If I was Cathe.......

L

LoriSax

Cathlete
I do not know if I would ever put out another set of video's again. Especially not 2 sets, back-to-back. I can not believe all the anger, and discussions about the dvd's not being out. Do I want mine?? You betcha. I used my money from my birthday to pre-order mine with and my b-day was at the beginning of June, but I pre-ordered right away. As a person who works in customer service, do you think when she makes her living off from other people buying her product, she really wants to make people unhappy??? Somethings I am sure are out of her control, and I am sure alot of this is too. SNM probably has not been making many updates because of all the criticism they are seeing on this website and others. A rotation, anger over that?? Cathe, I am sorry you are having to go thru this. I am anxious, but I am patiently waiting. I KNOW you are doing your best.
Lori S.
 
Lori it was explained somewhere on here (can't remember exactly which forum or threads!) about the process and time it takes to chapter and premix the DVD's, and that's why they are taking so much longer to release than the VHS tapes. I agree that Cathe and SNM obviously don't want to upset people when they put out a product, and I also believe they are doing their very best to deliver that product. I have never had one single problem or unsatisfied response from SNM Customer Service, and I will continue to buy every single workout Cathe produces! She has changed my life - quite literally. I read the thread over on "Ask Cathe" too about posting the Body Blast rotation, and I'll plead the fifth on this one, but for those of you who "know" me, you can already imagine how I feel about it. However ... I do want to applaud you, Lori, for starting this thread. I think especially in these times, and being that's it the holiday season and all, we should have more important things to focus on than whether or not a specific rotation has yet been posted. My feeling is ... if you want a rotation, make one up and just do it!

As for all you very patient folks waiting for the DVD's, they will be SO worth the wait! I have the VHS tapes, and I can't imagine how much more COOL and AWESOME all that premixing and chaptering would be!! I just may buy those DVD's when they are released!! LOL!!

Carol
:)
 
Lori S. - That was good. I have nothing to add but wanted to give my support to Cathe and crew. Carol - Walking away isn't as easy as it seems, is it? Good girl!:p
 
I agree, I really don't care how long it takes because I know it will be the best dvds excerise out there:) To me it was well worth the wait with all the premixes. Cathe and SNM keep up the great work:) you well deserve it!!
 
I haven't noticed too much discussion about the DVD's lately. I think we all know they will be shipping soon and we'll know when the big announcement is made. I am so excited now that we know it's so close!

Part of the problem, if you want to call it that, is that we have the uniqe privilege to see the process happen and we have these forums in which to discuss and perhaps over-discuss everything. Can you think of another instructor who is in touch with her consumers during the filming and production processes of her workouts? When Voight or any of the others put put new workouts, we know about it when they are available.

But don't let it upset you, Lori. I am sure Cathe is infinitely aware that you can't please everyone and she's a consummate professional and too busy to worry and certainly not going to be willing or able to rush the process. Besides, she probably doesn't get onto these fourms the way we fans do!

Here is SNM's reply to one impatient waiter who wanted a bonus because of the wait:

"There is no harm asking, but what you're asking for is not practical as it would take us at least a month to order and receive enough mugs for all of our presale orders....not to mention the cost and shipping problems (mugs are breakable).

We certainly understand that many people are frustrated awaiting the arrival of the new DVDs, but a few things you should consider:

#1 We never promised that DVDs would be ready by the end of the summer. Here is exactly what we said:

"Estimated Shipping Date:
It is really difficult to give you exact or accurate shipping date at this time. The new workouts are being filmed this summer. We're going to do our best to ship your order by the end of summer; however, we can not make any promises. As always, we will keep you updated regularly on our website."

We followed this up with threads and replies on this forum saying that videos would be ready first followed soon thereafter by the DVDs and we have kept you informed with numerous updates.

#2 We have added many features to these DVDs that we did not advertise or promise at the beginning of the presale. We could have easily just chaptered the DVDs like nearly every other company does and we would have been done with DVDs in October and saved a ton of money! Instead we like to push the envelope and raise the bar on our DVD productions. Premixes just don't happen by magic, they take weeks of hard work and cost anywhere from $175 to $400 per hour to make. These DVDs took nearly two months to author, so you can at least get an idea of the costs involved.

#3 You can always cancel your presale order and we will promptly refund your money. We’re as anxious as everyone else is to get the new DVDs. This is our busiest time of year and we lose money everyday of the Holiday season we miss. But this is also the busiest time of year for our vendors and duplicators and this means things take longer. Rest assured we have worked as hard as possible to get the Body Blast DVDs completed and in your hands, but if you’re finding the wait to stressful you can simply just cancel and reorder in the future when the DVDs are in stock."


Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/nosmile/peacesign.gif
http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/person/smilejap.gif
 
There have been a few vocal people who wanted the DVDs sooner rather than later, but there are a lot of us who have patiently been waiting, knowing that we will be getting the best products on the market.

People are just anxious-- I think that Cathe and SNM realize this and it will not deter them from creating DVDs in the future.. Enough already!!

:)
 
Amen to all of the above! I have gotten so frustrated reading the demands and complaints circulating on the forums for the last few months and its good to know that I am not the only one. The saving grace is that whatever people are posting, they are posting because they are excited about exercise and staying healthy which is ALWAYS a good thing!

RS
 
I'm sorry, but I have to disagree here on certain areas. SNM Videos should update people who predordered VIA EMAIL. Not everyone who ordered visits this forum. The only email some have gotten is about how the preorder is ending soon. How about an update on the product I paid 150+ on in MAY! We all know that things can take longer than promised, but if you paid attention, you would notice that updates were made when people started posts asking about them.

I know some of you feel that Cathe is a personal friend and you want to sympathize with her, but many look at this as purely a business transaction.

I've been doing Cathe videos since 96' and I will always do them...I just feel that things were not handled as well as they could have been. The reply by SNM to the post regarding an extra gift came off as "take it or leave it". Personally, I don't want anything extra but the tone of that post from SNM was not the most professional.

Just my honest opinion :)
 
Alexis, it's amazingly easy today. Even a saucy, opinionated Scorpio like me can learn a few new tricks. Thank you.

Carol
:)
 
I think they actually gave us more information than we might have expected from others who produce DVD's. They can't be absolutely specific on the date the product will be ready. They could have been completely mum on the subject and notified after the fact. Don't get me wrong, I asked for an update and one was given within the post from Cathe herself. Besides being the producer of these awesome workouts, she's a mom and a club owner. I for one will be more patient next time now that I realize what a gargantuan task it is to put out these new workouts and I know they will be on the cutting edge of DVD production. I am so excited to know they will probably ship next week!
Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/nosmile/peacesign.gif
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So, Bobbi, what do you think about updating people VIA email??? Not everyone visits this website.

We all have busy lives, with children or careers...and we all do what we have to do. Correct???
 
Considering the amount of spam that I receive on a daily basis, I have quit checking my email. So I vist the forum for information, NOT EMAIL. I will check my email when I need that viagra prescription.

Hard to please everybody, isn't it?

Lisa
 
It's not a bad idea, Sarah and if you post the suggestion in the Ask Cathe forum, I bet they'll take it under consideration. I don't know the particulars of emailing consumers who order over the internet but I would think it is fairly simple. Somebody asked about the possiblity of being allowed to pay for products in payments and SNM was open to it. I know they email when products ship so doing updates shouldn't be much to set up.
Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/nosmile/peacesign.gif
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Well, when I pay for a product and I provide my email address, I would assume I would be updated VIA email, regardless of the spam mail I receive. I shouldn't have to check the "Cathe Forums" for an update on my investment.

Lisa, you should look into a junk filter for your email...
 
Ah, but perhaps they just haven't thought of it yet! I have been watching Cathe's production methods evolve over the past few years. I don't know when this website came about but it too has expanded to meet our needs and our desires. SNM went DVD with Cardio Hits and CTX was the first series to be designed for both VHS and DVD. If you check, the Body Blast annoucement, initally announced the basic six workouts plus an additional 40 with the premix and mix and match option and added a workout blender as well. The final product offers an additional 70 workout options. Of course, this is going to take a little longer than past workouts. It's an evolving technology.

Preordering and, more importantly, the preorder discount is an option that is given out of kindness. Cathe and SNM would make a whole lot more money if they eliminated the option. With the next series, email notification could very well be added or they could say, there will be no updating until the product is finished and shipping. Some of us then may opt to preorder others might not . That is our choice. For me, email notifiction is redudndant. Since we got DSL, I can pop on and off the website with the greatest of ease. I often miss updates on the homepage because I head straight for the forums!

If you want email updates, ask! SNM might very well add a sign up for email updating which we can opt into when we order. It seems like a most reasonable request to me.

SNM listens to us, gives us what we ask for but they are pioneering the ultimate in DVD workouts and there's a measure of trial and error in that.

When you pay for and provide your email address, a dollar says this is on of the few cases in which the product is in production. You always have the option of not preordering if the process doesn't meet your expectations.


Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/nosmile/peacesign.gif
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I'm with you... I know I should keep my mouth shut but there was an incredibly arogant post on the ask cathe forum and unfortunately got into the frey....

It's just sooo frustrating... rather than... "can't wait for the rotations" to go on the attack... ugh.....
 
Hello,

You still have not received your DVDs yet? My gosh, this is very bad. I agree with Sarah, this is purely business. We are all her customers and it's not as if this the first time they are producing DVD formats. They have enough experience to know how long it will take to produce them. I think if we are given a time frame then we should get them in time. Think about it, SNM gives us a time limit for us to place our pre-orders, so we have to comply with that. If we missed the deadline, we missed our opportunity. Shouldn't SNM apply the same rule for us?

I think the reason Cathe hasn't lost more customers is that her workouts monopolise the advanced market - there isn't many out there who is at her level, so we have to wait. It should not mean that SNM can chop and change the dates to suit their business requirements though.

Yen
 
Hi, Robyn! We live in a culture of instant gratification, don't we? I understand impatience. I was two and threw myself on the floor to get what I wanted NOW! LOL! Reading all the posts, I have come to the conclusion that I had unreasonable expectations and I hope I am mature enough to wait patiently and not be a be a pest about it!

Of course, I do get ridiculously excited and yes, in a very childish way, but then my husband tells me to "get a life" and I know I need to tone it down and quit yapping about how great it will be to add BB to my beloved collection. I printed out the descriptions of the workouts so I could make a tentative plan to add BB to my regime and he was rolling his eyes and shaking his head. He doesn't see the correlation between my love and excitedment for this stuff and his love for his remote control airplane, his stress releaser. Mine is "fixiation". His is a great hobby! It's a matter of perspective, I guess.

For anyone who wants a bonus mug or email notification, the first being somewhat silly , the second a great idea which needs to be requested, I say, more power to you! SNM has responded professionally to each query when they became aware of it and these forums are here for just that.

I know I am in no position to tell them how to produce DVD's nor how to handle the time between annoucing and shipping so I am working on my patience! They could start shipping tomorrow! Perhaps I should make myself open them on Christmas day?

Yeah, right! LOL!
Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/nosmile/peacesign.gif
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