PC builder Ergo tackles customer complaints over support
Public sector specialist says it is on top of issues caused by transition of support and other functions to HQ of new owner VIP
PC builder Ergo claims it has resolved any issues associated with the transition of its support and manufacturing functions from Nottingham to Warrington.
Customers took to a discussion board last month to voice their discontent at the public sector notebook and tablet specialist's service levels since it was acquired by VIP Group in January.
Commenters variously described Ergo's services levels as "hopeless" and "dreadful", with concerns vented over kit arriving late, engineers turning up with the wrong parts, use of premium phone numbers and general support levels.
"Since the takeover things have got worse and does not look like it is going to improve," said one of half a dozen to have raised concerns on the EduGeek.net discussion board.
Ergo began moving some of its functions to VIP's Warrington HQ - also the site of sister brand Zoostorm - in the summer, Dave Ayling, commercial marketing manager at VIP Group confirmed to CRN.
Ayling acknowledged the issues raised on EduGeek but said these have now been resolved, adding that customers should ultimately benefit from the services relocation.
"Clearly, we have had some complaints and frustrations," he said.
"Some of Ergo's functions - warehousing, support and PC manufacturing - were also carried out at the Warrington HQ. Over the summer we wound down those operations at the Nottingham site and moved it in stages to Warrington, with support coming over in late October and November. And in the course of that we have had some issues delivering the services the way we wanted to."
Ayling admitted Ergo initially struggled to stock the right level of spare parts at its Warrington site. Other complaints related to a feeling among customers that they had become removed from the Ergo team in Nottingham, he said.
The volume of complaints has now fallen back to a "normal level", after peaking at 0.6 per cent of the overall call volume, Ayling said.
"We have developed a new online tool for them to raise concerns and that immediately goes to the senior management team and customer services team in Warrington," he explained. "If they feel the process isn't working for them, they can cut right through to the people at the top."
Ergo built about 8,000 notebooks and tablets in the 12 months running up to its acquisition by VIP, Ayling said. But volumes for its current fiscal year ending June 2015 are on course to reach 18,000 now production has been combined with Zoostorm and Ergo is also producing desktops.
But Ayling stressed the Ergo brand - which recently made it onto the government's new £6bn Technology Products framework - will be kept distinct from Zoostorm/CMS Computers, which is VIP's channel-only PC operation.
Some 45 staff remain in the Nottingham office, which continues to carry out product management, support, sales, account management and engineering functions.
"CMS does very different things in the marketplace for very different customers," he said. "Ergo looks after end-user customers in education and the public sector, whereas CMS is dedicated to the channel. Some of the chasses we use are the same [as CMS] as we are looking to achieve volume and scale, but a good proportion of the Ergo range are systems only they carry. We very much keep the sales elements separate.
"We are hoping after the initial problems that the benefits of these changes will be seen."