Baird Mint - System Issues

[dicker]

Hi All

Just a heads up.

I placed an order with Baird at the weekend.  I had a number of issues tying to complete the order but it worked at the end - despite getting a technical error message after paying.  

I got a mail from their payment processor but not from Baird.  Equally, my transaction didn’t appear in my transaction history.  

I called today and they said they have problems with their payments system, but could see my order (unlike me) but they couldn’t confirm if their payment system had worked and they had taken payment.  

I still can’t see an order confirmation (online) or email from them, but apparently may do tomorrow!

If you are ordering from Baird, I suggest  a phone order my be the best way to proceed as their systems (which worked well up to this point) seem to be unreliable at best. 

I am not sure I will order from them again, I don’t expect to have to talk to sales and then accounts to track down my order and for them to ask me if payment has been taken…..

All the best

Dicker
 

 

[dicker]

Error when I completed my purchase. 

Amateur night.

 

[HonestMoneyGoldSilver]

This is a known issue. Check trustpilot you will see several people are bouncing about similar situations over the past few years

I also had an issue with their website, bought 100 Britannias and the money left my account, I got an email from their payment processor but no invoice from Baird. I phoned several days later and got a young chap who was a bit of an arse about the whole thing, claimed there was no record of my order, but the money had left my bank account several days prior

Several days after that I got through to a lovely lady called Francis, who unlike the young man, could see that I had actually placed and paid for my order. She sorted it out and I had the coins a couple of days later

I fully agree about phone calls. My first order was over the phone and it was smooth going. The website order though, never again. I can't be bothered waiting 2 weeks for delivery and being annoyed by money leaving my account without an invoice being generated

The error I got was about metal weight btw and others reported different issues so we're spoilt for choice in how the website might mess up our orders. 

[modofantasma]

29 minutes ago, dicker said:

If you are ordering from Baird, I suggest  a phone order my be the best way to proceed as their systems (which worked well up to this point) seem to be unreliable at best. 

I've used telephone at least the last order successfully too

[dicker]

Let’s hope their Cyber Security is better than their payment and invoicing systems….

[MonkeysUncle]

Sounds like one to avoid!

[dicker]

Despite promising to send me an invoice by yesterday / this morning…nothing.

Still no order showing on my account.

Clowns

[MrStacker]

Hello @dicker

I've dealt with Bairds in the past especially at the end of last year and the beginning of this year. There online system is a mess. The staff that deal with online orders are not efficient nor wary of the process. Some of the staff have no product knowledge whatsoever. I've ordered several times online and maybe 2-3 times in person. The less stressful option is to order in person at their Hatton Garden branch but obviously this cannot be convienient for everyone and even then you'll deal with some incompetent staff.

I've noticed a few things when ordering online:

When you have to "add funds" and complete the process someone on their end needs to click a few buttons to authorise and basically "add" the funds onto your account. Regardless of what it shows on your main screen. I had to manually call them up to get someone to complete this process several times because someone "forgot". Once you have the funds and purchased your coin/bar or whatever and complete checkout AGAIN you need someone on their end to click a few buttons to get the order running on their system. Just because you have a completed checkout doesn't mean the process has even started on their end. I had to phone again to get them to put it through. I then had to call a few days later to get confirmation on dispatch. Only then did I receive an outdated email with all the necessary ordering information. In short the online system is not reliable nor consistent from my own experience.

Ordering in store can be extremely slow and tedious dependent on time of day you go. A lot of local jewellers and traders use them for bulk purchasing and for refinery services. Becareful of the jewellers that turn up as some of them are very nosy and will ignore the huge notice sign next to the counter requesting customers to wait at a distance for privacy purposes. Some will literally stand right behind you while being served to snoop around and see what you are buying or selling and then act as if they didn't see the notice sign. I had to tell a few of them to move away. The staff from my own experience at Bairds in store have a severe lack of product knowledge and pricing. I can show them their website and prices and they'll come up with something completely different. Wrong product and wrong price for said product. Off course the price fluctuates but none of the prices I was given correlated. One particular staff member messed up my order 2 times and charged me incorrectly. I got this resolved but I was fuming at the ordeal.

I now avoid bairds unless it is a specific product I need and no one else has it available and even then I'm reluctant to go.

 

[paulmerton]

On 03/04/2023 at 20:22, dicker said:

Let’s hope their Cyber Security is better than their payment and invoicing systems….

I would have immediate reservations if their website is returning SQL queries on 500 Internal Server Error pages. That simply shouldn't happen.

[CANV]

baird have been the one firm ive used in the last 18 months who didn't have a name/account details check for bank transfers,, I believe they were using Metro bank at the time..   even individuals get that cover now..

having said that great value on bars and they look great.  well until the rebrand.    

[HonestMoneyGoldSilver]

4 hours ago, dicker said:

Despite promising to send me an invoice by yesterday / this morning…nothing.

Still no order showing on my account.

Clowns

Phone the sales desk (press 1) and ask for Francis. She is the most competent member of staff I came across

They did the same with me, promised an invoice and it took them an age to send it. The order never showed up in my account

Check your bank, your payment may still be pending. If it's not in the pending column then Baird have your money and they are legally obliged to provide you with an invoice and honour the terms (price) of the POS (point-of-sale) agreement

1. Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002: These regulations apply to businesses that sell goods or services online, and require them to provide customers with certain information, including their contact details, a description of the goods or services, and their pricing (the invoice)

2. Consumer Rights Act 2015: This legislation outlines the rights of consumers when they buy goods or services from businesses, including the right to clear information, the right to return faulty goods, and the right to a refund.

3. Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013: These regulations apply to distance selling, such as online sales, and require businesses to provide customers with clear information about their rights to cancel a purchase, and any additional charges.

[dicker]

Called accounts this morning.  Waited on hold and was then cut off.

Called again - sales and this time they took my name and number and promised that they will call me back today…..

[MonkeysUncle]

Jeez. Sounds like a clown show! I'm sticking with what I know and trust - Chards and BBP where necessary!

[dicker]

Despite the promise of a call back - nothing and they are now closed. 

[MrStacker]

This is quite concerning. 😐

I would suggest to note down the names of each member of staff you communiciate with over the phone. I did exactly that to avoid explaining repeatedly the problem over and over again. It helped a bit but not much. I hope you get a better response after the bank holiday or tomorrow at least.

[dicker]

Got through to accounts after 4 attempts where I was simply disconnected.  

Baird have now worked out they they have the money and will issue a manual invoice by the end of today.  We will see. 
 

They won’t post out till Monday.  We shall see…

 

[Darr3nG]

20 minutes ago, dicker said:

They won’t post out till Monday.  We shall see…

Bank Holiday

[GoldDiggerDave]

Payment issues with PM’s is always stressful.  Hope you get it sorted @dicker

 

[sovereignsteve]

My only recent dealing with Bairds was sending them a mixed bag of broken jewellery. The invoice they issued was short of my estimate as they had classified it all as 9ct even though I knew there was some 18ct in there.

I was told bluntly on the phone that as their guys check everything they receive by XRF they couldn't possibly be wrong but did agree to ask for it to be checked.

The next day I received an amended invoice that correctly valued the parcel.

Totally unacceptable for an alleged top class refiner.

[dicker]

Finally have an invoice.

No confirmation of shipping date.

The people I have spoken to on the phone sounded particularly disengaged.

Usually a sign the the management is not good…

I use a range of dealers, and none come close to being this poor.  I have had coins delivered from Australia faster!!!!

[dicker]

So no confirmation of despatch. 

I call Baird 4 times and get disconnected each time after a long wait. 

Eventually got through to someone who couldn’t confirm if my order has been despatched as “we need to look in the vault and it closes at 430, you will have to call back tomorrow”

Doesn’t make sense, and poor customer service asking the customer to call back rather than offering a call back or email. 
 

I haven’t ever had such rubbish service from any bullion dealer.  Ever. 

[MrStacker]

I would call tomorrow and specifically ask for Francis or Chubbz (yes that's his name). These 2 members of staff have helped me in the past. Francis is the most efficient and helpful. Unfortunately, they all have this laid back tone and approach over the phone. Not ideal at all.

The good news is you have the invoice as proof of a transanction happening. You need to call early and be patient. Insist you must have an answer and confirmation over the phone before you end the call. A "call back" is absolutely unacceptable at this point.

If you were travelling into London by chance I would go straight to the counter and explain the ordeal you have had. They won't be much help because they would refer you to "the online team" however if you hog the counter for a long period of time they will have no choice but to dwelve a little deeper to sort this out. The lady at the counter can commucnciate with any staff member of Bairds at a click of a button. She has the call code sheet for each "department" and member of staff.

I had a similar troublesome issue but not to the extent you are experiencing and I'm sorry you've had to go through this s@@@@. This is one reason why I have avoided Bairds for a few months now.

 

Edited April 12, 2023 by MrStacker

[CANV]

oh dear.. well my theory is. and this is only a guess.   some very senior guy has over promoted a son or daughter to take over the running of the show about a year ago..

this explains the rubbish new rebrand on the bars and the lack of staff moral.  im guessing the new managers name is Quentin or Summer or some such balls and they got a 'Desmond' at some terrible Uni

in art and Business studies..     

 

 

I could of course be wrong 

[dicker]

I have no idea - previous orders have been good.

You may well be right @CANV in some vein at least.

I don’t criticise lightly, giving people, dealers and retailers a whole bunch of leeway, and not criticising.

I for one won’t use them again.

[dicker]

Eventually received.  Despite arguing with me about the date that I placed the order.  They challenged that I placed the order on the 2nd when funds were taken from my account, and were adamant that I placed the order on the 6th.

Jokers.