@IvoGrijt I should also mention that this frustration is not aimed at you personally, but I think given the situation that has unfolded and the way it’s unfolded we’re more than entitled to be frustrated.
When the news that we’re not going to be getting a unit from this batch that we were told we would be is made as a “throwaway” comment, I think people have been pretty restrained tbh.
Honestly, yes. No other campaign or company have I ever seen tell their backers of every single failure and setback with so much detail.
The fact that they sometimes delay sharing the info or keep quiet for so long (like on the Switzerland ETA) I feel is because they either don’t know exactly what’s (going to) happen(ing), or are frantically trying to get another solution that’s better for you the backers.
Some inside information was shared with us a while back that showed how difficult it had proven to get the return logistics to work, they have switched company like 3 times if I recall correctly, and with their factories they’ve also been met with less than stellar quality sometimes in one, which is why they started working with a second one who’s QC is turning out much better than the first.
So I believe that they are doing all they can, this past week even working from home to do so. But faced with how hostile some backers have got (possibly understandably so), I can also understand that they might not be as eager to share bad news until they are certain there’s no other way around it. They’re caught in the shitstorms too, and are trying to steer the project around them.
I did not take it as such, but thanks for clarifying this. And I do understand your frustration. I honestly do.
I don’t think there would be many ways that would not have caused backlash and more frustration really. But I agree with you that the communication from the Screeneo / Philips team, in English by non-native speakers at that, hasn’t always been the most tactful or complete, often very short and to the point, which may indeed lead to people interpreting them as throwaway comments.
@IvoGrijt With regards to what you replied above, this could have been handled so much better
“I’m really sorry UK customers, but we had the intention of fulfilling the customers units that were missed, but due to our shipper changing the designation of the UK we are not able to include you in this batch. We are really sorry for this and understand the frustration this will cause”.
Instead of:
If this didn’t have Philips plastered all over it - I think we would be more understanding.
Instead Screeneo is wearing the Philips 3000 push up bra! and unsurprisingly when you take it off, you realise its actually a guy… some of course are still happy with this (lucky you)
But it seems that the majority are not.
They threw the campaign out, hoped for the best and now they are getting the returns.
That I fully agree on. Again, in my opinion these guys are rock stars in designing and marketing these projectors, but not so much so when it comes to communicating about the proces with backers at this scale on a regular basis. Some other startups are much better at pulling the wool over their backers’ eyes without actually delivering on their promises, the Screeneo team however is bringing a good product despite many setbacks but are a bit lacking in their communication skills to us unfortunately.
@Philips_Support_N Absoultely disgraceful that you have skipped those in the UK that were supposed to be in the batch BEFORE Christmas for a second time claiming they are not in the EU batch. You even messaged me to confirm my backer ID was in the batch sent . This kind of lying is unacceptable. Why would you send all those other backers with higher contribution numbers prior to sending all shipments you missed?
I think a formal complaint needs to be made to Phillip’s as Screeneo has damaged their reputation and quite frankly lost my trust in the brand.
You’re also seeing it as lying, when it’s very well possible that:
In that case yes, you would’ve been in the list they sent, and so what was told to you would not be a lie.
I know it’s but one possible version of events, but very much plausible.
Do you all really think that they would blatantly risk getting more bad exposure than they already had for events mostly outside their influence, by lying and redirecting shipments by choice? What would their motives be? Think a bit further people, please.
I wouldn’t put anything past them at this point.
Even if the above was true, they should have mentioned this straight away. If the parcel for the UK has to go via Germany anyway, I highly doubt it is the forwarders fault. It seems like just another stupid error.
At this point us UK forgotton backers have now been left out TWICE despite being PROMISED that we will be in the first batch sent out after the chinese new year.
I have completely lost my patience and unless I am given a tracking number in the next week I’m writing a formal complaint to Phillip’s as this company should not be operating under their brand name. Phillip’s might not care but I feel they need to be made aware of this behaviour that is damaging their reputation.
I think if you defend on technicality of whether is it a lie or not, quoting plausibility (without showing any evidence like what @Tom123 did), it is just going to aggravate us more. Since things have gotten beyond rock bottom, the best thing to do is let people shout in this abyss of a forum called the screeneo community to make us feel better.
This has left a deep scar in lot of us and Philips brand going forward will be looked at very differently. But it is a bit strange that Philips is suffering this, even though similar Indigogo projects that are in the same boat are faring much better (Oclean, the AI electric toothbrush, which started after this project delivered theirs, two weeks ago). Perhaps they didn’t have the facade of a big brand and so the expectations were not this high.
We have not silenced anyone ranting as long as they do so without making it personal and within the forum rules of conduct. I’ve even seen posts flagged by other users as being inappropiate still allowed to stand as it was within those guidelines and rules.
All I’m trying to do is to offer an alternative view, which without clarification or the full story on Screeneo’s side, is every bit as possible and plausible as @Tom123’s view (which he’s certainly entitled to have and share like he has).
This could be the subject of a future MBA 
@Philips_Support_N I’m a forgotten backer in the UK, as a forgotten backer we were supposed to be in the batch that’s currently in DE (and not being shipped to the UK now).
I’ve seen a subsequent post that the next batch will be for the UK and a couple of other places, but when I found my backer kit order number (11608295) it wasn’t on your list.
Surely missed UK backers should get priority? Especially as we were supposed to be in the batch that’s currently in DE.
Please could you do the following:
Check who out of the original missed backers still haven’t received their PPM or aren’t currently in transit. My guess is it is UK only backers who are below the 4200 threshold; but hopefully you know?
Communicate to each of these users, either personally (which would be better) or identify the backer kits that have been missed again and list them out like you did in the other thread.
Prioritise these as the next batch for delivery.
Please can you come back to me on this; it can be fixed, but needs you to diligently check the list and communicate what’s happening.
All the best and stay safe.
James
@Philips_Support_N HI. My contribution ID is 10540 and my backerkit order Id is 11607419. I am from France and I have no shipment information about my order. Can you confirm to me that I am in this EU batch please ?
Hi, backer 3266 from France here.
I’ve received today an email from Backerkit saying my parcel has shipped, with a link to track it.
When I click the link I get a 404, so I can’t track my parcel.
Please, can anyone help?
I know some people are struggling with the “view source code” page on Backerkit, and I also remember you had to switch some numbers around to track with DHL. I don’t remember what to do and I can’t spend the next 3h looking for info on this forum.
I’m very confused as to what to do next.
Thank you for clarifying @Philips_Support_N @IvoGrijt or team.
I don’t want to get into details here but I do need to vent my frustration: as many backers have expressed, the communication on this project has been appalling and really tarnished the view I had of the Phillips brand. The problem are not the errors - although they were numerous - but the failure to acknowledge them and address them in a clear and transparent way - and even further, to deny the failure to acknowledge them.
Anyone I know or work with would have been fired for such behaviour.
I am so happy this is is over soon and I hope the product will fulfill my expectations.
All the best,
Paul
try this url http://dhl.de/en/privatkunden/pakete-empfangen/verfolgen.html?piececode=CBxxxxxxxxx exchange xxxx with your code.
Thank you! It works. I will keep an eye on it.
Good luck for everything.
PS: the bro-y attitude really doesn’t help and is not professional. Whoever is behind this communication team @Philips_Support_N should really have a long hard look in the mirror. We are not your friends but clients.
What does it take for you to say “I don’t know”?
Best,
