VTI Customer Service SUCKS!!!

hearingimpared

dkg999 wrote:

You don't need no stink'in rack! Just get a couple of concrete blocks and a 1x12 and you're good to go

You just brought back a memory. . . in 1989 I had this really great Condo. It was huge and had concreate ceilings. I had SDA/SRSs at the time that were being pushed to the max by a number of different really ballsy amps

I had my turntable in a separate room. I had levels of cinder blocks interlocked from the gound all the way up to about just below chest high. Then had a Lead Balloon platform and then the turntable. No vibration problems there boy!!!

hearingimpared

Libertyc wrote:

Hey Joe,

How did you pay for the item? Maybe you can do a charge-back thru your credit card? It may be too late but I would try to dispute it.

I almost ordered a VTI rack from the same seller.

That was paid for back on September 16th. I don't know if I feel comfortable doing a charge back. I think the dealer will get screwed when in reality they are manufacturers defects. I checked the dealers post again on ebay and didn't see any guarantees.

I am waiting for return emails from the dealer and VTI. They have until noon EST tomorrow before I start turning the screws.

Libertyc

The dealer might get screwed...your getting screwed. The dealer sold you a piece of crap and should be the one who eats the loss and deals with the manufacture. This is a defective product, much different than the item pictured and described in the original sale. Was it sold as a refurbished item...I don't think it was? Time to play hard ball.

hearingimpared

Get this. I called VTI customer service again today and immediately asked for the supervisor. The woman I spoke to yesterday is the same woman, Linda Fang, who answered today. She claimed to be the owner of VTI and once again, in her broken English, before I could say anything she told me she read the email I sent on the company website, "contact us" portion. She denied everything, that I wrote. Every time I tried to get a word in she talked over me. She kept insinuating that I was trying to pull a fast one. She kept repeating that she never heard of one of VTI's shelves being warp. She said that the only time the rack pipe spikes don't match the holes is when the shipper drops the box.

At this point I laid into her to shut her the eff up. After a long and really arduous conversation where this woman is swearing that I am trying to get over on her, I finally got her to agree to do something about the warped shelf only.

This is her solution:

"Since a warped shelf has never occured before in all the years of their manufacturing experience," (direct quote) I can ship the shelf only back. If they determine that I am "telling the truth," (direct quote)they will ship me back a new one. If not they will be shipping back the original and I am to pay for all shipping and insurance both directions reguardless of whether it is a manufacturing defect, "which I doubt" (direct quote) or not.

When I asked for a reference number or a conf. number she said, "don't worry we will know because you are the only one." What the eff is wrong with these people. This entity behaves as if they did me a favor by selling me their product and it is my good fortune to pay for it.

By the time I got done with this **** I felt like a freakin victim!!! I hate people that walk around feeling like victims all the time but boy, oh, boy, I sure know now that it isn't a good feeling.

If I take the original cost of the product and add the to and fro shipping costs to it, I will be paying more than the MSRP for it.

I certainly learned a lesson here. I said this in a previous post, if I can't touch it first somewhere, I am not buying it over the internet.

I am not going to say don't buy VTI products. What I will say is, be aware that if you do buy one of their products and you run into a problem, you will not be greated with good customer service. You run the risk of being treated quite poorly and even like a creep who is trying to get something for free from their squeeky, cheep asses.

I told Linda Fang that she needs to revamp her customer service skills as well as VTI's customer service policies. I also told her that I was going to be posting this incident on as many audio forums I can get my hands on. She didn't care as a matter a fact she told me to go ahead it will make no difference to VTI. :eek:

I'm going to have to work with what I have here and make the best of it.

Here is a thought. . . everyone who reads this thread go to VTI contact us and express knowledge of this incident. Maybe that will knock Linda Fang off her high horse.

EDIT: forgive the spelling, I'm a little upset.

PhantomOG

I agree that their customer service was unacceptable (mainly because I know you are telling the truth), however, from a business standpoint I do understand their policies. September to now, they should have had good faith and fixed any issues you had, however, there absolutely has to be something in writing limiting their liability for customers who purchase something and don't open the product for extended periods of time, mainly because it is impossible to prove whether or not the product is truly "new".

Let it be a good reminder/warning to all about:
1) buying things on ebay in general
2) not checking products completely during the initial return/exchange period

At least you didn't open the box and find a bunch of scrap wood and bricks! :eek:

hearingimpared

PhantomOG wrote:

I agree that their customer service was unacceptable (mainly because I know you are telling the truth), however, from a business standpoint I do understand their policies. September to now, they should have had good faith and fixed any issues you had, however, there absolutely has to be something in writing limiting their liability for customers who purchase something and don't open the product for extended periods of time, mainly because it is impossible to prove whether or not the product is truly "new".

Let it be a good reminder/warning to all about:
1) buying things on ebay in general
2) not checking products completely during the initial return/exchange period

At least you didn't open the box and find a bunch of scrap wood and bricks! :eek:

I agree with you about that part of good business practice. But it is not good business practice to conduct customer service as follows:

The problem I am having is that since the initial contact was made, her stance was accusatory. She even went so far as to remind me that when she asked me yesterday when I purchased the product I said, "I don't remember 3 to 4 weeks maybe a month and a half." She came right out and said you lied to me. I explained to her that I was in the midst of moving and have had dozens of large items such as refridgerators, washer, dryer, furniture, bedroom sets, doors, fencing etc. going in and out of the new house over the past month. I told her that when I got back to the rental last night I looked up in my receipts on my PC the date. The date ordered was September 16th. So I made a mistake what is the problem?

If there was a 10 day policy on reporting shipping problems or problems with the product it sure wasn't listed on the ebay listing. I've read it several times since last evening.

I asked her why she has taken the stance that I was lying to her and trying to get something for nothing from the very begining of our conversation. . . no reply at all.

That my friend is not good business practices.

I think what is really bothering me here is the way I was treated from the get go. I was in management and executive management of customer and technical support for over 30 years in the IT Help Desk industry. . .customers, even abusive, nasty, or irrate customers were all treated with dignity and respect. Anything less than that was dealt with, with disciplinary action and I remember a few instances where I fired technicians for treating customers poorly.

Joey_V

Sending her an email now.

Joey

hearingimpared

Joey_V wrote:

Sending her an email now.

Joey

Wow thanks Joey!:)

amulford

That sucks. Good luck...

PolkWannabie

I think we should ALL send emails ... both existing and POTENTIAL FUTURE customers ... Maybe then they'll get it ...

hearingimpared

PolkWannabie wrote:

I think we should ALL send emails ... both existing and POTENTIAL FUTURE customers ... Maybe then they'll get it ...

Right on Brother!

I really seem to think that the owner is so arrogant that she would email you back and tell you to go eeffff yourself.:mad:

Libertyc

email sent to VTI.

Libertyc

I hope it works out for you Joe. I was ready to order the 4 shelf single unit.

Eff that, I will use a TV tray table before I buy a VTI rack.

zombie boy 2000

nastygram sent HI

PhantomOG

Simma Down Now!!

zombie boy 2000

Summer Donna now!!!!

SLOCOOKN

I am getting ready to call them. I found this usually works best 500 phone calls.

SLOCOOKN

I just got off the phone with "HER". She says that you first told her that you had it for 3 or 4 weeks. you then changed your story to 3 or 4 months so how could she trust you. I told her as a business you have to make a judgement that sometimes doing right for the customer might be the best thing for a business. If his concerns are real you might be able to have a customer for life..She then said that she was being reasonable. just send back the shelf. Perhaps that is not enough I said. I then told her that one should not have to fight to resolve issues. Customer service IS SERVICE. She was flustered by the time I was done with her

zombie boy 2000

Slowcookin', indeed:D

hearingimpared

SLOCOOKN wrote:

I just got off the phone with "HER". She says that you first told her that you had it for 3 or 4 weeks. you then changed your story to 3 or 4 months so how could she trust you. I told her as a business you have to make a judgement that sometimes doing right for the customer might be the best thing for a business. If his concerns are real you might be able to have a customer for life..She then said that she was being reasonable. just send back the shelf. Perhaps that is not enough I said. I then told her that one should not have to fight to resolve issues. Customer service IS SERVICE. She was flustered by the time I was done with her

Thanks Man, I didn't tell her 3 or 4 months. I told her what I said in a previous post. She was confrontational from the opening conversation yesterday. Today after she kept talking over me again I raised my voice to get her to shut up for five minutes and listen to me instead of keep telling me there was nothing she could do. I never got a chance to answer any of her questions because by mid sentance of one answer she was calling me a liar and then asking another.

She is nit picking with facts. As I said in a previous post, I've had so many boxes and products going in the new home out of the old one, and my head is spinning with this move that I can't remember what dates I did anything with. When I spoke to her today I had given her the exact date that I purchased the rack because I was able to access my PC last night which has the receipts on it.

I have all of my friends, family, and acquantances emailing her to let her know that she's **** an honest guy and that they will not be purchasing anything manufactured or sold by VTI. They are actually emailing eveyone in their address books to inundate her.

Hopefully this won't happen to anyone else.

I'm resigned to the fact that I am going to have to deal with this rack as is.

The only thing I did wrong here was to wait two months to open it up and set it up. The other mistake I made was not being sure, when asked yesterday, when I purchased it. That is what she is focusing on.

Thanks to any of you guys/gals who email her or contact her in my behalf. . . as I said hopefully this won't happen to anyone else.

F1nut

Email sent to the infamous Linda Fang. There is no excuse for treating any customer like she is treating you, regardless of the time table. I would encourage everyone to tell their friends in the audio community about this, I am.

Dennis Gardner

I would put it for sale on ebay, Agon, and any other site that VTI sells their products on, telling your exact story using her quotes etc. Make it a legitimate auction with a alterior motive.

Factory Defective, Customer Service Nightmare VTI Rack For Sale.....

halo

That sux! This lady just doesn't "get it". Won't matter how many emails you send or phone calls you make - she / VTI will NEVER "GET IT".

Joey - you might want to look into Studiotech. Both my TV and audio racks are by them. The CS is fantastic.

hearingimpared

You folks are great, thanks for all the support and the funnys!!!

Joey_V

Halo wrote:

That sux! This lady just doesn't "get it". Won't matter how many emails you send or phone calls you make - she / VTI will NEVER "GET IT".

Joey - you might want to look into Studiotech. Both my TV and audio racks are by them. The CS is fantastic.

Looking at them, Victor... thanks!

I remember your racks and I remember your recs from way back when.... only thing is that they arent modular... dang it.

Joey

Joey_V

hearingimpared wrote:

You folks are great, thanks for all the support and the funnys!!!

That's what I'm here for, my friend!

Joey

hearingimpared

Joey_V wrote:

That's what I'm here for, my friend!

Joey

Yo Joey,

My friends and family in my email address book are killing her with emails. I wonder if she is just deleting them or is bothering to read them.

I think if you can get a VTI rack from a dealer near you where you could actually touch the rack, I think with some small buck shot and sand like was written in earlier posts you have a decent rack. I'm not gonna bury the design or the attributes just the arrogant owner who thinks she and her company are doing us a favor by letting us purchase her fare.

I hate to say it is a good product but it really isn't bad. The owner is!:mad:

Joe

hearingimpared

PhantomOG wrote:

Simma Down Now!!

I should email that picture to Ms Fang and tell her she is looking in the mirror.:eek:

Fang? Wasn't that Phyllis Diller's husbands name?:D

Libertyc

Joe,

Is there anyway we can fix the rack to make it useable?

Joey_V

hearingimpared wrote:

Yo Joey,

I hate to say it is a good product but it really isn't bad. The owner is!:mad:

Joe

Loud and clear, Joe.... loud and clear.

Over and out..

Joey

PS
Let's hope our emails are going to have her thinking twice next time she acts stoopid.