Bose Radio Customer Service Rant

[Bill]

I have an older Bose 'wave' radio, AKA, an expensive as shit clock radio, that my parents gave me. It's sentimental. It stopped working a while back. So I finally got around to trying to see about where to have it repaired. Check Bose website no easy listing of service locations, you have to call them. Called Bose twice, got the same Indian woman, call dropped the first time, second time she gives me phone numbers of two local authorized repair shops. Both numbers disconnected. Check the internet. It's the same.....multiple listings, all with disconnected numbers. I was at the point where I was just searching the internet for help.

Find an e-bay listing for a guy who will fix them for about a hundred bucks, you ship your radio to him. E-bay also has listings for used working radios, again, about $ 100 bucks, but I want MY radio, not different one. I was about to box mine up to ship when I figured I would try one more time to get the radio to reset. Change batteries again, even though I did that when the problem first occurred, and plugged in and unplugged the radio in repeatedly (also did same before). After 6 or 8 tries.....success! So my problem is solved, but no thanks to Bose and their lack of customer service.

Edit: the alarm I set went off this morning as it should, so I know it's all functioning properly.

[Rodnok1]

What's this customer service thing you speak of? :confused5:

[Louie Detroit]

As de rigueur, Bose = Blows.

[Mike Mercury]

Indian woman... gives me phone numbers of two local authorized repair shops. Both numbers disconnected.

We're seeing this a lot; my employer will attempt to repair almost anything electrical/electronic. But within the past 5 years... this type of work has dropped off. Our hourly labor rate and parts makes repairs $100 or more, and we're one of the lower priced in the area. Still, it's become a throw-away society. Why spend $100 to repair something that new sells for $129.00.

We had a guy bring in a FRS radio that had a bad external spkr jack. We estimated 40 minutes for the labor and $5 for the jack. The estimate was $64.50. He said " I didn't pay that much for the radio to begin with".
:(

And way too often, the $20 evaluation fee went unpaid as the person never showed up to get the radio back. We're thinking now of having the eval fee paid in advance.

[StaticCling]

I had their aviation headset that I used professionally for over a decade, they required 'repair' a few times. Frankly, the noise cancelling aspect never worked properly even after the repairs. I ended up selling them on eBay after my company changed the equipment to a proprietary headset plug and issued me a headset. (They are David Clark ANR's with a military style mini-bayonet connector into my PTT)

For personal flying, I am using some cheap ASA's, but I will be in the market for some ANR's soon and will NOT be buying Bose. Probably going with the Lightspeed Zulu or Sierra's. :island14:

[Mike Mercury]

David Clark ANR's with a military style mini-bayonet connector into my PTT)



also popular with EMS/Fire depts.

[mrvette]

We're seeing this a lot; my employer will attempt to repair almost anything electrical/electronic. But within the past 5 years... this type of work has dropped off. Our hourly labor rate and parts makes repairs $100 or more, and we're one of the lower priced in the area. Still, it's become a throw-away society. Why spend $100 to repair something that new sells for $129.00.

We had a guy bring in a FRS radio that had a bad external spkr jack. We estimated 40 minutes for the labor and $5 for the jack. The estimate was $64.50. He said " I didn't pay that much for the radio to begin with".
:(

And way too often, the $20 evaluation fee went unpaid as the person never showed up to get the radio back. We're thinking now of having the eval fee paid in advance.

I used to be in the consumer electronic repair trade....TV man, and all else, back when new TV's cost 800 bux or so.....back in the 70's......today they are 1/2 the price or LESS, and along with all the rest of consumer electronics, I"m shocked and amazed anyone is still active in the trade......I can understand computer repair demands because of the information issue.....and I can understand ancient VERY expensive stereo gear like McIntosh, etc.....but all the rest is an offshoot of that famous Japanese electronics company.....

PitchItTronics.....


:issues:

[Bill]

We're seeing this a lot; my employer will attempt to repair almost anything electrical/electronic. But within the past 5 years... this type of work has dropped off. Our hourly labor rate and parts makes repairs $100 or more, and we're one of the lower priced in the area. Still, it's become a throw-away society. Why spend $100 to repair something that new sells for $129.00.

We had a guy bring in a FRS radio that had a bad external spkr jack. We estimated 40 minutes for the labor and $5 for the jack. The estimate was $64.50. He said " I didn't pay that much for the radio to begin with".
:(

And way too often, the $20 evaluation fee went unpaid as the person never showed up to get the radio back. We're thinking now of having the eval fee paid in advance.

This is why most things aren't worth repairing, it costs more to repair than the repaired, functional used thing is actually worth. I was going to pay the $ 100 plus shipping to have my radio fixed both because the cost of a new one is much more, plus the sentimental attachment. Even then, though, I considered buying a used one, saving on shipping my unit and coming out a few dollars ahead, vs. having mine repaired. I also considered upgrading and buying a used one that has the cd player.

My next project is getting a pair of speakers re-coned. The foam surrounding the 15" woofers has long since disintegrated. I'm hoping the shop in the Houston Heights is still around.

[Steve_R]

So let me get this right; you're pissed because you want to repair an obsolete piece of electronic equipment that hasn't been sold for many years, and the company that made it won't drop everything to help you? When you searched the web for companies to repair it and found they're all out of business it should have been a hint.

I have a 70+ year old chiming clock that belonged to my grandfather so it's very sentimental. It quit working last year. The company that made it is still in business but they have no parts, including the motor, to repair it. I didn't get pissed at them, I found an old guy on the web who rebuilds them as a hobby (because he can't be making any money doing it) and it works again.

Electronics in particular advance so fast, and become obsolete so fast, that companies can't be expected to maintain parts inventories and repair services for something there's no demand for.

[Bill]

So let me get this right; you're pissed because you want to repair an obsolete piece of electronic equipment that hasn't been sold for many years, and the company that made it won't drop everything to help you? When you searched the web for companies to repair it and found they're all out of business it should have been a hint.

I have a 70+ year old chiming clock that belonged to my grandfather so it's very sentimental. It quit working last year. The company that made it is still in business but they have no parts, including the motor, to repair it. I didn't get pissed at them, I found an old guy on the web who rebuilds them as a hobby (because he can't be making any money doing it) and it works again.

Electronics in particular advance so fast, and become obsolete so fast, that companies can't be expected to maintain parts inventories and repair services for something there's no demand for.

Well sort of, but the problem is, let's say I was calling about a newer product that needed service. I STILL would have gotten no help. See where I'm going with this? If I needed help with a one year old product, I would be just as out of luck. I'm in the 4th largest city in America, and Bose not only couldn't direct me to anyone who fixes their shit locally, they couldn't even give me the name, address, and phone number of ANY repair center for ANY Bose product.

[Steve_R]

Well sort of, but the problem is, let's say I was calling about a newer product that needed service. I STILL would have gotten no help. See where I'm going with this? If I needed help with a one year old product, I would be just as out of luck. I'm in the 4th largest city in America, and Bose not only couldn't direct me to anyone who fixes their shit locally, they couldn't even give me the name, address, and phone number of ANY repair center for ANY Bose product.

Yeah, it sucks. Most people treat electronics as disposables now. When it breaks just toss it in the trash and buy something newer because buying new is cheaper than getting it repaired. I'm guilty. :shrug:

[theandies]

My Bose experience is much better than yours. I have Bose BT earbuds. Had them for years. One day the power button popped off. I was able to get it working again but it kept getting worse and worse. My buddy at work has the same pair and his messed up so he called Bose. Even though they are out of warranty (both his and mine) they gave him an RMA and told him to ship them to them. Once they received it they sent him a brand new pair and his only cost was shipping the damaged ones back.
I called Bose and they did the same thing for me. New earbuds from a pair that was years out of warranty for the small cost of shipping. I think that A+ customer service. BTW - The person I talked to was and American (at least very good English without any accent).

[theandies]

We're seeing this a lot; my employer will attempt to repair almost anything electrical/electronic. But within the past 5 years... this type of work has dropped off. Our hourly labor rate and parts makes repairs $100 or more, and we're one of the lower priced in the area. Still, it's become a throw-away society. Why spend $100 to repair something that new sells for $129.00.

We had a guy bring in a FRS radio that had a bad external spkr jack. We estimated 40 minutes for the labor and $5 for the jack. The estimate was $64.50. He said " I didn't pay that much for the radio to begin with".
:(

And way too often, the $20 evaluation fee went unpaid as the person never showed up to get the radio back. We're thinking now of having the eval fee paid in advance.

Because that crap is build in China. Ya, you may save a few buck the first time you have the repurchase an item MADE IN CHINA that will only fail in short time. Then you have to buy another Chinese POS that fails again and again and again. Now you've spend 4X $129 when you could have spent a little more money the first time and bought a quality product that will last. In the long run buying Chinese crap will cost you money.
I alsway search for products made in America. Yes I may spend more at first but in the long run I'll save a ton of money staying away from Chinese crap.

[ratflinger]

My next project is getting a pair of speakers re-coned. The foam surrounding the 15" woofers has long since disintegrated. I'm hoping the shop in the Houston Heights is still around.




Do it yourself. The foam surrounds are available on Amazon and so is the right glue. Use 190* Everclear to clean the cone edges and the frame attachment points. Redid the foams on my Advent towers, no big deal. :dance:

[Chemtrails99]

This is why most things aren't worth repairing, it costs more to repair than the repaired, functional used thing is actually worth. I was going to pay the $ 100 plus shipping to have my radio fixed both because the cost of a new one is much more, plus the sentimental attachment. Even then, though, I considered buying a used one, saving on shipping my unit and coming out a few dollars ahead, vs. having mine repaired. I also considered upgrading and buying a used one that has the cd player.

My next project is getting a pair of speakers re-coned. The foam surrounding the 15" woofers has long since disintegrated. I'm hoping the shop in the Houston Heights is still around.


You don't need to recone them, just refoam them. Do it yourself, it's painfully easy. I've done a number of sets. I found great speakers at thrift stores with bad foam, bought them cheap and refoamed them. They always sound great.


https://www.simplyspeakers.com/speaker-foam-repair-new-edge-it-kits.html

[Mike Mercury]

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads26/20081645479291.jpg

[Bill]

You don't need to recone them, just refoam them. Do it yourself, it's painfully easy. I've done a number of sets. I found great speakers at thrift stores with bad foam, bought them cheap and refoamed them. They always sound great.


https://www.simplyspeakers.com/speaker-foam-repair-new-edge-it-kits.html

Yes, that's exactly what I need. I need new foam surrounds, not the actual speaker cones.

[Chemtrails99]

Yes, that's exactly what I need. I need new foam surrounds, not the actual speaker cones.

I've used them at least six times. They are very detailed on available parts and applications. Better than taking a wild shot on Amazon, they actually know what they are talking about.

[Aerovette]

What's this customer service thing you speak of? :confused5:

Customer service - A person or department that is contacted when an item is not functioning properly or service was not satisfactory. You are connected with a person in another country, who has a functional grasp of English but absolutely no grasp of your problem of the product. They will express immediate empathy for your situation, followed by a promise that they will remedy the situation. Then they will keep you on the phone repeatedly NOT fixing the issue until you surrender.