Poor Customer Service

Retailer:   Upscale Audio is excellent, consistently.  Music Direct is also outstanding.

Manufacturers:   Audioquest is stellar, I love that brand. Manley Labs is outstanding and Eveana Manley personally contacted me to make certain the issue was resolved.  REL has been very helpful when contacted, and quickly at that.  The ultimate, for me, is Balanced Audio Technology (BAT).  When I call they always answer.  I had a very intermittent problem (about once every three weeks) and one of the owners (Steve Bednarsky) offered to pay freight both ways due to the strange issue/problem (warranty is freight paid only back to the customer, typical of most manufacturers).  The problem was corrected and the unit was returned very quickly.  Other questions I had regarding a new and forthcoming BAT amp were answered each time I called.  I also received additional emails and phone calls regarding updated information and target delivery date on the new model, unsolicited by me.  I bought it and they delivered it on time to my dealer, Upscale Audio.  I'll buy more BAT gear, they have earned my business, for life.  And the product build quality and sonic performance is outstanding.

@benvenuto Now that my friend is great customer service! If I ever make a change from my Parasound Hint I'll keep them in mind.

@audio-union There are always at least 2 sides to a story and a witch hunts work both ways. Anyone could be next in the sights of someone seeking revenge or just to cancel someone or something.

Unvetted stories on a forum regarding customer service are not always the best source of information on this subject, but they are very predictable.

What kind of customer are you? The customer service you get depends on you and you do not know what is taking place on the other end of a conversation unless you are told. Customers with bad manners, or who seem to have endless insults, or who don't "listen" may not get the customer service or results they are seeking. It could be, when you tell a company you will never buy from them them there is a sigh of relief.

There are customers who buy fake, look-a-like, or counterfeit products who then expects the real company to support the product. According to a GAO (US gov 2008 study) searching for the absolute best price on a product is likely to lead a customer to a fake, look-a-like, or counterfeit product at least 43% of the time.

On the other hand, there are good and bad people and companies in all industries and walks of life.

• Wow! That's a leap! It's as simple as I said. I had questions for one company and issues for another. The results were the same for both I called, was unable to reach a live person, left a message with the appropriate department or person as instructed, waited over a week
  in both cases, rinse and repeat. 

@audio-union

•  Unvetted stories on a forum regarding customer service are not always the best source of information on this subject, but they are very predictable.

How exactly are you proposing to vet my or anyone else's story? Is my story so bizarre to you you propose I spun it from yarn?

• What kind of customer are you? The customer service you get depends on you and you do not know what is taking place on the other end of a conversation unless you are told. Customers with bad manners, or who seem to have endless insults, or who don't "listen" may not get the customer service or results they are seeking. It could be, when you tell a company you will never buy from them them there is a sigh of relief.
  

Where did you derive any of that? On my second voicemail I may have let them know I previously left a message and hadn't heard from them. On my third unresponded to call you bet I let them know I wasn't happy. If a company sighs a relief when I won't buy from them again because they couldn't take a minute to answer a question then who exactly is the loser?

• There are customers who buy fake, look-a-like, or counterfeit products who then expects the real company to support the product. According to a GAO (US gov 2008 study) searching for the absolute best price on a product is likely to lead a customer to a fake, look-a-like, or counterfeit product at least 43% of the time.
  

Both items in question were bought new in the box from a retailer and shipped to me directly from the factory. Both items are registered and both still under warranty.

Any other questions?

I hate it when an audio company ignores me. It feels like I’m married again. 

@pauly lol.