New Invoice Interface debuts at CGC 0

[RockMyAmadeus]

Discuss.

[faster friends]

I have not subbed in years. I used to have to print 4 or 5 copies of the invoice to sub with the books. 

I sent some in this weekend and there was no mention of multiple copies and the new invoice page had minimal info on it.

They must have streamlined their process.

Edited March 4, 2019 by faster friends

[BlowUpTheMoon]

What's new? 

[Tony S]

I don't like it.  I could care less about the change in appearance. But they have eliminated some of the "steps" reported in the grading process. Which means we have less information about where in the grading process are books are at. 

For instance - and the biggest - is now all books are listed as "scheduled for grading" as soon as they are received.  "Scheduled for grading" used to mean something. It meant your submission - which CGC would have had for some time (on Value perhaps 2 - 2.5 months) were now actually scheduled to enter the grading room.  But now scheduled for grading essentially must means "we have your books and have entered them into the system". I have books that CGC received a few days ago that are 56 business day TAT that are listed as scheduled for grading. They won't REALLY be scheduled for grading for months. 

They have also combined "grading" with "Quality Control". Those are two different steps. But now one. Again, tells me less. QC meant your books were just almost done. Out the door shortly. Books used to show in grading. Then QC.  With the less expensive tiers books can actually be in grading for a week or more. 

I called the day after the change to express my concerns and dissatisfaction.  It gives customers less information. Why would we want less? 

The only positive I've seen is that it is now much easier to cut and paste grading notes. 

 An interesting note is that customer service told me they had no idea the change was coming. It caught them by surprise and they had numerous calls about the change. 
 

Edited March 7, 2019 by Tony S

[oldrover]

7 hours ago, Tony S said:

It gives customers less information. Why would we want less? 

There it is. Or, as the French, and Tony Stark, might say...

 

 

Edited March 7, 2019 by oldrover

[Hero Restoration]

1 hour ago, oldrover said:

There it is. Or, as the French, and Tony Stark, might say...

 

 

It's not we want less, but CGC wants us to know less, and call even less. Example: Remember when you used to be able to see the grade and the type of label it was going to get before it shipped? Then you could call if something didn't seem right.

I totally get it, cgc gets a ton of calls a day, and they're just trying to find ways to streamline their customer service, and processes.

Hopefully a biproduct of these changes equals faster TaT's.

[RockMyAmadeus]

I've had double digit label errors in the past year. Those have to be fixed. It takes time, effort, and cost to do that...significant cost. 

Not showing information until the order is shipped virtually guarantees that these errors go out, with no chance of fixing them beforehand. In fact, on one order, we e-mailed customer service, and the correct information was entered into the system...without actually fixing the labels themselves.

Showing grades and other information before the books go out would save on this. As Tony said, more information, not less, is what is needed. 

[Tony S]

I get why they quit showing the grades before the books go out. Same reason the place (that used to be ) across the street did. People would see a grade lower than expected and call wanting someone to "look at the book again" So it slowed stuff down.  I don't like that grades don't show until books have shipped - but I understand the "why" of it. 

But label type/label comments and related?  It would seem logical that catching labeling errors before a book ships would be less expensive overall than paying all the costs associated with getting such books returned and fixed. 
I suppose it's possible that managers and accounting have sat down and determined that most labeling errors never get returned for correction? So ultimately current policy saves time/money? IDK. There are people that kinda collect labeling errors. I have a couple and don't intend to return them.  The only books I've ever returned for CGC to reholder (at their cost) have been a handful over the years that had encapsulation errors. Usually something encapsulated with the comic that didn't belong - bit of plastic or such.  

[X_Phile]

On ‎3‎/‎7‎/‎2019 at 1:54 AM, Tony S said:

I don't like it.  I could care less about the change in appearance. But they have eliminated some of the "steps" reported in the grading process. Which means we have less information about where in the grading process are books are at. 

For instance - and the biggest - is now all books are listed as "scheduled for grading" as soon as they are received.  "Scheduled for grading" used to mean something. It meant your submission - which CGC would have had for some time (on Value perhaps 2 - 2.5 months) were now actually scheduled to enter the grading room.  But now scheduled for grading essentially must means "we have your books and have entered them into the system". I have books that CGC received a few days ago that are 56 business day TAT that are listed as scheduled for grading. They won't REALLY be scheduled for grading for months. 

 

+1. I have also noticed it is taking longer for books to be listed after they are delivered to CGC. For example I had books delivered on the 5th that have not shown on my invoice list yet. I don't remember that being the case in the past. May be related to them no longer listing books as "Received".

[Callaway29]

Well , I only had one open submission with them and I was excited that it finally changed to scheduled for grading (it was due). Now  I don't know if that's a legit phase change, or just the "upgrade". We're flying blind now!

Before I realized this I thought it was a "meh" upgrade with no real impact one way or the other, now it's a serious downgrade.

[Tony S]

13 hours ago, X_Phile said:

+1. I have also noticed it is taking longer for books to be listed after they are delivered to CGC. For example I had books delivered on the 5th that have not shown on my invoice list yet. I don't remember that being the case in the past. May be related to them no longer listing books as "Received".

That has been going on for a while now. I'm not inclined to complain about "how long it takes" because CGC's TAT is sooooo much better than five years ago and way better than the competition on the least expensive tiers. BUT - since you mention it - the initial step of receiving packages, getting books out and entered into the system often times takes several days now. If the books are delivered to CGC on a Monday it's common for it to be Wednesday or Thursday before they appear in the system. 

But as for the new "upgrade". Before the upgrade, once books were initially entered in the system they were either "received" or "verified".   Now the moment books are entered into the workflow management system they are listed as "scheduled for grading". Which is simply way, way less accurate on tiers that take a months. Scheduled for grading used to mean your books would be graded soon. A week or less.  Now scheduled for grading can mean your books will be graded in a 2-3 months. Or 2-3 days. CGC has rolled "received" "verified" and "scheduled for grading" into one. Not helpful. 

Edited March 12, 2019 by Tony S

[oldrover]

And now they are also combining “grading” and “quality control”. 

Used to be 5 levels of info:

Received

Scheduled for grading

Graded

Quality control

Shipped

Now there are 3:

Scheduled for grading

Grading/quality control

Shipped

 

[Unstoppablejayd]

It is terrible... also if using CCS they do not get verified after returned to CGC so you have no clue where anything is at. This is driven by the calls they were receiving from the clients knowing the stages and asking questions. 

[LordRahl]

On 3/13/2019 at 12:38 PM, oldrover said:

And now they are also combining “grading” and “quality control”. 

 

Used to be 5 levels of info:

Received

Scheduled for grading

Graded

Quality control

Shipped

Now there are 3:

Scheduled for grading

Grading/quality control

Shipped

 

Actually used to be 6 levels. 

Received

Verified

SFG

Now it's 3... and it SUCKS!!!