WB needs to communicate with its customers (1 Viewer)

[tryfon]

Hi all , like many great fan of WB over many years, and for a while now things are bad, lots of promises, but nothing, the lack of commuication is the damaging part.
The staff I believe are doing their best have no idea, told 4 weeks, , then wait definetly in 5 weeks, now 7 months later still no idea, WB you need keep customers in the loop.

Does anyone actually know if WB is folding, closing down, seems very similar the pattern like what happened to Conte

 

[thebritfarmer]

Why do they need to keep us in the loop? Treefrog just received two shipments from WB recently. There was some blurb on here about the problems they have been facing.

 

[tryfon]

Why do they need to keep us in the loop? Treefrog just received two shipments from WB recently. There was some blurb on here about the problems they have been facing.

For example many of the zulu war range were to be out back early this year and delay after delay, no issue if they just stated issues abroad etc no figures until June or so

New reales in the past were regular, great company do not want to see it fold

 

[desk11desk12]

Why do they need to keep us in the loop? Treefrog just received two shipments from WB recently. There was some blurb on here about the problems they have been facing.

The key word is "Must". You're right they don't have to keep us informed.

Other companies do keep us inform allowing us collectors to budget and allocate our funds appropriately based on future releases.

I've since canceled my Britains pre-order items and purchased other items from manufactures.

So you're right; Britains doesn't have to keep us in the loop, but they do it at their own peril. Maybe, I'm alone in my thinking. What do you think?

Carlos

 

[zblang]

You’re not alone. I will still buy Britains, but only once they arrive at Treefrog! No more preorders

 

[jazzeum]

The key word is "Must". You're right they don't have to keep us informed.

Other companies do keep us inform allowing us collectors to budget and allocate our funds appropriately based on future releases.

I've since canceled my Britains pre-order items and purchased other items from manufactures.

So you're right; Britains doesn't have to keep us in the loop, but they do it at their own peril. Maybe, I'm alone in my thinking. What do you think?

Carlos

Right on point Carlos. Communication with customers is key. Unfortunately, this has been discussed ad infinitum and we see no changes in their posture.

 

[Thin Red Line]

Right on point Carlos. Communication with customers is key. Unfortunately, this has been discussed ad infinitum and we see no changes in their posture.

Your right communication is key , something WB seems to exchanged for a policy of total silence .
Even the UK collectors club has dried up I take it through lack of info from WB, The Standard and Club figure are due hopefully they will pull there finger out and not let it pan out like last year which was a mess.
To WB i'd say even if you don't want to appear on here get your website and Facebook page sorted out, post more regular updates in this social media age its all very dated.

 

[Terp152]

Why do they need to keep us in the loop? Treefrog just received two shipments from WB recently. There was some blurb on here about the problems they have been facing.

Uh, because we're customers and they may want to sell us their stuff. :rolleyes2: Chirs

 

[thebritfarmer]

Uh, because we're customers and they may want to sell us their stuff. :rolleyes2: Chirs

Maybe it is just me, I don't preorder and when it is available to buy I buy it then. We may get sneak peeks from K&C etc but if I am not mistaken they announce product when it is available to buy. Maybe WB should follow suit.?

 

[Terp152]

Maybe it is just me, I don't preorder and when it is available to buy I buy it then. We may get sneak peeks from K&C etc but if I am not mistaken they announce product when it is available to buy. Maybe WB should follow suit.?

Maybe that is the solution. Announcing product and subsequent delays in releases seems to be the cause of angst.

BTW, I just purchased most of the recent ACW releases and WB is still the best in the business in that era IMO. Chris

 

[DMNamiot]

Guys,

WB has a Facebook page where they publish a lot of information. Take a look and join them there.

Dave

 

[theBaron]

Guys,

WB has a Facebook page where they publish a lot of information. Take a look and join them there.

Dave

True, but he's not updating the FB page all too regularly, either. The last three posts were two from June 15th, announcing the symposium to be held later this month, and announcing W Britain's tables at the OMSS show on June 16th; and a post from May 20, about the Good Soldier open house and Joe Saine's auction. I posted a question to his FB page on June 15th, too, about that Charles Biggs Imperial German field artillery set with plastic figures. But I never got a reply.

I suspect we won't hear very much new at all, until the symposium on the 27th.

Prost!
Brad

 

[waynepoo]

Guys,

WB has a Facebook page where they publish a lot of information. Take a look and join them there.

Dave

But WB need to also be here as well, many collectors aren't on FB! and don't want to be.

 

[jazzeum]

True, but he's not updating the FB page all too regularly, either. The last three posts were two from June 15th, announcing the symposium to be held later this month, and announcing W Britain's tables at the OMSS show on June 16th; and a post from May 20, about the Good Soldier open house and Joe Saine's auction. I posted a question to his FB page on June 15th, too, about that Charles Biggs Imperial German field artillery set with plastic figures. But I never got a reply.

I suspect we won't hear very much new at all, until the symposium on the 27th.

Prost!
Brad

I took a look today and had the same reaction.

 

[katana]

I think the WB Flak 88 will be available at about the same time as the Figarti Kingtiger!

 

[Charlie Brown]

Maybe it is just me, I don't preorder and when it is available to buy I buy it then. We may get sneak peeks from K&C etc but if I am not mistaken they announce product when it is available to buy. Maybe WB should follow suit.?

Managing customer expectations seems a reasonable request given that the business will not survive without us. Not interested in every minute detail. Though product deliveries should be fairly predictable.

 

[ivanmoe]

There have been several of these threads over the last SEVERAL months, and a question always springs to mind that I’ve never asked. Without further adieu, then, does WB respond to email inquiries about these matters? If someone has already posed the question, forgive me. Really just curious at this point.

-Moe

 

[Arnhemjim]

Allegedly in addition to becoming a “flat earth”, we have supposedly evolved from an industrial based to a “service” based economy. Dennis Britain, let alone W. Britain, Jr. have to be turning cartwheels in their graves with the current state of affairs.

I started collecting now “vintage” Britains toy soldiers (pre-1966) at the age of 11 years in 1947. Although of Scotch/Swiss ancestry, I’m a confirmed Anglophile. The current owners of the firm, have in their own way paralleled both the demise of the Royal Navy and British Commonwealth. In a colloquialism of the country, “It’s a bloody shame!”

As we all know the market in the older Britains has significantly diminished in recent decades, exception being the bands, rarer sets and accessories. I personally feel quite fortunate to have acquired, in addition to older sets, several New Britains sets, as well as the sets designed/sculpted by Charles Biggs, while he was affiliated with the firm. Unless totally strapped for capital you would think that Ken Osen would retain the services of at least a public relations firm, if not a full time individual public relations professional.

Arnhem Jim
Arizona Territory

 

[thebritfarmer]

Managing customer expectations seems a reasonable request given that the business will not survive without us. Not interested in every minute detail. Though product deliveries should be fairly predictable.

You would think so but I think you will find it is not the norm. Bachmann and Hornby (model trains do the same thing) I am waiting on model trains announce 5 years ago ! It isn't the end of the world, they are toys at the end of the day.

 

[thebritfarmer]

But WB need to also be here as well, many collectors aren't on FB! and don't want to be.

That argument can go the other way, I think you'll find there are many collectors not on Treefrog either