I decided to try WHCC after many recommendations from fellow OSPers.

Their quality and turn around time is very good, but their customet service just don't seem to listen very well and much less do the right thing.

After placing my firts order, I noticed that they had my shipping as "USPS international". I contacted them to clearify the matter. I explain them that while UPS and FedEd insist in clasifying Puerto Rico as international the USPS do not.

While UPS and FedEx can run their business anyway they please, I think their clasification is discriminatory and I don't use either UPS or FedEx because of that. If a client wants it they have to pay for it, but I won't use them.

Anyway, I explain in several emails the reps at WHCC that it was a mistake and uneccesary, an expensive one, to send it USPS international. I even copy paste and included the link to the USPS where it clearly said... in English... that Puerto Rico is consider domestic and not international. I told them that I receive hundreds of packages from Amazon and have purchased thousands of dollars from B & H and it is always sent domestic priority mail.

WHCC rep told me that they woud send it whatever the USPS says. Well, it took 3 weeks for the prints to get to me.... yes, 21 days... and 3 times the cost for shipping... why? because WHCC didn't listened and send the prints "priority international" It cost me more on shipping than in prints. The end result, WHCC made me loose money.

I just don't know what else to do to make this companies listen and understand. There is a difference between hearing and actually listening. Just having people answering the phone and emails quick does not equal to good customer service. They also have to truly listen and do something to solve the situation.

As much as some (few) love to criticize Pictage, anytime I have encountered a problem using Pictage, my rep truly listened and did something quick to deal with it. That is true customer service.

By the way, I had the same "international shipping" issue with Pictage. I contacted my rep, he listened, researched the matter and got it changed. Why can WHCC do the same?

I contacted WHCC to see what they say and do... but honestly, if they insist in using international USPS my relationship with them is over, no matter how good they may be. This is a deal breaker for me.

And, yes, I am ranting this time... I am upset because I warned them and they didn't listened.

What did they do to correct the problem? I have always had very good customer service experience with WHCC. If you are posting this prior to talking with them about it and seeing what will be done to compensate you and correct it in the future, then you are jumping the gun. Customer service is also about making things right when they get something wrong. They obviously aren't familiar with that shipping method and I would give them the benefit of the doubt and talk to them about the problem before you go slamming them on OSP. Seriously, they are people, and people make mistakes. If it becomes a recurring problem, then let us know.

It seems to me that he DID contact WHCC.

"Anyway, I explain in several emails the reps at WHCC that it was a mistake and uneccesary, an expensive one, to send it USPS international. I even copy paste and included the link to the USPS where it clearly said... in English... that Puerto Rico is consider domestic and not international. I told them that I receive hundreds of packages from Amazon and have purchased thousands of dollars from B & H and it is always sent domestic priority mail.

WHCC rep told me that they woud send it whatever the USPS says. Well, it took 3 weeks for the prints to get to me.... yes, 21 days... and 3 times the cost for shipping... why? because WHCC didn't listened and send the prints "priority international" It cost me more on shipping than in prints. The end result, WHCC made me loose money."

If he contacted them, and they ignored his issue, then he is not getting good customer service. And he has every right to rant, and take his business elsewhere.

You are correct, I should and I am giving them a chance to correct the problem. That is the fair and just thing to do. Also, I, as yourself, am a fan of giving the benefit of the doubt at all cost.

But in this matter we are beyond the point of giving them the benefit of the doubt. Is not a matter of not been familiar with the shipping method but of actually listening.

As I said, I made several attempts to help them understand the shipping method to Puerto Rico before it happened. As soon as I saw they had as shipping method "international" and even before placing the order I contacted them with it . As I said, I even copy-paste from the USPS website and provided them with the direct link. If they read it, they would not have sent it Priority International at a cost of $13.28 for 14 4x6 and 2 5x7. I went back and forth with WHCC customer service on this and they said they understood and would take care of it. Obviously they didn't.

In my opinion, they made the mistake because they didn't listen to the customer (me) or they didn't give it much credit to what I said or felt they knew better. And to be fair, it could be also that the person at the Post Office insisted that it had to be international spite WHCC plight to the contrary (I doubt this, but I have to give the benefit of the doubt).

Now I am giving them the chance again to do somethin about it. I have contact them with the whole thing and I am sure they will respond and when they do, I'll be sure to report their answer as well as their action.

I am not trying to bash WHCC... too much of that goes on here... so if anyone felt like I was bashing WHCC, rest asure that I am not.... Let me emphazise again... they do great printing and have a great turn around time... no one can take that away from them and it has been my experience... I also know that many people here have had nothing but great experience with WHCC (that is why I tried them)... So, please don't take any of these as bashing WHCC.... Let us not get trapped in these "bashing thing" I am tired and sick of it. (I just got an email "bashing" me for this thread LOL)

This is a situation that can and should get resolved. I am just upset with the whole thing... not just for the mistake but mostly becasue I warned them and fell in deaf ears. But if it does not get resolve I have to find a different lab because then it would be too costly for me...

All I'm saying is I think that you should have resolved the situation before posting with them. Example, if I ask something to go overnight and it doesn't ship overnight, obviously someone dropped the ball, we are human. So, I just think we should wait to hear what their response is before saying their customer service was lousy, because in general, it isn't. I understand your frustration, I get frustrated when things don't go right too, but I'm really trying hard to watch what I say until things are resolved.

Forgive me for saying you are bashing them, I definitely don't want it to become a bashing session/thread. I hate those as well. I also didn't mean to come across as bashing you.

An update...

I have been trying to sort this out... I have been looking at the shipping invoice "where it says "international" and at the actual sipping label with the USPS pesonnel.

Based on the shipping label it may have been sent via domestic priority spite what WHCC shipping invoice says (it says "international") and that the real problem is that it was not sent on the 17th like WHCC customer servcie told me but on October 2nd.

So, the real problem was that someone at WHCC messed up and sent my prints late... it was actually shipped 16 days after I was told it was shipped. The USPS took only 3 to 4 days to get here.

Hey, let us be clear... I am looking at this as a one time screw-up and in no way should be interpreted as me saying tha WHCC is bad because some employee screwed-up this time. I am sick and tired of people generalizing based solely in their own limited experience (I have been trying to make that point with my other threads).

As someone reminded me, we got to be fair.

Good Grief, man...are you not satisfied with anyone or anything?? YOU LIVE IN PUERTO RICO.

Each company has their own shipping standards/rates. Try a PR lab, surely there is one.

I am not sure this is truely a WHCC matter. I would be willing to bet it is a USPS issue. I have had so many issues with USPS. For an order to deliver a Showit Slide show in 7-10 days, you can be assured it will be 10 days. Should I start bashing Showit and DJ? That would be absurd.

I don't care how many days USPS says it has had it.

I have had Showit orders shipped from Arizona to Atlanta to Montgomery and it will sit in the Atlanta post office for 5-8 of those days...just sit there ... and FINALLY be shipped to Montgomery on the 10th day. Oh, and that is IF the on-line tracking even gets updated.

I called USPS and asked them if a package says 7-10 days to ship, is it their intention to provide the worse possble service (10 full days)? I asked her "WHY IS THE PACKAGE SITTING IN ATLANTA FOR AT LEAST 5 DAYS?"... she had no answer. Atlanta is about 2.5 hours from Montgomery.

I will be waiting, enthusiastically, for you to post something that is "good" for you...I think we all will. We will celebrate with you.

**grabs popcorn and a nice comfy seat**

it might be a while, darrell... better get comfy

(Pass the popcorn please)

i deal with international delivery all the time - its crap - but its something i know i have to live with

i guess the issue here is the waybill - thse things happen - i notice though you seem to get bent out of shape quite easily. everyone messes up once in a while, and i can honestly see how someone could get it wrong in shipping to puerto rico, i would have sent it marked international myself.

i can understand your grief - but i suggest you grin and bear it. i am sure once you start using them on a regular basis, it will be ok.

Very well said.

BTW...did you type that with an English accent or a Texas drawl???

LOL darrell - you crack me up.

Tami, i agree - well said!