Photographer's Formulary?

<p>Hi Everyone,<br>

Two weeks ago, I made my first order from the Photographer's Formulary (some Pyrocat-HD). This morning, I called them to maybe get the tracking number.. since I hadn't received it yet. I was told "Oh, sorry, we totally forgot to ship that order.. We'll get it in today's mail." When I asked if they would be doing anything to make things right, such as upgrading the shipping or a partial refund, I received some very bad attitude.<br>

...<br>

Is this kind of thing normal for this company?</p>

<p>About the only thing I get from them is glycin, because there's no other source. Mike Jacobs at Artcraft gets most of my business; he's a great guy and his service is second to none. He's done all kinds of special order stuff for me, and hardly charges anything for the service. I'm not related to Mike, but you might be!</p>

<p>I've ordered from them for years and never had a problem. So not normal for me.</p>

<p>You should send a complaint to the management. This is not normal for any company.</p>

<p>Mihai, I'm really impressed with your portfolio! You're right, I should have asked to speak to the management... assuming it wasn't a one-person operation. I was just completely astonished, I've never dealt with any company that acted like this before.. but I know that they are the only source for a lot photography chemicals, so I wondered if perhaps they just do whatever they please.</p>

<p>Thanks Adam.</p>

<p>The Formulary is a small operation, but substantially more than a single person. Things may slip through the cracks occasionally, but they are great people and provide great service, in my experience. I have no direct interest, but I did take a workshop there a few years ago, and it is hard not to leave feeling like family! Even the best of families have an off day.<br>

David</p>

<p>Or an off employee or just an employee with an off day. Bring any problem to the light of day should most times have the full rays of it shown to the person the problem was with and not just scattered to a field where it may grow into weeds you may have to remove later.</p>

<p>Artcraft for me the last 15 years. I got some glycin from Artcraft about 5 years ago, they might still carry it. Was using it for Ansco 130</p>

<p>For what it's worth, yesterday morning I ordered a bunch of chemicals from Photographer's Formulary. By noon yesterday I had a confirmation of my order, and by 9pm UPS sent me their tracking number and estimated delivery date.<br>

I'm not making excuses for poor customer service from Photographer's Formulary, or promoting them over any other chemical supplier, but my experiences with them have been very pleasing.</p>

<p>Can't a person (or company) make an honest mistake anymore, without people expecting some sort of compensation (or internet revenge)?</p>

<p>Try ordering from the Free Style photo website <a href="http://www.freestylephoto.biz/">http://www.freestylephoto.biz/</a> they are usually pretty dependable.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"Can't a person (or company) make an honest mistake anymore, without people expecting some sort of compensation (or internet revenge)?"</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Nope. The web has changed the game. It's almost impossible to run a business now without eventually incurring some very public complaints. Fortunately readers decide for themselves whether the complaints are valid. Takes about 15 minutes of Googling to get a feel for the positive and negative feedback.</p>

<p>As long as it's an honest complaint - as Adam's appears to be - correct or incorrect, due to impatience or not, I'll let it stand. The only times I've deleted complaints were when they were generated by either a rival competitor using sockpuppets to masquerade as angry customers, or in one case a disgruntled customer who used multiple sockpuppets to give the illusion of numerous complaints. In the latter case I let the original complaint stand but deleted the "me too" posts from his sockpuppets. Fortunately that's happened only a very few times here in the past 10 years.</p>

<p>The Formulary has been a reliable source for me for many years!</p>

<p>Thanks for all of the responses, everyone. Lots of people coming to the defense of the Photographer's Formulary, makes me think that this was not a common occurrence for the company. To be completely clear, Brian, this was not "internet revenge" as you put it, it was a simple question asked of the film developing community. That question was: Is this kind of thing normal for this company. If it WAS normal, then I would have adjusted my purchasing accordingly. If it was NOT normal (which, from the responses, it appears to be) then I will give the company another shot.</p>

<p>hi adam</p>

<p>i have bought from artcraft and the formulary and bostick and sullivan over the years, and<br /> never had a problem with any of them. <br /><br />i did have a problem when i mixed some ansco130 a few years ago ... <br />i usually buy 7 gallons worth at a time and mix it all up and then amber<br /> bottle it ( the developer lasts forever ) ... i ordered a different amount, and i misread the<br /> instructions one year and made it "too dilute" when i called the formulary and asked if the<br /> extra dilute developer would give me trouble, and an estimation of how long it would last &C<br /> and they just mailed me another 7 gallons worth ... and said " don't worry about it " ...</p>

<p>i have no trouble giving them my repeat business.</p>

<p>This attitude of "everything must be perfect, or else" is ridiculous. People are imperfect, and mistakes do get made. Not getting an order on time from any vendor is not the end of the world.</p>

<p>I'd be up Sh_t's creek without a paddle without Photographer's Formularly, as well as Freestyle in Los Angeles. And, I always get superb service from both. Sherri at Formulary always goes out of her way to help me. Comparing Formularly with AT&T, I'd say Formulary buries AT&T in service.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>"This attitude of "everything must be perfect, or else" is ridiculous..."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>John, I don't believe that was Adams' intent here, as he clarified in his 3/6/11 12:49 p.m. follow up comment.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>This attitude of "everything must be perfect, or else" is ridiculous.<br>

I'd be up Sh_t's creek without a paddle without Photographer's Formularly, as well as Freestyle in Los Angeles.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>John, I beg your forgiveness for expecting that my order be shipped within two weeks of payment.<br>

As for Freestyle, I agree, they are the tops. I've never had any problem with them. Once again, I'd like to thank the people that constructively responded to my question... Thanks to them, I'll be sure to try the Formulary again. As to the people who think I'm being ridiculous for asking the question, "Is this normal for this company?" Perhaps you have limitless time on your hands... Perhaps you are just that upset that anyone would call into question the company that you hold so dear.. But I think that if ANY company cannot stand up to this kind of question being asked of it, then that's not good.</p>

<p>Thanks Lex, I agree with you. I've used the Formulary for lots of years and been very happy with it. However, I've been in manufacturing, distribution, import/export and I confess that I have occasionally made mistakes for which I have always apologized. </p>

<p>Lynn </p>

<p>Not my experience by any stretch - very attentive, great communication, speedy service - almost the direct opposite of your experience. Judging from how I was treated, I have a strong feeling there is someone at PF that would be very, very displeased to learn of your experience, as I got the impression that service and reputation is correctly recognized by the folks over there as a key to doing business in our very small, and somewhat tightly knit community (in terms of the www, word of "mouth" travels fast among the remaining survivors of the digital epidemic). Of course people are people, we all have our bad days, etc., but most of us are expected to leave ours at the front door of the office - I find the attitude you describe unacceptable in a place I spend my hard earned money and would fully expect some kind of compensation. Quite frankly before the "attitude" came out I would already be through the roof with the "oops we forgot, don't worry will get on it asap" response... I hope this is an anomaly and not the "new way" at a company that has thus far had a stellar reputation, and that they start by making things right by you, a paying customer in a market where not many are left.</p>