Retailer issues - really hacked off now!!

[mrtcat]

Grumble grumble grumble.

I bought a Hartke Kilo back in may last year. Since then it developed a fault with a hum which I discussed on here. The hum got progressively worse then started making popping sounds and then amp just stopped working altogether. I contacted seller (big online store) who agreed to take it back under warranty and send it to Korg (UK distributor) for repair.
I sent it via DHL and it was signed for at retailers end on Jan 25th. I've since emailed for an update and had no reply. I've called and was told someone would call me back.........nothing. I've called again and had to leave voicemail asking for call back........nothing. I haven't even managed to get them to confirm they've received it. All I have is couriers details of it being signed for on Jan 25th.
Any ideas what I should do next. My plan was just to call over and over but it's pretty poor show that I have to keep pushing just for an update.

Edited February 26, 2014 by mrtcat

[mrtcat]

Update. Finally managed to get the shop to chase Korg but all they can tell me is that it's not fixed yet and I should call back at the end of next week. By that time they'll have had the head for a month which personally I think is rubbish. I need my amp, I have weddings to play and although I have a backup it's nothing like the quality of what I need. Very disappointed that I've had to chase the shop so hard just to get a "call back in about 10 days".
Very frustrated :-(

[Conan]

That's not good.

[charic]

I know Korg have your head but have you tried Hartke themselves? They're quite well known for their customer service and might give Korg a kick up the backside

[mrtcat]

Good idea - I'm on it now.

[dudewheresmybass]

Larry hartke's number is fairly freely available too.
He seems to always be happy to talk with players. Might be worth bearing in mind

[Dood]

Given that it is less than a year old, is it not the retailer's responsibility to issue a replacement amp and deal with the return themselves? Very poor show by the online retailer. Name and shame.

[mrtcat]

Absolutely fuming now!!!! Having been away for a few days I emailed Korg direct today. They responded almost immediately to say the amp only arrived with them on 19th Feb which is the day after I managed to speak to someone at the retailer. It's clear that they didn't send it to Korg until after I spoke to them. That means it was sat with them for more than three weeks before passing it to Korg. They clearly were lying to me when I asked them for an update and they said Korg hadn't finished with it yet. I have the email from Korg (who appear much more switched on) stating amp was sent to them on 18th Feb and arrived on 19th. Time to confront retailer I think.

[Beedster]

[quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1393421802' post='2380002']
Time to confront retailer I think.
[/quote]

No, that has long past, time to name the retailer publicly so that we don't have to put up with the same crap. I can deal with slowness and crapness from a retailer - it's human nature and it happens - but not with lies about from that same retailer about their slowness and crapness (by that I mean telling you the'd sent it when in fact they hadn't). N&S

[EBS_freak]

Give Larry a call. Point him to this thread. I wouldn't want to be buying any Hartke gear at the moment based on this report. Amps go wrong no matter who makes them... but if you can't get them fixed and if the dealer network/distribution/repair facility isn't in place to enable a quick repair, it can't be regarded as a pro piece of kit and anybody who relies on their gear to make a living, would be a fool to buy one.

Edited February 26, 2014 by EBS_freak

[barkin]

I think you've misread the situation.

[Beedster]

[quote name='barkin' timestamp='1393428537' post='2380184']
I think you've misread the situation.
[/quote]

'Enigmatic post of the year award' contender perhaps? Not sure what you mean really?

[dmccombe7]

I'm afraid its about the same level of poor customer service i got when i bought a Kilo from Thomann who finally took it back without issue but trying to get anything from Hartke was a bit of a waste of time. Eventually Larry H did email me after about 2 weeks if memory serves me right asking what the issue was. To be fair he at least got in touch with me. Customer service in US didn't get back to me at all and UK someone got back to me after Larry H did.
Pretty poor when the owner of the company gets back to you faster than his customer service departments. It was enough for me never to touch Hartke gear again.
I'm now sitting with a very nice GK 1001RBi.

It may have been a one off but doesnt sound like it. ???
My Kilo had a complete lack of volume. Could barely hear it at 50% on Vol / gains.

Dave

Edited February 26, 2014 by dmccombe7

[barkin]

I remember your problems, but ISTM that the OPs problem here is with the retailer, hence my previous post. Does that retailer sell Yamaha/Aguilar/QSC/whatever ? If they do, and could conceivably balls up a warranty repair/replacement of a.n.other brand in the same way (after all, any brand can, and do, have failures) should we boycott those brands too ?

[StraightSix]

I understand your point barkin - it is the retailer who seems at fault.

Sorry to hear about your ongoing problem mrtcat - I hope you get a resolution soon. You also have a PM.

[HartkeUK]

I am sorry to hear the problems that have been encountered by Hartke users. For what it is worth I am happy the bore the s*** out of anyone that wants to listen about how reliable the products are but occasionally things do go wrong. What I am asking here is can we please direct the frustrations at the right people because without that clarity things will never improve.

When something goes wrong it is the responsibility of the retailer to resolve quickly and efficiently. On these occasion it doesn't sound like that hasn't happened but as mentioned by[url="http://basschat.co.uk/user/12709-dmccombe7/"] dmccombe7[/url] he did receive a message from Larry. That is Larry Hartke! Name one other owner in this trade who would have this level of interaction, so next time any of you are in New York go and see him. The store is full of toys by the way! (-;

In my experience when Larry does receive emails he will contact the relevant distributors asap and he puts pressure on them to contact their retailers, messages sent to Samson in the USA regarding overseas issues are treated in the same way. That means that a message to Larry may have to go through numerous people to get a resolution. In the case of Thomann it took two weeks. That is Thomann at fault not "Hartke customer service".

Everybody I know within the Hartke family are absolutely driven to provide the best customer service we can and we all believe in the brand.It is absolutely correct that as distributors of the brand we should be held to account when things go wrong because we select the retailers to supply the products to all of you. In future if you are in the UK please email direct with issues, hell if your not in the UK then email me anyway, I will help! If you happen to be at the show this weekend, come and talk to me. (Mines a coffee with two sugars by the way).

By posting the right info we can help drive the responses of everybody in the chain which benefits us all, Brands, Retailers, Distributors and most importantly you the customer.

Sorry rant over, I am gonna go to the local retailer and kick an Ashdown, Ampeg, Fender, TC Electronic amp (delete as appropriate).

[Beedster]

Good response Gareth, I've no doubt the situation will be resolved quickly now

[mrtcat]

I hope my posts have been clear on this. My issue is with being lied to by the retailer who clearly screwed up in not sending my head on to the distributors (Korg) who do the repairs. I don't actually feel too aggrieved by the not sending it on as this may have been a genuine mistake. My complaint is the diabolical communication followed by lies. Korg have been excellent as I only emailed them this morning and not only have they responded really quickly but I've also had a call from the engineer working on my amp.
I think maybe my post title was wrong and I'll ammend it but I'm not going to name the retailer (who incidentally haven't replied to my complaint this morning yet even though both hartke and Korg have contacted me) as I need to have a workable relationship with them in order to achieve my aim - to have a fully functional hartke kilo on top of my cab.
Also a little grumpy at having had to pay to courier head to retailer in nw only to find head is being repaired less than a mile from where I work lol!

Edited February 26, 2014 by mrtcat

[dmccombe7]

To clarify :- Thomann were never at fault and offered a refund altho that means losing a fair amount of cash through exchange rates etc. I contacted Hartke direct for advice and when no response from Customer Service contacted Larry H after advice from BC members. The fact it took approx. 2 weeks to get any response at all is pretty poor in anyone's book.
Great that Larry H took the time to contact me at all but by this point I had given up and returned the item to Thomann.
It personally left me with a poor image of Hartke and a complete loss of confidence in their products. That is a difficult thing to change.
PLEASE NOTE that Hartke generally have good reviews hence the reason I bought the amp in the first place.
In the OP's case it clearly was not the fault of Hartke that it was taking so long however it was another faulty Kilo in question and that is an issue for Hartke.

Dave

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='HartkeUK' timestamp='1393436931' post='2380348']
Name one other owner in this trade who would have this level of interaction
[/quote]

Marco De Virgiliis of Markbass

But yeah, I appreciate the sentiment, it's great when company representatives, especially owners will get in touch with their customers directly

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Seems to me that the retailer should be named and shamed now. They should also be forwarded the correspondence from LHartke.
Also, they should be forwarded this thread. The op is still too patient/ lenient with them at this stage.
Maybe between hartke and the retailer, they could send him something special to aplologise.
This is a recession we are in after all.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

I remember the witty adverts from Larry hartke in bass player a few years ago. Good to see he still gets involved .

[Beedster]

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1393441558' post='2380413']
Seems to me that the retailer should be named and shamed now. They should also be forwarded the correspondence from LHartke.
Also, they should be forwarded this thread. The op is still too patient/ lenient with them at this stage.
Maybe between hartke and the retailer, they could send him something special to aplologise.
This is a recession we are in after all.
[/quote]

Agree re N&S, I get quite annoyed by members who report a complaint about a retailer then refuse to name them, meaning that the rest of us are still at the mercy of their crap service and no pressure is applied on them to improve.

Also, at the very least the OP's courier costs should be covered by the retailer given the situation described.

[skej21]

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1393440824' post='2380398']


Marco De Virgiliis of Markbass

But yeah, I appreciate the sentiment, it's great when company representatives, especially owners will get in touch with their customers directly
[/quote]

And in my experience, the two Daves at Aguilar are just as approachable/happy to chat about gear too :-)

[Beedster]

[quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1393439706' post='2380378']
I need to have a workable relationship with them in order to achieve my aim - to have a fully functional hartke kilo on top of my cab.
[/quote]

No, that's now Korg's responsibility. I'd get them to send it directly back to you.