John, I explained it. The process has much listed in our Tech book. Other parts I garnered asking questions when I first started. To answer again, In the computer it is an open order. Deb pulls a report. She is now working through those reports. If she has a print out of an order in a que, how does your change to the computer effect that paper print out on her desk? It can't, the only way it can is if she does not run a report. At that point it could reset the order stamp. Once Deb is actively processing your order it shows up on the completed side where it may sit for some time being filled, researched, sent to sound engineer for file upload, etc... What is not being filled will still reside on the open section of web. Gives you a chance to interject if you are watching it. They have taken many approaches to how to do this, with complaints for ASC all over the place. In the end, one main person (Deb) with occasional temp help during time has to process order, bill order, intake parts and put in bins, track carcasses, give credits, handle warranty doing all the same things. Then it goes to shipping for shipment.
I think Jason was stating the final button is not a purchase or submit order button like Lionel or Digi Key. If Jason is saying you can change with out penalty over a weekend, that means some printout or process is going to occurred on a routine bassis. How you then change an order can not change that printout; Right?? Deb doesn't use the computer, she works off printouts or at least they did. There was an e-mail long ago from Deb that explained much and was one of the reasons that deleting or cancelling a part required a separate e-mail to Deb, so she would not fill it if it was on a print out.
So I do think your misreading his statement.
The only other evidence I can show, is I have invoice sheets where my order placed, modified and additional order placed all showed up together, with 3 different order numbers assigned. This would be impossible if thinks where as you think Jason said. My parts orders process in 3 to 6 weeks. If she only has 10 orders to process it would be easy for her to see that two are from me and combine them. If she has a stack of 60 she doesn't have the time to do that.
I would also state, the parts folks worked for Ryan who does TP and shipping. They were not direct report to Jason. MTH nor Lionel for that matter is Amazon making a billion dollars a month. We have been through that discussion to.
I have also been told by many customer who could not get their train fixed at a LHS because parts not available, yet I know not true. Some times waited a year, before they extracted their train from the LHS and sent to me, and I fixed in a few day. I have no clue what the tech thought or what he was doing to get the part.
These things take on a life of there own.
Lionel has issues too right, longest time they refused to repair trains except warranty or recent Legacy. You have to order part for LC and Legacy, boards have to be processed and loaded by Lionel. My last lionel order was 3 weeks. Get RA, ship the board, they fixed/replaced board and shipped back. Took 3 weeks.
I can't stock board because I can't load files for the engine with Lionel. Stocking parts for lionel comes with risk because they only warranty for 30 days. I have been stuck with bad boards. That is not a problem with MTH.
Lionel may have changed too, but they have a lot of parts no longer in stock or go to a third party, etc... Yes there website for parts with pictures is better but having to order all those board separately when needed, or turn in required before order filled is not conducive to customer and LHS satisfaction either. And takes a lot of my time.
When was their last training course? Why did a tech have to produce technical documents on Legacy shared with other techs?
I am sorry, but some tech just don't try to understand the process or the restraints and constraints of the business and process. They just want to complain. Once I realized how it was working and that it was never going to be improved fully I figured out how to work it. I built my own parts list, built my own common motor list, have my own useage tracking method and I try to stay ahead. I gave much of it to Jason, and my common motor list was suppose to be used to refine things, but I am sure bigger issue came along.
All the techs that are too lazy to load a sf themselves (remember Jason asked techs to stop doing this) because it has to go to the sound engineer for load or put in ZZ order that have to be researched even for items on there common parts list provided by MTH all slow down the system for others. Frankly I am sure there are Tech that place orders for 3 or 4 things and then repeat every few days. That is a lot of extra work then one large order. Bill, process and ship once, versus the same person billing, processing, shipping 3 times. MTH is a one person show per say.
This all really started when I said a new web site and a shopping cart is not the solution to this. Unfortunately the real solution is not in the budget. G
