@hifiman5 - I sent you a pm with the info.
@ebm and @d2girls - I fear I may never see it again and will get over it if I don't, but I'm holding on to some hope based on the good reputation of the facility in past years.
Craíg
Repair repair vendor will not respond
An out of state repair vendor has my receiver and will not respond to my request for status, and I am wondering if anyone here has any next-step advice.
I am not going to get specific with names since the vendor is actually one that has not only been discussed here in years past, but has had a great reputation and actually gave me great customer and repair service back in 2004 when the very same gear suffered a spike from lightning strike.
Details:
More than two months ago I got an RA# from the vendor to send in my high end receiver for repair. I padded it, double-boxed it in its original box, and sent it via UPS. I tracked it and saw the delivery and signing for it by the owner of the company and the same person who issued the RA#.
I was not in a particular hurry for turn-around, and was much more interested in the repair being done as well as possible by the best place possible - just like in 2004. Since 8 weeks had passed without any status, though, I emailed but received no response. So I emailed again. No response.
I gave the benefit of doubt that my emails could have gone to spam, so I called. The first two times I called, the line immediately went to voicemail with the announcement being generic (like you get when voicemail has not been configured) and not identifying the business, but I left a message anyway with my name, RA#, and two different numbers at which I could be reached. I waited for more than 24 hours, and got no call back. I thought I may have mis-dialed, so I double-checked the number I dialed on my cell and it was correct. So I called again, and this time the company’s voicemail immediately answered, with the message being the voice of the owner/issuer of the RA#. I left another message, and since then at least one additional message. I call back once each day now, but it just goes straight to voicemail.
There is nothing on the company’s voicemail or website about them being closed for vacation. That being the case and more than a week of email and voicemail not being returned or acknowledged, I opened a case with the Better Business Bureau, giving them all the same details. The BBB quickly responded back that a case had been opened and the company had been contacted, but I still have not received any response from them.
I looked to see if the company is a member of it’s Chamber of Commerce, but it is not.
Any advice on what I could do next?
Thanks,
Craíg
Showing 5 responses by craig16229
Update: More than enough time has passed that I think it is fair to name names. It is Jeff Galin / Electronics Service Labs in Wethersfield, Connecticut. Via Google maps I was able to easily see the "Makris" diner is right next door. I called that number, and was lucky enough to get the owner and that she was nice enough to at least talk with me. She was only able to tell me that car activity looks normal at ES Labs, but she does not know Jeff or any staff there. I have left at least two voicemails for Jeff and at least two email. I have called his number at least once a day - every day - for the past month. He has not responded in any way, and neither he nor anyone else has ever picked up the phone. As another participant in this discussion pointed out, one other person reported the same problem back in October 2017, but did eventually get satisfaction. That is no consolation to me, though, when I cannot even get anyone there to acknowledge they still have my receiver. |
For the benefit of anyone who might have the misfortune of being in the same or a similar situation, here are a two links I have found - in addition to opening a complaint with the Better Business Bureau:
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Update: I finally got my TA-4A back. To review, all I was trying to do from mid October 2018 to the end of December 2018 was get Jeff to reply and confirm with me that he actually did receive my unit. During that time: - he would not return any of my 3 voicemails - he would not reply to any of my 3 emails - I called the ES Labs number at least once a day, every business day, for 3 months. He never picked up the phone even once. - he failed to respond to my complaint via the Better Business Bureau, and to the point where the BBB simply had to close the case. - he failed a respond to a letter from an attorney explaining to he could be found liable of civil theft. After the letter from the attorney at the end of December, I received an email from Jeff to tell me the work was done and the amount of the invoice was due. So basically he only contacted me once I owed HIM money for the service. When I had not replied within 24 hours, he sent a follow-up email to confirm I received the invoice, which also rubbed me really wrong in light of his refusal to ever respond to me. It's a shame, because the service of the Nak TA-4A seems to be just as good as what I experienced with him in 2004. Still, I will never send anything his way again. It's just not worth the aggravation of someone who will not respond and you can never speak with. |