No phone calls accepted when you call PCGS...

icsoccer

What the heck kind of service is that??????

TomB

I don't know. Why don't you call PCGS and ask?

1630Boston

What time of what day did you call?

tcollects

not acceptable

MasonG

I just called them. It appears you need to leave a number and they call you back. They stop taking callback numbers when they reach a limit, they don't say what that is. So phone calls are accepted if you call early enough in the day.

BryceM

Customer service across almost all industries was completely annihilated by COVID. It was on the rocks before, now, in most places, it's just gone..... evaporated. Try hiring someone right now. It's very difficult.

ricko

Much like the grading queue, the workload is extremely high. Some controls need to be in place. Try early in the day and leave your number. Cheers, RickO

dbldie55

I ran into the same thing a few months back regarding errors on a submission. They did respond via email, but at that point my submission was already mailed back. They ended up providing me with an over-night fedex label to send it back.

messydesk

@dbldie55 said:
I ran into the same thing a few months back regarding errors on a submission. They did respond via email, but at that point my submission was already mailed back. They ended up providing me with an over-night fedex label to send it back.

Another vote for the "red flag" button on the submission status page, I see.

jesbroken

I had similar issues earlier this year, but once I started calling early in the day, I was answered every day and obviously the earlier I was able to call the earlier was their response. Haven't tried in the last few weeks and if it has worsened I am unaware.
Jim

lermish

@jesbroken said:
I had similar issues earlier this year, but once I started calling early in the day, I was answered every day and obviously the earlier I was able to call the earlier was their response. Haven't tried in the last few weeks and if it has worsened I am unaware.
Jim

Nope, it's about the same now. Call before approximately 10a PST and you'll get a call back same day, later and it will tell you to call back tomorrow.

morgandollar1878

You have to call early to get in the que for a call back. If you call to late in the day the que will be full and you will have to call back the next business day. Honestly I kind of like this because I don't have to wait on the phone for an insane amount of time.

Martin

@morgandollar1878 said:
I kind of like this because I don't have to wait on the phone for an insane amount of time.

So that is what acceptable customer services has come too now. Sheezzzzzz

Martin

BryceM

Who said it was acceptable? It's probably not acceptable to the leadership at PCGS either, but it might be the current reality. In my line of work it isn't acceptable to have nationwide shortages on local anesthetics, epidural supplies, casting material, multiple other drugs, and loads of other medical supplies. Our weekly report of medication shortages at my hospital takes two pages. In our first-world country it's unthinkable, yet, here we are.

habaraca

SHAMEFUL, just SHAMEFUL!!!!!!!!

How can any company claim to be professionals with such lousy customer service....

PerryHall

Does NGC have this same issue? Do they also not answer their phones?

1madman

@PerryHall said:
Does NGC have this same issue? Do they also not answer their phones?

Not when I call NGC. I’ve called them about 5 times in the past 6 months and longest hold time was probably around 5-7 minutes.

tcollects

@habaraca said:
SHAMEFUL, just SHAMEFUL!!!!!!!!

How can any company claim to be professionals with such lousy customer service....

maybe they can drop the "P" from the name to manage expectations

TwoSides2aCoin

It's the way of the world. People are afraid of people. It's hard to answer questions that people have no answers for. It's not too busy for a busy signal. Look at the bright side.

MasonG

I'm sure PCGS wouldn't have too much trouble hiring more employees if they doubled (or more) what they pay. Then there'd always be someone waiting to talk to you when you call.

Oh, yeah- grading fees will start around $100 per coin, too. Happy?

telephoto1

Just popping in before some do gooder rats this thread out for bashing.
I try to give CS people some grace nowadays. They're understaffed right now and in some companies they still have people working remotely. When you're in the moment it's hard to keep your cool sometimes...been there... but I suppose in the big picture it usually isn't the huge deal you might think it is at the time.

ElmerFusterpuck

It isn't just PCGS, it's everywhere else too. The long dormant beast of everyday people upset with stagnant wages over the past couple of decades has awoken. It's going to be rough for quite awhile - the "short staffing" model was limping along before covid, now it's melted down in some areas of the economy.

stockdude_

@MasonG said:
I'm sure PCGS wouldn't have too much trouble hiring more employees if they doubled (or more) what they pay. Then there'd always be someone waiting to talk to you when you call.

Oh, yeah- grading fees will start around $100 per coin, too. Happy?

Uh I don't think thats a very good correlation. Way more coins get graded and lead to profits then there are the amount of PCGS employees! And i think he only mentioned people answering the phone which cant be too many so significantly increasing their salary would not required doubling or tripling grading fees or anything even close to that

silverpop

the world has changed get used to things not going like you all want or expect if you don't like something either fix it or move on your choice

MasonG

I'm surprised people actually think that increased expenses for businesses won't affect how the business operates. It's like there's this belief the owners will just dig a little deeper into their Scrooge McDuck gold vault to make up for any shortfalls.

tcollects

@MasonG said:
I'm surprised people actually think that increased expenses for businesses won't affect how the business operates. It's like there's this belief the owners will just dig a little deeper into their Scrooge McDuck gold vault to make up for any shortfalls.

Yeah, but if they make money by grading, which they do, they need to address these concerns. I'm sitting on a 200 coin submission but I'm not comfortable with the disarray that I'm reading about. Do I want to be calling in 6 months about where my coins are? No way. But I need to have my coins certified and NGC sounds a bit more organized, so even though I want to "shop" at PCGS, I'm thinking about going across the street. That's lost profit and market share. It doesn't make sense.

oih82w8

I encountered this with our host before, and yes, it was late in the afternoon when I was between jobs. This appears to be the norm of the day, just roll with it.

Barberian

@Martin said:

@morgandollar1878 said:
I kind of like this because I don't have to wait on the phone for an insane amount of time.

So that is what acceptable customer services has come too now. Sheezzzzzz

Martin

Actually, it works well and frees one up to do other things. I wish more companies did this.

morgandollar1878

@Martin said:

@morgandollar1878 said:
I kind of like this because I don't have to wait on the phone for an insane amount of time.

So that is what acceptable customer services has come too now. Sheezzzzzz

Martin

So you would just rather sit there waiting on hold??

bsshog40

It's the new norm for all businesses now. Very hard to find customer service being a priority anymore.

Martin

@Barberian I would prefer some one to answer the phone in a timely matter. That would be a start to acceptable service.

@MorganDollar No I would not rather sit there. I’d rather have my inquiry addressed when it’s convenient for me.

I’m not pointing a finger at our hosts. I’m talking in general. I get things are difficult for business I own one and no I’m not doing a great job at customer services either. But as a consumer to settle for subpar service sets a bad president. When We customers are ok with the better of two poor options. Service will not get better. It will be just the way it is now.

@bsshog40 you hit it right on the head bad service is the norm now. Because consumers seem to be ok with it

I think as businesses we are useing the COVID excuse to much

I’m a big boy you cane flame away at me if you want
I can take it

Martin

jwitten

For what it’s worth, I applied for a photo editing job at pcgs a long time ago and never heard back. The job is still available and I’ve heard the process is moving a lot slower than they hoped. Seems like if they wanted to speed some things up there are people willing to work.

Martin

@jwitten they knew they could not afford you😀
Martin

leothelyon

I think for all redundant questions like, the status on submissions and the like. Of course, making such inquiries here won't get you the answers you're looking for. But I think there may be quite a few lurkers out there looking for some answers and asking them here may give some level of satisfaction. All I can suggest is, have patience, give it more time.

Leo

leothelyon

In my area/county, they discontinued the use of "on site drop off recycle bins". They say its the lack of funds to operate them. What's this world coming to when....after paying (increased taxes I might add) property taxes, we've got no place to take our recycles!!
True story!
Leo

Coin Finder

Ok, no one will read this. Here is the new reality. Because of: (fill in the blank on whatever theory you may have), PCGS to maintain consistency of strict grading is taking longer. Get over it... Please! Thanks, love...

Barberian

@leothelyon said:
In my area/county, they discontinued the use of "on site drop off recycle bins". They say its the lack of funds to operate them. What's this world coming to when....after paying (increased taxes I might add) property taxes, we've got no place to take our recycles!!
True story!
Leo

I call it freedom without responsibility. Poor customer service is probably a correlate.

bsshog40

@Martin said:
@bsshog40 you hit it right on the head bad service is the norm now. Because consumers seem to be ok with it
Martin

It's not that consumers are ok with it, it's we don't have a choice in the matter. Most businesses that we have to deal with now use automation. It's almost impossible for a real person to answer a phone. You have to go thru prompts just reach a specific person or department. Besides deciding what language you perfer. Then there are those that use answering services based in another country. I know we have all dealt with those phone calls!! Even your local b&m stores aren't any better. Have you ever tried to get help in one of your local big box diy stores? It's a joke!!