Panasonic Killer TV - and killer Customer Service?

[StanleyAV]

It's long overdue that What Hifi produced balanced coverage of products and
featured customer complaints. It's extremely galling for many aggrieved Panasonic
customers for you to produce glowing reports on Panasonic TVs without
also showing the flipside of buying a Panasonic TV - their truly awful customer service in the UK.

I have been waiting over 18 months to have a dispute settled concerning a Panasonic Z1 TV.
There are many other customer none too happy with their 'green blob' TVs of 2011.
I am not alone. Regarding the latter, I am aware that their latest fix does not fully
solve the issue. Under PANASONIC's warranty as this is a design error, customers really ought
to be getting new TVs - rather like my case!

I wanted a replacement as per warranty : that would provide minimum inconvenience to me the
customer, i.e. a hot swap - I did my best to demonstrate what I consider
to be design faults with the processing on this TV. I even furnished them with a technical
report on the errant TUNER box that is part of this TV : this has never even been read!

I don't consider a subjective and most perfunctory call out to look at the fault sufficient
to explore the nature of this TV's ills.

I find it unconscionable that they can readily declaim 'within specification'.
(Strangely enough customers with the 'green blobs' got a similar assessment - how peculiar!)

Yes, they offered a refund, but this is hardly focused on customer satisfaction after the lengthy
ordeal I have had with their product manager and customer service, nor the manager who was assigned to
resolve this afterwards. The current manager has spent 7 months on this - most of that engaged on
other tasks as he is part of Legal and International affairs : not a customer service manager at all.

After 17months plus, a refund is like a slap in the face, other customers in the past have received
an exchange of TV. This does not show they value me as a customer. I have many Panasonic TVs and
goods in my household. They will be putting me to task going through a refund/return process etc.
I also can not source a direct equivalent of what I purchased.

The manager I was dealing with has ignored, mails, emails and txts that I have sent his way, since
my response to the email offer. This has been the case for the past several months - none of my
email response has been read barring one recent chase-up email.

I have also sent correspondence to the CEO Laurent Abadie. I know his office has read my recent email,
but no response by mail or email has been received.

IF Panasonic UK knew how to achieve customer satisfaction they would have done so by now and not
exacerbated the matter by ignoring me.

I am not convinced that Panasonic UK is willing to deliver true customer satisfaction, in the way
that meets customer's expectations when things go badly wrong.

I was told by a Panasonic manager that there had been a sea change in the way they deliver customer
service and that customer satisfaction was always their goal: from what I see the same old rocks
are being crashed into, WHY?!

If What Hifi's current group editor is able to talk to Panasonic for me, this would be greatly
appreciated. I can email you to provide contact details.

 

[professorhat]

What more would you like, if a refund is not sufficient? How on earth could a refund be considered a slap in the face? With that refund, could you not then buy any TV of your choice?

Your argument makes no logical sense I'm afraid.

 

[bigboss]

What more would you like, if a refund is not sufficient? How on earth could a refund be considered a slap in the face? With that refund, could you not then buy any TV of your choice?

Your argument makes no logical sense I'm afraid.

+1

 

[StanleyAV]

@Professor hat, it's more complicated than that, I don't favour lcd/led sets, and Panasonic 2011 sets have the lurgy i.e. 'green blobs'. 'release pricing' makes it hard to get a near equivalent from their 2012 range.

I have had an abysmmal time at the hands of Panasonic UK's aftersales, I don't see why I should be
disadvantaged in getting a replacement.

It would not kill Panasonic to do a warranty exchange and show that they know what good customer service is all about.

What Hifi could also do with producing balanced coverage - not just "killer" reviews of Panasonic or whomever.
Let us see both sides of the equation, so that readers can make informed purchase decisions.

 

[BenLaw]

Why not buy from a different manufacturer with your refund money?

 

[bigboss]

@Professor hat, it's more complicated than that, I don't favour lcd/led sets, and Panasonic 2011 sets have the lurgy i.e. 'green blobs'. 'release pricing' makes it hard to get a near equivalent from their 2012 range.

I have had an abysmmal time at the hands of Panasonic UK's aftersales, I don't see why I should be
disadvantaged in getting a replacement.

It would not kill Panasonic to do a warranty exchange and show that they know what good customer service is all about.

What Hifi could also do with producing balanced coverage - not just "killer" reviews of Panasonic or whomever.
Let us see both sides of the equation, so that readers can make informed purchase decisions.

The "green blobs" issue was easily solved by a software update. Your Panasonic Z1 was quite expensive when it was launched. How much did you pay for it? In the court of law, a refund is seen as a reasonable offer. I don't think you'll get anywhere else on this issue.

As suggested, look at other brands if Panasonic has given you so much trouble.

 

[Andy Clough]

What Hifi could also do with producing balanced coverage - not just "killer" reviews of Panasonic or whomever.
Let us see both sides of the equation, so that readers can make informed purchase decisions.

We've covered the 'green blob' issue at length on the Forums (here and here) and reported on the fix offered by Panasonic on our News channel. I'll forward a link to this thread on to Panasonic UK.

 

[professorhat]

@Professor hat, it's more complicated than that, I don't favour lcd/led sets, and Panasonic 2011 sets have the lurgy i.e. 'green blobs'. 'release pricing' makes it hard to get a near equivalent from their 2012 range.

Both Samsung and LG make plasma sets and they both have highly rated models. I don't understand what you mean by "release pricing makes it hard to get a near equivalent from their 2012 range"? How much did you pay for your Z1 - I can't believe it was less than a brand new set from one of these manufacturers, but even if it was, that means you got a good deal at the time - this doesn't entitle you to then get a new TV at the same deal, you'll just have to pay the extra money it costs or wait for the sales.

I have had an abysmmal time at the hands of Panasonic UK's aftersales, I don't see why I should be disadvantaged in getting a replacement.

This sentence is just baffling - if you've had such an "abysmmal time", why on earth did you not jump at the offer of the refund? For most people, this is just what they would have wanted.

Given the complete non-logical arguments being presented, I suspect you have a hidden agenda that's not being mentioned here. If this isn't the case, why would you not just take the refund and purchase any other plasma TV which is available on the market.

What Hifi could also do with producing balanced coverage - not just "killer" reviews of Panasonic or whomever.
Let us see both sides of the equation, so that readers can make informed purchase decisions.

Like every other technology magazine, What HiFi review products, not manufacturers or their warranties. If you're looking for customer service reviews, try Which?

 

[laserman16]

What more would you like, if a refund is not sufficient? How on earth could a refund be considered a slap in the face? With that refund, could you not then buy any TV of your choice?

Your argument makes no logical sense I'm afraid.

+1

+1. Time to cut and run I think.

 

[laserman16]

I did my best to demonstrate what I consider
to be design faults with the processing on this TV.

And you still want a replacement?

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry, I know I am not alone in posting this. What would actually give you satisfaction? You refused a full refund, you seem to be going down the compensation road??

Panasonic will be well rid as a customer, and I pity the next brand who will fail to meet your exacting standards.

 

[StanleyAV]

Thanks Andy, for your help.

I can well do without the smartass comments on here. When YOU have been in the
same position as myself for the last 18 months, then you may feel different about things.
It's very easy to carp from the sidelines.

I did not start this thread for discussion purposes either - just to hilight to What Hifi and Panasonic UK.

I have made it clear a number of times to Panasonic, to their CEO, to their service manager
(in person) and to the manager dealing with this case (phone and letters/emails) that I was
seeking an exchange of goods - hot swapped, so as not to inconvenience myself any further.
(This has fallen upon deaf ears.)

I don't see that as being unreasonable, I would expect the same of a local dealer.

Why is this so much trouble for them? I do refute their 'within specification' finding
based upon a very limited examination - I have found the TUNER box to behave erratically.
The manager I was dealing with was meant to have read my own report - he has not
(not the email copy that is).

I expect there are customers who would prefer to take the money and run, but in order
to achieve the best black levels, contrast and motion handling from a TV, plasma takes
some beating. When a Panasonic plasma works well, it really delivers, as staff at
What Hifi will tell you.

Despite the aftersales I have had from Panasonic, I would still prefer to stick with this
brand on performance grounds - the picture processing issues I have aren't on later models.

I hope that Panasonic do me the courtesy of resuming contact to conclude this matter.

 

[bigboss]

Based on your last sentence, does it mean that Panasonic have wilfully ceased contact with you?

An exchange to an alternative Panasonic product would mean that you remain as a Panasonic customer. Does Panasonic want that? Based on your posts here (& before on previous threads), that seems to be the problem.

Check this (a retailer's right to refuse to sell):

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/sale-of-goods/your-rights-pricing-disputes/your-rights/

 

[laserman16]

I can well do without the smartass comments on here.

I did not start this thread for discussion purposes either -

Don't think anyone has posted "smartass comments".

If you post on a public Forum I'm afraid your subject matter is always going to be used for "discussion purposes"