Funny Conversation with EA Customer Service Just Now

13 years ago

I just called the 800 number to find out if there was any way to buy what they call Hoya 'Shampray' online (what I think is Hoya shepherdii) and the woman on the phone kept asking me over and over which hoya I was talking about...she probably asked 3 times and each time I gave her the name that they have given it so when she asked a 4th time I said "It's the one your company calls 'Shampray' but I think it's actually shepherdii," and she tightened up and started talking really fast and said "Well, actually we propagate our own plants so when you see a new name it's because we named it." Does anyone know if this is true or was she making this up? Something in her voice made me not believe her...she was very defensive and I was not being intimidating in any way so I couldn't understand her defensive stance...

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Comments (12)

wrynsmom
13 years ago
They actually state on the info page, it's H. longifolia . . .

Carolyn

Here is a link that might be useful: EA - Shampray
dmichael619
13 years ago
LLB,

trust me you're wasting your time trying to get anything at all out of an EA rep. I have talked to them numerous times and have finally come to the conclusion that you may as well be talking to a pine cone. No one at that company want to deal with the consumer. The person who answers the phone will put you through to another and by the time you get off the phone you will have gone through at least a half dozen or more people and still won't have an answer to your question.
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luckylittlebug
Original Author
13 years ago
Carolyn, I did point out the Longifolia part of the "tag" to her and she was silent..I told her that I thought it was synonomous with sheperherdii...

It's funny you should mention being transferred to so many people, Michael...She was the third person I was transferred too and they were actually trying to make me talk to someone named David but he wasn't at his desk.
dmichael619
13 years ago
it's been my experience so far with EA that this is how they do things. they push you off to as many people as they can and each one seems to know less that the one before.

If you really want to see how they can screw things up call back tomorrow and try to order a particular hoya over the phone and have it shipped to a local Home Depot or Lowes store like I did once. TOTAL CHAOS to say the least!!!

Speak to an employee there and it's easy to see why their plants are mislabeled!!! No one seems to have a clue!
jlt37869
13 years ago
I've never spoken to anyone there ,,, but while we're talking about them, I'll join in. On their website, it indicates that if you sign up, they'll send you email notices of EA shipments to your region. I've signed up for this service several times (using different email addresses) over the last couple of years and, to date, have never received a shipment notification. It'd be a great service, if it worked (it'd be nice to snag one of their hoyas before they're picked over or before the store starts to kill them off). Anyway, I've always wondered if anyone was successfully receiving shipping notifications from them?

As an aside, today I was at Lowes and, of course, walked thru the plant section. They had an "royal flush" and a "mini waxleaf" loaded with blooms and buds. I couldn't believe it. I was so excited to finally see all those sweet little blooms in person ,,, it made my day!! :)

Jennifer
puglvr1
13 years ago
Hi Jennifer, I've also signed up for those email EA shipment notifications and have never gotten one notifications and I've also done it numerous times...I'm going to guess at least in my area that feature does NOT work! Also, for what its worth the EA Company/Greenhouse is only two hours away from where I live,lol...

Unfortunately, they aren't open for retail sales...they do however say you can take a "tour" by appointment...one of these days I would like to do that.
dmichael619
13 years ago
Pug i'm gonna guess that the email feature doesn't work in any area since that now makes 3 of us who have signed up for email notification numerous times and have never gotten one!!! maybe there's just a bunch of zombies working there!!
jlt37869
13 years ago
It just seems odd ,,, they have a good product (other than maybe soil issues), excellent branding, a nice website with great photos and professional verbiage, fun stuff like "angel of the month club" (I wonder if that works), etc. But then yet, you have the experiences described above ... so odd. By far, my biggest pet peeve is them not using proper names. If they want to use marketing names, fine, but include the real name in smaller print underneath (or something).

Pug - if you take the tour, you'll have to report back ,,, and be sure to let us know about the zombies!! :)
puglvr1
13 years ago
You guys are too funny :o)

David, I think you're right...Might be better if they just remove that feature since it doesn't seem to work anyways, unless someone out there received a notification email from them...anyone?

"If" I do take the tour...I will definitely let you guys know!
User
13 years ago
Hey Pug,

Maybe after you've taken the tour you could give them a piece of our collective minds about their never-ending mislabeling.

Sometimes I imagine writing a petition to them about their chronic mislabeling & circulate it all over Hoya Forum before sending it to them.

Yes, it's infuriating, that's why I'd originally compiled my own listed of 'correctly named EA Hoyas', just for my own convenience earlier on.

As to trying to learn EA's shipping schedules, personally, I try & learn when the particular HD (or box store) gets their deliveries.

In my case in mid-Manhattan it's Mon, Wed, Fri, so I know I can always go Fri & get fresh stuff.

The fact that their staff has admitted to me (in hushed tones) that they're told to water THREE times a day (yes, I said 3 times a day) is another story altogether ... sigh ...
wrynsmom
13 years ago
Yep, guys . . . I've signed up for the emails twice . . . never got one. And I've called . . . no one knows ANYTHING.

Carolyn
puglvr1
13 years ago
Will do Pirate Girl! That list you compiled was VERY helpful to so many here, I know it came in handy when I first started collecting hoyas about 3 yrs ago...when I knew very little about them. Luckily, I don't need anymore EA Hoyas...I think I have all from them that I want. So I've stopped looking at my big box stores, although once in a while I can't help and check...not because I'm looking to buy but mostly just to see what they're getting in. So far our stores have been quite stingy here...mostly Ferns and IVY's are what EA have been sending!

Carolyn, I guess we better give up and assume this feature just doesn't work!

Funny Conversation with EA Customer Service Just Now

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wrynsmom

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Funny Conversation with EA Customer Service Just Now

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