There is an Vanguard Survey Online (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=u3R_2fqNEizZR2s9BmYzJPjA_3d_3d%22%3eClick).
A word to those who are going Oh snap! It's on like Donkey Kong! right now:
If you plan on giving all "poor" ratings and not giving constructive, honest feedback in the comments, you are not helping anybody, except to make yourself feel better.
There are other ways to do that, like watching Family Guy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TNN9xV2MkI).
OTOH, if you can leave a professional and detailed comment about your experience with the company, it just might reach the right eyes.
I took the poll.
In the remarks space I wrote:
Quote
I've had items so far back ordered that I forgot about them and finally recieved them almost 5 months later.
Also, about a year ago, I suggested making military badges (aircrew wings, parachutist badge, operations support) in CAP colors; white on ultramarine (blue) so as to match our other CAP badges such as Pilot, Ground Team badge, and EMT. The response I got was "CAP is not allowed to wear military badges". I replied with an exact quote from the CAP regulation and got a response basically saying "well, we're not going to do it". Doing so would do a couple of things. One, allow our current and prior military service members to wear the badges they earned in the military and two, provide uniformity with our insignia. Instead of wearing white on blue Ground Team badge with black on green jump wings above them. Just looks terrible.
Many many CAP members were turned off when companies outside of Vanguard were restricted from making things like embroidered flight name tags and name tapes.
The website? Wow! For as much money as you guys profit from the military and Civil Air Patrol, you should have a website that far exceeds other companies that have online ordering. It is not user friendly, nor is it easy to navigate.
In my opinion, based on 21 years of CAP service and 13 years in the military (Army and Air Force), CAP has taken a step back in time when using Vangaurd as the sole provider of uniform supplies.
Is this survey from CAP in evaluating the relationship with Vanguard, or is it from Vanguard to evaluate their own performance?
Does anybody know? The only logo on there is the new, new, new (revised) command shield.
Unknown for sure. If you go to Vanguard's CAP section the link takes you to CAP's token Vanguard page, which in turn has the link to the survey. (http://www.cap.gov/visitors/members/vanguard_industries.cfm).
Survey says:
(I channeled Richard Dawson just then) QuoteWe are committed to monitoring the quality of the services and products we provide
emphasis mine. ...So it could be guessed that it's Vanguard's survey, but there's no reason why results couldn't go to CAP as well.
Given the amount of grumbling about Vaguard's service, I wouldn't be surprised if CAP asked them do conduct asuch a survey.
^But is Vanguard obligated to share those results with NHQ?
Tedda has a good point. If there is no constructive criticism, how can Vanguard know what to improve, if they decide to take the word of the customer? I completed the survey, but I don't wish to share what I left in the comments. Be positive, get positive results.
Did my 'civil' (air patrol) duty and ... posted. Left full contact information and offered up some advice.
My first two orders with them went absolutely well, anyhow.
I took it too.... I have had good and bad experiences. I tend to use Hock Shop more than Vanguard.
I gave mostly average marks, but let them have it about the absolutely horrible web site design. Have they heard of drop down menus for sizes?
I just received an order from Vanguard, and they sent a copy of the survey along with it. I filled out the online survey, so I'm debating whether or not to send in this one too.
Go for it. I'm betting they won't know the difference, since the online one was anonymous.
Quote from: RiverAux on April 07, 2008, 10:19:15 PM
I gave mostly average marks, but let them have it about the absolutely horrible web site design. Have they heard of drop down menus for sizes?
drop down menus are much harder to code than a text box, that might have something to do with it, which means vanguard's IT guy is lazy. This should come as no surprise considering how lazy the rest of the company seems to be.
I was close to complaining about vanguard on the survey but talked myself out of it. Their site is confusing, and I believe the quality of merchandise has decreased since CAP gave up the CAP bookstore, my old solo wings looked much better than my new ones. The old fabric insignia ironed well and looked nice, presently the fabric insignia doesn't iron well, and seems cheap. What convinced me not to complain was those are matters of opinion, and considering they claim to deal with 30K orders regularly some slowness is to be expected. It's insulting that CAP gets a low priority with them for sure. I can guess why national decided to do what they did, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Some things I've found useful when dealing with Vanguard are:
1. Order personalized items separately from general issue
2. Use alternate sources like "nametapes.com" where possible (their tapes match the vanguard exactly; they work wicked fast too)
3. Order what you NEED first (should help keep cost down so you can afford faster shipping).
4. Use faster shipment options when affordable (Their shipping charges are outrageous)
5. Complain (nothing helps speed an order up like giving someone a good tongue lashing)
P.S. They shipped one of my orders overnight as a result of me complaining to them, so it can work.