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MGL still in business?

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ChiefPilot

ChiefPilot

Well Known Member
I sent a tech support request in last week and queried again yesterday but haven't received anything other than an automated response.

Anyone been in touch with them recently or know if the best way to contact them is through their web support form? I really like their stuff but have a couple of questions.

Thanks!
-Brad
 
ChiefPilot said:
I sent a tech support request in last week and queried again yesterday but haven't received anything other than an automated response.

Anyone been in touch with them recently or know if the best way to contact them is through their web support form? I really like their stuff but have a couple of questions.

Thanks!
-Brad
Click to expand...



Possibly enroute to Lakeland Florida for Sun-N-Fun.
 
Holidays

If the questions went to S. Africa, then Good Friday and Easter Monday ("Family Day") were Bank Holidays over there.
 
Call Matt

I usually call MGL and Matt is good about getting back to me. The web seems a little slow.
 
Customer Support

In this day and age, anytime a customer has to ask this type of question, the company is not meeting standards. I expect an answer to my emails within 24 hours in ALL of my business transactions. It might just be an automated, "I'm out of the office," response, but no company should ever leave their customer support channels unmanned.

I have absolutely no relationship with MGL, as a customer or otherwise. And, based on post like these, I doubt I ever will.


[ed. "It sometimes takes me, as a one person company, a few days to get back to someone. I guess VAF isn't meeting standards.... ;^) dr"]
​
 
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MGL is limited by political considerations in South Africa as to how many employees they have. At a certain number of employees, they are required to meet some very small business onerous regulations related to post apartheid government.
 
f14av8r said:
In this day and age, anytime a customer has to ask this type of question, the company is not meeting standards. I expect an answer to my emails within 24 hours in ALL of my business transactions. It might just be an automated, "I'm out of the office," response, but no company should ever leave their customer support channels unmanned.

I have absolutely no relationship with MGL, as a customer or otherwise. And, based on post like these, I doubt I ever will.


[ed. "It sometimes takes me, as a one person company, a few days to get back to someone. I guess VAF isn't meeting standards.... ;^) dr"]
​
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I sent VAF/Doug an email over 6 months ago and have yet to receive a response so hang in there and don't give up hope. Sometimes it's moments like this that strikes the spark? [ed. Email sent <g> dr]
 
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f14av8r said:
In this day and age, anytime a customer has to ask this type of question, the company is not meeting standards. I expect an answer to my emails within 24 hours in ALL of my business transactions. It might just be an automated, "I'm out of the office," response, but no company should ever leave their customer support channels unmanned.

I have absolutely no relationship with MGL, as a customer or otherwise. And, based on post like these, I doubt I ever will.


[ed. "It sometimes takes me, as a one person company, a few days to get back to someone. I guess VAF isn't meeting standards.... ;^) dr"]
​
Click to expand...


I'm always amazed at folks that complain about some company not responding to email. If you have an issue and need quick resolution, just pick up the phone and call.

Some folks just aren't IT savvy and don't use email regularly. There are even some that don't read their mail 24x7 on their smartphone. Most likely because they still have a flip phone. :eek:
 
Not to mention, many of the companies that support experimental aircraft are small, with limited staff. Let them spend their energy making their products better and cheaper. MGL has always gotten back to me. I may want my answer in 10 minutes, but I am fine waiting a few days. If you want better customer service call the big three, and pay their prices.
 
I heard back from MGL last night - thanks for all the responses!


[ed. It looks like Matt posted a reply in here less than 24 hours after the OP post, good time to close this. v/r,dr]​
 
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rleffler said:
I'm always amazed at folks that complain about some company not responding to email. If you have an issue and need quick resolution, just pick up the phone and call.

Some folks just aren't IT savvy and don't use email regularly. There are even some that don't read their mail 24x7 on their smartphone. Most likely because they still have a flip phone. :eek:
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Then again, it is 2016.

Ned Ludd might think differently, but email has replaced the telephone for many items and is itself in the process of being replaced by newer messaging tools. Forums such as VAF have largely replaced mailing lists and newsletters (RIP RVAtor), e-commerce sites have replaced catalogs, and so on. Be amazed if you want, but the rest of the world is moving on...
 
Must be silly season.

I can almost always get someone on the phone at Van's (during normal business hours, of course), but I've *never* in over a decade gotten an email response quicker than a couple of days. Just the nature of the communication methods & how we're conditioned to respond to them.
 
ChiefPilot said:
Then again, it is 2016.

Ned Ludd might think differently, but email has replaced the telephone for many items and is itself in the process of being replaced by newer messaging tools. Forums such as VAF have largely replaced mailing lists and newsletters (RIP RVAtor), e-commerce sites have replaced catalogs, and so on. Be amazed if you want, but the rest of the world is moving on...
Click to expand...
I work in the IT world. I will have to disagree with this concept. Email is not a replacement for the telephone. The telephone is NOT a messaging tool. It is a direct communication tool. Making the mistake of thinking a message can replace a personal conversation is part of the problem I face daily in the IT world. Staying cloaked behind the anonymity of an impersonal message, whether via email or text or IM, may make one feel comfortable but it will not be the best communication tool to use when needing detailed information and communications. It cannot convey the same communication as a personal conversation no matter how much someone wishes it were so. Replacing the letter, sure email pretty much has done that, but replacing the phone call, no way! After all, it is called 'email', not 'ephone'!

Live Long and Prosper!
 
RVbySDI said:
I work in the IT world. I will have to disagree with this concept.
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I work in the IT world as well, and we'll have to agree to disagree, to at least some extent. :)

You may have heard the concept of 1D/2D/3D. email, messaging, etc. are all examples of one dimensional communication. Phones are an example of 2D, while video conference/F2F are 3D. Find me a company that doesn't offer support via 1D communication as an initiation point, and I'll show you a company that is at best a niche player in their market.
 
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RVbySDI said:
I work in the IT world. I will have to disagree with this concept. Email is not a replacement for the telephone. The telephone is NOT a messaging tool. It is a direct communication tool. Making the mistake of thinking a message can replace a personal conversation is part of the problem I face daily in the IT world. Staying cloaked behind the anonymity of an impersonal message, whether via email or text or IM, may make one feel comfortable but it will not be the best communication tool to use when needing detailed information and communications. It cannot convey the same communication as a personal conversation no matter how much someone wishes it were so. Replacing the letter, sure email pretty much has done that, but replacing the phone call, no way! After all, it is called 'email', not 'ephone'!

Live Long and Prosper!
Click to expand...

I totally agree.

Something like Tech Support can (and is) be done via e-mail when there are circumstances that require it (the need to send photos is a good example), but it is not a viable replacement for a one on one phone conversation in my opinion.
In fact it is common that 3 or 4 message exchanges might be required via e-mail "to get the point across" when one short phone call with the chance for both parties to ask questions "in the moment", would have produced a resolution with one contact instance.
 
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