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My customer journey with Paul Hynes...


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Being on the quest for high performance power supply for my DAC since several months, I eventually ended by ordering an SR7 to Paul Hynes.
The man is known to build terrific good power supply for audio gear, so it looks to be a logical choice to get something crafted by him...
 

Normally, I should now start writing my SR7 user impression in "The Paul Hynes SR7" thread under Equipment>Music Servers, the simple reason I'm not there is that my SR7 is not here...
 

The power supply was supposed to be delivered on December 20, the schedule was very realistic since Paul had everything on hand but the transformer which was confirmed being ordered by him on October 1st, 2018.
 

I'm still scratching my head, why this ended wrong, also why he didn't rise the flag when it was obvious for him our deadline could not be met, also why he did choose to not answer my e-mails inquiring for update...
 

As it seems now obvious I'm not the only one waiting on something to be build by Paul, I believe it's worth to share my whole customer journey with him, let's start with the message I sent him yesterday, after he announced everybody on this forum he will be off for holiday till January 2nd, 2019.
 

My words might sound rude to some here, but I believe it will be enlightening for a majority. Personally I would have appreciated someone else did that before I engage with Paul ...not necessarily that i would have refrained to do so, but it would have made the situation much more clear.

 

Subject: Thank you Paul...

 

Hi Paul,

 

Hereby I would like to thank you for your work, punctuality and customer care.
Having delivered my order in time and matter, as promised is really delightful...

 

...yep, this is the kind of words I would probably have been glad to write yesterday December 20 or any other day before, provided you would have been able to hold your engagement Paul.
Also, this is kind of message you would have been proud to receive, as every master workman and gentleman would deserve.

 

Instead of that, I'm let alone with the disappointment of your inability to just finish and ship something that represents barely 3 days of your work.
Let alone to come with a clear and simple status of your progress so far on this very job...

 

I'm puzzled by some of the reasons rose to possibly hold you to deliver my SR7 order.
Moving premise is known time consuming, but since most of the related tasks and material are late, lost or wrong, I see no point to not work and do progress on your outstanding SR7 custom builds.
Those are hand made by you and do not require a full factory to be completed, as all previous SR7 delivery demonstrate.
Aside of that, weather conditions, health and family is something everyone has to deal with, be insured I'm with you.

 

I imagine that you will be soon off for holidays - btw, how come you are never late to take holidays ? - such a sense of duty and self-respect.

 

In the meantime, I will think further about our arrangement, the way you manage your part so far and possible consequences.
Failing to deliver and not contacting me proactively when it was obvious our deadline was at risk falls clearly below expectations.
Not answering to my e-mails asking about update just adds insult to blunder...
All in one, your customer care attitude is not in line with the fact that once you took my money you committed to deliver and therefore are in now in debt.
I would feel ashamed at your place Paul.

 

As I would like to finish on something positive, may I wish you luck Paul, this is something you could get usage of in 2019.

 

Sincerely, François

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Hello Francois,

 

The cancelled order SR7 you purchased was still in the custom build queue and subject to queue courtesy. The estimated preparation time was based on position in the queue and knowledge at the time you placed your order. Unfortunately it is impossible to predict the future accurately which is why my ordering terms allow for delays caused by circumstances beyond my control. When a delay occurs the whole queue moves back accordingly. It is common knowledge that delays occur with these custom build orders but they do get completed and shipped out.

 

At this point I have to say that I did not give you a categorical guarantee that you would receive the power supply by 20th December. In my e-mail of 26th of September I stated that “assuming no issues along the way it should be possible to ship this power supply during the first week in December”

 

Regarding the delay to your order I notified you on the 6th December of the delays with the move to the new premises. The move to these premises was originally scheduled for last summer where I would be able to use my summer holidays to make the transfer with little or no impact on the build schedule. However the move schedule was delayed firstly with a new start date for the beginning of September and secondly a further delayed start date on the 5th November due to the landlord being unable to find local contractors with free time to complete works required to prepare the premises for general occupation.

 

All the workshop equipment, office equipment and stock from home was packed and stacked in the hallway during the week before the 5th November ready for transfer to the new premises as the room I was using for business at home is being re-furbished with disabled facilities to cope with family requirements.

 

Business premises have to comply with more rigorous building regulations and health and safety requirements than home workspace, here in the UK, before use is permitted. There have been delays with compliance where contractors qualified for the required works have been unable to complete the works where bad weather has caused delays with materials and transit here to complete the work. The last hurdles for compliance, as far as I am currently aware, are the solder fume extraction installation and anchoring the workbenches to the wall so they cannot topple forwards onto anyone working at the benches. The fume extraction is likely to be completed in January now, but I have a couple of bench top fume absorbsion units on order, which should be delivered on 2nd January, to allow us to use the workbenches until the extraction system is actually installed. The workbench anchor will be completed as soon as the anchor extrusions arrive.

 

South Uist is an island over 50 miles from the UK mainland on the East side and directly facing the Atlantic on the West side with the next landfall being Canada. We do not usually get clearly defined seasons here like those on the mainland, just weather, and the weather can be appalling for quite long periods during the winter months when the Atlantic storms batter the islands. There are scheduled ferries to and from the mainland during this period but they are completely unreliable as bad weather causes many cancellations. This, of course, affects supplies inward, shipments outward, business and family health appointments off island. On trips off island I have often been delayed returning due to ferry cancellations. I am afraid there is nothing I can do about the weather, so weather related delays are included in my custom build ordering terms.

 

I had expected to have the business premises operational within two weeks of starting the preparations for the move but the accumulation of delays has prolonged this. I currently have no alternative area to process power supply build so I have been concentrating on getting the premises ready as quickly as possible and getting the tech computer re-built after the unfortunate meltdown of the ATX PSU powering it. I have also been preparing the office/workshop computer systems. I have not answered your recent e-mails over the last couple of weeks because I have either been too busy progressing installations at the new premises or away off island last week dealing with family health appointments when the weather settled.

 

As the primary carer for two disabled family members I do not have the luxury of unlimited free time to devote to business activity. I have rather specific obligations regarding this care duty that cannot be compromised and this does restrict my work time availability. I have clearly stated on this forum, and others, that working hours are typically from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. I do not work weekends due to family commitments and I take holidays like everyone else. Here in the UK holidays are considered essential for mental wellbeing. Perhaps not in Switzerland.

 

I appreciate that you are disappointed and are now taking further consideration regarding our arrangement. If you do not wish to continue with the order there are people awaiting cancelled orders, especially the DR versions, so I can offer this power supply to someone else with a less urgent requirement and provide you with a refund when the power supply is sold. You can advise me of your decision via e-mail and I will deal with this on my return after the holiday.

 

Regards

Paul

 

Design and manufacture of high performance power supplies

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20 minutes ago, Norton said:

So because something wasn’t delivered by Dec 20th, it  merits a long “name and shame” post on CA by the 22nd? Surely better just to sort out directly with the supplier?

 

It's shame that it had to come to this but I think the central issue isn't the delay in delivery but the failure to respond to the OP's email requests for updates.

 

Perhaps Paul could add a page to his website showing where individual orders are in the queue so his customers can get some assurance that things are moving along. 

 

 

Sometimes it's like someone took a knife, baby
Edgy and dull and cut a six inch valley
Through the middle of my skull

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I would assuredly take this order if it gets cancelled.  I already grabbed one cancellation, am in the queue for that one, and would take this one too for sure. 

 

Custom = delays, and I am totally ok with that. The best comes with a price. 

 

While I appreciate suggestions regarding PH keeping customers informed, I for one don’t want him updating a customer timing database, but, rather, just want him to build PSU’s and have folks understand and trust that he is doing his best. 

 

My 2 cents. 

- Mark

 

Synology DS916+ > SoTM dCBL-CAT7 > Netgear switch > SoTM dCBL-CAT7 > dCS Vivaldi Upsampler (Nordost Valhalla 2 power cord) > Nordost Valhalla 2 Dual 110 Ohm AES/EBU > dCS Vivaldi DAC (David Elrod Statement Gold power cord) > Nordost Valhalla 2 xlr > Absolare Passion preamp (Nordost Valhalla 2 power cord) > Nordost Valhalla 2 xlr > VTL MB-450 III (Shunyata King Cobra CX power cords) > Nordost Valhalla 2 speaker > Kaiser Kaewero Classic /JL Audio F110 (Wireworld Platinum power cord).

 

Power Conditioning: Entreq Olympus Tellus grounding (AC, preamp and dac) / Shunyata Hydra Triton + Typhoon (Shunyata Anaconda ZiTron umbilical/Shunyata King Cobra CX power cord) > Furutec GTX D-Rhodium AC outlet.

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These issues are common in the sports car aftermarket/small co. world.  A guy runs his very small business all by himself and gets behind, his wife gets cancer, he gets sick, etc.  A fast moving forest or brush fire wipes out their house and shop (and server)...

 

I agree people should post a tweet or put something on their web site at least.  But...

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6 hours ago, MarkS said:

I would assuredly take this order if it gets cancelled.  I already grabbed one cancellation, am in the queue for that one, and would take this one too for sure. 

 

Custom = delays, and I am totally ok with that. The best comes with a price. 

 

While I appreciate suggestions regarding PH keeping customers informed, I for one don’t want him updating a customer timing database, but, rather, just want him to build PSU’s and have folks understand and trust that he is doing his best. 

 

My 2 cents. 

+1

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Seems my post has raised the attention line...

 

Quite a long and exhaustive answer from Paul, few lines very specific to my e-mails, in due time would have been good enough.
Also as disappointed I'm that original agreed deadline has been missed, I'm fare from thinking on an escape.
Quite opposite, accounting I'm few working days close to the goal, I'm expecting Paul to resume his work and deliver my build as defined and agreed.

 

Even being highly disappointing, main problem is not missing a rated achievable deadline, but

     1. misleading informations which trigger my commitment on this very build
     2. missing to update customer when it was obvious original delivery agreement is at risk or cannot be hold
     3. ignoring customer e-mails asking for update on the progress of a specific work

     4. finally not even a personal apologize prior to announce widely going off for holiday break on this forum

 

I have to apologize being only a very beginner regarding custom build paid in advance protocol, on the other end when it comes to business and agreement, I'm pretty sharp.
It remains, I'm alway open to find a solution, but for that there must be established and trusted communication first.
So I will write to Paul and expect he will answer this time and the forthcoming one till my build get delivered.

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17 hours ago, kumakuma said:

 

It's shame that it had to come to this but I think the central issue isn't the delay in delivery but the failure to respond to the OP's email requests for updates.

 

Perhaps Paul could add a page to his website showing where individual orders are in the queue so his customers can get some assurance that things are moving along. 

 

 

 

You spot it, no communication is the trigger point issue here.
Provide more visibility will automatically lead in more delivery.

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22 minutes ago, your momo said:

 

You spot it, no communication is the trigger point issue here.
Provide more visibility will automatically lead in more delivery.

 

Dude, you skipped the queue when you agreed to take on a cancelled order. You also knew fine well the person whose order you were taking on was cancelling because of delays.

 

So you must have known that delays were possible or even likely given the SR7 delays to date. But now you want to post this name and shame tantrum because your order is late too.

 

Pretty ironic really!

Synergistic Research Powercell UEF SE > Sonore OpticalModule (LPS-1.2 & DXP-1A5DSC) > EtherRegen (SR4T & DXP-1A5DSC) > (Sablon 2020 LAN) Innuos PhoenixNet > Muon Streaming System > Grimm Audio MU1 server > (Sablon AES) Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC > PS Audio M1200 monoblocks > Salk Sound Supercharged Songtowers

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4 hours ago, your momo said:

Seems my post has raised the attention line...

 

Quite a long and exhaustive answer from Paul, few lines very specific to my e-mails, in due time would have been good enough.
Also as disappointed I'm that original agreed deadline has been missed, I'm fare from thinking on an escape.
Quite opposite, accounting I'm few working days close to the goal, I'm expecting Paul to resume his work and deliver my build as defined and agreed.

 

Even being highly disappointing, main problem is not missing a rated achievable deadline, but

     1. misleading informations which trigger my commitment on this very build
     2. missing to update customer when it was obvious original delivery agreement is at risk or cannot be hold
     3. ignoring customer e-mails asking for update on the progress of a specific work

     4. finally not even a personal apologize prior to announce widely going off for holiday break on this forum

 

I have to apologize being only a very beginner regarding custom build paid in advance protocol, on the other end when it comes to business and agreement, I'm pretty sharp.
It remains, I'm alway open to find a solution, but for that there must be established and trusted communication first.
So I will write to Paul and expect he will answer this time and the forthcoming one till my build get delivered.

 

A minimal effort at due diligence by reading the SR7 thread would have revealed the delays and frustrations you would experience before you ever placed an order.  Shame on you for berating Paul and wasting his valuable time when some of us have been waiting for over a year and are still many months away from receiving our orders.

 

 

 

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7 hours ago, PeterSt said:

 

Maybe it is a good idea to talk people into it not being normal at all that "a business" is allowed to keep people waiting forever just because it is a one man boutique show. Personally I don't like to call that a business. I'd call it merely a most easy way of making money without taking risks anywhere. The crowd funding principle, which I also deem ridiculous. But alas.

 

I don't know what I'm seeing when people actually accept such behavior as normal. But indeed, accept it more and it will even be more normal again.

Crazy.

 

It isn't.  And in the US I believe it violates federal law.

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8 hours ago, PeterSt said:

 

EDIT}

8 hours ago, PeterSt said:

 

I don't know what I'm seeing when people actually accept such behavior as normal. But indeed, accept it more and it will even be more normal again.

Crazy.

 

 

It is NOT normal business practice, but it is, however, audio............we pay for all sorts of things that are not normal.  Again, most audio folks know it takes a long time to get some products.....if you can't wait, don't order.

In any dispute the intensity of feeling is inversely proportional to the value of the issues at stake ~ Sayre's Law

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