Black Dragon

[gira]

Does anyone have a specific point of contact with this company that knows about car parts? I hate calling into their call center and getting people that don't know an MG from a Z car. I noticed they don't have an email address on their website either..

Thanks,

Greg Ira

[Diseazd]

If you want knowledgable sales people, call MSA. Black Dragon sells mostly good stuff, but every once in a while you'll get a Taiwan or Korean product.....theit sales people won't be able to tell you which is which.

[Travel'n Man]

If you don't have an item number at Black Dragon - your out of luck for help what so ever (and basically all they can give you is a price or availability) - much rather call MSA any day and talk to a knowledgeable call center staff!

[Arne]

I once read a magazine interview with the owner/CEO of Long motor Co. (dba Black Dragon & Victoria British). In that interview he stated that he intentionally hires phone operators that are NOT car people. He said that cuts down on chit-chat with the customers and makes his order desk more efficient.

[tlorber]

I once read a magazine interview with the owner/CEO of Long motor Co. (dba Black Dragon & Victoria British). In that interview he stated that he intentionally hires phone operators that are NOT car people. He said that cuts down on chit-chat with the customers and makes his order desk more efficient.

Ahh, customer service at its finest.

[240260280z]

MacDonald's staff?

I wonder where the guy studied business? I can think of a few places with such business practices.

[EScanlon]

Black Dragon's take on knowledgeable sales people may irk some, but having worked for a friend of mine handling his on-line aftermarket auto parts website, I can see why Black Dragon takes that attitude.

Just about EVERY customer wanted to kabosh about how unique, exemplary, valuable, rare, their vehicle; was while pumping me for information as to the LEAST amount of items they needed in order to fulfill their objective which was to have the most perfectly restored vehicle while having spent the least on that restoration.

And then they'd ask for discounts based on the total amount of the order, whether it was on the shipping, or expedited shipping, or can you throw in a free something.... I was getting paid commission, so it didn't hurt to kabosh a bit, but when the calls would come in one after the other, the LAST thing I wanted to do was reminisce with you for long over a $9.95 item that would have paid me little over 50¢, especially when I had the call-waiting beep in my ear telling me there were other calls coming in.

Sometimes they'd forget that the basic concept of the web-site was to make money.

FWIW

E

[240260280z]

Dealing with the public is always the same for any business....and the public is the public.Having a knowledgeable person, a "filler" person,or an automated system is the point raised in this thread.

To me it seems that having no-expert-guidance at front end of the business is not in the spirit of business nor in the best interests of the customer. It is clear from this thread alone that MSA will trump VB/BD by anyone who reads it.

I guess if the VB guy wanted to go the next step he could go offshore and have some poor underpaid, language-challenged, night shift worker try to do the job .... but other businesses have tried that and backed away following the problems with this cost-saving risk. After a while people start to open their eyes and see the crap....but sadly not enough.... they took the blue pill.

However, the VB/BD owner could also assume that his customers are experts and therefore no guidance is required.

If it was my business, I would make each employee buy an old Z, MG , etc. and restore it with parts at cost.

Edited November 11, 2011 by Blue

[Arne]

I think the point of what BD does is that he is trying to be a simple parts house, and that he really DOES expect his customers to know what they want/need. No where in any of his many catalogs does he say to call for parts assistance - you are expected to look it up and order it. It's a different business model, that's all.

[FastWoman]

The problem comes when you order the correct part and find that further instructions/guidance are necessary. For instance, I ordered an EGR valve, and it came with a bag of three dozen orifice washers and a printout matching part number with the correct orifice washer. As I didn't have the part number, I called to ask what it would be for my car -- i.e. which washer to install. I might as well have been speaking Swahili. The info was of course available, but I had to spend much more time finding it than I had hoped. I vowed to order from MSA next time around.

PS Congrats, Arne! I hope you got your price!