Dear PSA
PROMETHIUS88
Posts: 2,826 ✭✭✭✭✭
Dear PSA,
This is addressed to those that make the decisions within the company. While I know I'm not the only one that feels this way, I will use the words "I" and "me" instead of "we" as I don't want to put words in anyone's mouth.
I will preface this with a little background. I have been a member on here since, I believe, 2001. I have come and gone a few times, in and out of the hobby and as of about a year and a half ago, I'm back in. I was rejuvenated and excited to get back to collecting after about a 6 year hiatus. Really looked forward to submitting cards and the anticipation of grades popping and what numbers they may garner. I have sent in 15 to 20 submissions in the past year and some have turned around faster than others. Obviously I'm not a major submitter, just a small fish in a big ocean. I know you are currently experiencing growing pains and it's not a bad thing. It's been a few months and I know at some point that it will get better. But, there are some issues that need addressed, now rather than later.
First off, it has been several months since there has been any post/announcement about the slow log in and turnaround times. Recently estimated turnaround times were extended once again. This is something that needs to be announced. Not just updated to show when you start a submission. The announcement made by Joe at that time was a good then and even though it didn't change anything, it was nice to know someone was listening and recognized the issues.
Second, when a customer calls in and is told that their order has been "expedited" but customer service hasn't heard back from the expedite people, this doesn't give positive reinforcement. The word "expedite" typically means something is actually being looked into or worked on and two weeks later with no response is not acceptable.
Finally there is a great lack of transparency. I understand and am completely fine with processes, etc being kept secret. The problem I have is that nobody can/will explain how it is possible that a bulk submission that is sent in November finishes processing before a bulk submission that was sent in August. I do understand how some cards need more research but focus really needs to be put on the order the submissions are received. Getting a response from customer service that "some orders just get lucky and are finished before others" is also not acceptable. And yes, that is an actual response I received.
I am sure the staff is working hard and most likely as frustrated as I am at times. Also, I know customer service has to get the brunt of it and they are to be commended for their fine service.... they can't control grading times. I'm not suggesting that I'm going to stop submitting submitting to PSA or go to a different company. I submit to PSA because I feel that you are the best in the business and there is no other company I would use to grade my little cardboard friends. So, as a small, but loyal customer, I hope you read my comments and address the issues as best you can. I believe communication is the key.
Sincerely,
Timothy Hadley
Comments
I have no idea why this posted in this format?!?!? -- Fixed
Here’s my guess on how they prioritize. They have a daily or weekly revenue target. Each submission has a man-hours value associated to it. They then schedule based on oldest submissions of varying levels and fill the day the best they can. The lower revenue per man hour subs keep getting pushed out as they try to make their numbers.
This model, along with the possibility that they may be expediting orders based on customer service requests will only lead to longer wait times. The most expeditious way to do things is FIFO and the further they get from that model the more backed up they will get unless submissions drop off rapidly.
I've guess I've pretty fortunate , both my 100+ card submissions had 45 day turnaround times , in at the time I believe was a 60 day turnaround time, now I see they have it at 85 days.
Yes, they still charge a credit card when the grading is completed. I have never sent a check so I don't know how that process works.
Careful not to get banned by the mods. They don't like any comments that don't cast PSA in anything but the highest regards. Hence the lack of familiar members on these boards these days.
They have to cash the check right away. After a year it might not be able to be cashed. LOL.
If OP gets banned for his post then this forum might as well be shut down completely at this point.
What happens to the turnaround times when monthly shipments from Japan arrive at Newport Beach. I'm guessing this will be 100,000 cards or more??? Can you imagine logging those in every month. We could all be waiting longer. I can live with all of this if the grades are fair.
happened to me a few weeks ago
Lol, I know, I considered that. Compared to some of the stuff that has been written in other posts, this is very mild. This is not meant to be a negative post or in any way bashing PSA. I think they are hands down the best option for having cards slabbed and no matter what, I will not take my business elsewhere. I don't like the long wait times but I'm ok with it if they say it's going to take X amount of days.... I know this going in. It is just these couple issues that I think need to be addressed. Although it's not going to speed things up, making an announcement from time to time seems appropriate.
I don’t know about checks but credit cards aren’t charged until the order is complete. I’m sure the vast majority of submissions are paid with a card.
It is down right frustrating that their answers to slow service and unhappy customers have been eliminating decent specials. raising grading and club membership prices, and continually extending already ridiculous wait times. PSA is not the only business in America who has to plan future resource and staffing needs on an ever growing business.
PSA gets a big 'F' in their handling of it though.
A perfect and similar example has been the way Brent at PWCC has handled his business over the same period of time. I am sure Brent's growth has mirrored that of PSA...yet Brent has never raised prices or resorted to other tactics to try to turn away business as PSA has. His customer service has not missed a beat. And start to finish, I believe the time and staffing requirements for each of Brent's order is similar to PSA...especially when you consider that for every 100 items handled, Brent might have to ship to 20 to 30 different customers, while PSA might ship 100 items to only 2 or 3 different customers.
Perhaps PSA should hire Brent as a consultant?
I know one thing for sure: The words "we simply can't do better" should never be uttered from the mouth of a company's CEO...as Joe stated in that post early in 2018. That's just unacceptable....and I still can't believe he posted that.
I believe that he said that they "simply can't just go faster". Meaning that they won't hurry thru the process to speed up turnaround times jeopardizing quality. I get that and respect it.
Now this made me laugh! Unfortunately, probably close to being correct.
Why should PSA care about customer service? These types of posts have been made for years. They simply don't care to change. Remember Sears? People could get everything they needed at Sears, including a house. They figured that they would be around forever, that people NEEDED them. PSA is projecting the attitude that they simply don't care. Joe seems to respond to a lot of topics, but I have not seen him address poor customer service.
But Joe was essentially blaming the handling time needed for each card...so he was using that as his reason why they can't do any better on order processing times, Like I said though, I don't believe the average needed handling time or man power per item for PSA is much different than it is for PWCC. Somehow though, through a likely similar growth period, PWCC had managed to consistently keep their item arrival to ship time at under 2 months....and without raising prices or using the other ridiculous changes PSA has implemented to try to decrease submissions.
The job requirements are different between working for PWCC and being a PSA grader. It's much easier to fill PWCC job openings. Also, one company is publicly traded and obtaining money in the budget for more overhead is much more difficult.
There's soon going to be a few less board members. Lol
Haha, probably correct. However, there will be a time when there are far less submissions from board members.
I love PSA and have been in their corner for 15 years but what has happened is that they emerged as the King of the grading industry and have virtually no viable competition now and that’s not necessarily a good thing. Nothing would help improve service more than another viable entity emerging. Don’t see it though.
ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240
Glad to see you're still here, Tim.
Andy
.
I beg to differ..I sent a large lot of cards and the lazy people at pwcc put all the cards together in one lot...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_from_Panama
I haven't actually read it yet...but will shortly!
This happened to me once, but there was enough time to ask them to change the listing to individual items.
Thanks,
David (LD_Ferg)
1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
Well, I can't just assume the response was to this post but some things were addressed and I appreciate that. I liken it to the scenario when a spouse gives us the silent treatment. They might not talk to us for a while but it doesn't mean they don't still love us and vice versa, lol. And eventually communication begins again.
I appreciate the post from Steve and hope that there might be some more regular updates. As I said before, communication is the key for me. What I like about the PCGS site is that the turnaround times are updated each week(at least it used to be that way). Gives you a better indication of what we can expect even if it is going past projected times. Be nice if they could do something like that on the PSA site.
I respect the fact that they aren't willing to sacrifice quality and integrity just to pump cards out quicker. I know there are issues from time to time but it is still a human being that is looking at your cards.
There's a reason we all use PSA and not PRO or GEM or any of those other fly by night TPG's. While this has been frustrating and even sometimes exhausting, I'm hoping that in the next few months we see those turnaround times go back down.
I am taking this perspective.....If all of us, and many others, are submitting the quantity of cards that have been sent in within the last 6 months, there has to be a lot of trust in the PSA brand.
If you have read this Steve, Thank you! I appreciate you taking a moment of your time to provide an update
Tim