SirAileron said:
I'd agree on your last point in that smart people ask questions, but I'll have to insist that a great deal of questions, panic attacks, and accusations were the result of ignorance as opposed to curiosity.
For one, all companies that start out will most definitely lose money before they start making money. That might not necessarily be common knowledge, but anything larger than >neighborhood< scale works that way.
... and as far as the OpenPandora team knowing the ups and downs... well, they're all wonderfully skilled and determined people, but as I've stated it takes more than just book knowledge to give accurate estimates. You'd have to be a genius to see the levels of obstruction that OpenPandora encountered in the way that it did. Even so, just because problems did enter the equation, moaning and complaining is an incredible demoralizer. I understand well enough from having responsibilities that stretch to an entire college of students that having to explain a delay is an exponential increase in stress, as you are initially stressed from the delay, and then you stress over the best way to give the news in the best-sounding way possible as to not get eaten alive by your customers or clients. In two words: It's fuggin' scary. People need to stop being so scary.
Its always a tight rope you need to walk with any customer service.
The problem has not only been the external problems, but also have they have been handled.
Take for instance that who bank problem. OP claims that because off the bank problem, they lost the screens order. Resulting in a delay to the screens as there reserved order was sold to other customers.
Yet, i remember very clearly, when the bank problem started to come out, that most off the information was cryptic at best. It was only after a lot off pressure that they have a more detailed explanation. The odd thing about the entire bank fiasco, is the fact that they never forced the bank ( that we know ).
Instead OP opted to refund manually all the orders, and let people reorder ( using the memory upgrade as bait ).
The problem that i up to this day still have, is the fact that they let the bank trample over them like it was nothing. I'm sure that a lot off people have said ( inc myself ), get a lawyer, and scare the **** out off the bank. Lets face it, internal bank policy or not, what they did was borderline illegal ( or plain illegal ). From a 3th person view, it looked like OP was being pushed around by some bullies, and they gave in, without even a fight. In my mind, i can see Craig sitting behind the bank managers desk, slumped over, with the evil bank manager, smoking his "sigaar", looking down on him.
If a bank manager or whoever is giving problems, you go over his head. To his boss, or the boss above that one. You demand to speak with his boss. And when you have a lawyer by your side, they have the habit off thinking twice about pulling stunts like that.
This giving in, resulting in orders being canceled, and delays. And a lot of wasted time to refund, and reorder for all people involved.
Around the same time that the Pandora has started there pre-orders, i also started to work my own company. I also have had several setbacks, but, i can say with a clear mind, that i was able to deliver my product on the requested ( sorry, demanded! ) time by the customers ( and even better then they asked ). But, at times it takes a pair off big ****, because you will always run into people who have a little bit off power, and like to show that they have that power. And if you let yourself to be taken over by them, ...
Customers can be scary as hell, and at times demand things that are nuts, preferably for free.
But, we have also seen, especially those first months, that communication for the OP team was, rather ... lacking. If you don't explain something in details, the customers
will start to fill in the gaps with there own imaginations ( because they don't have any facts ). This lack off communication has several times lead to major misinformation. So did a few badly given promises by OP. Never promise or insinuate anything, that you can not keep. Another golden rule in business, because the customers have the memory off a elephant, and they will remember what you said ( when its in there advantage
).
Thats why at times, this project is strange. While it was OP there first time in a manufacturing position, they did have experience in the industry, or sales etc. So, for me, and a lot of people, it was frustrating to get half backed answer at times, or insinuations, or promises etc...
Now, with any project you will have two sides. Those that are vocally active, and those that stay at the sidelines ( or are not even aware about this board ). Its even possible that some people have ordered last year, and today have even forget about there order. The problem we see at times, is from the vocal group, there are two side:
* The Negative One's ( yes, i'm one off them, and i dare to admit that ).
* And the fan boys, who are Always Positive.
Now, i canceled my order about 5 months ago, after i got fed up with the next delay. So, from my perspective, i'm more neutral now, then i was before. As i don't have any vested interests in this project any more. I will applause the OP team for there efforts over time. But, thinking back, its clear that they made several major errors ( and a few of the biggest are the bank fiasco, and the lack off action. The bad communication. And the promises ( or leaving the customers with those illusions )).
We can all say, that this has been a learning experience for the OP team ( some, that i personally think, they have not learned enough off, seeing some off the recent communication, and the same flaws as when the project started are still there. But thats my opinion. ).
We can only hope that the customers will have there Pandora's, by the years end. And by this, i mean, all! 4000 people. Not a few 100... So, i hope that the OP team will be able to deliver there product by the years end, to all its customers.
On a side note:
As for me, i'm at the moment eyeballing a nice HTC Leo, with a 1Ghz Snapdragon, 320MB ram, captive touchscreen etc... Is it going to be more expensive then the Pandora, sure. Will it lack the nubs etc, yes. But, the captive touch screen ( and the screen size ) negate that problem for the most part. People will disagree, but tastes will differ from person to person... And i can subtract it from my taxes as a business expense *lol* ( its a smartphone, so it will also be used for my business. -> ssh, phone, email, calender, etc ). Try doing a tax subtraction with a Pandora. Hehe, i don't think that it will pass the IRS control
