[narlus]

capsulated story:

i pay roughly $900 for an A/V receiver in '02
it stops functioning properly in '06 (can't play speaker set B at all, spotty performance of speaker set A depending on mode)
i call in service to verify the problem, and take it for service
NINE weeks later, the problem has been traced to a faulty digital board. repair center (a marantz authorised dealer, mind you) tells me they can't order the replacement board from marantz, and have to search via 3rd party vendors.
i call marantz customer service today. i've been on hold for 52 minutes and counting, waiting to talk to someone.

:mumble: :mumble: :redhot: :redhot:

 

[dhbuilder]

you know darn good and well, they're hoping you'll just hang up and go away.

been there.

 

[valve bouncer]

Damn....some companies just don't get it, do they?

 

[I Are Baboon]

You shoud bribe them with the wheat penny I found.

 

[narlus]

67 minutes and counting. i had to run to take a leak and get back before the automaton answered. still nothing.

 

[I Are Baboon]

67 minutes and counting. i had to run to take a leak and get back before the automaton answered. still nothing.

Well isn't it the middle of the night in India? Try calling during normal business hours.

 

[narlus]

marantz USA, last i checked.

they must have hired some AARP person who's fallen and can't get up to reach the phone.

 

[dhbuilder]

67 minutes and counting. i had to run to take a leak and get back before the automaton answered. still nothing.

anyone care to wager on how many more leaks he has to take before someone picks up.

 

[narlus]

i should be good for a while...that was my 1st one of the day after drinking a gargantuan starbucks, and i've got a bladder like a camel has a hump.

lunch might be an issue though.

 

[narlus]

the good thing, though, is that they 'appreciate my patience' and exhort me to 'hold for the next available agent'.

so i have that going for me.

 

[binary visions]

I bet if you show up at their office with a shotgun and a bottle of Jack Daniels, you'll end up talking to someone in a hurry

 

[Westy]

Damn....some companies just don't get it, do they?

My company bought another small company that made medical dyes. The first thing they did was lay off the 80% of tech support thinking it was a great way to cut costs. Sales dropped off immediately. They then paid some 3rd party consultant a million or so bucks to find out why. Well it seems doctors get really really pissed off when they get put on hold during SURGERY!

 

[narlus]

off to lunch! 98 mins.

it's a moot point now, since the local repair place called me on my cell phone. they found a place in Illinois which can fix it w/ the necessary part, so they are sending it there. beats having to buy a new one, i guess.

i would love to talk to a marantz rep though.

 

[brungeman]

My company bought another small company that made medical dyes. The first thing they did was lay off the 80% of tech support thinking it was a great way to cut costs. Sales dropped off immediately. They then paid some 3rd party consultant a million or so bucks to find out why. Well it seems doctors get really really pissed off when they get put on hold during SURGERY!

I'll bet they do!

Narlus,

we used a bunch of marantz recorders when recording live shows back a bunch of years, the were great sounding, but I never had one for a long period of time to find out how well they held up!

that pretty much sucks though!

good luck with it!

 

[MMcG]

Is NAD still in business? I always wanted some of their components, but could never, and still can't afford them.

 

[narlus]

yeah, NAD is still around. i've got a tuner of theirs, but now w/ internet-streaming it's pretty unused, and i don't typically listen to the radio much anyway.

i just passed the 4hr mark.

 

[Transcend]

Wait, you are still on hold???????

 

[Brian HCM#1]

Wait, you are still on hold???????

I hope it's a 1-800#

 

[Transcend]

I hope it's a 1-800#

no kidding.

 

[LOOnatic]

So Narls your spending the day on hold out of spite?

 

[Brian HCM#1]

no kidding.

Don't they get charged for that? If so I'd let it go all weekend and watch them freak when they get the phone bill

 

[valve bouncer]

Wait, you are still on hold???????

It's become a test of wills now.

 

[Transcend]

Don't they get charged for that? If so I'd let it go all weekend and watch them freak when they get the phone bill

bwahaha, from canada. the price triples.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

bwahaha, from canada. the price triples.

How funny would that be getting a $12,000 phone bill.

 

[binary visions]

They probably picked up while he was at lunch, and when he didn't answer, they chucked him into the infinite hold loop.

 

[dhbuilder]

It's become a test of wills now.

it sure is.
he'll probably get an answer when one of the latenight cleaning ladies sees the light flashing on the board, and picks up.

"que ?"

 

[reflux]

What's their customer service number? I'd like to call and see if I can get through before Narlus.

 

[narlus]

1 800 654 6633

bombard them!

yeah, i am still on hold. 4.5 hours of mind-numbing tedium. damn, my ear is starting to hurt

i am not that stupid; i am using a speakerphone

 

[LOOnatic]

OK so i just called and was put on (gasp) hold.

Whats funny is the 1st message about "striving to deliver the best customer service in the industry".

 

[narlus]

if there's not an answer by the time i leave work today, the phone will stay on.

 

[dhbuilder]

hey, at least it's friday.

 

[llkoolkeg]

if there's not an answer by the time i leave work today, the phone will stay on.

Maybe you followed that automated option tree directly to Saul's desk phone. That would explain why he hasn't picked up yet.

 

[narlus]

the phone call waiting period was cut off at an impressive 4hr 53min duration.

stage II has just been initiated.

 

[Transcend]

Holy crap dude, you have mnore patience than me.

 

[narlus]

well i'm just in my office doing stuff, so it's pretty much non-invasive aside from hearing the recorded woman's voice periodically, telling me that she appreciates my patience.

but the Cosmic Psychos are gonna drown her out soon.

 

[I Are Baboon]

I am going to go way out on a limb here and say there's no one in the customer service office today.

Then again, wtf do I know?

 

[Transcend]

So what does stage 2 comprise of? Talk to an outsourced indian support tech who says she cannot help you?

 

[narlus]

stage II was comprised of hitting redial, then '2' and then '1', which landed me my friendly disembodied voice who is so appreciative of my patience.

 

[Transcend]

oh dear.

 

[Westy]

Thank you for your patience, Godot will be with you momentarily.......