That may be even worse, I almost don't want to know!!
That may be even worse, I almost don't want to know!!
I could be changing my mood in the coming days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well atleast my books has arrived now, yes it has the problem but i'm not stressed all day waiting for the postman to arrive
First off, I am speaking as ME not an official of Grant Publishing.
I am a human being! I am working as fast as I can!
Hell, I have been working nights and weekends to try to get this book out to people!
If I am not answering emails, it's because I am shipping orders out!
I am the ONLY ONE who answers all emails, processes all payments and does ALL the foreign shipping. Marie only worked two days a week with us and has not been with us for about a month.
The boss just packs up the US orders I do everything else.
I am TRYING my best to prioritize what needs to be done first. Some things stay undone a bit longer.
I packed and shipped orders all day yesterday and didn't answer ONE email.
I feel useless and unproductive every day and I am sorry for that. We thought we could handle it if Marie only worked two days, we were wrong. Lesson learned.
ok business for a second:
We are terribly sorry about the manufacturing problems with the book, they are beyond our control and we are trying to get in touch with the binder to see what can be done with this.
If you want us to check EACH AND EVERY book, then it will take even longer to ship. We are happy to offer replacements, just bare with us please.
Tom, we are trying to figure out the best course of action with your books. We really don't want to have to destroy another set of books overseas, so bear with me and I will let you know what our course of action is going to be. Biomeg, I don't remember seeing your email, but I will check when I get in and also let you know what we are going to do.
Greg, I can unpack your box, open your books and check for you, if you want me to. Send me a private message and let me know.
Me again
Ok, I think I am done. I hope you all have a wonderful day, mine just started off like shit and now I have even more stress than before!!!!
Thanks
Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.
No worries Karen, as i said i have the books in hand now, so there is no rush. Thanks for the updates too!
Thanks, Karen.
John
If you're fishing for sympathy, you're not getting it from me. Someone there is making the decision to have only a couple of people deal with all of these orders. I assume that decision is based on saving money... but know that the money that is being saved is also costing you money long-term by losing customers.Originally Posted by Nerak
Cemetery Dance isn't AMAZON either, yet they produce and delivery superb quality books and they also have the common sense to actually reply to emails and handle customer service like true professionals.
You're only human? What a copout. Other HUMANS get orders to their customers somewhere in the neighborhood of the release date, not months later... Other humans actually reply to emails and do so courteously, without making snide remarks in their newsletters about all the whiny customers.
I've been waiting months for my order now, which is pathetic because the only reason I even ordered the AE is so I could read it before the trade was released. So much for that, right?
That's funny you say you answer all emails, but I never got a reply to mine. And I waited patiently until 10 weeks AFTER the release date to send you one of those dreaded emails you hate so much...
Don't cry to your customers about decisions YOU yourselves make because it just makes you look foolish.
Hi Karen, thanks for the update. I sent my question regarding the DJ/endpaper issue in reply to my order confirmation which (I'm almost positive) was sent from your Grant email address. Just let me know if you can't find it. My question is simple, really. Like others, my copy also had the manufacturing problem and I was just wondering what solution (if any) is available. Looking forward to hearing from you! And good luck! Breathe in, breathe out...
I am NOT crying to my customers! I am NOT fishing for sympathy. I am just telling it like it is.
If you would like to file a formal complaint with the company, my boss's email is Robert@grantbooks.com. Feel free.
But most of what I say on here, I say as a member of tdt.org and a King fan, not a representative of Grant Books.
You wanna talk to me about the bad customer service, call me at work, don't post on a fan website about it!
Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.
Karen/DM Grant
I don't come here often (only here today to say there are numbered copies on eBay, of the UK edition 45, 54 and 179 - I know you guys keep track), but I am shocked at the vitriol being vented at Karen - I know that once paid-for, we want our books, but is it the end of the world if our collector's copies sit on our own shelves few weeks less than the years they are destined to sit there? I can get as mad as the next guy when I get poor service, but let's keep things in perspective - I have waited (literally) years for paid-for books to come out of the production process and arrive on my doorstep (not Grant books, by the way) - it would be a different matter if the item was crap when it arrives, but Grant editions are always worth the wait. And I'm here to tell you, they are superior (in my huimble opinion) to CD editions ('though Sub Press gives DMG a good run for their money) - and lovely though the CD people are, their comms leave a lot to be desired. Give Karen a break.
As I understand it Karen isn't responsible for the major business decisions like staffing and stuff like that.
Discussions will continue…. You can count on that…..and Karen, I believe you will find it hard to not take it personally as you put forth the effort to try work through this with diligence while knowing you work for Grant Books, a company with a great reputation for product and service. GRANT is having issues with TWTTK however, I doubt anyone is faulting you and we can hope you DO NOT TAKE IT PERSONALLY! The anxiety of the anxious awaiting arrivals is overwhelming and the unknown undaunting. It breeds ignorance and creates an attitude of unwillingness to understand and maintain patience when there are not answers forthcoming. Your communication here can only help. I imagine Robert would have an updated newsletter out if he had answers available and is likely frustrated in his dealing with those responsible as well. Thanks again for communication as it is key to overcoming ignorance. Be well Karen and know your efforts are appreciated!
Hopefully, the book-binder is either bonded or insured, and in the end the oh-so-evil insurance companies will come to the rescue, just like they always do, and make everything all right.
Just admit that Grant crapped the bed with TWTTKH, apologize and make it better. Don't make up excuses just fix the problem. People who pay money for a product have every right to complain if they aren't satisfied. I work in customer service and have no sympathy for Karen. Ive read the comments posted here and they are NOTHING compared to what I hear on a daily basis.
Karen, I hope your day gets better. Just wanted to say thanks. You were extremely helpful and quick resolving my WTTKH issues! You're awesome!!
Wanted: Human skin edition of The Book of the Dead. Will accept PC copy.
All I'm saying is it's not really Karen's fault if she doesn't have the resources to do what needs to be done. The problems are with Grant, not Karen (their only real employee as I understand it).
It was said above, but I also wanted to point out that I beleive the comments here about the service received from Grant is directed at the COMPANY. I can not recall one post here saying anything that indicates Karen has personally provided bad service.
Karen - try not to take comments about the company you work for personally. You said it yourself, this is a fan website and so I beleive this is the perfect place for people to discuss their experiences about ording a new King book - good or bad. You come to this site as an individual member of the site and as a King fan yourself. Not as a representive of Grant. That in itself is an example that your boss chooses to stay away from this forum thus ignoring another mode of communication to his customer base.
So that being said, Grant (the company) deserves all the bad press they get here because it is a conscious decision not to hire more staff to ship these books out quicker. You have obviously been aware of the slow pace it was going to take with 1.4 staff members, and I can only assume that feedback was passed to those who make the decisions. Feedback that has obviously gone unanswered.
Karen posted the address to directly complain to Robert Weiner (Owner of Grant Books). I suggest complaints be directed there, but would hope that unless Karen has personally screwed something up-and given the opportunity did not rectify it, that the complaints would be more pointed towards Weiner's insufficient staffing etc.
LSoE was flimsy as well.
They also seemed to just not care in regards to the dust jacket design - these two look like they were designed by a child with little ability.
I think they just cut corners on design and printing costs.
weird - mine did
Mine did too.....curious yours did not.
You know...I can complain as much as the next guy (more actually), but I am amazed that the target of those complaints is Karen. She is not the boss, odds are she does not make decisions (Karen...please take no offense at this assumption...but as it is a two-person office, I assume Robert is the Queen Bee, and you are the Worker Bee). Be pissed at the company. Be pissed at the owner of the company. Don't be pissed at the employee trying to get your stuff to you.
And no, SHE should not apologize here, as she has stated, when she posts here, she does so as a member of this communnity and not as an employee of DMG Books. And I don't think she is looking for sympathy either.
They are understaffed it would seem, and are probably not in a position to add staff at this time. Last I checked they only produced a handful of titles per year, so I doubt anyone is getting rich over at DMG.
Boohoo. You have waited a couple of months for your books. I have waited years from other publishers and they told me is what I will tell you. Either be patient, and accept their apologies for the delay, or request a refund. I just got my books recently...later than most in the US....so I can relate. I was not happy, but I did not lose sleep over it.
And as far as losing customers, yeah...they may have...but not many. The few books sales they may miss out on in the future will be far less a blow to their bottom line than if they had hired extra staff for the last month.
FOR SALE OR TRADE
Dark Tower 7 Artist Edition n/a
The Waste Lands 1st Edition in Shrinkwrap $200
1984 Grant Gift Edition of The Talisman $400
Lisey's Story ARC $50
.
.
WANTED
Signed 1st Edition of Storm of The Century (Paperback)
Yes, very much agreed. I've pointed nearly all my complaints at whoever makes the horrible business decisions we've all seen... And I will be writing Robert@grantbooks.com to tell him why I won't be ordering from Grant ever again.
That said, I received an email from Karen today asking for an image of my LSOE with today's date included somewhere in the image. She says she sent me the same request back in January and didn't get a reply... but I have the sent mail (January 25) to prove it.
So whose fault was that Karen?
This is just my opinion...im not sure that this is for the public to see. Plus, Truthfully, be lucky that you are getting a copy, there are members here that have to wait for the lottery. An overlooked email here and there happens. This is a delicate situation that may benefit from being calm. Once again, thats just my opinion. I dont look at karen as Karen from Grant when she is on this board...I look at her as Nerak, and thats how I treat her. Finally, I think it took some GUTS to come here and explain why the situation is the way it is. THe older you get sometimes you realize that a calm voice gets more done than a loud/angry one. IMO.Yes, very much agreed. I've pointed nearly all my complaints at whoever makes the horrible business decisions we've all seen... And I will be writing Robert@grantbooks.com to tell him why I won't be ordering from Grant ever again.
That said, I received an email from Karen today asking for an image of my LSOE with today's date included somewhere in the image. She says she sent me the same request back in January and didn't get a reply... but I have the sent mail (January 25) to prove it.
So whose fault was that Karen?
Just to give Karen break... I thought I will try to change the subject. Today has been exactly one month since release (4/24). . . Think about a month ago as we saw the books being posted for the first time. How exciting that was… now a month later…What have been most surprising? Most disappointing? What would you have done different?
What I find interesting is how few copies of the S/L have shown up on ebay.
By my count, less than five different copies.
I know some knucklehead is going to chime in that the reason is just because Grant hasn't shipped them yet.....so I will save you the effort.
FOR SALE OR TRADE
Dark Tower 7 Artist Edition n/a
The Waste Lands 1st Edition in Shrinkwrap $200
1984 Grant Gift Edition of The Talisman $400
Lisey's Story ARC $50
.
.
WANTED
Signed 1st Edition of Storm of The Century (Paperback)
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