Question on customer service expectations
 

Can some people please give me some opinions on how they think the following situation should be resolved?

I had an electronic component where the end of the case had broken off. The damage was caused by normal usage and not the result of crash damage or mishandling. I emailed the manufacturer to see if they could send me a new case and they said that it would probably need to go back for servicing. They also asked me to forward a photo of the damage which I did.

I packed up the component and was just about to ship it when I received a new case through the post. I was a bit surprised as I wasn't expecting it but was quite happy to be able to fix the unit myself. Having changed cases on receivers, servos and ECUs before I wasn't worried. That was, until tried to take the old case off. What the manufacturer hadn't told me was that some of the electronic components were actually glued to the inside of the case and there was no way I was going to be able to remove it without damage. As a result I ended up breaking several of the components away from the PCB.

I thought that it would now be be beyond repair but I sent it back anyway, they have fixed it, and I have just received a bill for the work. Do you think this is fair?

Is it my fault for causing the damage or should the manufacturer take some of the responsibility for supplying me with a component (the case) that wasn't simple for me to replace? Had I known what might happen, I would have sent it to them to do for me. At best now, it seems that I will have to pay to get my repaired unit back when it only had a damaged case to start with[&o] I'm not a great fan of using repaired items in my jets so it is now almost worthless to me.[&o]

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

I think a bill is in order. (as long as it was reasonable) I'm sure it took a little force to break the PCB, and you didn't have to attempt the repair. Supplying you with a part... that YOU requested, doesn't put damage liability back on the manufacture.

I'm not trying to be harsh... just saying.



So... the way it should be resolved is to suck it up, and accept that you broke it.

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

You got to be kidding? If you buy a spark plug from Auto x and strip out the head installing it,.....is it auto x fault for selling you the spark plug? You decided to take on ther repair and broke it.Just because it was not what you thought to be the norm does make it the factory fault.Pay the bill and forget about it.

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

Thanks for the replies and I am open to other opinions. It may be that I am being unreasonable which is why I asked here for other peoples points of view.

If I had gone to the LHS and bought the part I would agree 100%. I didn't do that though - I asked the manufacturer if I could order a new case or if they needed it for service. It was their decision to send me the case[&o]

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

I think your tag line says it all.......................... lol

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

Agreed:D

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

And your decision to continue to attempt the repair even after you realized it may be more than you can handle puts the damage square in your hands. Manufacturer did as you requested, damage is not their fault and service charges should apply.... JMHO

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

The manufacturer didn't really do I as requested as I asked if it was possible to buy the case or if I needed to send it in for repair. They should have said 'send it in for repair' - they didn't.

It seems that the universal opinion is different to mine though so I won't argue with them.

Thanks for the help.

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

"I asked if it was possible to buy the case or if I needed to send it in for repair. They should have said 'send it in for repair' - they didn't."

I am wondering what is the difference between you sending it in for repair before your attempt to repair it and you sending it in now for repair?

It sounds like you have to pay for a repair either way.

Good Luck,

John

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

The initial request about the availability of the part wasn't about cost but about time. I didn't want to send the unit overseas to have it sit in the repair queue if I could fix it at home.

The difference with when the repair was done was that, before, it was just a 'cosmetic' fix and I would have been confident to re-use it. I'm not too happy about using it now it has had electrical components on the board changed and I'm a bit funny about things like that. I think I might buy a new unit instead.

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

If I buy a part for my car from a dealer, it's not thier responsibility to pay for additional damage I might do when attemping the repair on my own. If at any point you felt that the repair was beyond your ability, you should have recontacted the manufacturer and asked to have them do it. The manufacturer is not at fault at all in this case and a bill should be expected.

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

My question is, if the manufacturer knows it glued in and you had sent it back how do they fix it?
Do they knowingly pry it off the glue knowing it damages the electronic board then repair the board.
Thus sending you back your unit with you thinking all the electronics are still the same and just the
plastic case was changed????

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

But would they sell you a part that they know you can't change without causing further damage?

TJP,

Good point. Maybe.

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

It could be that the parts were not normally supposed to be glued into the case but the person on the assembly line just went overboard with the glue gun on your particular unit.
The manufacturer would have no way of knowing this unless they disassembled it themselves or you had sent them pictures before going ahead and prying it apart.

Your decision to continue the dis assembly (without contacting the manufacturer again) after noticing the the excess glue absolves them of any liability for the damage in my opinion.

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

You can't see that the components are glued. The parts are on top of the PCB and glued to the inside of the top case; you can't see it or take photos of it. The parts that have been broken are capacitors that have very weak legs attaching them to the board. You pull the top case off, the unit is ruined - as quick as that[&o]

Anyway this thread has largely run its course.

Thanks again for the feedback.

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

Your out of touch with the real world.Go back down the rabbit hole and hang out with Alice in Wonderland.....senseless dialog.

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

Dealers are there to sell or repair products, not to evaluate the consumer if they are capable of doing the repair themself......

Mark

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

Pay the bill. You broke it.

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

Now you're talking about possibly buying another unit? Wouldn't that be more than the repair? I agree with most, you took on responsibility when you decide to try and repair it yourself. The manufacturer did not sway you either way, they just gave you a choice. Pay for the repair and move on with life!

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

They probably heat it to release it. This is quite common with parts which are "glued" for heatsink purposes. I remember when I did Apple laptop repair the official repair guide actually told you to use a hairdryer to heat up the piece before attempting to remove it.

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

What I find Hal-Harry-***** is that a guy who fly's Jets is complaning about cost. All you guys go through money like crap through a goose.

rrragman

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

Have we heard the whole story? You can never know what to say when someone is looking for a opinion but leaves out important details. Did they have your overseas address to send the new case from you ordering it initially? or? Do you think a heat gun would have loosened the glue? Did you call and ask the manufacturer for assistance when it looked like the job might not be as straightforward as you though?

I don't understand this sentence :"I had an electronic component where the end of the case had broken off. The damage was caused by normal usage and not the result of crash damage or mishandling" How could it not be mishandling if it broke?, is it designed to fall apart after a certain amount of uses?(pics!)

You seem to not want to say exactly what the component is, and I'm guessing you haven't posted the pic you sent them also in the name of anonymity? I think for the manufacturer this seems like a "No good deed goes unpunished" situation....I bet they have had other customers change cases successfully, but knew it might not be for everyone so hesitated. Cmon, spill the beans!:D Todd

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

What more of the story is there?

My initial email enquiry had my address on it. I didn't order the part; it was sent to me FOC after I emailed them the photo of the failure.

As I have already stated the job was straightforwards right up until it broke. When exactly was I supposed to ring the manufacturer?

The item obviously isn't designed to break with normal use and obviously there is either a design fault or my particular component had a manufacturing fault. I'm not mentioning the component or the manufacturer as it appears that general consensus is that the fault was all mine so the manufacturer is irrelevant.

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

From everything you have said it is reasonable to assume the manufacturer thought you were qualified to do the repair. Certainly, despite what yuo say, there is a way to get into the unit without tearing off components. Perhaps they should have made it clear - but it really does fall on you to insure you know what you are doing.

RE: Question on customer service expectations
 

If your not a fan of repaired items, why didn't you toss it before YOU tried to repair it?