Proviation customer care problems
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Proviation customer care problems
Has anyone had trouble with the after sales service provided by these guys? Seems invisible, they dont answer emails and no return of calls
I wont buy from them again...be aware!
I wont buy from them again...be aware!
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Proviation has always been helpful
I've often had cause to go back but only to ask about the products I've purchased. For example, I bought an Icom transceiver and needed some additional accessories; again for a Vertex. They've always been helpful and called me back with further advise as required.
Perhaps an off day?
All the best.
Harold.
Perhaps an off day?
All the best.
Harold.
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Proviation
I wouldn't ordinarily write, but inthe past I had cause to read about another aviation supply company on Pprune and it put me off buying there, such is the power of the Pprune.
However in this case I wish to side most strongly for this firm from whom I have just purchased again (Bendix AV8OR Ace); I purchased the wrong Memory card however the lady at Proviation actually arranged for the correct card to be sent along with returns packaging for me to send back the other free if charge.
This contrasts with experiences where we have had truly lousy service from other, larger, companies; particularly 'forgetting' about my order, simply not updating me at all.
Not here. Communication is good by which I mean I have consistently had excellent service on the telephone and a thoughtful after sales experience to boot.
This last order promptly made me return to this post as something had to be said on the basis of recent experience. I wouldn't want to see it marred due to other threads about 'that other company' with which I thankfully haven't traded with.
However in this case I wish to side most strongly for this firm from whom I have just purchased again (Bendix AV8OR Ace); I purchased the wrong Memory card however the lady at Proviation actually arranged for the correct card to be sent along with returns packaging for me to send back the other free if charge.
This contrasts with experiences where we have had truly lousy service from other, larger, companies; particularly 'forgetting' about my order, simply not updating me at all.
Not here. Communication is good by which I mean I have consistently had excellent service on the telephone and a thoughtful after sales experience to boot.
This last order promptly made me return to this post as something had to be said on the basis of recent experience. I wouldn't want to see it marred due to other threads about 'that other company' with which I thankfully haven't traded with.
I recently had an issue with an order and only managed to get through to sales - not support whose line was busy. It did get sorted out eventually though and whenever I talked to people or emailed them they were helpful.
Last edited by abgd; 19th Feb 2012 at 00:18.
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I ordered a Cessna towbar on 24th Feb, and Proviation took the money straight away through Paypal. Then nothing. I chased by email on 29th Feb, and was told delivery would be in "1-2 weeks". Then nothing.
I chased again by email on 13th March, got no response.
I chased again by phone on 23rd March but got the 'Customer Services' answer machine. The machine said it would call me back but it didn't.
Still no towbar and £84 spent. Ever tried complaining to an answer phone?
Are they still trading?
I chased again by email on 13th March, got no response.
I chased again by phone on 23rd March but got the 'Customer Services' answer machine. The machine said it would call me back but it didn't.
Still no towbar and £84 spent. Ever tried complaining to an answer phone?
Are they still trading?
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Pro Aviation
It seems many people have had different experiences with ProAviation.
I have regularly bought from FlightStore and Transair, but recently had cause to try ProAviation. Due to various reports on PPRuNe about people having not the best experience, and having failled to get a response from them on a previous occasion, I called them to order and was pleasantly surprised. Same products for less money and next day delivery. Delighted! Cheaper than FlightStore (which, to be fair, takes some doing), and very helpful staff who threw in extras that others had declined to.
It's just the one experience, but it was very positive.
I have regularly bought from FlightStore and Transair, but recently had cause to try ProAviation. Due to various reports on PPRuNe about people having not the best experience, and having failled to get a response from them on a previous occasion, I called them to order and was pleasantly surprised. Same products for less money and next day delivery. Delighted! Cheaper than FlightStore (which, to be fair, takes some doing), and very helpful staff who threw in extras that others had declined to.
It's just the one experience, but it was very positive.
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Proviation
Oh. Ordered some wing stands for my glider 2 days ago from these people before I read this strand (I know, I know....). I'll keep you posted as to progress....
Well, the update to my comment was that my order eventually got filled, about 6 weeks after I'd placed it. I managed to get in touch via sales, and had a pleasant Email conversation about what had gone wrong with the order process and had no indication that the company was other than honourable. However, it does seem that my experience was not an isolated one.
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A 6 week waiting time for me too. The first and last time I ordered from Proviation was for something small. I forget what it was but perhaps a stopwatch clip for a kneeboard or something equally unimportant. This was perhaps a year ago now but I've not been back when another more punctual outfit exists.
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Proviation delivery update
Further to my promise for an update, today I celebrate 50 days since they took payment and my order remains unfulfilled. Three separate promises of delivery along the way all passed without event. The compensatory easter egg was lovely but I'm now wondering whether I should ask for milk or plain chocolate pennies for my christmas apology.
Oh, nearly forgot....
AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH !!!!!!!!
Oh, nearly forgot....
AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH !!!!!!!!
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I recently bought a lightspeed II headset from them - it got to me within 24hrs of the expected delivery time & they spent a lot more on postage than they charged me in order to meet the deadline so I'm pretty happy with them & will buy again.
I also recommend the lightspeed II - apart from excellent noise cancelling capability the blue tooth functionality means I can use it as an indiscreet hands free phone kit on the way to the airfield, wandering round Tesco etc.
Good weekend all, enq.
I also recommend the lightspeed II - apart from excellent noise cancelling capability the blue tooth functionality means I can use it as an indiscreet hands free phone kit on the way to the airfield, wandering round Tesco etc.
Good weekend all, enq.
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I remembered this thread from before.
I ordered a yoke mount / clip holder from them just over a week ago. The payment was taken promptly. Their order confirmation suggests items will "take 2-3 days" and "We try to ship most orders on the same day", but nothing has arrived yet. The item was in stock at the time, and is still in stock. The tracking status on my request says ""Your order is currently being prepared.", We are in the process of picking and packing your order. Look out for this order status changing very soon. We try to send all orders placed before 1500hrs on the same day."
How long does it take to pick and pack a lightweight paper clip with a mount on it? I called them a few times - no answer. I have sent an email, though I am not hopeful at the moment.
It seems some people rate them highly, but I am joining the group who dont. These guys arent a patch on Transair or Flighstore.
I ordered a yoke mount / clip holder from them just over a week ago. The payment was taken promptly. Their order confirmation suggests items will "take 2-3 days" and "We try to ship most orders on the same day", but nothing has arrived yet. The item was in stock at the time, and is still in stock. The tracking status on my request says ""Your order is currently being prepared.", We are in the process of picking and packing your order. Look out for this order status changing very soon. We try to send all orders placed before 1500hrs on the same day."
How long does it take to pick and pack a lightweight paper clip with a mount on it? I called them a few times - no answer. I have sent an email, though I am not hopeful at the moment.
It seems some people rate them highly, but I am joining the group who dont. These guys arent a patch on Transair or Flighstore.
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Very familiar story going on here. Today I googled Proviation attempting to find out if they had gone bust - found this thread instead.
We've got the same problem - order placed on an item that's 'in stock', expecting dispatch same day and delivery in three. Two weeks later and no information. Tried calling, tried emailing (three times over the course of a week) and no answer, no reply, no item.
The money was taken immediately (so that part of the company seems pretty prompt
) which started to make us think that the company was bust or perhaps it was a bogus website or something. My partner sent one last email informing them that they were to cancel the order and refund us or we would be claiming the money back off the credit card.
That sparked a response promising to get the order dispatched by Friday.
We're have zero faith in Proviation now and don't trust them to honour the warranties or deal with any after sales issues. The order is cancelled.
My advice is to avoid this company like the plague.
We've got the same problem - order placed on an item that's 'in stock', expecting dispatch same day and delivery in three. Two weeks later and no information. Tried calling, tried emailing (three times over the course of a week) and no answer, no reply, no item.
The money was taken immediately (so that part of the company seems pretty prompt
) which started to make us think that the company was bust or perhaps it was a bogus website or something. My partner sent one last email informing them that they were to cancel the order and refund us or we would be claiming the money back off the credit card.That sparked a response promising to get the order dispatched by Friday.
We're have zero faith in Proviation now and don't trust them to honour the warranties or deal with any after sales issues. The order is cancelled.
My advice is to avoid this company like the plague.
The stories above seem very mixed but are the reason why Mrs DGG and I buy everything on Barclaycard so if there is a problem a Section 75 claim will get your money back from Barclaycard. Who I assume just retrieve it from the retailer.
In the past where the retailer was clearly a shyster; Barclaycard even threw in a £5.00 apology.
DGG
In the past where the retailer was clearly a shyster; Barclaycard even threw in a £5.00 apology.
DGG
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As a follow up. I did get a reply to my email informing me the plate holder clip thingy was being dispatched, but there was a late delivery in the US, who in turn hadnt informed Proviation. I followed up with a reply and asked why their website said the item was in stock, and is still in stock, but they had to wait for something to be sent from the US. They didnt reply 
It seems to me that Proviation is just a middle man. You order from them, they take your money pronto, and then they order the goods from (maybe) multiple suppliers. This differs from Transair and FlightStore who presumably have a large warehouse with their own stock, and an up to date and reliable stock inventory system. I wont bother ordering anything off Proviation that I want ASAP. Transair will generally get you your stuff to your door within 24 hours.
It seems to me that Proviation is just a middle man. You order from them, they take your money pronto, and then they order the goods from (maybe) multiple suppliers. This differs from Transair and FlightStore who presumably have a large warehouse with their own stock, and an up to date and reliable stock inventory system. I wont bother ordering anything off Proviation that I want ASAP. Transair will generally get you your stuff to your door within 24 hours.
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Proviation Customer Service
Dear all,
We were uncertain about replying on here, and unsure whether companies are allowed to post; therefore we'd just state the following:
- We will try to address issues on the forum but can't comment openly on orders but just on general service related queries.
As will become clear below- we need to concentrate on our service and not spread too thinly to responding on forums. We have a Facebook page, email, blog and phone where you can ask questions about orders.
*Please also use live chat online to communicate with the company on our homepage at >> Proviation Pilot Shop - Leading Flight Equipment, Pilot Supplies, Aircraft Equipment, Aviation Headsets *
- We want to re-assure, and defend the company. It's a young company, built on sound values, and since Pprune is big- it seems prudent to at least say "hello- here we are". Threads such as this can be incredibly damaging, especially to small companies (which we are not ashamed to be).
We have ventured into offering products not previously available in the UK. We learnt from the US and Canada where pilots are treated to a much larger range. We saw some great products to make available in the UK. We are proud to be an Aircraft Spruce approved distributor- and Sportys- where we meet all their requirements.
We hold good stocks of all day-to-day pilot essentials. We only hold a smaller stock of new products. If we need to order more, we always email our customers to let them know.
We perform 'special-orders' for some products; especially aircraft parts. We promulgate the despatch times in-store and by email immediately having received an order.
We have been approved to sell ALL items in our store- either by approved dealership direct with manufacturer, or through one of their distributors. You will ALWAYS have full manufacturer back-up insofar as Warranty and ALL warranty matters are handled IN-HOUSE. We will also arrange free collect & repair on ANY item which develops a fault.
If anyone has ever been left without information- we apologise. There's nothing worse than being in the dark. We are working to improve this with addition of customer service staff.
About the business:
We're over 5 years old. We date back to 1999 in aviation consultancy. We're a family-run business. We have a good supply chain. We hold more and more stock all the time. We're lean, and efficient. We aim to survive in a difficult market.
We are well funded, and have a super customer base whom we respect enourmously. We have served over 20,000 customers worldwide.
We don't spam our customers. We price match. We price check. We offer longer warranties on most products. We offer a free return service. We collect and repair faulty items. We have a very, very broad supply chain- if you need a product we don't sell, we can find it and supply.
Areas we can improve on:
We have repaired our email which was being subverted by problems with 1&1 and spam filters. A lot of messages weren't coming through.
We need to be more realistic- some specialist items like wing stands were made from scratch. Our store only lets us show a 14 day max wait. We have asked the developers to fix this. In the meantime we email about wait times.
Some customers posting on here ordered items manufactured-to-order. We were not realistic about the delivery times and we apologise sincerely.
Most common products are in stock at all times. We have tested the market and did find a number of cases where our competitors couldn't deliver but didn't communicate this. We were hoping to ensure we never did the same.
We have at least 4 people to answer phone calls at all times. A substantial investment in this service to ensure no call is unanswered.
We are delighted to be part of the UK and European aviation scene. We are run by pilots - and post on here in our other guises as aviation geeks. Our management comes from the world of airline and business aviation and airline quality management. We also have a vested interest in air safety and have a background in air safety investigation and research.
'Proviation' comes from 'Professional-Aviation' - an aim to bring professionalism to all aspects of flight- including private flight, to make the skies safer. We started to sell pilot supplies seeing a gap in the market for new products.
Going forward:
We took on call staff (as above) and opened a second small warehouse in the south East. We have a superb supply chain backed by the largest suppliers in the business. We are becoming main dealers on more and more lines and we are investing in bringing new products to market, especially for the iPad.
We hope to give you a good service everytime you come into contact with us- so look forward to speaking to you.
Sincerely, we hope this post serves to communicate the business in the best way possible, and that it is well-received.
Best wishes.
Update as of July 2013: New online chat service is a sure-fire way to leave a message or get an instant response if you need to query an order.
Shortly there will be a dedicated phone number solely for customers who've already ordered.
We were uncertain about replying on here, and unsure whether companies are allowed to post; therefore we'd just state the following:
- We will try to address issues on the forum but can't comment openly on orders but just on general service related queries.
As will become clear below- we need to concentrate on our service and not spread too thinly to responding on forums. We have a Facebook page, email, blog and phone where you can ask questions about orders.
*Please also use live chat online to communicate with the company on our homepage at >> Proviation Pilot Shop - Leading Flight Equipment, Pilot Supplies, Aircraft Equipment, Aviation Headsets *
- We want to re-assure, and defend the company. It's a young company, built on sound values, and since Pprune is big- it seems prudent to at least say "hello- here we are". Threads such as this can be incredibly damaging, especially to small companies (which we are not ashamed to be).
We have ventured into offering products not previously available in the UK. We learnt from the US and Canada where pilots are treated to a much larger range. We saw some great products to make available in the UK. We are proud to be an Aircraft Spruce approved distributor- and Sportys- where we meet all their requirements.
We hold good stocks of all day-to-day pilot essentials. We only hold a smaller stock of new products. If we need to order more, we always email our customers to let them know.
We perform 'special-orders' for some products; especially aircraft parts. We promulgate the despatch times in-store and by email immediately having received an order.
We have been approved to sell ALL items in our store- either by approved dealership direct with manufacturer, or through one of their distributors. You will ALWAYS have full manufacturer back-up insofar as Warranty and ALL warranty matters are handled IN-HOUSE. We will also arrange free collect & repair on ANY item which develops a fault.
If anyone has ever been left without information- we apologise. There's nothing worse than being in the dark. We are working to improve this with addition of customer service staff.
About the business:
We're over 5 years old. We date back to 1999 in aviation consultancy. We're a family-run business. We have a good supply chain. We hold more and more stock all the time. We're lean, and efficient. We aim to survive in a difficult market.
We are well funded, and have a super customer base whom we respect enourmously. We have served over 20,000 customers worldwide.
We don't spam our customers. We price match. We price check. We offer longer warranties on most products. We offer a free return service. We collect and repair faulty items. We have a very, very broad supply chain- if you need a product we don't sell, we can find it and supply.
Areas we can improve on:
We have repaired our email which was being subverted by problems with 1&1 and spam filters. A lot of messages weren't coming through.
We need to be more realistic- some specialist items like wing stands were made from scratch. Our store only lets us show a 14 day max wait. We have asked the developers to fix this. In the meantime we email about wait times.
Some customers posting on here ordered items manufactured-to-order. We were not realistic about the delivery times and we apologise sincerely.
Most common products are in stock at all times. We have tested the market and did find a number of cases where our competitors couldn't deliver but didn't communicate this. We were hoping to ensure we never did the same.
We have at least 4 people to answer phone calls at all times. A substantial investment in this service to ensure no call is unanswered.
We are delighted to be part of the UK and European aviation scene. We are run by pilots - and post on here in our other guises as aviation geeks. Our management comes from the world of airline and business aviation and airline quality management. We also have a vested interest in air safety and have a background in air safety investigation and research.
'Proviation' comes from 'Professional-Aviation' - an aim to bring professionalism to all aspects of flight- including private flight, to make the skies safer. We started to sell pilot supplies seeing a gap in the market for new products.
Going forward:
We took on call staff (as above) and opened a second small warehouse in the south East. We have a superb supply chain backed by the largest suppliers in the business. We are becoming main dealers on more and more lines and we are investing in bringing new products to market, especially for the iPad.
We hope to give you a good service everytime you come into contact with us- so look forward to speaking to you.
Sincerely, we hope this post serves to communicate the business in the best way possible, and that it is well-received.
Best wishes.
Update as of July 2013: New online chat service is a sure-fire way to leave a message or get an instant response if you need to query an order.
Shortly there will be a dedicated phone number solely for customers who've already ordered.
Last edited by Proviation; 27th Jul 2013 at 19:41. Reason: Update to response on forum
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This is a fair post and it's nice to see a company being open and up front as to how they work, and what they aim to bring to the market (as opposed to being defensive and combative) and promising to resolve some issues that some people have clearly experienced. Customer Services is a rare thing these days, but the posting here, to me, is admirable. I think there is a market for some US manufactured items not for sale by the other well known aviation companies. Good luck...
Last edited by piperarcher; 13th Oct 2012 at 09:57.
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Do Not Buy from Proviation
They take your money and then nothing!
They havehad £600 of mine for 8 weeks claiming they have had non delivery of their stock....
That I can accept.... but it is when they will not respond to E Mails -Voice messages - or any type of communication that I find really infuriating. As for Pay Pal they just do not want to know!
My advice buy elsewhere!
They havehad £600 of mine for 8 weeks claiming they have had non delivery of their stock....
That I can accept.... but it is when they will not respond to E Mails -Voice messages - or any type of communication that I find really infuriating. As for Pay Pal they just do not want to know!
My advice buy elsewhere!
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However, still the same issues continue...........
Had the misfortune to spend £1,140 with Proviation recently.
They took my money on the 25th Jan, then emailed me on the 31st Jan to say they didn't have any in stock, but they'd be in stock within a few days.
I said OK.
The unit turned up on 6th Feb.
It was faulty, so I emailed them that afternoon asking for a replacement.
No reply by lunchtime on the 7th Feb so I emailed again.
No response by that evening, so I filled in the on line return form.
Phoned twice on the 8th Feb, no reply, but didn't leave a message as I was away for a long weekend.
Phoned 3 times on 11th Feb, no reply to any of the calls, leaving a message asking them to ring me back on the first call of the morning.
Phoned my credit card company on 12th Feb to instigate a dispute and charge back procedure for the amount I'd paid.
On 13th Feb, a sudden flurry of activity, 3 emails in quick succession offering to pick up and replace the unit.
I'd already ordered elsewhere so declined and asked for a collection and refund.
The collection was requested for the next day (the 14th) and I got a tracking number back and enquired if this was for a collection as requested. Surprise, surprise, I didn't get a reply. I stayed in all day.................
And guess what? No collection happened
On the 15th I got another email with another tracking number which STILL didn't tell me when the collection is due to happen and which claimed ( inaccurately) that the email on the 13 th HAD told me when the collection was due, but that it didn't happen because of an ' exception'.
i'm sure some people on the forum will have had a good experience with this shower, but I can tell you, I'm never ordering from them again!
They took my money on the 25th Jan, then emailed me on the 31st Jan to say they didn't have any in stock, but they'd be in stock within a few days.
I said OK.
The unit turned up on 6th Feb.
It was faulty, so I emailed them that afternoon asking for a replacement.
No reply by lunchtime on the 7th Feb so I emailed again.
No response by that evening, so I filled in the on line return form.
Phoned twice on the 8th Feb, no reply, but didn't leave a message as I was away for a long weekend.
Phoned 3 times on 11th Feb, no reply to any of the calls, leaving a message asking them to ring me back on the first call of the morning.
Phoned my credit card company on 12th Feb to instigate a dispute and charge back procedure for the amount I'd paid.
On 13th Feb, a sudden flurry of activity, 3 emails in quick succession offering to pick up and replace the unit.
I'd already ordered elsewhere so declined and asked for a collection and refund.
The collection was requested for the next day (the 14th) and I got a tracking number back and enquired if this was for a collection as requested. Surprise, surprise, I didn't get a reply. I stayed in all day.................
And guess what? No collection happened
On the 15th I got another email with another tracking number which STILL didn't tell me when the collection is due to happen and which claimed ( inaccurately) that the email on the 13 th HAD told me when the collection was due, but that it didn't happen because of an ' exception'.
i'm sure some people on the forum will have had a good experience with this shower, but I can tell you, I'm never ordering from them again!
Last edited by manix-cs; 15th Feb 2013 at 16:58.