Is there anyone IN Polk's customer service department?


One would think that with several forums, BBB etc. noting terrible customer service for several years, that a company as large as Polk would get things right.

I inquired about a replacement remote for an Omni SB1 soundbar on 11/30/2018. The sound bar is a few years old and I wanted to go directly to the mfg first for a replacement to ensure I was getting the correct one.

Though I did get an immediate, though generic autoreply confirming receipt of my initial email, it wasn't until THREE weeks after that, 12/21/2018, that I was advised that they do, in fact, have that remote and that they needed my contact info. They also indicated that it would ship within 7-10 business days. I was happily surprised that this would be shipped at no charge, and more than happy to wait out that timeframe, assuming I'd have it about the first week of January. I immediately responded with the requested information.

Instead of getting the item during the first week of January as their email suggested, I instead got a confirming email 1/8/2019 stating they are "porcessing [sic] the items below and will ship within the next several days. Once your order ships we will send another email with tracking number".

I've waited this long, so expected if it were to be shipped within a few days from 1/8, I'd have it in about a week's time.

But that didn't happen either.

Now over THREE weeks from that last email of 1/8, I tried to call 1-800-377-7655 FOR DAYS! And for days, the outgoing message says: "we're experiencing longer than expected hold times---call back!"

Several emails were, as expected, also ignored.

Today, I had the option of leaving a call back #. They called within about a half hour. That was good.

As I too work in customer service the first thing I said to the agent is that although I've been frustrated by the delay and inability to reach anyone, I will not take it out on him. And I didn't. I don't yell, swear or get sarcastic but at this point, it's been 2 months since I've initially contacted Polk customer service.

He then tells me the item is on backorder and I asked why did they send the email on 1/8 if that was the case? He immediately got sarcastic, raised his voice and repeatedly and menancingly/tauntingly called me: "maam, maam, maam" so I asked for his name. He refused. Though he did say the item would be available at "the end of the month".

Today is January 31, so I pointed out that "it IS the end of the month". So he sarcastically asked if I wished to speak to his supervisor and I agreed.

OF COURSE HE HUNG UP ON ME.

Shameful.

The inability to use the remote means we have to physically touch the soundbar to turn it on/off. I'm not complaining about having to get up but I AM concerned that when we touch the soundbar, we often get a shock and unit turns on (or off) as the case may be. I'm afraid it might damage it or blow it out completely. If that happens, based on this customer service experience alone, I will not buy a Polk audio product again.

So this terrific gesture of a no charge replacement remote is great IF Polk could actually deliver it.

Alternatively, if an accurate email in the last 2 months that the status of the order had been changed, OR you actually have people answering the phone in customer service instead of saying you're too busy to take the call and call back, or lastly---and for god's sake, don't hang up on customers who are not being disrespectful to you, my opinion of this company would be changed and I'd be happy to buy Polk products again and recommend to others.

So to the man calling me "maam" , I hope your day improves so you can provide the "service" in a customer service department.

And to the supervisor of this agent---I bet he never told you...

REF # 181130-000889


Comments

  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    Sorry to hear this. WAY too much of this crap happening lately. Polk won't sell the most speakers in America for much longer this way...

    @KennethSwauger
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:
    Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra

    Bedroom 2.1
    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
  • Hello,
    Let me refer this to Kim Jasper, CS manager and ask him to contact you via email.
  • UPDATE---RESOLVED!

    Too often people complain, but don't compliment; this time I'm doing the latter.

    Yesterday I received a replacement remote delivered by Fedex, and I'm very appreciative that this was resolved!

    I do, however, remain frustrated that the customer service department was so difficult to get a response from for months, and more so that when I did speak to a live, "refuse-to-give-me-his-name" agent (whom, incidentally I asked this info for more as a reference to the call, and not to threaten him in any way), his behavior was unacceptable. I sense he knew how poor the response was in that department but that's no excuse for taking it out on a customer.

    No one has acknowledged this legitimate concern I had with his treatment.

    Moreover, on 1/31 he said the item was back ordered to the "end of the month"--January? Then said he meant February. Seems that clearly wasn't accurate as I now have the remote. Did he intentionally misrepresent the status of the remote?

    What a contrast to my email inquiry to Delta airlines customer service department made on 1/27 that was responded to on 1/31, starting out with an apology for the "delayed" response. It was more than an acceptable amount of time in my opinion.
    Further they addressed me by name, apologized in the closing and stated that they appreciated my business.

    Obviously I have a far more favorable impression of Delta than Polk. I hope my experience with Mr. "refuse-to-give-me-his-name" was an isolated incident.

    I'm grateful for this forum leading me to Kenneth Swauger and Kim Jasper, to get this resolved.


  • I too am having issues with my sound bar and have been in talks with customer service for three weeks. They finally said they would ship me a new unit but that it was back ordered and that I should “not respond to this email”

    What does back ordered mean??! When will my unit get fixed?!
  • Usually "back ordered" means there isn't any inventory available to ship to customers. If they've agreed to send you a replacement your soundbar won't be fixed just replaced. I'm afraid you'll have to be patient and they'll send a new unit as quickly as they can.
  • displayname
    displayname Posts: 1,126
    Honestly, the big audio companies hate the expense of customer service. It's shameful but true. They don't view the end user as the customer, they view their dealers as customers. They also somewhat expect the dealer to deal with customer service under the concept that you are the dealer's customer, and they should be handling those relationships.

    I'm not saying it's right, because it's not. But unfortunately that's how most of the big audio companies work now.
    Analog: MoFi MasterTracker > MoFi UltraDeck > Sutherland 20/20
    Digital: Cambridge CXC / Streaming > Cambridge CXN v2
    MastersounD Dueventi > Rosso Fiorentino Certaldo or Arcam rHead > Hifiman HE4XX
    Discogs
  • polrbehr
    polrbehr Posts: 2,825
    Honestly, the big audio companies hate the expense of customer service. It's shameful but true. They don't view the end user as the customer, they view their dealers as customers. They also somewhat expect the dealer to deal with customer service under the concept that you are the dealer's customer, and they should be handling those relationships.

    I'm not saying it's right, because it's not. But unfortunately that's how most of the big audio companies work now.

    And it's a shame because it wasn't always the case here, but then Polk Audio isn't Polk anymore either. There are a few who still put forth tons of effort to get issues taken care of, but really, a CS rep that treats customers the way the OP got treated should not be answering phones.

    So, are you willing to put forth a little effort or are you happy sitting in your skeptical poo pile?


    http://audiomilitia.proboards.com/
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,034
    edited February 2019
    Mom & Pop no longer run the show anymore in many of our beloved brands. If Matt were still on top of the food chain at Polk, or his name and legacy meant anything to those that now call the shots, this nonsense would have never been allowed to sully the brand.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • Mikey081057
    Mikey081057 Posts: 7,127
    There is no acceptable reason or excuse for poor customer service. If management can't fix it they need to get managers who can.
    My New Year's resolution is 3840 × 2160

    Family Room| Marantz AV7704| Usher Dancer Mini - 2 DMD Mains |Usher Dancer Mini-x DMD's Surrounds | Usher BE-616 DMD Center | SVS Ultra Rear Surrounds | Parasound Halo A21 | Parsound Halo A52+ | MIT Shotgun S3's | Dual SVS SB 4000 Ultras | Oppo UDP 203 | Directv Genie HD DVR | Samsung 75" Q8 QLED | PSAudio Stellar GCD | Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ | Lumin U1 Mini | HP Elite Slice PC | ROON'd for life |

    ManCave: HT:Polk LSiM 706VR3 LSiM 703's LSiM 702's|| Marantz AV7002 AV PrePro Sunfire TGA-7401| Sony PS4 Pro| Sony PS4 Pro|SVS PB13 Ultra| Oppo UDP 203 | Music Hall MMF 5.3se TT w/ Soundsmith Carmen | Samsung 55" SUHD TV | Sony PS4

    Patio | Polk Atrium 8's | Yamaha R-N303BL |

    Office BlueSound Node| KEF LS50 | Peactree Nova 125SE |

    Bedroom | Focal 905's | Chromecast Audio |

    Garage | Polk Monitor 5B's

    Closet Yamaha M80 | 2 Polk MP3K subs| Yaqin MC100B with Shuguang Treasures KT 88's & CV181Z's | Tesla E83CC's | Marantz 2252B | Marantz 2385 |Polk SDA SRS 2.3 | LSiM 705's |
  • zkell99
    zkell99 Posts: 4
    @KennethSwauger going on two months now with no update, replacement unit or reply. Patients in running out.....
  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    Ken no longer moderates this forum, so you might want to try another contact.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    edited March 2019
    @zkell99 ken can not help you anymore. There is no one currently running this forum. @KenCustomerService might respond, but he is also no longer officially a part of customer service. We have been abandoned 😢
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:
    Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra

    Bedroom 2.1
    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    And for the better in my opinion. :)
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.