Originally Posted by billranton

I'm a bit annoyed that they've felt it necessary to apologise to us here. [...] I think they're doing pretty damn well really.

Originally Posted by jamar

Don't know about Android app, but I've made a quick & dirty bash script for automatic checking of my order status, if anyone interested:
...

Originally Posted by catbus

When you view your order:

What numbers are in place of ????

https://shop.jolla.com/sales/order/view/order_id/????/

Mine is 41xx

Thanks

Originally Posted by billranton

I'm a bit annoyed that they've felt it necessary to apologise to us here.

Originally Posted by catbus

Anyone????

Originally Posted by epmt

I don't think an apology is necessary either. Solid information, now that would be useful.

Just to help out Jolla, some ideas and questions that might help them communicate with the community - from one perspective. I know the community has many perspectives of course.

Here is one:

That is a nice email. Yet it sounds like something a PR department would write, not a sailor from the Unlike company. Basically it still says nothing abot why this happened (they don't need to go into grizzly details, but helping people understand the main issue helps them understand how long things will take) and at what pace it will be unraveled - they must have some idea of that, an estimate.

I don't doubt their sincere apology. I don't think we need that, really, though. The one point in the email I appreciated the most is that Jolla's are in the country, that is actual, useful information that puts minds at ease. Apologies are not needed, information is. That one glimmer of information is useful, but the rest is just vague PR talk.

Here is a suggestion for the future, about communication: Why not tell us where the shipments are progressing and how fast? Can we construe something from the order number, for example. That would be real service, especially considering the audience which is quite technical etc. in nature. What about sharing the actual reasons they've had to tackle with. Help people help themselves, instead of keeping them in the dark.

If you don't want to put that out to an "official" customer email, for fear of seeming somehow not corporate enough, why not put it out on Twitter or in the FAQ for those to find out who care about such things. Don't force people into maintaining Excels on forums - or at least making keeping those Excels easier. People appreciate actual information. Empty phrases are empty without context to understand them. Too many companies and customer care put out vague lines that in the end don't mean much because you can't know how certain they are.

Actual information, numbers, facts etc. means a lot more. Here is an idea what Jolla could have reported today: "All Jollas are in our warehouse and a staff of ten is shipping them out in three shifts. We ship out approximately 10% of our orders every day and are now 50% through." That wouldn't even require disclosing the amounts.

Then again, because this is the initial shipment and not really that big a business secret, they could just say "We are currently picking order number 999, we have 3001 more to go. If you are number 4000, we expect to get to packing your package on Sunday." Or if they are not picking in order, they could just say that too and help us understand the process.

Jolla, please consider these ideas at least the next time around you are dealing with something like this. You are a startup with open/community/movement ideas, being upfront and open vs. veiled in corporate PR talk wins over much more hearts in such a scenario.

It is still not too late. Any comment on the order number you are currently picking?