HORRIBLE Customer service and problems with Aura

[Lima7]

Originally Posted by John F

Nope.

He had to wait 20 minutes to speak to someone the first time.
Than had to wait a couple of days for someone to reply by email.
Than attempted to contact them by email: no response after 4 days.
Contacted them again and had to wait 20 minutes.

Sounds like rather poor customer service to me.

The OP expectations may be unrealistic to some, but that doesn't justify poor customer service.

IMO.

THANK YOU! What is going on in this thread? I did not know my screen was broken, and after reading all of your posts, I understood that I must've done something like press my screen too hard to change page (lol...) and now it's broken.

BUT, I have experience in CS. Let me tell you that two weeks to resolve a problem is not acceptable. Especially in a market where you have so many options for an ereader. The problem is not that I am offered 20$. The problem is that I had to wait 20 minutes on the phone, then 45 minutes the second time, 3-4 days each time to get an answer by e-mail.

THIS, is, in my opinion, not acceptable.

Some of you here are working for Kobo CS I think. Because you get way too offended by my post.

I have accepted their 20$ offer. So we can all chill now. And I will not change the topic title. Because, yes, the CS that I received was not good.

End.

[Lima7]

Originally Posted by haydnfan

I once called Kobo because the ebook I bought was defective (only half of it was included in the file). It took me a whopping 30 minutes on the phone to resolve that simple situation. When I had a similar issue with Amazon, I was off the phone in under 3 minutes.

Whether the resolution is satisfactory or not, needing to spend so long on the phone while a CS rep hums and haws makes for a bad experience.

[Lima7]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Lima7 hasn't been back since his post. I await what he has to say if he does come back.

Lol you guys need to find a hobby outside the internet. My problem was solved, so there was no point in returning here and try to prove my point. I mean, I have better things to do than argue with people who are pissed off over a post I made on the internet.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Lima7

THANK YOU! What is going on in this thread?

A few things, assuming you really want to know.

When a device nearly three years old ("two" was rather duplicitous) breaks, it's really way past time to say, something was wrong with it when I got it, or words to that effect. "it was really disappointing since the problem was coming from THEM, not me. I never dropped my device, never spilled water on it, nothing. It's a problem that is coming from their device, they should at least try to fix it..."

Devices do die. It's reasonable to ask if this is the typical lifespan of a Kobo, much less reasonable to expect them to make you whole after three years. That's why the typical warranty in these cases is one year. By that time, any defect at shipment has most likely manifested itself.

Then there's the issue of wait times. We've all been on hold far too long; that's not unique to Kobo. And, frankly, given you shaded your comment about the age of your reader in your favor....

Finally, Kobo CS can be frustrating, but since the resolution was that they were giving you $20 out of goodwill, that seemed a handsome offer. Overall, a good experience.

We do get it. It's upsetting when a loved device goes paws up. But no device lasts forever and pushing the three-year mark you have to take a deep breath as you consider your options. Rantiness doesn't help, not with dealing with CS and not here. If you wanted to get something off your chest, mission accomplished. But you can't control how people will take it and you got useful information here from which I hope you'll benefit.

Originally Posted by Lima7

Lol you guys need to find a hobby outside the internet. My problem was solved, so there was no point in returning here and try to prove my point. I mean, I have better things to do than argue with people who are pissed off over a post I made on the internet.

It's a community that among other things tries to help each other out, presumably that's why you came here with your issue. I get that you were taken aback by the response, but it was good information just the same. Affirmation of your lack of understanding about the problem wouldn't have helped. And, for the record, you had no point to prove.

[Lima7]

Originally Posted by issybird

A few things, assuming you really want to know.

When a device nearly three years old ("two" was rather duplicitous) breaks, it's really way past time to say, something was wrong with it when I got it, or words to that effect. "it was really disappointing since the problem was coming from THEM, not me. I never dropped my device, never spilled water on it, nothing. It's a problem that is coming from their device, they should at least try to fix it..."

Devices do die. It's reasonable to ask if this is the typical lifespan of a Kobo, much less reasonable to expect them to make you whole after three years. That's why the typical warranty in these cases is one year. By that time, any defect at shipment has most likely manifested itself.

Then there's the issue of wait times. We've all been on hold far too long; that's not unique to Kobo. And, frankly, given you shaded your comment about the age of your reader in your favor....

Finally, Kobo CS can be frustrating, but since the resolution was that they were giving you $20 out of goodwill, that seemed a handsome offer. Overall, a good experience.

We do get it. It's upsetting when a loved device goes paws up. But no device lasts forever and pushing the three-year mark you have to take a deep breath as you consider your options. Rantiness doesn't help, not with dealing with CS and not here. If you wanted to get something off your chest, mission accomplished. But you can't control how people will take it and you got useful information here from which I hope you'll benefit.



It's a community that among other things tries to help each other out, presumably that's why you came here with your issue. I get that you were taken aback by the response, but it was good information just the same. Affirmation of your lack of understanding about the problem wouldn't have helped. And, for the record, you had no point to prove.

Lol you need to stop assuming things like that. My reader is 2 years, not 2 years and 9 months. I had to change it after less than a year the first time. Mind you, they have all that information on my account, I would not be able to lie to them.

I will not change my opinion. I received bad CS. That wait time is not acceptable, period.

Edit : I believe I need to say it again. I do understand that the problem comes from me, which is why my first post is not so accurate anymore. The 20$ offer, I get it. The wait time, I don't.

You have your opinion, I have mine. Have a good day.

[issybird]

^ Apologies for making an inaccurate statement about the age of your device and saying you were shading the facts. I'm sorry.

However, my general statement holds. Even at that age, as other posters said, you can't legitimately expect a company to fix it. If it had been broken when you got it, you would have found out much sooner, as with your first reader.

I still think you had an overall positive experience. Kobo owed you nothing.

[Lima7]

Originally Posted by issybird

^ Apologies for making an inaccurate statement about the age of your device and saying you were shading the facts. I'm sorry.

However, my general statement holds. Even at that age, as other posters said, you can't legitimately expect a company to fix it. If it had been broken when you got it, you would have found out much sooner, as with your first reader.

I still think you had an overall positive experience. Kobo owed you nothing.

Apologies accepted Like I said, I have accepted their offer. Electronics die, it's life. I just wish I had an answer faster than I did, their CS can definitely be improved. But hey, problem solved, we can all get along, I think everything was said on that matter.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Lima7

Apologies accepted Like I said, I have accepted their offer. Electronics die, it's life. I just wish I had an answer faster than I did, their CS can definitely be improved. But hey, problem solved, we can all get along, I think everything was said on that matter.

20 minute hold times are nothing. I have learned at one company not to call on a Monday morning. They had a we will call you back function. Wait time once was 24 hours plus.

Easy way to get off hold:try to get clothes out of the dryer.

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by Lima7

...
I had to wait almost 20 minutes to speak to someone the first time. She went through all these reset procedures again with me, only to determine that my device was officially dead. She told me she would forward my e-mail to someone who would review my case and offer me something that would make me happy.

A few days later, I got an email from the warranty options department. They were offering me....... a ridiculous 20$ discount on a Kobo Glo refurbished or on a Kobo Aura 2nd generation.

I tried to answer their email, saying that it was really disappointing since the problem was coming from THEM, not me. I never dropped my device, never spilled water on it, nothing. It's a problem that is coming from their device, they should at least try to fix it...

No answer. One day, two days, three days, almost five days later, nothing. SO I try to call them again! After waiting for 1h on the phone, I still haven't had the chance to speak to someone.

I log onto the live chat. 20 minutes and more later, someone finally answers me. Saying that ''I closed your ticket because our warranty department has already answered you''. REALLY ?

I have been fighting with them for like two weeks now, and nothing moves. It seems like they just don't care about their clients. My device just breaks down like this and they're like ''well buy a new one''.

In all fairness to everyone, your initial post made it sound like you were more upset about not being offered free repair or a free reader for a 2 year old reader with a broken screen that was a year out of warranty. That's what most of us responded to.

Initial 20 minute wait, they told you it was dead and would see if they do something for you. "A few days later" you got an email with the $20 discount offer. At that point they closed the ticket, which makes sense, nothing else they could do, so of course they didn't respond any further while you waited for days. Responding to closed tickets anywhere usually doesn't get very far.

Where I live, a 20 minute wait time isn't unusual at all, and honestly is probably on the lower side of wait times. It's sometimes much longer and I either decide to leave a call back number, or just call back at a better time when their CS or tech support department isn't as busy, or put my phone on speaker and just wait it out while I do other things. Call a utility and wait times are so long they won't even let you stay online in the queue, you just get told to call back and are disconnected.

Yes, Amazon might answer quicker than most, they're big enough to have a lot of CS support. They're the exception rather than the rule though when dealing with typical tech support or CS. But actually, I don't think I've ever "called" Amazon, just used their chat feature, so their phone wait times could be as bad. Chat feature when available is usually faster than phones though most everywhere I've dealt with.

So to me, the 20 minute wait time isn't that bad and it still sounds like good customer support.

[petercreasey]

Lima7 - it's hard to fathom why you choose to endlessly excoriate an entity that gave you $20. Strange way to show gratitude!

[ZodWallop]

Customer service is all in the eye of the beholder.

Like most on here, I do think the OP wasn't entitled to much more than s/he was offered. But the long hold times and long delays with no response to email inquiries is pretty sucky from the customers perspective.

Lack of manpower on Kobo's part may well explain it, but an explanation isn't a justification.

Let the user be unhappy with the service received. They are entitled to their opinion.

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by Lima7

Some of you here are working for Kobo CS I think. Because you get way too offended by my post.

Really not helping your credibility here...

I don't have to work for Kobo to find the arguments in your first post laughable and your tone and attitude affronting. You've changed both now, which is all for the better.

If the wait time is your only complaint, you had a bad customer experience, not bad customer service. And that's still subjective. Long wait time means speaker phone and a good book, when you're on the phone. Long wait time on emails means you abandon that communication channel and look for alternatives.

There's no reason to let either of them get to you, unless you're on a deadline or your warranty is about to expire,neither of which applied to you. The wait time won't get shorter if you let it make you angry, only aggravate you more.

[bartveld]

Isn't it time to close this thread?

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by bartveld

Isn't it time to close this thread?

Why would we do that?
Though now it will probably fall off the first page.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

Really not helping your credibility here...

I don't have to work for Kobo to find the arguments in your first post laughable and your tone and attitude affronting. You've changed both now, which is all for the better.

If the wait time is your only complaint, you had a bad customer experience, not bad customer service. And that's still subjective. Long wait time means speaker phone and a good book, when you're on the phone. Long wait time on emails means you abandon that communication channel and look for alternatives.

There's no reason to let either of them get to you, unless you're on a deadline or your warranty is about to expire,neither of which applied to you. The wait time won't get shorter if you let it make you angry, only aggravate you more.

I find doing laundry works better than a book for wait times.