HORRIBLE Customer service and problems with Aura

[ZodWallop]

The thread title accurately reflects the OP's opinion. I don't think it should be for others to change even if you disagree

[JSWolf]

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.

If they are busy, 20min is not that bad. I've had worse than 20min. That's not all that unusual. I don't think the time for a replay was too long. A reply was given and the case closed. The device is out of warranty and the OP broke the screen. So there is no reason why after the email response that the case would not be closed. The OP then got upset even ore from there. That's not horrible customer service. That's the OP getting pissed for what he perceived as something that was Kobo's fault when it wasn't at all. Given that this is the OP's opinion, the topic does not state that at all. That makes the topic incorrect and misleading. It's not fact because the customer services was not horrible.

What I would have done is checked if the Reader was still in warranty and if not, contacted Kobo to ask what they could do. Yes, I might have been upset that the Reader broke, but no way I would have blamed Kobo for something I did. The OP didn't have horrible CS. Once the offer was made, the case was closed and the OP waiting for Kobo to contact him about this wasn't a problem with Kobo. It was a problem with the OP thinking that what Kobo offered was unreasonable. The only thing I would have done differently is after I got the offer, I would have contacted Kobo asking if the $20 could have been applied to an H2O. But there is no way I would have said CS was horrible.

Sorry, but I disagree with your assessment and I do think the OP went overboard.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

The thread title accurately reflects the OP's opinion. I don't think it should be for others to change even if you disagree

The topic does not say that it is an opinion. So yes, the topic is wrong.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The topic does not say that it is an opinion. So yes, the topic is wrong.

No offense dude, but you chiding anyone for not stating clearly that their opinion is exactly that is a whole pot and kettle situation.

[Pajamaman]

I can understand that the user is ****ed after a brand new device less than two years old broke. There's a lot of comments that the user broke his screen. That's not known. Many users have reported a broken substrate and have stated they took good care of it. Maybe it broke because of an existing manufacturing fault. We just don't know.

[Ken Maltby]

Why does Kobo not start offering the plastic substrata versions?

[Ripplinger]

If there was some manufacturing defect putting stress on the screen, it wouldn't have lasted 2 years, it would have broken long before now. Most people don't realize what they've done to break it, they don't realize that flexing the reader a bit can break it, some object putting pressure against the screen while in a backpack or bag can break it, letting it sit out in extreme temperatures might break it. The majority insist they did nothing to break it, just not realizing when the event happened as well. And it's definitely a broken substrate, those really just don't "happen" without any outside influence.

But whether it just decided to break while sitting there or the user somehow did it doesn't matter at all in this instance. The device is 2 years old (not brand new), and has a 1 year warranty. It's been out of warranty for a full year and Kobo didn't have to do anything, yet they gave him $20 off on a new reader. I'd say that's pretty accommodating and very good customer service. No company would have done any different on any device a full year out of warranty and most wouldn't have offered a discount on a new purchase.

Every company has very busy times and slower times for such calls. If I can't wait, I'll call back early am on another day. It happens. I usually just leave my phone on speaker and continue with my work, 20 minutes really doesn't seem long then.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

I can understand that the user is ****ed after a brand new device less than two years old broke. There's a lot of comments that the user broke his screen. That's not known. Many users have reported a broken substrate and have stated they took good care of it. Maybe it broke because of an existing manufacturing fault. We just don't know.

Somehow, "brand new device" and "two years old" (note that the OP stated he had owned his Aura HD for two years not "less than two years") doesn't make much sense.

As for the broken screen, if the image he pointed to accurately reflects his screen, he has a broken substrate. The curved lines are pretty much a dead giveaway. As has been often noted, that thin glass substrate is fragile and it doesn't take much to break it.

As for a manufacturing fault? Two years down the road and long out of warranty? Pull one of the other ones! It's got bells! Really!

Lima7 being upset? Very likely. I was upset when my Samsung LCD monitor decided the back light wasn't going to work anymore. OTOH, I didn't go on the Internet and whinge that Samsung's customer service was lousy when they informed me that I was not going to get any compensation for a device that failed close to a year after it's 3 year warranty expired.

[Cinisajoy]

You know what guys, the title really doesn't matter. After reading the original post, most people will take the thread for what it is. Period end of sentence.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

Why does Kobo not start offering the plastic substrata versions?

Is eInk offering them in the sizes Kobo uses now? Last time I checked they only offered the 13.3" and a really small (like sub 2") screen in Mobius.

[pmwt]

I have called Kobo Customer Help just yesterday after submitting a help request and got an email reply to call their 800 number. On calling the 800 number, I was told I may be in the queue for more that 10 minutes. I opted for the call back and left my phone number with them. I was called back in about 10 minutes. If the option is there, I always opt for the callback. Hate to tie up the phone waiting and listening to the repetitive "please wait" message.

[JSWolf]

But people who are browsing new posts and see the topic of this thread might think that Kobo's customer service is really bad and not read the thread. That's why the topic needs to change. It's not a statement of fact. It's someones incorrect opinion.

From what the OP wrote, there was nothing wrong with CS exceot offering a discount on a 6" device.But that is something I would have mentioned to them to see if they might be willing to give a discount on a 6.8" device. Other than that, I saw nothing wrong.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The topic does not say that it is an opinion. So yes, the topic is wrong.

It's pretty safe to assume that anything anyone says here is their opinion. We will not be changing the thread title.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by HarryT

It's pretty safe to assume that anything anyone says here is their opinion. We will not be changing the thread title.

No, it's not safe to assume. If I had bad service and wanted to post about it, it would be bad service and not an opinion. If it was pointed out that I was incorrect, I would ask for the topic to be changed. This is an opinion that's written like it is a fact and it does indeed need to be changed. If it's not changed, then staff is not doing their job and fixing a seriously incorrect topic that can cause others to think Kobo's customer service is that bad and thus, they won't buy. What we have here is SLANDER and not changing the topic is MR allowing slander.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

No, it's not safe to assume. If I had bad service and wanted to post about it, it would be bad service and not an opinion. If it was pointed out that I was incorrect, I would ask for the topic to be changed. This is an opinion that's written like it is a fact and it does indeed need to be changed. If it's not changed, then staff is not doing their job and fixing a seriously incorrect topic that can cause others to think Kobo's customer service is that bad and thus, they won't buy. What we have here is SLANDER and not changing the topic is MR allowing slander.

Since this forum doesn't automatically go to first unread, everyone can read the first post and form their own opinion as to whether it was HORRIBLE customer service or something else entirely.