Superior Customer Service

edmemi

I just wanted to take a moment to praise the outstanding customer service of Polk Audio. I have owned many brands, but by far Polk customer service is so much better than the competition. The superior service and support, and of course, the great sound was one of the reasons why I own several older Polk products over the years to include three Micropro subwoofers DSV 3000 and two PSW-505s, a pair of LS90s, LSi 7s, LSi Center and now a pair LSiM 706s. I have enjoyed all of the Polk products that I have owned and I think compete very favorably with brands costing a lot more. I would put my LSiMs against any monitor, including B&W 805s.

Among some of the worst customer service is Arcam, Project and Marantz and not sure of other people's experience but I always found Polk to be the best. On several occasions, they honored their warranty even past the expiration date. I own Anthem, Paradigm, Definitive Technology, Pioneer Elite, Onkyo, Yamaha, Peachtree, SVS, Velodyne, Adcom etc. and consider myself to be an audiophile. I think for me besides the sound is whether the company stands by their products and are genuinely helpful. I know that has not been my experience with other companies.

F1nut

Did you know that Polk, Marantz and Def Tech are owned by the same company?

AngerB

I've had the opposite experience so far with one of my 705's. They sent the wrong parts after 6 months, for example. Granted the delay was mostly my fault, however, their CS is not great or superior in my opinion.

F1nut

So, you wait 6 months and get the wrong part then complain implying that the 6 month wait was Polk's fault and you think anyone is going to take you seriously!?! What a hoot.

AngerB

I didn't fully explain. I didn't wait 6 months, my speaker has been broken for 6 months, but I tried many times during the first month to get it resolved and had to quit due to other tasks. I had many calls and emails to their CS dept from mid December to late January. Most of the time they don't answer the phone nor reply to voicemail messages, nor reply to emails. Any time I got thru to them, they always gave me a task to diagnose. After I completed the task to diagnose, there was another task. Repeat this process of calling, emailing with no answer and getting assigned tasks to diagnose three or four more times. I got busy with a friend's house project and my income taxes for the two jobs I work. So fast forward four months and I pick up the issue again and finally get thru to their CS dept after another series of four emails and unanswered VM messages. I get sent the wrong parts. I don't care what you think about my situation and how hooty you think it is. I still have one of my 705's in pieces six months later. I just called again today at 2:15pm. Recording #1 says I called during off hours and normal hours are from 10am to 6pm. I called again and left a VM for CS about the email I sent this past sunday. That is NOT great CS.

For the record, I own a pair of 707's as one setup, and a broken pair of 705's, a pair of 703's, a center 706 and the 702fx in a separate setups. I've spent a lot of dough on polk speakers. If I don't hear back from them by next monday, regarding getting my incorrect shipment fixed so I can repair my equipment, I'm going to be even less satisfied with their customer service.

EndersShadow

@KennethSwauger Swauger

[Deleted User]

I'll have a friend contact you via email.

sbb2112

I have had nothing but the best from Polk and for that matter, Marantz customer service. Maybe its my technique but everytime I have asked for something, and listened to the reply and if I didn't understand it, went back and verified the issue was as I explained and called back with better info. Most of the time any situations that weren't solvable initially, were with a little better communication. Documented who was spoken to, when, when followed up on, dates to be shipped parts, tracking #, etc. Sure makes the process go a lot better. Just my 2c.

AngerB

Ken from this forum got ahold of Ken C. at Polk and Ken C took care of me in two days. Thanks Ken from this forum.

I received the correct parts in the second order mid week and installed them.

Note, I took a photo of the speaker and circled exactly what drivers weren't working in the very first email. My second job is online retail. I put customer service at the top of my to-do list like Ken did for me at the end. I turn around customer requests for service next day when possible, and I work a full time job on top of my evening internet sales job.. I've never had an experience that took this long to get service, up until the end with Ken from Polk. I do have a lot of toys and I understand this sort of thing does happen, but the prolonged conversations and lack of call back ad lack of response were bad. I just bought my 15th (ish, I don't count) bicycle, a cheapish carbon fiber 15" 27.5 for my girlfriend to ride when she's at my house, the Avid hydraulic breaks were locked up tight as a drum out of the box. That took 3 calls and an email and that seemed excessive. My interaction with the original polk CS rep took a dozen emails (most unanswered) and I rarely got thru to the person by phone and almost none of my voicemails were answered. That was poor, but the great service at the end made up for everything.

Am I a future polk customer, absolutely. Am I wiser, absolutely. Am I thankful that Ken from this forum contacted Ken @ Polk, absolutely. Did I circle back and put some closure on my negative comments about CS? Absolutely. Was my experience "a hoot", did I document dates and who I talked to? and did I get tracking numbers? and did I end up with the correct parts the first time around? haha.

Moving on. Looking forward to replacing these 705's in the basement with some 707's and a larger amp.

F1nut

My apologies and I'm glad you finally got things taken care of.

FWIW, the 705's are the better speaker. Bigger isn't always better.

[Deleted User]

I'm sorry there was a problem to begin with, but glad Ken was able to help. Enjoy your speakers.