Easy PC (PC World Business)

Member Name: jayandfoo

Product:	PC World Business
Date:	09/06/05 (638 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy ordering, dedicated Account Manager

Disadvantages: Recent delays on items that show as being in stock

I first encountered PC World Business when I started my current job over 3 years ago. One of my main tasks at the point was to re-order stock. As we are a Software Development company, we were constantly ordering PC supplies and development tools. PCWB had been the main supplier for some time. PCWB are a main supplier of Computer equipment, Software, Hardware and items such as Office Furniture. They are a well known brand with a catchy advert 'Where in the world - PC World'

They are part of DSG retail, whose group house stores such as Dixon's, Curry's and The Link.

Although the PC World stores were founded in 1991, PCWB was set up in September 1997 as 'a new business-to-business IT mail order service incorporating the brand strength of PC World and the sector expertise of DSG Retail'. PCWB's website followed 2 years later in 1999.

I was given the contact details for PCWB and was asked to make an order. Initially I was supplied with our Account number and their telephone number and orders were placed that way. However, on a number of occasions, orders that had been phoned through were not processed and so we began faxing the orders through and eventually emailing them.

PCWB used to supply us with a catalogue full of all of their products. This catalogue was renewed about three times a year. We usually had a round a 5% discount of items we ordered from them but for some reason they stopped sending us their catalogue. This became a problem as because we were referring to the previous 'seasons' catalogue, the prices we quoted on our orders were incorrect. When the invoices for the orders arrived, they didn't match up, sending our Purchase Ordering and Invoicing System into dis-array.

At this point I contacted PCWB to express my concerns at the ordering process. I was informed that we had a dedicated Account Manager that would deal with all of our queries from now on. I explained to the Account Manager that we do not have the correct prices for the items we are ordering and asked him what could be done about it. He suggested that rather than obtain the prices and order codes from their catalogue, I could use their website, www.pcwb.co.uk.

PCWB's website promises over 40,000 products available to Business Customers. The website is fairly easy to use although I don't actually order our items directly through the website; I simply consult the website for prices and product codes. PCWB usually offers next day delivery from the website if these items are in stock, and boast prices and stock levels which are supposedly constantly updated in real time.

The website features a search function which enables me to search directly for the product rather than have to source it in the catalogue. Alternatively, you can search by department, such as Computers, Furniture, Office Supplies, etc.

Advantages to browsing items through the website are Special Offers, New Users are able to apply for an account with PCWB online and existing users can log into their account and track orders, obtain copies of delivery notes and print off invoices before they have been sent (beware of inputting duplicate invoices though!).

Although I don't intend to explain the website at length, it is a very easy website to navigate and look through. Everything has an appropriate place and the Quick search option has always been successful each time I have used it, in that it has returned the results I have wanted.

Unfortunately I cannot comment on the online ordering process as I have never pursued orders this way.


Once I have found the item I want, via their Website, I am then able to check if it is in stock and the price. In the past I have found their online stock levels to be reliable but very recently, especially since they have been concentrating on their recent acquisition of Inmac and Microwarehouse, their online stock levels have been unreliable, resulting in us ordering items that were not in stock.

Once I have the details I require from the website, I then place the order via email, direct to our dedicate Account Manager. Apparently each Business Customer has their own dedicated Account manager. Ours has recently changed and I was notified immediately via email, with the full name and contact details of the new Account Manager. I contact them directly now for any ordering or queries.

Once I have placed the order, via email to our Account Manager, I receive a 'Sales Acknowledgement' shortly after. This acknowledgement advises me of the item(s) I have ordered, their cost and any delivery charges (Standard Delivery charge is usually £9.95). I receive a similar email when the items have been dispatched. This means that I am generally kept fully updated on the status of my order from beginning to end.

Items ordered are generally received the next day and are delivered by City Link. They are almost always packaged in a brown box with plenty of bubble wrap to protect your goods.

As well as products, PC World Business offer services and solutions such as selling telephone software support for one PC to managing a business's whole network remotely. PCWB offers services to all sizes of businesses.
There are currently around 250,000 businesses trading with PCWB.

**Advantages**
The ordering process is quick and easy and reassuring. Being able to check prices and stock levels online is a real bonus, especially when we need an item urgently. Having one person to speak to rather than a different one each time builds up trust between the business and Customer.
The Technical guys at PCWB really know what they are talking about and if I have ever had a problem, they have been on hand to help.
If they do not have an item in stock on their website, we are always given the option of visiting one of the local PC World stores, to obtain the item from there.
Their After Sales service is impressive. I have only had to contact them on a few occasions with regards to issues with items we have ordered and an engineer has turned up the very next day - according to PCWB, they have 250 fully qualified engineers, of which 82 are dedicated to business customers.

**Disadvantages**
Quite recently the stock levels on the website have been inaccurate. This has resulted in us having to wait longer than anticipated for items that showed as being in stock on the website.

Items we were told would be there within a week still haven't been delivered 2 weeks later. When I am unable to get hold of our Account Manager, dealing with the Call Centre staff can be quite a nightmare - messages don't get passed on and calls are left unreturned.

I wouldn't say that they supply the cheapest products on the market but as some of the cheaper alternatives don't accept business accounts, they are THE alternative.


**Conclusion**
PC World is definitely a leader in its market. At my work in particular, we have used them since they opened in 1997. We have tried other companies in the past, in particular Microwarehouse, before they were taken over by PCWB. They really didn't match up, taking an average of a week for orders to be processed and delivered.

After recently being slightly unimpressed with their service, they seem to have gone back to the way they were - friendly, efficient and always willing to help. There doesn't seem to be an item we've needed, that they haven't had, which is a definite must for demanding businesses.

The stock levels on their website seem to have gone back to normal and we certainly haven't had any errors with the stock levels recently. I put this down to the fact that as they were merging with another company, things were going to go wrong, which is understandable.


I feel PCWB is a definite necessity for businesses.

Address
PC World Business
Waterfold Park
Rochdale Road
Bury
BL9 7BJ

Main Switchboard
08701 664675

Sales Advice
08701 652203

Summary: