Marc Torppa / Marc Torpa / Mark Torppa / Mark Torpa @ the Growing Grounds - AVOID

[CHUCHIN]

My thought is great trees are not infinite and easily found. Marc has some great material. I don't care if it takes time to get it. He has sent me tons of pics in the past upon request. Why be in such a hurry? It's not like we are waiting on life saving medication or something. I thought bonsai was all about patience.... I think some people must stare at their trees until a leaf completely grows.

I am not going to beat a dead horse but the message I was hoping to convey is that when you pay for something you should get it. You should not have to adjust your expectations when there is money involved.

You are comparing patience in bonsai with waiting and hoping to get something you paid for weeks before. Be patient with someone being rude to you? I honestly don't see the correlation but maybe others in the forum will...You may not care and this may not be a pain point for you but think also of others and how they may have different expectations when it comes to them spending money.

Marc has awesome material and I don't think the challenges he's had involved any malice. In general if I pay for something I don't need to be patient. I need to get it at a reasonable time...Weeks, months to include little to delayed communication is difficult to deal with. I work hard for my money and those are my expectations...Not negotiable. Perhaps I stand alone in this view point but hey its my money.

 

[Don Blackmond]

Cricket vendors are out-performing him.

I'm sorry, but that is one of the funniest things I've read on here in a long time. Hysterical!

 

[Nomiyama]

Lets go to the basics. Good business is built on customer service, and prompt service. Both principals denote a positive experience for the consumer which in turn promotes repeat service. Whether it's the cashier at your local Target store, or a fortune 500 executive negotiating a multi million dollar deals. They are both aiming for the same outcome in the end, a positive customer experience on a macro level. You cannot please every consumer, metrics like that cannot be attained and are unrealistic. However bonsai business or not one rule remains the same. Business is hard, and everyone is competing for the all mighty dollar. Who delivers the most bang for the buck? This is where I tend to spend my money on repeat occasions. Not just goods but goods and services, the overall experience as a whole. That is where true businesses win.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Good business is built on customer service, and prompt service.

Yesterday I went to get passports for my kids. Here was what the experience was like:

(1) I went to an online site to get all the info, and to schedule an appointment.
(2) I got an appointment confirmation via email.
(3) As my appointment date got closer, I got a reminder email and a reminder voicemail.
(4) I showed up for my appointment, and the staff was on time TO THE MINUTE.
(5) They were polite and courteous and efficient.
(6) They had backup forms and a photo studio in case I needed help.
(7) When everything was complete, they told me the exact date to expect my passports by - in 6 weeks - and gave me a URL where I could track progress.
(8) The whole process took 10 minutes.
(9) When I returned home I got a thank you email.
(10) The following day I got a service questionnaire asking how I liked the service and what I would do it improve it.

This was for a service provided by our LOCAL CITY LIBRARY and the US DEPARTMENT OF STATE (traditionally not the most service-oriented organizations). And trust me - having a stream-lined and automated process like this benefits the service provider tremendously as WELL as the customer. Once you get used to this level of service, it is very difficult to go back to the days of "mail me a check and you'll get your tree at some point in the future, TBD..."

I wish Marc the best, I applaud his efforts to improve, and I look forward to the day that the new "Growing Grounds 2.0" is available

 

[small trees]

I'll get someone to delete the thread I just made, since I see there is a whole thread about this place. I have tried to email The Growing Grounds using the email links on their site, but gmail says that inbox has been shut down. If anyone has another email or some way to contact the place so I can get some pictures, I would appreciate it.

 

[CHUCHIN]

I'll get someone to delete the thread I just made, since I see there is a whole thread about this place. I have tried to email The Growing Grounds using the email links on their site, but gmail says that inbox has been shut down. If anyone has another email or some way to contact the place so I can get some pictures, I would appreciate it.

Continue to read the thread. Your call to press forth...

 

[small trees]

Continue to read the thread. Your call to press forth...

I'm fairly close by so it's feasible that I could pick up the tree in person and save the whole shipping issue.

 

[Poink88]

In that case, I advise you to just go. Any pics they send you won't tell you as much as seeing the real tree(s) anyway.

 

[CHUCHIN]

I'm fairly close by so it's feasible that I could pick up the tree in person and save the whole shipping issue.

I understand. I wish you nothing but luck and if you are able to achieve your goal than great. If you do make it, Id be interested in knowing your "In person" experience.

Best...

 

[small trees]

In that case, I advise you to just go. Any pics they send you won't tell you as much as seeing the real tree(s) anyway.

I understand. I wish you nothing but luck and if you are able to achieve your goal than great. If you do make it, Id be interested in knowing your "In person" experience.

Best...

I have a ski trip planned in about 2 weeks so I will see if I can stop by on the way up there. If I do, I'll let you guys know my impression.

 

[berobinson82]

I'll get someone to delete the thread I just made, since I see there is a whole thread about this place. I have tried to email The Growing Grounds using the email links on their site, but gmail says that inbox has been shut down. If anyone has another email or some way to contact the place so I can get some pictures, I would appreciate it.

I emailed Marc as well and got an error. Then I got a reply email nonetheless. Not sure what's causing the error but he was very fast to reply each time I contacted him. I got an error each time I contacted him...

 

[small trees]

I emailed Marc as well and got an error. Then I got a reply email nonetheless. Not sure what's causing the error but he was very fast to reply each time I contacted him. I got an error each time I contacted him...

In that case, he has probably gotten a couple duplicate emails from me! haha That is pretty strange though.

 

[CHUCHIN]

Its looking better...

I like his stuff and hope this works out in the future

 

[Martin Sweeney]

GeorgiaBonsai,

If a "By Appointment Only" visit to the Growing Grounds doesn't work out, alternatives exist.

I highly recommend that you reach out to Johng here at BonsaiNut and see if your schedule and his allows you to stop at his place and do some shopping.

Also, I highly recommend the Bonsai Learning Center in Mooresville, NC. Not as much field grown, but lots of nice trees. Also, they will soon be getting a van full of pots back to Mooresville soon.

Finally, If you are anywhere near Asheville, the North Carolina Arboretum will have a few trees on display even now, and many tropical in their greenhouse you may be able to see if you visit there.

Regards,
Martin

 

[small trees]

GeorgiaBonsai,

If a "By Appointment Only" visit to the Growing Grounds doesn't work out, alternatives exist.

I highly recommend that you reach out to Johng here at BonsaiNut and see if your schedule and his allows you to stop at his place and do some shopping.

Also, I highly recommend the Bonsai Learning Center in Mooresville, NC. Not as much field grown, but lots of nice trees. Also, they will soon be getting a van full of pots back to Mooresville soon.

Finally, If you are anywhere near Asheville, the North Carolina Arboretum will have a few trees on display even now, and many tropical in their greenhouse you may be able to see if you visit there.

Regards,
Martin

I actually met John at the Expo in Asheville last year ( I took lots of pics of the trees here http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?9186-Carolina-Bonsai-Expo-Pics ). I haven't been to Mooresville though. I might have to check it out!

 

[aphid]

Marc's email has been acting weird since last week. You get an error that your email doesn't go through, but he actually gets the email.

Update on my latest order, I mailed my Post Office money order to him on Tuesday last week. He shipped my tree this past Monday. The UPS tracking says I'm getting my tree tomorrow. So that's only 9 days total. I'll post pix once it's here.

 

[DougB]

Here is another NC option http://www.matsumomiji.com/

 

[aphid]

Here's the new thread for my latest tree from the Growing Grounds including pictures of the box it came in.

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?13957-Green-Japanese-maple&p=183258#post183258

 

[edprocoat]

Here's the new thread for my latest tree from the Growing Grounds including pictures of the box it came in.

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?13957-Green-Japanese-maple&p=183258#post183258

I seen the tree in your other thread and think its a good looking and well branched out tree. Good luck with it.

ed

 

[small trees]

I just left the growing grounds and I'll make a separate thread with pictures but I just wanted to post in here and say that marc was a nice guy with a ton of great material. Ranging from monster trunks to smoke-style sump rodents. I haven't purchased anything yet but it isn't for lack of material, just that I want to look at the material more before I make a purchase.