From: jmilhoan@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (JT)
Subject: Re: ICOM W2A & IC-2SRA Packet Connection Answer
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 21:00:25 GMT

In article <1992Dec10.162319.12396@sunstone.uucp> george@mastersa.UUCP (GEORGE VOGEL) writes:
>In article <1992Dec5.230027.1794@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>, jmilhoan@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (JT) writes:
>|> In article <1992Dec1.212012.17037@odin.corp.sgi.com> jerryb@jerber.sandiego.sgi.com (Jerry Bransford) writes:
>|> > (statements about waiting 5 minutes on the phone with ICOM deleted)
>|> 
>|> Originally I had written out quite a large, detailed flame about ICOM, and how they have the poorest service of ANY company I have had to call before.
>|> 
>|> I won't go into that, but it has been since January or February that I called, and I am still steamed about it.  Let's just say I was too harsh, so I restarted my article.
>|> [stuff deleted]
>|> JT
>
>
>I was initially frustrated at the difficulty in obtaining accessories for the
>W2A (no problem now), but it was a very popular radio right off the bat.
>
>I'm just a satisfied customer, as are a couple friends with the same radio,
>and we all have been very happy with them--Including a friend who was going
>back home to Japan, and had to have his radio modified first.  Icom had it back
>to him real quick.  I don't think your statements are necessarily typical
>of ICOM service at all.

Well, that is probably true, but I spoke to at least 4 different people in different departments, and only one helped me, and that was after I raised hell about it.

the reason for my anger isn't all of Icom's fault... it started with my local dealer.  I had planned on buying the 2SRA before last christmas.  I told my local dealer, who had them in stock, to hold one for me until Monday (this was on Saturday, and they are closed on Sunday... They were closing in ten minutes and there was no way I could get to them that quick).

Of course they sold all of them, including the one on hold for me.

Then I told them to hold another for me when the next shipment came in, and they said they'd call me when they did.  Well, I called off and on for three weeks with no luck, until finally they said (paraphrased), "Yeah, we got twenty in today, but there's only two left."  I told them to hold another for me (since they didn't have one on hold, and they never called me!) and I would come out to pick it up, which I did.

Within a week, the little antenna broke off for the wide-RX side.  Of course, they weren't being stocked, and the local store would have to order one for me... another couple of weeks.

So I called Icom and was on hold with the "please stay on the line... your call will be answered in the order it was received" message.  So I held... and held.. and hung up and called another department.  He said he would have someone from the department call me when they got back from lunch!  Why would ANYBODY put that message on if the department is empty for lunch hour??? 

The person calls me back and tells me they would call the local dealer since she knew them personally and would see if they could work something out, and then call me back to let me know.  Well, a week goes by and no phone call.

I call Icom back and was told by the same person that the store should have contacted me, but she would try again and call me back.  Another week - no phone call.

So I call them back AGAIN and get put on hold with the same message.  After another long time, I called that other department and raised hell with the guy... I explained I wasn't mad at him, in fact he had been helpful (I knew it wasn't his "department"), but I summarized how I had spent over $700 (with accessories, mind you ;) on a radio that I can only use half of, only to have it break within a week, and this is after all the calls, etc...

and yes, the other department was "out to lunch" again!

In response to what you said about the quick turn around to modify the W2A for european use, I was told that if the antenna jack was broken as a result of the antenna breaking, it would take 3 to 4 weeks.  Hearing this, after only owning the thing for less than 7 days and all the problems with the dealer, added to my frustration.

Thank god the local shop regulary stocks them now, since I am on my fourth! ;)

This wasn't a flame directed at anybody specific, just at poor customer relations.

JT



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