull, but I never get too worried when they come, because eventually they all show up. Many of you guys like to blame somebody, as to why you feel your getting shafted, well guess what. This is a very small market, most things are custom hand build to order, that means you wait. Sometimes these producers get large contracts, guess you wait a little longer then.

When some one comes up with a new idea and ask another company to build it, that company will always promise the world to the little niche company so that they get the business, but when the timeline doesn't work out there is not a lot that can be done.
graybull is at the mercy of B&C and Leupold.
G-7 is at the mercy of NF.
Guys who make DBM's are at the mercy of the mag supplier, or anodizer.
the list goes on.

It would be so nice if everyone had everything in stock 100% of the time, sorry it doesn't always work that way, with all the options and request, timeliness for production runs, order deadlines and the economics of stocking ballooning inventories by small company's, you will be setting yourself up for dismantlement. If you feel you could make a killing doing what any of these company's are doing, because you could do it better. Well then see your banker and go for it.

I'm not planning on running to my banker anytime soon to open up a business to sell scopes,but if I did I would make sure that customer service is my #1 priority and treat my customers like they should be treated. Have a good day sir.

 

[Coyboy]

Every now and again we get these posts about supplier customer issues and we here one side of the story, and many times the customer may have expectations that their hand will be held from the order thru the entire process. Or they feel they were "promised" a product by x/y/z. I have never been promised delivery, but many times I was told you "should" have it in 2-3 weeks, "should" is no promise.

Don could very well have; a health issue come up, taken a vacation, or any number of things that may have made him difficult to reach for a week or two. Does that mean we should assume the worst? For every 3 guys saying that delivery was too long, they didn't return my e-mail, I called and no one answered; there are 100 guys who placed an order waited and recieved a stock. Do I get frustrated at some of my wait times from suppliers, hell yes. But I refrain from viserating them on the internet. (now unethical business practices and fraud are another thing.)

One bad link in the supply chain and the guy you deal with is the last link, so he is the one we beat-up on.