'Quagmire Of Computer Glitches': Local Small Business Owners Frustrated And Disappointed With Federal Paycheck Protection Program
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Frustrated, skeptical and confused -- those are the words Pittsburgh small business owners use to describe their experience this past week with the federal government's Paycheck Protection Program or "PPP."
They hoped the money would help keep their workers on the payroll, but instead dealt with technical glitches and disappointment.
KDKA's Meghan Schiller talked to the owners of Wigle Whiskey and White Whale Bookstore about their similar experiences and how they're now pivoting toward increased online sales.
The owners of the independent shop White Whale Bookstore tell KDKA they're a classic example of a small business, currently fulfilling orders out of their spare bedroom.
"I don't know if you can see, but these are orders being fulfilled," said Adlai Yeomans the owner of White Whale Bookstore.
He and his wife own a small store front with one full-time employee and three part-time employees. But now after a "nightmare experience" applying for the the PPP, Yeomans said he's feeling deflated. He recently found out he's not the only one.
"Currently we employ closer to 40 (employees) so it would get us back to a normal staffing level," said Meredith Meyer Grelli, co-founder of Wigle Whiskey Distillery.
Wigle Whiskey operates seven tasting rooms across Western Pa., including the tasting room at its sister company Threadbare Cider House and Meadery.
Meyer Grelli tells KDKA's Meghan Schiller she usually employs 168 people. She submitted her application for PPP on the very first day, but watched as the completed application languished in a virtual "black hole."
"It continued to be caught in this sort of quagmire of computer glitches where we were asked to continue to answer the same question over and over again, which had been answered from the first round of our application," said Meyer Grelli.
Meyer Grelli said she was frustrated to learn from her PNC Bank liaison that her completed application had never been submitted. The government-backed loans were part of a $349 billion dollar emergency fund aimed at small business owners to use for payroll, rent payments, mortgage interest and utilities.
"The day of it was a complete nightmare," said Yeomans. "The site kept crashing. Paperwork they were asking for, you would put it up and the site would crash. Stuff wouldn't save -- so on and so forth."
Both Wigle Whiskey and White Whale Bookstore tell KDKA they relied on PNC Bank to push their applications on to the Small Business Association.
On its website, PNC now dedicates an entire page to the Paycheck Prevention Program.
KDKA's Meghan Schiller reached out Monday to PNC to see if there's any update on processed applications.
"In total, PNC processed and registered tens of thousands of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications totaling billions of dollars in loans,' said Marcey Zwiebel, Director of Corporate Public Relation at PNC Bank, N.A.
"Although we were able to help many, we regret that government funding was exhausted prior to some applications being fully processed. While SBA announced April 16, that it was not accepting new applications, PNC employees continue working tirelessly to process applications we have received to that point, so that we are prepared to submit to SBA should additional funding be authorized. "
"Unfortunately, with the significant volume of applications already submitted to PNC and other lenders, it is likely that not every qualified applicant will receive loan proceeds under the PPP if Congress authorizes additional funding."
In the meantime, both Wigle Whiskey and White Whale Bookstore say they're hopeful more funding will become available and will continue to focus on online sales.
