my experience calling KORG today

[Marcus2222]

I really didn't have time to write this out, but I'm still "smarting" from my experience today. You pay $4k for a keyboard and it ends there! I don't think the company cares two hoots about their customers after they've made the sale!

I telephoned KORG today to discuss some different issues about my PA3x (questions about the Songbook, battery charging, and a few odds & ends). I got my usual response........DUHHHH.......I don't know........we'll have to research it and call you back.

Me: Can you give me any kind of an idea WHEN you might be calling me back?
Answer: When we finish researching it!
Me: Can you give me any kind of an idea WHEN you might be "finished researching it?"
Answer: (the same) When we finish researching it
Me: Can you tell me appx how big the support team is and how many of you are specialists on the PA3x?
Answer; There are a few of us here
Me: How many is a few?
Answer: We have support persons here
Me: Could you be more precise so I know what to expect when I call?
Answer: We have a "support team" to assist you

I then attempted to ask the big question (politely, mind you): How much of the PA3x do you guys actually know 'cause if you're not that familiar with the keyboard, I know you're busy there and I just won't bother you again with any PA3x questions. I didn't get to finish my question, That set him off. He went into a tirade and hung up in my face!

In my opinion, these are kids who never learned to function in a real world where people need answers and not double-talk. They have no idea of how to talk to adults, no idea of the image of lack of support they're projecting on to us consumers, and particularly no business manners. I get the feeling I'm talking to 12 year olds.

Anyhow, I called back and demanded to speak to someone in management or in an executive position about my experience with tech support. I'm still waiting for a return call.

This is a great machine, but, let's face it, it IS complicated, and..........you're on your own with it. If not for this forum here, I wouldn't know where to turn to for help.

But getting back to the KORG corporation, I'm wondering how many of you out there have had similar bad experiences with their "tech support" dept? I know Don had major problems with his joystick.

Or maybe you have some suggestions on how to deal with them and what one should expect from a support team with a major company like KORG?

Marcus

[DennyC]

Korg customer service used to be the best until a couple of years ago when they made some personnel changes. Who was the person who gave you a hard time?

[Grey]

+1

Had the hanging up in my face experience with them as well.
I was actually showing them a solution to an issue they didn't know about.
In return got anger, false pride, arrogance and "we have to research it" bit.

Just the fact that a "support" person has raised their voice at me was priceless on its own!

I agree with the 12 year olds comment, but ultimately:
when people are unconscious about the fact that they hate themselves in any or all aspects of their life, they tend to dump it on everyone else around them, seeing others as the source of their problems and misery whenever they have the chance.
That pile simply must go somewhere. It's just the law of nature.
The symptoms include, but not limited to: imagining yourself as the CEO of the company, who thinks he has the rite to boss everyone around them...

Before taking on the Responsibility, it is very important for anyone, who calls themselves "support" to Really understand the meaning of the word and what Real Support is Really all about!

Just my 2 cents.

[KorgUSAProductSupport]

I really didn't have time to write this out, but I'm still "smarting" from my experience today. You pay $4k for a keyboard and it ends there! I don't think the company cares two hoots about their customers after they've made the sale!

I telephoned KORG today to discuss some different issues about my PA3x (questions about the Songbook, battery charging, and a few odds & ends). I got my usual response........DUHHHH.......I don't know........we'll have to research it and call you back.

Me: Can you give me any kind of an idea WHEN you might be calling me back?
Answer: When we finish researching it!
Me: Can you give me any kind of an idea WHEN you might be "finished researching it?"
Answer: (the same) When we finish researching it
Me: Can you tell me appx how big the support team is and how many of you are specialists on the PA3x?
Answer; There are a few of us here
Me: How many is a few?
Answer: We have support persons here
Me: Could you be more precise so I know what to expect when I call?
Answer: We have a "support team" to assist you

I then attempted to ask the big question (politely, mind you): How much of the PA3x do you guys actually know 'cause if you're not that familiar with the keyboard, I know you're busy there and I just won't bother you again with any PA3x questions. I didn't get to finish my question, That set him off. He went into a tirade and hung up in my face!

In my opinion, these are kids who never learned to function in a real world where people need answers and not double-talk. They have no idea of how to talk to adults, no idea of the image of lack of support they're projecting on to us consumers, and particularly no business manners. I get the feeling I'm talking to 12 year olds.

Anyhow, I called back and demanded to speak to someone in management or in an executive position about my experience with tech support. I'm still waiting for a return call.

This is a great machine, but, let's face it, it IS complicated, and..........you're on your own with it. If not for this forum here, I wouldn't know where to turn to for help.

But getting back to the KORG corporation, I'm wondering how many of you out there have had similar bad experiences with their "tech support" dept? I know Don had major problems with his joystick.

Or maybe you have some suggestions on how to deal with them and what one should expect from a support team with a major company like KORG?

Marcus

Hello Marcus,

Please check your private messages.

Best regards,

Max
Product Support Supervisor
Korg USA

[MACG]

We are in a different situation here in UK.I recently contacted KORG UK by email with two separate queries and received prompt,courteous and very helpful replies.

Well done KORG UK.

James.

[KorgUSAProductSupport]

We are in a different situation here in UK.I recently contacted KORG UK by email with two separate queries and received prompt,courteous and very helpful replies.

Well done KORG UK.

James.

Hi James,

I'm glad to hear that you had a good experience with Korg UK. I don't really wish to belabor this publicly (which is why I sent Marcus a private message) but as I'm sure you can imagine, there are two sides to every story and I would hope that you and others would keep that in mind prior to rushing to judgement. Moving forward, I'll be communicating with Marcus privately so we can discuss his experience and how to move forward should he need assistance in the future.

Thanks for supporting Korg!

Best regards,

Max
Product Support Supervisor
Korg USA

[tony mads usa]

My experience with KORG USA has only been via e-mail, and I dealt extensively with 'Thomas' a 'Product Support Specialist', who did every thing I could possibly ask for in trying to resolve a problem I had with my Pa600 ... It took some time, but I believe we finally have it resolved ...

Max ... it is good to know that KORG may be monitoring these forums ...
Hopefully someone is paying attention to the Pa600 forum as well ...
Thank You

[Sam CA]

Marcus,
Fortunately, I've only needed support from Korg USA a few times only. Yes, their phone support sucks! The good news is that for the most part their products work just fine so you don't really need to talk to anybody. If there's a mass recall on a battery or anything else, they usually use these forums to make announcements.

But if you needed some personal assitance, it's kind of impossible to have them get back to you. I ordered a Triton Studio VHS tutorial from them years ago, and it was defective. It wasn't much so I decided I didn't want to spend the rest of my life trying to get a replacement or my money back. They never responded to my e-mails , or messages.

Just recently I was having a problem with removing some screwes off the video card that I had ordered for the PA3x. It took them couple of weeks just to tell me I could simply take it to an authorized service center. Although I had suggested that at the very beginning, but they said I would have to wait for them to call me back and tell me if that was something I could do. At some point I realized they weren't going to call me back so I started bothering them every couple of days and then someone told me why don't you take it to the service center? This isn't really something that we could help you with over the phone!!! So you see, you have to be very aggressive if you want to get an answer from them....but again, I've only needed their assistance 3 times in 20 years, so it hasn't been all that bad for me considering how many Korg products I've bought over the years...

[Giner]

Well, FWIW, the only time I had to call Korg Canada was about eight years ago just for a replacement switch in my EC5 pedal. They quickly sent me three switches at no charge. Hard to beat that, kudos to Jam
Industries who handle Korg stuff up here.

[Marcus2222]

So I wasn't hallucinating yesterday......others here have had similar experiences.

I'm sure none of us are here just to "complain" but rather to have someone address this issue. After all, KORG asks us to advise them of "bugs" in the board. Why not also advise them of "bugs" anywhere in the KORG chain?

Grey........that's a great post you did. Thanks for taking the time to give your "2 cents!"

Grey also wrote: "Just the fact that a "support" person has raised their voice at me was priceless on its own!"

ME: I have to think about that!

Marcus

[Veren]

Hi All

I understand that this is a PA3x issue with Korg Italy and we are constantly being reminded that USA and Italy are totally independant of each other thats howcome USA gives user support for sysex etc and Italy simply ingores the users requests/concerns.

Thank you Korg USA for a response here and same is greatly appreciated. However if there are some ways that the Synth and Arranger companies interact or share responsibilities, then can you assist with the other issues like pc editor or manager for the PA3x?

The issue here as you would already know is that Korg don't seen to want to develop/provide same NOR will they provide the needful for independant programmers to develop same....Just not fair to those (Us) that support Korg.

Just my 2 cents (Grey... this is my line )

[Grey]

You're welcome, Marcus!

Just speaking the truth.

I'm not usually about taking extreme measures, as I totally get that people have bad days (weeks, years, lives...) and their unconscious behavior, that they are completely oblivious to, gets the best of them ALL of the time.

In other words: when tech support is having PMS, I totally understand
It is still not an excuse, but I get it...

And so I didn't make a big deal out of it when it happen to me, but I totally respect, welcome and support you, Marcus, voicing your situation.
Knowing that mine wasn't an isolated "bad day" case and the fact that it looks like we're dealing with a bad habit is what inspiring me to write this and to actually make it a big deal.

It is also true what Max said: "There are two sides to every story", but unless you were prank-calling Korg or offending the person you were speaking to in any way, there is absolutely no reason for Customer Support (of all places) to mistreat you or anyone else who calls them to resolve any problem or issue that has to do with their own products, no matter where they are made (Italy or Japan) and no matter how long it takes to resolve it!
That's what they are there for and get paid to do!
That's why they are called Support and not "A Department of Doing Favors by Picking Up The Phone When You Call Us". There's a big difference!
Top executives know, that it is actually the customer that's doing the favor!

When someone in "support" needs anger management, it is their responsibility to make sure they do that.

And when a customer is clearly mistreated and even offended by the company he gave his money to, he absolutely deserves a Full Refund AND he gets to keep the product, if he wishes so!
And that's The Least what a reputable company would want to do!

Heck, free PA3X-76 for everyone on this forum!
Now that's Customer Support.

Just another 100 bucks of mine

[Thoraldus]

For what its worth ...

I've had to contact KORG USA support twice in the last 4 years. Each time my inquiry was handled promptly and professionally.

HOWEVER ...

I think KORG (this applies to all the sales companies and the factory) could do a much better job of providing technical data so we could get the most out of our purchase of KORG products. I see no reason why KORG should not share with its customers important data like SYSEX codes and file formats. The idea that this data is proprietary and its release would damage KORG financially is ludicrous. In fact, I believe just the opposite, the lack of this information damages KORG in so many ways. I can't see any competitor showing the slightest interest in KORG SYSEX codes or file formats. Third party software developers on the other hand could create wonderful software products that would greatly enhance the value of KORG products.

Come on KORG. Lets turn over a new leaf and show how much you really care about your customers!