Another PSA/Joe Orlando Customer Service Blunder

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Posted By: JimB

I just wanted to relate a story about Joe Orlando and PSA. I will preface this with saying that I think PSA generally does a fine job of grading with a few exceptions and I am really not a fan of all the PSA bashing that goes on here. But this experience really pissed me off. I called Friday morning asking to speak with Joe Orlando. I was put through to his voicemail and left a message. I called a couple hours later after not hearing from him and again was put through to his voicemail. I called back and asked if he was in the office because I just kept getting his voice mail (I had called his extension several other times and just hung up when I got his voicemail.). They told me he was in, but he might be on the phone. Finally after several more attempts over the course of about three hours of trying his extension and just getting a voicemail, I called the operator again and explained the situation and asked if there was any way I could speak with him. This time I was put through to his secretary who said he was on the phone. I said I would be happy to wait and she responded that she could not put me on hold. She asked what I wanted to speak with him about. I was a little surprised that his calls needed to be screaned, but I told her that I wanted to discuss grading possibilities with him regarding a very valuable, one of a kind card. She said she would convey the message and get back to me. She called back about 5 minutes later and said I would have to send the card in, that they could not answer over the phone. I told her that he may be able to answer over the phone if she would let me talk to him so that I could explain what the card was. She asked what it was. I described it briefly, but did not giver her enough information to generate a quality answer. I did not think she was going to take the information and presume to ask the question for me. I thought I would be conveying enough information that he would at least take my call. She came back and said they would not grade it. The card is ALREADY in a PSA Authentic holder and has been for more than five years. My question, which never got conveyed, was whether their policies may have since changed with regards to this card and others like it such that they would now give it a numerical grade. I never got an answer to that question since I never got the opportunity to ask it. I was appalled by the arrogance and shabby treatment. Does Joe Orlando think he is so important that he needs handlers to deal with the public for him? My question for him would have taken three minutes of his time.

In contrast, when I called SGC about the issue and asked to speak with Dave Foreman, I was told he was with somebody and asked if I could call back in ten minutes or if I would prefer, he would call me back right away. I called back ten minutes later and was put right through. Dave was courteous, listened to my description of the card and question and gave a thorough explanation of how they deal with such circumstances.

I just thought I would relay this bit of my personal experience.
JimB


edited for spelling

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Posted By: Cobby33

Is it possible that PSA doesn't want to be "unduly influenced" and prefers that its grading is "blind," based upon its interpretation of the card only? (Likely not, given the special treatment others have gotten - but it is a novel concept). So I suppose they should have taken your call - but in general, it seems that any of these grading companies should not be influenced by information outside the four corners of the card, IMO.

Go 'Hawks!

<Edited to correct horrible grammar.>

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Posted By: DJ

I doubt that very much. There is nothing worse then being ignored and it's not like this guy is the President of the United States or anything. This is what separates SGC from PSA and I honestly don't have any issues with PSA, but prefer SGC. Now those basement companies and the "guy with the scissors", now there's a special place in hell for them.

DJ

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Posted By: Jim

Final score:

SGC 1
PSA 0

Game over.

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Posted By: cmoking

"I called Friday morning asking to speak with Joe Orlando. I was put through to his voicemail and left a message. I called a couple hours later after not hearing from him and again was put through to his voicemail. I called back and asked if he was in the office because I just kept getting his voice mail (I had called his extension several other times and just hung up when I got his voicemail.). They told me he was in, but he might be on the phone. Finally after several more attempts over the course of about three hours of trying his extension and just getting a voicemail, I called the operator again and explained the situation and asked if there was any way I could speak with him. "

How many times did you call over a 3 hour period?

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Posted By: Josh K.

what does it matter? he was trying to reach the guy and had his calls ignored. in my experience (and I have called often) that does not happen at sgc - whether you are calling about a very valuable card or a not so valuable card.

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Posted By: cmoking

I'm sorry. I had learned in the past to keep my mouth shut on this board when it comes to PSA vs SGC, it doesn't do me any good to get involved in any way.

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Posted By: Cobby33

People sure do get their shorts in a wad about this PSA v. SGC v. GAI thing. Personally, I don't care, but I can tell you that I have been ignored many times by SGC and figure it's their way of doing business. It hasn't stopped me from submitting to them again, but I don't feel the need to bash them, nor do I feel the need to champion their "cause" (or PSA's for that matter).

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Posted By: Adam Smith

That is very true. It is sad that something like this even needs to be posted. It is even more sad that these people feel the need to champion a grading company.

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Posted By: WP

KING
Be careful buying PSA 6 E cards Matty
they might have been SGC 50's from the Nagy collection.


E92 Nagy Lot

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Posted By: cmoking

appreciate your kindness....always.

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Posted By: WP

And better yet E92 McGraw PSA 7
Nagy 40

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Posted By: Todd Schultz

to know how often he called too. Is Joe Orlando President of the US? No, but is the caller President of the US either?

I've turned down potential clients who have acted this way--they get voice mail or leave a message, and then call several times shortly thereafter, over and over, when they don't get a return call fast enough for their liking. Maybe it's cost me money, but I resent the implication that I am at their beckon call, that what I'm doing can't be as important as their situation. People like that are often pushy and treat you like an indentured servant once they can claim they're paying you, so I basically tell them to hit the road right out of the shoot. It just isn't worth it.

So tell me, what was so vitally important that you had to have an answer then and there? Could it have been handled better? Probably. But I find it a bit presumptious to think you should be able to get immediate or even same day response from a corporate president. Did you stop and wonder if just maybe the guy had something else going on?

Hey I'm an SGC guy, and am not surprised to hear that they handled it better. But to slam Orlando on what you posted here seems a bit much for me.

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Posted By: Todd Schultz

oops posted twice

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Posted By: JimCrandell

JimB,

Geez, many times I am very busy at work and can't even return a good clients call until later in the day. If someone I did not know well started calling repeatedly when I already had the message, I would not be more likely to call him back soon.

Jim

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Posted By: Cobby33

I think Jim has the right to call as many times as he wants - BUT- I think it is important to note the other posts regarding getting annoyed with several calls in a short period of time. I get that from clients, prospective clients, vendors, etc. a lot too and they end up on the end of my "to do" list.

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Posted By: Adam Smith

"(I had called his extension several other times and just hung up when I got his voicemail.). They told me he was in, but he might be on the phone. Finally after several more attempts over the course of about three hours of trying his extension and just getting a voicemail, I called the operator again and explained the situation and asked if there was any way I could speak with him."

How annoying if every customer would call ten time in the course of a few hours. That is just insane.

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Posted By: Cobby33

The Invisible Hand speaks.

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Posted By: joe brennan

I had a problem with the GAI website and I left a message for Mike Baker on his voice mail. One message.
When Mike had a chance he called me the next day. Just like any good business man would do.
In my business I field 40-60 phone calls a day. I answer my voice mail messages in order of importance and sometimes the next day is soon enough for matters that aren't fires or emergencies. I believe if given a chance, not even knowing him, he would have returned his call.
The card was in a PSA holder for 6 years.
I'll say no more.



A scared man can't gamble and a jealous man can't work.

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Posted By: Anonymous

maybe Joe was out getting more bananas.

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Posted By: Anonymous

--

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Posted By: WP

The seller about a month ago was selling most of the SGC E92s from the Nagy set. The centering on the McGraw and Matty are identical so I would have to believe the cards are the same.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Did anyone happen to notice that the seller had the E92's on ebay about three days after the auction closed? I'd like to know how he got them that quickly. I overnighted a bank check and waited two weeks to get my material.

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Posted By: RP60

You have to believe that Orlando is bombarded with calls and/or emails from collectors all over..And lets face it, a lot of collectors are a bit on the strange side, if not demanding that their voice be heard..perhaps thats why this forum is so popular??

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Posted By: Cobby33

Barry- I'm sure s/he listed thd card(s) after winning the auction, but before receiving the cards. I've seen that before. The scan(s) they list are from the auction house's auction and not their own after actually receiving the card(s). That's probably why it took weeks for you to receive them - because it probably took the eBay seller weeks to receive from the auction house.

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Posted By: joe

I don't know if they are the same cards but the Nagy cards were in Mastro 12/7, 12/8 and 12/9 2005. I purchased Nagy cards from the ebay auction from Yorktown and the auction ended 01/08/06 and cards were delivered 01/17/06. The timing does not sound suspect to me and the delivery was not several weeks, 9 days to be exact.

Joe

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Posted By: steve f

Is it possible the guy isn't enthusiastic about 1/1's as he once was and as many of us still are?.. Confucious say,"When thousandth dancer is riding brass pole in strip bar does senior bouncer even notice?".

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Posted By: Jack Richards

I sent a snitty email to PSA a few weeks ago, complaining that they wouldn't crossover a Global 9 '56 Roberts. I received an email in return, asking me to call Joe Orlando.

I called and left a voicemail, he called and left a voicemail, I called, he called, etc. Finally, I gave up and told him so via email.

A couple days later, he called and we spoke for about 30 minutes. He was polite and informative, and I really appreciated the fact that he stuck with it and got back to me.

I don't know Joe Orlando from Adam Sandler, but I got a good impression of him from this single experience.

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Posted By: andy becker

joe orlando has always been available, polite, and courteous to me. i have never had any customer service issues with anyone at psa.
do i disagree with their grading at times? sure i do, but grading is subjective.
i will also add, i do not think it's relavant how many times jim tried to get through to joe.
but, i'm sure it was frustrating for jim....and his frustration led to venting on this board.
i very highly doubt that joe did not return jim's call because he had called too many times.
everyone has days in the office when call just cannot be returned in a timely manor.

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Posted By: leon

I think Jim is a little more frustrated about how he was dealt with than a call back in a timely manner. Jim (hi Jim) knows Joe is very busy and may not be able to call back quickly. It was the way it was handled that was most likely the issue.... The person taking the call was probably not a good salesperson . best regards

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Posted By: Neal

supposed to handle questions about these type issues? I would guess they would know the answer, or would get one asap. PSA has always demonstrated excellent customer service, and Joe probably is not the person to talk to about that - at least at first.

That is a customer service call.

Jack's Dad