Please familiarise yourself with the forum, including policy on feature requests, rules & guidelines

Backorder Information: Order Status, Timeline & Expectation Management

0
SamuelSamuel Rotterdam, NetherlandsPosts: 35

Hey there guys (and mainly Ian, since he's the community manager). This week I ordered the Deluge and I have some real trouble containing my excitement. Watching video tutorials and jams is getting me really, really hyped and I just want to start making tunes on the Deluge. But I can't, since I have to wait until the device arrives.

Now to be fair, I shouldn't hype myself up like that because it will make waiting a lot harder. But what could make it easier for me is some more information on the whole backorder process. All I know now right now is that Deluge is on backorder, that Synthstrom Audible is having trouble keeping up with orders and that I will likely hear more within 3 months. Also if my order is not fulfilled within 3 months I am entitled to cancel my order and get a refund.

So as a product designer I totally get the difficulty of managing expectations when you're dealing with an uncertain production timeline. You want to avoid making promises you cannot keep, because disappointment is not something you want to associate with your company or product.

But I do think Synthstrom could provide more information. For example I would like to know whether I can expect updates on my order status. A general timeline about production would also be nice. If possible share some general numbers on the amount of orders you are trying to fulfill and the speed at which you are able to do so. If there are bottlenecks you have to wait for, be clear about them. All of this information helps your community (and me particularly) be more patient.

I am completely aware of my own mistake of hyping myself up too much, but I would really love to see more updates on production of the unit so I at least have more info than "probably 3 months". Other than that, much love for all of you guys at Synthstrom Audible and best of luck in getting all the order out in the wild!

Comments

  • 2
    amiga909amiga909 Central EuropePosts: 1,078

    does not bother me as i got it already, never regretted a second. still think 900$ is a steal.
    well spoken, and i hope i am not doing any bad when i say this is a situation where Synthstrom can loose a lof reputation if this is not handled right. communicate and do so often. it is stated very clearly it is only backorder and i totally understand nobody wants to loose customers that might turn to another product. however, imho, i agree when money is sent and received there should be at least some effort to make the waiting time easier. can only guess there are external supply problem, can imagine it requires good deals to be able to sell quality for 900$, and it could be hard to find them. imho no shame if u have to raise the price in future. however, there should be a statement what is the cause for the delay, this should be possible without compromising vital business secrets. also Synthstrom might be at a difficult point where its shifting from a startup to a larger business which can take a lot of time and investments. i have big faith in Synthstrom they will continue to pull it off cause Deluge is a fantastic product and the staff i met is dedicated. hope everybody is well and thousands of Deluges make their way to a new home soon.
    wish i could do anything substantial to help but i probably cant ;)

  • 0
    SamuelSamuel Rotterdam, NetherlandsPosts: 35

    @amiga909 said:
    can only guess there are external supply problem, can imagine it requires good deals to be able to sell quality for 900$, and it could be hard to find them. imho no shame if u have to raise the price in future. however, there should be a statement what is the cause for the delay, this should be possible without compromising vital business secrets. also Synthstrom might be at a difficult point where its shifting from a startup to a larger business which can take a lot of time and investments. i have big faith in Synthstrom they will continue to pull it off cause Deluge is a fantastic product and the staff i met is dedicated. hope everybody is well and thousands of Deluges make their way to a new home soon.

    I totally agree with you. I have faith in them, but as someone who created a startup and is currently working on an electronic product in the music industry, I am very aware of the supply chain issues that can occur. I guess that more openness about possible bottlenecks in their supply chain (without disclosing business secrets, off course) can prevent fans of Synthstrom to get fed up with waiting and instead actually help Synthstrom gain leverage in negotiations with parts manufacturers (although this too can get pretty ugly if not managed properly).

    The shift to a larger company could also be a cause for delay, but I'd rather know the cause then guess...

  • 0
    SamuelSamuel Rotterdam, NetherlandsPosts: 35

    Copied from the facebook group:
    Ian Jorgensen: Don't be concerned, there are no problems, we're just not one of those companies who promises stock before they have it (we did it once and learnt our lesson). We wait till we have them built and in our hands. We simply made a device that is too good and too popular and sold a hell of a lot of them in a really short space of time. We don't have money issues, we don't have parts issues - we just have a lot of Deluges to build. We also don't put arbitrary deadlines on ourselves or our staff to induce undue pressure and we don't rush manufacture as it risks mistakes. They're coming :)

  • 1
    SpiderLabSpiderLab Byron BayPosts: 18

    Yep Communications 101 - Communicate! Even if there's no news - communicate that!

  • 0
    SamuelSamuel Rotterdam, NetherlandsPosts: 35

    @SpiderLab said:
    Yep Communications 101 - Communicate! Even if there's no news - communicate that!

    Hahaha well said, but to be fair, I think the team is doing a pretty decent job. They issued a clear response within a day.

  • 0
    amiga909amiga909 Central EuropePosts: 1,078

    thanks for the info. good to hear my concerns are all untrue :) however, i dont like official communication shifts to FB. (crybaby alert) @Ian_Jorgensen used to be more active here.

  • 1
    Ian_JorgensenIan_Jorgensen Wellington, New ZealandPosts: 614

    Sorry I'm not on these boards much at the moment. It's a busy time for us and I haven't given this site the priority I should have been, sorry. Tbh, I didn't think we needed to maintain more communication about this. We're not like a Kickstarter product or in that vein...we just don't have any stock at the moment, nothing strange..and yeah, the information on our page when people place back order is pretty clear.

  • 0
    WillWill Middle of NowHere, CanadaPosts: 236

    An interesting scenario.

    For my money, I'm so glad that this product is available, that - although excited, am content to wait knowing full well, that I've likely just made a purchase that I will get great joy and satisfaction from.

    Like I always say - here's the nature of life options: 'Great, Quick, Cheap. ...pick 2'

    I'll settle for Great/Cheap!

Sign In or Register to comment.