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Fuming about Yamaha Cust. Service for a minute...

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RustyStringer

RustyStringer

May 18, 2010
168
572
Indiana
#1
First off, Chris at Yamaha N. American, I apologize. You're just doing your job. My beef is with your "script."

I have been trying to obtain a part number for a replacement pickguard for my Yamaha BB234 bass. I was directed to a parts website; however, you have to use the specific part number to place an order...and there is no "lookup," on the website. I was instructed to call during the week, and someone would be able to get me that part number.
I did just that. Here's how it went:

I was greeted on the phone by Chris, explained why I was calling, and....


Chris: I can give you that information, however Yamaha does not recommend ever modifying your instruments.

Me: Well, that's kind of weird, because EVERYONE (ok, not really everyone) mods their instruments to some extent.
Chris: Anytime you do any kind of modifications, you could damage your instrument.
Me: You realize that you have endorsed artists that take your instruments and drop in Dimarzio, Hipshot, Gotoh, etc. parts, right??
Chris: Well, they are professionals...
(Now I'm getting a little p-d off.)
Me: It is 7 Phillips head screws, and a 1-ply piece of plastic.
Chris: ....
Me: I understand this isn't coming from you, but if that is what Yamaha wants you to tell their consumers, it's pretty condescending.
Chris: I'm not sure I understand...?
Me: You're telling me that Yamaha as a company doesn't think that I can operate a f-ing screwdriver?
Chris: ........*speechless*
Me: Now do you see where I'm going with this?
Chris: I will take your information and have the parts department call you back.
Me: Thank you for your time!

Maybe I'm the ass here, but really Yamaha...really?! God help them if they see all the other modifications, I did to it with non-Yamaha parts...
 
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#3
RustyStringer said:
First off, Chris at Yamaha N. American, I apologize. You're just doing your job. My beef is with your "script."

I have been trying to obtain a part number for a replacement pickguard for my Yamaha BB234 bass. I was directed to a parts website; however, you have to use the specific part number to place an order...and there is no "lookup," on the website. I was instructed to call during the week, and someone would be able to get me that part number.
I did just that. Here's how it went:

I was greeted on the phone by Chris, explained why I was calling, and....


Chris: I can give you that information, however Yamaha does not recommend ever modifying your instruments.

Me: Well, that's kind of weird, because EVERYONE (ok, not really everyone) mods their instruments to some extent.
Chris: Anytime you do any kind of modifications, you could damage your instrument.
Me: You realize that you have endorsed artists that take your instruments and drop in Dimarzio, Hipshot, Gotoh, etc. parts, right??
Chris: Well, they are professionals...
(Now I'm getting a little p-d off.)
Me: It is 7 Phillips head screws, and a 1-ply piece of plastic.
Chris: ....
Me: I understand this isn't coming from you, but if that is what Yamaha wants you to tell their consumers, it's pretty condescending.
Chris: I'm not sure I understand...?
Me: You're telling me that Yamaha as a company doesn't think that I can operate a f-ing screwdriver?
Chris: ........*speechless*
Me: Now do you see where I'm going with this?
Chris: I will take your information and have the parts department call you back.
Me: Thank you for your time!

Maybe I'm the ass here, but really Yamaha...really?! God help them if they see all the other modifications, I did to it with non-Yamaha parts...
Click to expand...

Put yourself in their place. They are just doing their job. When our customer service/tech support gets a question from an end user about modifying one of our products, we need to give warnings as we do not know the skill level of the stranger on the phone. In the past, we learned about this the hard way. If we advise on how to do a modification to a product and then the customers screws it up, there have been times when they have called back saying we owe them complete replacement product. Also, if the customer starts using foul language, we consider that abuse of an employee and they are allowed to hang up on the customer. Just sayin.
 
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#4
OP - sounds like you went nuclear pretty quick here. You could have been a little nicer and probably found more help.

That said, I have found Yamaha's customer service to be lacking. A couple of years ago I had a warranty issue with a Yamaha bass, they had no luthiers in my area (Silicon Valley, not some podunk town). Rather than bring a lutheri on board (I suggested one that works with many OEM's) Yamaha wanted me to take the bass to a pro-audio company 40 miles away - which I knew could not help me.

Good luck finding anything in their parts catalog (or a catalog).
 
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#8
"I can give you that information, however Yamaha does not recommend ever modifying your instruments.
Anytime you do any kind of modifications, you could damage your instrument."

I doubt I would have gotten snippy at the dude, but this would piss me off, too. It's none of your biz what I do with my instrument. There are times to spit the script and just get the job done, and without talking down to a paying customer you know nothing about.
 
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#13
You know, I get everyone has bad days, but it doesn't hurt to just be kind. Being in that business is hard enough, you also do not know what someone may be going through medically, mentally or anything. He could have a chronic illness, a death in the family, anything and making that person day worse doesn't achieve anything. Today I went to a tea shop, the cashier was extremely rude, but what will I achieve being rude back? Nothing. Move on and hope for the best. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, and you apologize it happens we break but def think it wouldn't hurt to keep these in mind next time.
All the best.
 
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#15
My last interaction with Yamaha was great. My Yamaha EUB needed a replacement part where the endpin meets the collar and the tailgut. I couldn't find the part number anywhere. They sent me an exploded diagram of the bass by e-mail while we were on the phone once I talked them into the general area I was needing a part for. We located the part together and they shipped it the next day.

That's way more intrusive than a pick guard.
 
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#16
"Maybe I'm the ass here" Yes OP, you nailed it right there.

Sure these "corporate speak" tick the box type responses are a pain, but the guy on the other end is just doing his job, as instructed and his employment depends on doing what he's told.

It's like taking the frustration at cold calls from call centers out on the caller. Or yelling at a sales assistant, over an issue about store policy. Abusing the person who has no control, or ability to address your issue, serves no purpose other than to make the abuser feel better, while the abused feels like c*^p.
 
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#19
RustyStringer said:
First off, Chris at Yamaha N. American, I apologize. You're just doing your job. My beef is with your "script."

I have been trying to obtain a part number for a replacement pickguard for my Yamaha BB234 bass. I was directed to a parts website; however, you have to use the specific part number to place an order...and there is no "lookup," on the website. I was instructed to call during the week, and someone would be able to get me that part number.
I did just that. Here's how it went:

I was greeted on the phone by Chris, explained why I was calling, and....


Chris: I can give you that information, however Yamaha does not recommend ever modifying your instruments.

Me: Well, that's kind of weird, because EVERYONE (ok, not really everyone) mods their instruments to some extent.
Chris: Anytime you do any kind of modifications, you could damage your instrument.
Me: You realize that you have endorsed artists that take your instruments and drop in Dimarzio, Hipshot, Gotoh, etc. parts, right??
Chris: Well, they are professionals...
(Now I'm getting a little p-d off.)
Me: It is 7 Phillips head screws, and a 1-ply piece of plastic.
Chris: ....
Me: I understand this isn't coming from you, but if that is what Yamaha wants you to tell their consumers, it's pretty condescending.
Chris: I'm not sure I understand...?
Me: You're telling me that Yamaha as a company doesn't think that I can operate a f-ing screwdriver?
Chris: ........*speechless*
Me: Now do you see where I'm going with this?
Chris: I will take your information and have the parts department call you back.
Me: Thank you for your time!

Maybe I'm the ass here, but really Yamaha...really?! God help them if they see all the other modifications, I did to it with non-Yamaha parts...
Click to expand...

‘I think instead of going off when Chris said he could give you your information, maybe letting him know you were ready with a pen and paper, might have been a more productive approach. JMO.
 
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