Conid Delivery Time

[Fermata]

A christmas gift to make your dreams

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Their-Boring-Arguments-Wendy-Cope/dp/1870641108

 

Conid make superbly engineered pens that take time to make, if you want one then be prepared to wait.

[mongrelnomad]

Thank you.

 

 

As an observer that only sees the odd Conid product review, company announcement, and relatively more frequent input from both fans and disappointed customers (and, just to be clear, they are customers by virtue of having placed orders and paid money, even if they may not have ever used a Conid pen to appreciate the product because the company have yet to deliver their orders)...

 

I can't help but get the sense more and more that a concurrent problem which would equally not be a new one for Conid is that its executive management isn't forward and proactive in identifying and acknowledging problems, admitting mistakes and "owning" or taking responsibility for those, and dealing with it as "only business" and nothing personal or ego-bruising.

 

 

I, for one, don't think you're being hostile to the company or its fans. However, I've spent enough time on different online forums to have observed this strange phenomenon that some people seem to want, and in effect demand, faceless strangers who are their peers and equals to echo their sentiments in discussions or be treated as hostile. I highly value everyone's contribution in terms of facts, reasoning and analysis, but sentiments are "private" in the sense that it's not for others to either change through badgering, or "respect" by pretending there is inherent merit in someone's emotions that demands acknowledgement or accommodation. If I feel strongly about (or against) something, I certainly don't require that others feel the same way to feel righteous or validated; but I'd be interested in hearing either critiques or further development of reasoned argument about the topic at hand. Maybe I got my facts wrong. Maybe my reasoning is flawed. But what is certainly not required is for everyone to feel the same way about a product, company or pursuit to have a meaningful conversation that is of value to the community, that may or may not prompt other spectators to gravitate towards one position or another.

 

 

I wasn't a CEO, isn't one now, and don't aspire to be one, but large corporations that people just love to hate used to pay me quite a bit if money to identify and analyse their problems, and tell them what they don't really want to hear until the numbers just stare them in the face unrelentingly.

 

I was "wheeled in front of" other execs by an executive manager into a reporting meeting he called, after doing quite a thorough analysis he commissioned, because he wanted me to do the explaining in case he caught flak for it. I explained it, and he caught flak for it anyway while I was sitting there because nobody wanted to argue with hard facts, numbers and analysis I presented. Yes, there was also lots of reluctance on that occasion in acknowledge problems and owning responsibility for them. That's the nub of it, I'm not invested emotionally or otherwise, and I don't care who wins or loses, who survives or don't, and whose ego gets bruised.

 

I left the office politics, personality conflicts and turf wars to those guys. I also never volunteered to solve their problems, including ones that I've just analysed and reported on, because that wasn't what they paid me to do on agreed terms; so stating and quantifying the problems, and maybe tracing how they originated and what's on the horizon that could make them worse or introduce new problems, was the extent of what I was engaged to do.

 

However, I don't hate them personally for not having either the discipline or know-how to fix the problems, and I wouldn't do anything out of my way to exacerbate their problems. Leaving them to their own devices for all to see was usually a good strategy, especially when one can choose not to be involved or invested in a particular enterprise, and as spectators and commenters just let them sink or swim.

 

Why some people here are so against others doing just that with Conid is beyond me.

 

Thanks for your life story. Somebody be sure to pass him the cookies.

[Wadude]

Why, been getting quite contentious lately, havent we? First the Tiny Nakaya Stub stumble. Now this Conid conundrum. I must confess, I find it oddly amusing to watch faceless strangers boxing over something arcane like fountain pens. By all means, brawl on.

 

I also find Smug Dills views to be very close to my own, though I substitute his cold detachment for a dollop of Schadenfreude. I struggle to understand how pointing out Conids shortcomings can be conflated with hating. Oh, well. Let us hope that the zealous defenders are receiving their just rewards (perhaps by being allowed to jump the queue and cause the problem in the first place. Wouldnt that be funny?)

Edited November 18, 2019 by Wadude

[Bibliophage]

 

I left the office politics, personality conflicts and turf wars to those guys. I also never volunteered to solve their problems, including ones that I've just analysed and reported on, because that wasn't what they paid me to do on agreed terms; so stating and quantifying the problems, and maybe tracing how they originated and what's on the horizon that could make them worse or introduce new problems, was the extent of what I was engaged to do.

 

However, I don't hate them personally for not having either the discipline or know-how to fix the problems, and I wouldn't do anything out of my way to exacerbate their problems. Leaving them to their own devices for all to see was usually a good strategy, especially when one can choose not to be involved or invested in a particular enterprise, and as spectators and commenters just let them sink or swim.

 

Why some people here are so against others doing just that with Conid is beyond me.

My uncle does similar work, except he puts much more emphasis on putting processes in place to ameliorate or eliminate the problems before they turn into business crushing difficulties.

 

I don't see @A Smug Dill as being bad or having schadenfreud for not offering suggestions on how to fix problems. If he exposes the difficulties AND shows where they came from, or at least some of the causative factors, he's already given the business the tools necessary to start to address those issues. Solutions work best when they come from internal sources, generally. Otherwise, they can track down a consultant that SPECIFICALLY addresses those kinds of issues. That could be a forensic accountant, it could be police/FBI, it could be an it specialist like myself, it could be Richard Simmons.

 

Remember, finding a problem doesn't necessarily need expertise in the area where the problem may lie. This is where the Armchair Quarterback mentality arrives - they think they see a problem and know the solution. In fact, lots of people can see problems - the mote in thy neighbor's eye. The issue is that the first thought - of sticking your finger in his eye - may not fix the problem.

[kazoolaw]

"...while I was sitting there because nobody wanted to argue with hard facts, numbers and analysis I presented."

 

Looking forward to the presentation of hard facts and numbers.

[scratchofapen]

People, honestly, calm down....

Fact 1: No one here knows the internal processes, procedures or capacities on Komtec.

Fact 2: Hence no one konws the same from Conid, the side project of Komtec.

Fact 3: Conid is facing problems, they themself took the decision to solve them with the

short time effect of not accepting orders until May 2020 for what reason and to what effect however,that is solely THEIR decision, as is what they gonna do and how it will work out.

 

Most posts are, excuse me for beeing direct, useless speculation or solution guessing without knowing anything and no one of us needs to know or even have the right of somekind (what one or the other person seems to expect), to mix with their affairs. Heck, with my own business i would shut off any sideproject in the moment it affects my main business.

 

I dont understand how this can become so emotional without any knowlege beyond the announcement from Conid. Live with the fact that you can not order for five months. It's about pens! Not spare parts for your iron lung or any vital something else. If you want a pen from them, come back in may. If you don't want one, so what? Whatever they do, it is their decision, live with it.

Edited November 18, 2019 by scratchofapen

[A Smug Dill]

Most posts are, excuse me for beeing direct, useless speculation or solution guessing without knowing anything and no one of us needs to know or even have the right of somekind (what one or the other person seems to expect), to mix with their affairs.

I love it when people are direct. Other than customers who have placed orders with Conid and reporting on their experience with the company's (successful, delayed, overdue, or outright failed) delivery of specifically those orders, and the inescapable conclusion that Conid has problems delivering to customer expectations that itself has set in the first place, of course everything is just speculation when the company has not elected to so much as taking responsibility and apologising for the undesirable consequences of its problems on other members of "the fountain pen community" who are in "the hobby" — including, but not limited to, its customers — let alone disclose the true nature and extent of those problems.

 

And, yes, I'm trying to be inclusive here, since some people seem to be so precious about the idea and health of "the fountain pen community", and counting Conid the company as one member of that in its own right. Not entirely "us" against "them", but just how one member is having an impact on many others.

 

As for whether that speculation is useless, it depends on what use(s) individual commenters have in mind. I'm interested in the customers who have prepaid for their orders that are overdue for delivery, but got nothing to show for it, not even just supplier-to-customer communications apologising for delays and updating them on the situation with those specific orders. I'm interested in what those customers can do if Conid remains unresponsive to individual complaints and queries. I don't think offering suggestions (with speculation/assumption of their feasibility) of what Conid could do in the interim (which I've already spelt out previously) to placate and reset expectations, and/or getting credit card issuers or PayPal to take the money back from the company if it doesn't come to the party, is useless to those specific stakeholders in the equation.

 

I dont understand how this can become so emotional without any knowlege beyond the announcement from Conid.

I don't either. I haven't placed any orders with Conid to either be satisfied or disappointed, and I don't care whether the company succeeds or fails. To those who're highly invested emotionally in the brand or its product, I'm only saying with the absence of emotion of the same magnitude, that it doesn't matter one bit to the vast majority of others in "the fountain pen community" globally, some of which may not have heard of Conid or the Bulkfiller, and some may not even speak English at all. "We" aren't just the few with very specific preferences when it comes to fountain pen design and applications.

[kazoolaw]

... everything is just speculation...

 

 

Thank you.

[A Smug Dill]

Thank you.

 

Please don't forget the "other than" clause before that. Some customers have already given you the hard facts and figures of how Conid failed them recently or currently.

 

While the suggestion of initiating chargebacks with issuers of credit cards used to pay for overdue orders doesn't even pertain to the internal state of the company, having that avenue available to customers is only a speculation insofar as the precondition that the customers paid with credit cards. It is not mere speculation that Conid can be smacked financially, and for money to be taken back unilaterally without the company's cooperation with the customer, if it chooses not to play ball after having already disappointed those particular customers.

 

p.s. It also isn't just speculation that Conid (has the capability to, and) could choose to apologise unreservedly, either proactively or when a customer with an overdue order complains.

Edited November 18, 2019 by A Smug Dill

[Bibliophage]

I love it when people are direct. Other than customers who have placed orders with Conid and reporting on their experience with the company's (successful, delayed, overdue, or outright failed) delivery of specifically those orders, and the inescapable conclusion that Conid has problems delivering to customer expectations that itself has set in the first place, of course everything is just speculation

 

Rather than take it out of context, as has been done - not everything is speculation.

 

To clarify, we do know:

 

People have placed orders.

Orders have been significantly delayed, for an extended period of time.

People have received good product - significantly delayed.

At least one, and probably many, people have had their attempts to contact the company rebuffed.

The company (Conid) has admitted being significantly behind, and has taken the step of ceasing allowing orders.

The company (Conid) claims to be adding at least one person to customer service (which suggests admitting to rebuffing contacts).

 

That's the extent of the 'facts' here. Even that Conid is a side brand would be speculation - I don't know that they've ever said how Conid is really related, other than it's a brand of Komec.

[kazoolaw]

Please don't forget the "other than" clause before that.

I've not forgotten that. But, you did go on to refer to "that speculation." In (not out of) the context of your post presumably you are referring to " the true nature and extent of those problems." If not that, you can share what exactly you are speculating about.

 

I'm this case there are no hard facts and numbers for what is happening inside Conid. Without those there is not analysis, only assumption. Your experience may make it a very informed assumption, but it remains just that.

[A Smug Dill]

I've not forgotten that. But, you did go on to refer to "that speculation." In (not out of) the context of your post presumably you are referring to " the true nature and extent of those problems." If not that, you can share what exactly you are speculating about.

I can't help but get the sense more and more (read: I speculate) that a concurrent problem — which would equally not be a new one — for Conid is that its executive management isn't forward and proactive in identifying and acknowledging problems, admitting mistakes and "owning" or taking responsibility for those, and dealing with it as "only business" and nothing personal or ego-bruising.

That was my speculation regarding what is happening inside Conid.

 

I'm this case there are no hard facts and numbers for what is happening inside Conid. Without those there is not analysis, only assumption.

Conid hasn't disclosed any facts and numbers, and we don't even know — and can only speculate — whether the company's management itself has ready access to the facts and numbers as organised, usable information.

 

Your experience may make it a very informed assumption, but it remains just that.

I think you're taking what I said out of context, and I suspect you did so knowingly and deliberately. Conid hasn't engaged me, professionally or otherwise, to look into its process problems and review any hard facts and numbers it may or may not already have on hand. However, in the specific study — for a large Australian corporation, not Conid — for which I presented hard facts, numbers and analysis to executive management, the part of the corporation in which the problem was occurring was very resistant towards making data available for review, and the exec tasked with solving the problem was foiled for two months by roadblock after roadblock, with every excuse from not having collected data in the past, not having the IT capability and not being able to afford the additional burden on labour of collecting data samples. That's why I was called in, and I got him that data in two weeks.

 

Yes, and I repeat, it has nothing to do with Conid's problems that is causing its failures in delivery that are there, as reported by disappointed customers, for all to see. However, the company can most certainly engage someone to look into it, and get the hard facts and numbers even if they aren't already on hand by the press of a few keys, and deal with the issue internally front-on without trying to disguise or shy away from the undeniable fact there is mismanagement of information (about process throughput, and consequently the delivery timeframes the company advised its customers previously, but fails to meaningfully update now) and mismanagement of customer relationships (by not returning calls and not answering emails, when it's all bad news regarding the outstanding orders in question).

 

Yes, we can only speculate on whether that's one of the things the "Process Captain" has been tasked to do in Conid; and yes, we can only speculate on whether the boss there has the appetite to be confronted with hard facts and numbers about the company's problems, failures and risk exposure.

 

Could one's problems be "solved" or just go away without looking at hard facts and numbers (to which we, as casual spectators, have no right to be privy)? Sure, it's possible; there is always sheer luck, and prayer as a "solution" was invented many millennia ago and has been practised ever since.

 

In the meantime, the less-than-divine intervention of such powerful consumer-focused entities as Visa and PayPal could be called upon to provide help and relief to those stakeholders in "the fountain pen community" who are directly and negatively impacted by Conid's process problems.

[Joe124013]

Thank you.

 

 

As an observer that only sees the odd Conid product review, company announcement, and relatively more frequent input from both fans and disappointed customers (and, just to be clear, they are customers by virtue of having placed orders and paid money, even if they may not have ever used a Conid pen to appreciate the product because the company have yet to deliver their orders)...

 

I can't help but get the sense more and more that a concurrent problem — which would equally not be a new one — for Conid is that its executive management isn't forward and proactive in identifying and acknowledging problems, admitting mistakes and "owning" or taking responsibility for those, and dealing with it as "only business" and nothing personal or ego-bruising.

 

 

I, for one, don't think you're being hostile to the company or its fans. However, I've spent enough time on different online forums to have observed this strange phenomenon that some people seem to want, and in effect demand, faceless strangers who are their peers and equals to echo their sentiments in discussions or be treated as hostile. I highly value everyone's contribution in terms of facts, reasoning and analysis, but sentiments are "private" in the sense that it's not for others to either change through badgering, or "respect" by pretending there is inherent merit in someone's emotions that demands acknowledgement or accommodation. If I feel strongly about (or against) something, I certainly don't require that others feel the same way to feel righteous or validated; but I'd be interested in hearing either critiques or further development of reasoned argument about the topic at hand. Maybe I got my facts wrong. Maybe my reasoning is flawed. But what is certainly not required is for everyone to feel the same way about a product, company or pursuit to have a meaningful conversation that is of value to the community, that may or may not prompt other spectators to gravitate towards one position or another.

 

 

I wasn't a CEO, isn't one now, and don't aspire to be one, but large corporations that people just love to hate used to pay me quite a bit if money to identify and analyse their problems, and tell them what they don't really want to hear until the numbers just stare them in the face unrelentingly.

 

I was "wheeled in front of" other execs by an executive manager into a reporting meeting he called, after doing quite a thorough analysis he commissioned, because he wanted me to do the explaining in case he caught flak for it. I explained it, and he caught flak for it anyway while I was sitting there because nobody wanted to argue with hard facts, numbers and analysis I presented. Yes, there was also lots of reluctance on that occasion in acknowledge problems and owning responsibility for them. That's the nub of it, I'm not invested emotionally or otherwise, and I don't care who wins or loses, who survives or don't, and whose ego gets bruised.

 

I left the office politics, personality conflicts and turf wars to those guys. I also never volunteered to solve their problems, including ones that I've just analysed and reported on, because that wasn't what they paid me to do on agreed terms; so stating and quantifying the problems, and maybe tracing how they originated and what's on the horizon that could make them worse or introduce new problems, was the extent of what I was engaged to do.

 

However, I don't hate them personally for not having either the discipline or know-how to fix the problems, and I wouldn't do anything out of my way to exacerbate their problems. Leaving them to their own devices for all to see was usually a good strategy, especially when one can choose not to be involved or invested in a particular enterprise, and as spectators and commenters just let them sink or swim.

 

Why some people here are so against others doing just that with Conid is beyond me.

 

The difference is that presumably when you were commissioned to work for those companies you had actual information about their business practices, internal workings, etc and not just some random message board posts and a fairly standard message stating how they plan to work on their backlog. It seems pretty evident that despite whatever mistakes they may have made they're being greatly over-exaggerated by some people here because if it wasn't the case, they wouldn't be in the situation of having a large backlog, nor would they have gotten the good word of mouth from past customers that caused the demand for their product to rise.

[Mew]

And yet many have no qualms with waiting a year or more for certain bespoke Japanese pens... Could be that Conid underestimated the demand for $500+ custom pens and received many more orders recently than anticipated based on prior year's sales. When I bought my Minamalistica it took a bit longer than first quoted, but that was a few years ago when they were just gaining steam. Perhaps they should be given some time to see if they can make the necessary changes to improve efficiency.

They dont mind because the companies deliver in the time they promise. I ordered a Hakase on 28th November 2016 with a delivery period of 13 months, and it was ready on 28th December 2017. Exactly 13 months.

Problem with Conid is that they promise something and invariably never deliver according to that.

And what the posters above say, They are a small operation and this is a side-business is not acceptable. You take the money, you need to deliver irrespective of what your seriousness level is towards the job. Those who accept this line of reasoning have no respect for their own money and time.

 

Edit: Additionally, I have commented on their Instagram post regarding this. It is something like this: Do you think that you will be able to handle the orders that come in when you resume taking orders? There is absolutely no point in doing this if you resume taking orders on 1st May 2020 and by 5th May you end up with 500 orders and another backlog of 6 months

Their response, 500 is a lot along with something like well be ready. So what posters above said about Conid lacking a good process arent wrong. And there is a doubt on whether they can keep up once they resume.

 

Edit 2: And I also disagree with members calling Conid a Bespoke or Custom Pen Maker. That is wrong. Can I pick the material that I want? No. I am limited to a demonstrator, black ebonite, red acrylic, blue acrylic and orange ebonite. I dont like these. I have some very interesting celluloid rods that would be lovely for the pen but they wont accept that.

Can I pick a nib that I want to use instead of being forced to use those generic bock nibs? No. Bock only, but in titanium, gold and rhodium plated gold. Not good enough. No O3Bs either since you can only get upto OBB. I like the M1000 or Custom Urushi nib for this pen.

Can I alter the length of the pen as I want? No. Fixed lengths. I prefer a pen slightly longer than kingsize but not all the way to giraffe.

Can I select the section shape that I want? No. Concave only for kingsize. I want a section like M1000 or Custom Urushi.

 

Far too many restrictions put and yet they fail to deliver on time. Personally, I have had 2 conids, one in orange ebonite is long sold, and the current demonstrator is well on its Way to being sold. My Pilots, Namikis and a like Hakase are far better, and look beautiful too. And excellent customer service too. Hakase makes about 150 pens a year, and a one man operation, yet manages to reply on time, sometimes even within minutes. Thats where the money should go, so never getting another Conid.

Edited November 19, 2019 by Mew

[Wadude]

Probably straying from the topic, but I would be grateful to hear from Conidings out there:

 

What is it that make you feel that those pens are worth the high mark-up and the long wait? Is it the bulkfiller mechanism? The solid build? The options available for customization? The solid, streamlined impression of the pens themselves?

 

I hear the nibs are your standard, run-of-the-mill, bock nibs. Good ones, but you can find them in less expensive pens.

 

Not criticizing, by the way. To each his own. Just curious about the rationale.

[A Smug Dill]

seems pretty evident that despite whatever mistakes they may have made they're being greatly over-exaggerated by some people here because if it wasn't the case, they wouldn't be in the situation of having a large backlog, nor would they have gotten the good word of mouth from past customers that caused the demand for their product to rise.

I don't recall seeing good "word of mouth" about Conid delivering orders on time and to specifications consistently. On the other hand, I don't think anyone is calling Conid's product quality into question, even if I personally don't find its design and features attractive or inspiring to order one for myself. Having produced good product, and earned a reputation for such, is not something that will sustain a business enterprise once it stops delivering but persists in disappointing.

 

Nobody is blaming Francis as the inventor of the Bulkfiller, nobody is saying it isn't a good design even if it doesn't add value for every fountain pen user, and no staff member is being singled out for having dropped the ball or not replying to customer-initiated contact. Calling out the company, as a business entity in its own right, for its failure to fulfil its part in a contract or agreement is about as impersonal as it gets. And, as I said before, if people love the product and want it to continue to be available, then bad processes and a company that holds the patent but isn't delivering on orders as the exclusive producer are the enemy of that very thing, so for anyone with just cause and available avenues, there's nothing wrong with putting pressure on the company to shape up and smack them in social media, or through chargebacks by credit card issuers, etc. until it does. The staff's egos are not the concern here, nor the brand's reputation, when people just want access to a good product with a fit-for-purpose design, no matter who ends up delivering it and taking home the profit from sales.

[kazoolaw]

That was my speculation regarding what is happening inside Conid.

 

Conid hasn't disclosed any facts and numbers, and we don't even know — and can only speculate — whether the company's management itself has ready access to the facts and numbers as organised, usable information.

 

I think you're taking what I said out of context, and I suspect you did so knowingly and deliberately.

 

 

Yes, we can only speculate on whether that's one of the things the "Process Captain" has been tasked to do in Conid; and yes, we can only speculate on whether the boss there has the appetite to be confronted with hard facts and numbers about the company's problems, failures and risk exposure.

 

 

 

As you state, in context, in your posts, you are speculating on what may be happening inside Conid.

 

Direct and succint. See, that wasn't difficult.

[Beechwood]

9 Pages. Good Grief.

 

 

 

I expect his pen has been delivered by now.

[Karmachanic]

Gasbaging.

Edited November 19, 2019 by Karmachanic

[Bibliophage]

9 Pages. Good Grief.

 

 

 

I expect his pen has been delivered by now.

No, he cancelled the order. If you'd read the pages, you'd know that.