Panasonic comes last for customer service in 2012!

[StanleyAV]

I've been waiting nearly 18 months for a TV warranty dispute to be resolved by
Panasonic UK.
So no Gold for Panasonic in 2012 - ironic that they are an Olympic sponsor for
London 2012 ;-)

There are picture and processing problems on my Viera Z1 : the flagship TV for 2009/2010;
I purchased this in September 2010 and have had nothing but problems -
which I duly reported to their product manager Fabrice Estornel.

It was eventually passed to customer services by Fabrice in August 2011 after he failed to
resolve my problems.
I found out at the start of September 2011 from my dealer that customer services had ceased
all communication with me. A fine way to carry on from a leading consumer electronics company!!

I escalated the matter forthwith to their European CEO Laurent Abadie, who referred it on
to a manager in Legal & International Affairs. It has been with him since September 2011 and
still no end in sight!

I have had little more than rhetoric about ensuring I am a satisified customer;
there has been plenty of bonhomie in our chats and direct dealings but not much by way of action.
I even underwent a perfunctory call out at the start of December 2011; again customer satisfaction
was underlined in the service manager's call out but I did make it plain that only a suitable
exchange would meet with my satisfaction.

Last month I furnished key personnel at Panasonic with my own technical report on the tuner box
section of the Z1 (it is a separate component). There are key shortcomings in this design,
notwithstanding the software, which account for some of my problems - I am not average
Joe Public, I come from an engineering discipline.
I believe they were going to attempt the ubiquitous 'within specification' nonsense that they
routinely declaim - the same tactic they were using on Viera 2011 TVs with 'green blobs'.

It is now mid March and the exchange unit I requested is nowhere to be seen; that is the least
I would expect given the calamitous way this warranty issue has been handled.
A refund - falling well short of customer satisfaction - would be like a slap in the face at this point,
after 17months of stress and inconvenience .

Has the "customer service beast" at Panasonic changed its spots? I remain unconvinced.

Perhaps Simon Parkinson, their newly appointed Customer Services director, would like to ensure
that a warranty exchange is duly performed? Contact your CEO for my details.

 

[bigboss]

File a claim in small claims court (you could inform Panasonic about it before you actually pursue a claim, that usually does the trick). It only costs £25.

 

[Lee H]

Just curious - other than design flaws, what are the actual faults? They're obliged to repair or replace - their choice - faults

 

[BenLaw]

How long have you been waiting for the exchange unit?

 

[def lugs]

Stanley, you are definitely having hard time with this unit, I thought this was all sorted from your previous thread. I do find myself sympathising with Panasonic to some degree. That they build a TV that passes there own quality specifications but does not live upto your expectations. So if they provide a replacement unit it could/will still fail your expectation, so they are really on a hiding to nothing. Taking into account that you have previously found several faults with the brands tv's not meeting your expectations. I would be after a refund rather than a replacement unit.

 

[laserman16]

I would be after a refund rather than a replacement unit.

I thought his Dealer had offered him a refund some time ago, although I may be wrong.

 

[laserman16]

This post. September 24th 2011.

 

[bigboss]

If you don't want a refund from Panasonic, what else do you want? Why are you insisting on an exchange?

 

[John Duncan]

If you don't want a refund from Panasonic, what else do you want?

A Sony?

 

[bigboss]

If you don't want a refund from Panasonic, what else do you want?

A Sony?

Why not buy a TV yourself with the refunded money?

 

[Anonymous]

Can't say I'm too surprised. Your money would be better of dialling the talkin clock then Panasonic customer services!

 

[3937edwards]

mr coolxx you are becoming rather tedius change the subject for once and use these forums for what they are meant for not for your own vendeta against panasonic |(

 

[Anonymous]

mr coolxx you are becoming rather tedius change the subject for once and use these forums for what they are meant for not for your own vendeta against panasonic |(

Lol vandetta lol :rofl: the guy not happy with the service he's had from Panasonic, i don't blame him. He not get anywhere with Panasonic Customer Services. Stanley next time mate don't buy Panasonic simple as that mate

 

[relocated]

mr coolxx you are becoming rather tedius change the subject for once and use these forums for what they are meant for not for your own vendeta against panasonic |(

BIG +1 to that. You really are a most insufferable bore coolxx.

 

[Anonymous]

What to reccomend and praise Panasonic? lol don't think there's much chance of that like lol

 

[bob.g]

Personally I always buy Panasonic, whenever possible, because I find their design and quality to be so good that I don't ever expect to need customer service.

 

[bob.g]

Personally I always buy Panasonic, whenever possible, because I find their design and quality to be so good that I don't ever expect to need customer service.

 

[relocated]

Personally I always buy Panasonic, whenever possible, because I find their design and quality to be so good that I don't ever expect to need customer service.

I have had Panasonic items in my life since 1973. I have NEVER had one that failed which is why I have more than 6 of their products at home currently.

 

[StanleyAV]

SITUATION UPDATE: I received on 26th March a refund offer - partly because their
examination concluded : 'within specification' but no offer to replace the goods as sought
and defined by their EU warranty.

My own technical examination which was more thorough found many problems. I found
that routinely it would err with "off air" recordings in CINEMA and THX modes - those suitable
for film and drama. I even had problems replaying many commercial DVDs such as the
Harry Potter film series.
In fact the tuner box would not behave stably throughout the day - brightness fluctuations
varied throughout the day even when replaying the same material; this is quite unrelated to
floating blacks or light sensor adjustments - ECO MODE.
There are design faults present within the tuner box and its integral software that should by
way of their EU warranty terms and conditions, make this TV applicable for an exchange.

I had repeatedly asked the manager I have been dealing with for an exchange. I broached
the same thing with their service manager who did the onsite inspection. They kept assuring
me that customer satisfaction was their goal.

They must have a different interpretation to mine of what constitutes that.
I was hoping to get a 'hot' swap of goods which would provide minimum stress and
inconvenience to myself.

I have been patient these past 7 months while Panasonic's manager
looked at this matter.
That is quite an inordinate amount of time to resolve a customer service issue. My patience
has been stretched to breaking point. I don't think their offer adequately builds bridges with
me as a long time customer of theirs.

Many of my current emails have not been read by Panasonic. I replied well within the
arbitrary deadline, wanting to negotiate a more customer focused settlement.

Over a month has passed and the CEO Laurent Abadie and the general manager of
International Affairs and Legal have not replied to my mail or email correspondence.

Something of a Mexican standoff is now occuring. I am not able to break this impasse.

 

[bigboss]

UNPUBLISHED BY MODS - PLEASE DO NOT COMMENT FURTHER ON ANY POSTS BY STANLEY AV

Something of a Mexican standoff is now occuring. I am not able to break this impasse.

Perhaps something to do with the fact that you've had 7 replacements with Panasonic already?

http://www.whathifi.com/forum/tvs-and-projectors/quality-control-issues-with-2010-range-of-tvs?page=2

 

[StanleyAV]

NO I haven't had 7 replacements BIG BOSS. There have been 3 different purchases with a few
replacements (from the retailers): many of these had either panel quality issues or design faults.
THAT does not make me the villain,
NOR does it excuse how Panasonic undertakes its customer service regime.

 

[bigboss]

That's fine. As I said in one of my previous posts in another thread, the retailer can decide not to sell a product to you, as that would mean they're entering into a legally binding contract with you. Based on your experience so far, I suspect this is the case. That's why they're offering a refund & not a replacement.

If I were in your place, I would choose a TV of my choice in the market, & negotiate the refund to enable you to buy that TV with it. This is far easier than insisting on a replacement. Buy it from elsewhere with that money.