I know a speaker company that quite by accident, left out some screws from one of the bottom woofers of the speakers I had bought. I told them that I didn't have those type of screws for a substitute. They sent me a padded envelope with the correct screws via UPS Next day air. Now THAT is what I would call customer service!!!! Pretty expensive screws for them to send, but that told me they really cared.
Customer Service in High-End Audio
The purpose of this thread is not to call out any specific manufacturer or dealer, but to start a discussion about customer service among "high-end" audio manufacturers and dealers.
A little about myself; I'm in my 30's and over the past few years have become interested in putting together an audio system to gain more enjoyment out of my music collection.
Of the dozen or so dealers and manufacturers that I've dealt with, I've been shocked at the overall level of customer service; poor communication (failure to respond to emails or phone calls) rudeness, unfulfilled refund or shipping promises, etc.
I want to add that I have had some really great experiences as well, but overall my experiences have been disappointing.
Now, I understand that some of these companies are small or even one-man operations. I've read threads here on Audiogon where customers have complained about service, and someone has posted something like "he's too busy building cables to respond to emails." Sorry folks, but I don't think that is any excuse for poor customer service.
As a small business owner, I'm really surprised at the overall quality of service in this industry, and I think it could be a huge turn-off to people who are interested in getting into the hobby.
Again, the purpose of this thread is not to call out any specific manufacturer or dealer. I'd be curious to hear others feelings or experiences on this subject.