AWFUL customer service! No phone support, and emails not answered.

**johnk** · 07-26-2008, 12:51 PM

This is ridiculous. I spent $73 sending in my G4 for repair via UPS overnight so that you would get it last Monday 7/21. I needed to get the repaired unit back so I could get it installed before I go on vacation next week. And yet you have refused to both ship back the repaired unit, and to answer any of my repeated emails (both to store@mp3car.com and sales@mp3car.com).

What kind of customer service is it to simply ignore emails for a week or more at a time? If you won't let us call anymore, you need to answer emails.

Can someone at least please give me the status on my RMA 1933?

And at this point it is too late for it to be shipped back to me next week, since then it will be sitting outside my home for a week inviting the theft of both it and the contents inside my home. So now it will be weeks before I can get it installed back into my car (will have to arrange for it to be shipped after I get back, then wait for the shipment, then wait a week or more for an installer appointment to be available; I had an appointment for this past Friday when I had some time available to get it installed, but I had to cancel because you guys would not ship it back to me).

What is going on!? I'm trying to be patient but there is a limit... Not to mention how mad I am that I'm having to spend $300-$400 extra in installer/shipping costs to deal with a G4 that was defective in the first place.

**Heather** · 07-28-2008, 12:13 PM

John

We we are sorry that you may not have your G4 for vacation. We do inform all customers of our tech support turn around time. I am sorry you feel that we are providing poor customer service.

I think it is important that we clarify the situation, as you have publicly berated our service. Mp3Car has provided excellent customer service to you in, particularly as your unit has already been here for servicing two times already and your unit is actually out of warrant, but we took it back to be nice.

We cannot unfortunately always turn around units for vacations, however very often we do try. Given the issues you have sighted, this will take a good deal of testing.

Please direct all communication to store@mp3car.com.

Regards
Heather

**johnk** · 07-28-2008, 05:37 PM

My current G4 has only been in once for repair before this (for a defective hard drive that prevented it from booting up), and then it was under warranty (still costing me over $300 in shipping and installer fees). The only reason I didn't send it back earlier for the current broken-radio issue is that I thought it was a Streetdeck bug (and I did post about it in the forums, but nobody from MP3car helped). Since I thought it was a software bug, I didn't want to spend $300+ in getting it swapped out; I figured I would just have to wait months (years?) for a fixed version of Streetdeck. Once I realized it was a hardware defect, I contacted you for repair.

I appreciate that you are fixing the radio out of warranty, though I had no idea what the warranty was since it's not on any documentation I have (I did send email back in June asking what the warranty was, but got no reply). So thank you very much for the repair, but my complaint here was specifically that I have not gotten a reply to any emails I sent for over a week. I don't consider it to be "excellent" to not answer emails for that long.

I guess all communication needs to be done here on the message board though... so please hold off on sending it back to me until next week so it is not sitting in front of my house inviting theft.

Thanks,
John

Originally Posted by armine

John

We we are sorry that you may not have your G4 for vacation. We do inform all customers of our tech support turn around time. I am sorry you feel that we are providing poor customer service.

I think it is important that we clarify the situation, as you have publicly berated our service. Mp3Car has provided excellent customer service to you in, particularly as your unit has already been here for servicing two times already and your unit is actually out of warrant, but we took it back to be nice.

We cannot unfortunately always turn around units for vacations, however very often we do try. Given the issues you have sighted, this will take a good deal of testing.

Please direct all communication to store@mp3car.com.

Regards
Heather

**danielkh** · 07-28-2008, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by armine

I think it is important that we clarify the situation, as you have publicly berated our service. Mp3Car has provided excellent customer service to you in, particularly as your unit has already been here for servicing two times already and your unit is actually out of warrant, but we took it back to be nice.

Sorry to jump in, but being nice would be answering a phone or e-mails. You can be as "nice" as can be, but what good does it do if his product is stolen off his front door step because no one is willing to communicate?

Twice before? Hmmmm....wonder if lemon law covers this?

**ecog** · 07-31-2008, 07:46 PM

Actually "nice" would be me spending my own free time to rip the G4 out of my car and try to fix an out of warranty product that's going to take about 6 to 8 hours with no guaranteed results with the alternative being to wait on Infill for a couple of months to send us another G4 that most likely will come back and have a new set of......ummmm...challenges. BTW, I don't really mind fixing the unit or spending my free time to do it, just don't expect it to happen overnight.

I do agree with JohnK though that communication should be better and that is entirely my fault (Armine and Fiberoptic are on top of their mail) which I apologize for, but please don't schedule an installation without getting a time commitment from me for fixing your hardware since it may take longer than a few days.

I usually check email correspondence before shipping out RMA's for any change of address updates, or in this case vacation notices, so if it is in our queue I'll catch it and haven't had any issues so far.

As for phone support, I guess we could open up our phone lines, which we have done in the past for a couple of years, but people want to chit-chat and BS all day which I'm not a big fan of (not to say there aren't people with legitimate and urgent concerns). I'd much rather get my hands dirty and do some real work (of which there is plenty of) and can't really do that if I'm on the phone. Unless somebody has a brain plug-in I can install? Lol A brain plug-in and an arm plug-in would be great that way maybe I'll have time to post on the forum too and even go home and see my kids before they go to bed (JK.....no kids).

**ecog** · 08-01-2008, 03:01 AM

You guys at mp3car have forgotten that the customer is always right

Treating customers with patience and respect is a must, agreed, but that doesn't mean we're always right (yes I am a customer on a daily basis). There are some who cheat, lie and are abusive for mistakes they've made and are unwilling to admit it; which is not going to fly. And there are some who have made mistakes and do admit so and I've always helped them if for no other reason than being honest.

communication is a must

. Agreed there. No arguments.

You could have easily answered his email stating that you will not be able to meet his expectations and provided him a time frame of when the product could be inspected/repaired.

Once a customer is issued an RMA it is understood that they will send their hardware back for repair whenever that may be (sometimes people send them back within few days and sometimes it is more than a month, depends on their preference). If a time frame is not established by the time an RMA is issued (pretty much everybody will state the urgency of their repair in the first email and if you didn't then it must not be that urgent because I sure would) I'm assuming you've read the terms and conditions and are OK with the 30 to 45 day timeline. Most people check in within couple of weeks and we do most RMAs within 3 weeks unless it is something complicated and we have to coordinate with a vendor which might take 30 to 45 days.

Once it is understood that a customer is sending the package back there's not much I can do until I get the box. In the mean time other people need help and there are other RMA's to do. Sometimes there's a lot of both so I make a conscientious decision not to communicate with a customer whose box is in transit because ... there are other people that need help and like I said there's not much I can do when I don't have hardware to work on. As it happened in JohnK's case his box got here Next Day Air, but other people had RMA's in front of him and it wouldn't have been fair to them had I delayed their hardware.

Once we have more resources we will be able to follow up on regular communication. Honestly anything RMA related is probably my fault, but when I'm talking to a customer about a problem the one thing I don't do is a half-a**ed job of analyzing the problem or fixing their hardware. If I can't fix something they'll know about it, but most of the time it goes back to a customer like new. The downside of this is it takes time and as you see miss-communication happens.

You guys really need to go to a customer service class to learn these skills.

I'd love to learn, but I'm too poor to take a class, but maybe in the near future. But it sounds like you have experience and if you don't mind sharing I'm sure other people would love to hear as well. This is a learning environment and if you don't mind teaching I like to learn. If you're not in the customer service industry feel free to share knowledge from your field whatever it may be, more than likely there are other people here from the same occupation that will jump in and discuss. Lol, Like I mentioned I didn't like sitting on the phone much, but the one thing I loved is hearing people's stories and experiences with carcomputers in their fields and organizations which ranged from NOAAH, the military,police, fire department, large automakers to installers outfitting a Ferrari Enzo to ship overseas.

Remember, you never want an employee that knows everything but cannot deal with people and you never want one that can deal with people but is useless at technical work. Either of these employees will be useless. The best employee is the one that has a good mixtured of both.

I think if you're a good HR person you'll find uses for both types if the job is a right fit, lol but I'm not going to pretend that I do. I have a good friend who's not very technically skilled, but is very good with people and is a successful PR Director and manager. For customer service jobs in this field, yes, you have to be both.

For the customer that has the complaint, knowing that the CarPC world is in its infancy would have told you that issues would come about, especially with a system that you have to ship out in order to get it serviced.

The problem with this field is things always go wrong, one way or the other. Most of the members of this forum can troubleshoot their own hardware and if not they'll ask for help for the quirkier things. But some of the technology that is out there is very cutting edge and buggy which comes with the territory. For example, something that is related but not really, I love the Iphone 3G. Is it buggy, sure, it locks up sometimes; but who cares it's kick a**. On the flip side though, i've read reviews from people who hate it. I think carcomputing is kinda in the same boat, it is very cool to have but some people aren't patient with buggy cutting edge technology.

That is why I believe that a system with seperate components is the way to go instead. If the HD fails, open it and swap it for a good one.

Lol I'm the first to agree although some people are inclined to go for a double-din all in one solution just because they don't have to deal with a time consuming install, or some people aren't that familiar with computers, and they just want the technology in their car.

**DarquePervert** · 08-01-2008, 07:52 AM

Originally Posted by insfab

You guys at mp3car have forgotten that the customer is always right and that communication is a must.

Having serviced retail customers for many years, this is 100% incorrect.
Customers lie, cheat and try to steal. Fortunately not all customers do this, and the conniving, sneaky unscrupulous ones are the minority.

The better addage is "the customer is not always right, but do everything you can to make them believe they are."

I agree that open, HONEST communication with customers is wholly important. I think many of us agree that mp3car.com has lost sight of this, particularly during the StreetDeck debacle over the past several months.

You could have easily answered his email stating that you will not be able to meet his expectations and provided him a time frame of when the product could be inspected/repaired. You guys really need to go to a customer service class to learn these skills.

Better yet... Is there a Customer Service boot camp?

**danielkh** · 08-01-2008, 10:54 AM

To come on to a "Customer based" forum, and say something like "As for phone support, I guess we could open up our phone lines, which we have done in the past for a couple of years, but people want to chit-chat and BS all day" ......lol.......well, you definitely made a point, probably not the one you wanted to, but that post left me speechless.

Just a small analogy......You take in your most prized asset, your car, to have it worked on. It's your only form of transportation so you also have to get a rental. The car just ran out of warranty, but the dealer is going to do the "nice" thing and go ahead and fix it for free. You actually live a few hours away (my car gets worked on in Houston and I live in Austin), so the only way you can check the status is to call or e-mail, but they don't want to be "bothered" by people wanting to "chit-chat", so they refuse to answer the phone or e-mails.

How long are you going to remember they are being "nice"?

Still can't believe that post. However, I am guessing that after posting it, being bothered by customers isn't going to be as much of an issue.

**Dan2008** · 08-01-2008, 11:08 AM

Ive been following this and other customer service threads because I'm am considering purchasing from MP3Car.com. Much of what I am reading doesn't give me a good feeling though.

If MP3Car.com is a hobby business (as in a hobby for the owners, not a hobby for the customers) then it should be clearly stated on EVERY page of the website.

I have read the website terms of use and the about us page. They seem to be in direct conflict with each other. The terms of use page says clearly that "MP3Car.com Inc. does not and cannot review all communications and materials posted to or created by users..." while the about us page states that all emails will be answered "...within a few business hours" while tech support requests will take "...up to two business days."

I have seen numerous posts stating that all customer service inquiries should be made via the forums instead of email. Why would anyone want to use the forum which "MP3Car.com Inc. does not and cannot review all communications and materials posted to or created by users...?"

Here is the real problem as I see it:

MP3Car.com does not have a clear policy for customer service or dispute resolution. Define, publish and implement a policy, then stick to it.

MP3Car.com appears to be woefully understaffed to carry out a serious business venture. Dedicated customer service positions need to be created and staffed--complete with telephone support (even if its not toll free). Staffing should be accomplished with customer service professionals, not techies.

Additionally, a dedicated technical support department should be created and staffed with technical support professionals. Technical support should also be provided via telephone.

Create web-based customer service and technical support services. Allow customers to create and track customer service and technical support requests. Status changes should generate automated emails to the customer.

Stop rationalizing/reacting and start being proactive in the customer service/technical support areas--you will benefit greatly from it.

Now to address a couple of other posts.

First, the idea of "the customer is always right" is usually way off base, but neither is the customer always wrong. Customers are what feeds your family and pays your bills. Are there cheating, coniving, crooked customers that are out to get something for free? Absolutely! Are there customers that have no idea what they want/need but think they do? Absolutely!

Therein lies the challenge. Customer service should be considered as being the act of guiding unknowledgable customers into making a purchase decision that meets their needs and not just what you have for sale. Customer service should also be considered as being the act of recognizing a customer that is trying to "pull a fast one" and mitigating the risk to the company. Sometimes though, it is far more profitable in the long run to "suck it up" and give the customer what they want, even if they are trying to get something for nothing--as you did in the out of warranty repair situation. Those acts go a long way in creating a good reputation for a company in that the customer may have been trying to get one over on you or...the customer might just be honest but unknowledgable and frustrated.

Please do not take this as someone bashing you, rather take it as shared knowledge from someone that has "been there, done that."

I have started and operated many small businesses over the years--some successful, some not. In every case the success or lack thereof was of my own doing. I analyzed what I did to create failure and put that knowledge to work in my next venture. Every successful business I have owned was a direct result of the cuts, scrapes and bruises from an unsuccessful venture.

I have started successful businesses with little or no monetary investment and unsuccessful ones with huge investment. One thing that I have learned though is that the business must be responsive to customer needs--whether it is in product or service.

If you would like to take advantage of my business bruises, please PM or email me. I would be happy to help you devise a roadmap for success--on my dime.

**Heather** · 08-01-2008, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by insfab

You guys at mp3car have forgotten that the customer is always right and that communication is a must. You could have easily answered his email stating that you will not be able to meet his expectations and provided him a time frame of when the product could be inspected/repaired. You guys really need to go to a customer service class to learn these skills.

Remember, you never want an employee that knows everything but cannot deal with people and you never want one that can deal with people but is useless at technical work. Either of these employees will be useless. The best employee is the one that has a good mixtured of both.

For the customer that has the complaint, knowing that the CarPC world is in its infancy would have told you that issues would come about, especially with a system that you have to ship out in order to get it serviced. That is why I believe that a system with seperate components is the way to go instead. If the HD fails, open it and swap it for a good one.

We service customers ever day, and they are happy with our customer service. We go above and beyond to make sure that people get what they need. We may have had issues in the past, but for over 6 months we have been providing really good service.

I understand that customers use this space, when they feel like we need a public lashing - we are happy to provide this space as sometimes we mess up and this is in line with the forums - openness, honesty and accountability.

But maybe, when you go to post, you can consider how fair and balanced you are being, and not over-state the truth. In the end it is the store proceeds that finance the forums, so you are only doing yourself and the forums a dis-service in telling people we are bad at what we do.

As regards John, we are working hard to service you, as you know. Please use store@mp3car.com if you have any questions.