T.C.Electronic is dead to me. I now boycott them.

[cheapbasslovin]

This thread may not faze TC at all. Crappy products at premium prices combined with crappy customer service will eventually faze TC.

If TC isn't really making crappy products and Bongo just had a bad run'o'crap, then they'll probably be fine. If enough people have experiences like Bongo it WILL effect them.

Within the tb community other than Bongo, how many TB members have had complaints against TCE products?

Now think about how many TCE products have sold in the last 24 hours.

I don't know the answer to either of these questions. I know American car companies thought they were invincible, and now they can't gain market share in their own nation. Toyota thought they were king $$$$, and now they are having recalls left and right. If it can happen to companies as entrenched in everyday living as our cars, it can happen to the more niche musician market.

Companies that don't heed their customers are destined to be doomed by them. If not today, then tomorrow.

 

[SpamBot]

+1 to chapbasslovin.

If Bongo's incident is, in fact, an isolated incident that won't happen again, TCE will not be affected in the long run. I'd bet dollars to doughnuts it's not.

If, as I suspect, this is not an entirely unique incident, TCE will feel its effects. If two of TCEs employees are completely incompetent and not personable, I'd expect they aren't the only ones.

 

[JAUQO III-X]

I don't know if the "shut them down" thing was a joke, since just a moment before you were saying it would never happen... I have no intention of shutting them down. My only intention is to make as much unpleasant noise for them as one person can make,

No it was not a joke. Based off of your quotes below and your reasons and comments through out this thread, I would assume that TCE is indeed on your bad side

I'm not trying to puff my chest for ego purposes here,

just saying TC can actually do themselves some harm by getting on my bad side.

and hope that one day it reaches the eyes/ears of somebody there who has influence on their customer service policies. That's all.

I can help in that area if you like.

 

[3rdcurve]

Well, to say it hasn't got me thinking would be a lie. I was dead set on buying an RH450 and a pair of RS212 cabs, especially after my 3 1/2 hour drive to test a used set out today. I was impressed. My gear was posted on craigslist. Will I go through with the purchase? More than likely, but I will probably hold out to see if Bongo's situation is resolved. 2 G's is a lot to invest in a company that won't stand behind there product.

 

[Indiana Mike]

IT has been said this thread will not affect TCE

Their name has been mentioned enough it will surely top the search engine results.

Ampeg pissed me off years ago ... Since then I have spent thousands on OTHER brand name amps....

Times that by the others in my shoes

it all adds up

it may not put them under but they may have to wait for the next million to come in longer than expeceted

customer service has went to sheet ... With the economy failing I expect to see it rise again in the future ... Profits and existence depend on it....

 

[mike_v_s]

I think maybe it's time for you to flex your power and shut TCE down.

This made me laugh.

Mike

 

[My name is Mudd]

Their name has been mentioned enough it will surely top the search engine results.

Not yet, at least as far as Google goes...seven pages and no mention of TB at all.

 

[Beej]

Two axioms, one new and one old:

Old: The customer is always right.

New: Google is your friend.

Is Eric or his boss a ****? Maybe, that's pretty subjective. Is Eric incompetent? I'd say hell yes. Read my new axiom above. I'd never heard of the Sustain+Parametric EQ before reading this thread, however I opened a second window and in about two minutes of reading, found enough information about it through google to be able to have BS'd bongo if I had been Eric.

In this modern age, not knowing your product is pretty bad form. Having access to the question in advance and the internet and then posting a response that he's not familiar with it and then further BS from "denmark" is completely inexcusable in my book and is prime evidence of either his lack of competence or his desire to work against the ethic of the company he's paid to represent or more likely, both.

His manager needs a lesson in how to handle a customer. Eric's a lackey, but this guy has some authority. He doesn't know bongo, who bongo may be connected to or represent and what bongo's experience entails. His answers and his method are pathetic. If that guy worked for me, he'd be gone before his coffee cup hit the table.

Will I boycott them? Probably not, but neither will I endorse them. Bongo's reviews are well done and well-respected. Will his negative review bring them down (jauqo?)? No, but if they continue on this tack, they will bring themselves down in much the same way that other giants have toppled over time...

 

[Jim C]

It's a shame that TC's customer service is so poor; also bad that they are selling a product that does not work properly

Very odd in that every piece of their studio gear I've used was always extememly quite, well made, and exceded audio perfromance expectations

Maybe the pedal thing is just a hobby compared to their pro audio efforts

It is amazing to me that a company that has never made a musical instrument amp came on the scene and created so much positive buzz. Also noteworthy that their micro amp is reliable unlike 2 major manufacturers of micro heads.

If there is something to be learned, it's that their pedals are not to be trusted.

I hate the fact the MB won't issue schematics; they have competely avoided the post to this affect yet post frequently in other areas where there is a softball question or a compliment waiting. I have a schematic for every piece of audio equipment I own with the exception of 2 cd players and a receiver, yet I bought a MB head as it is that good to me.

Pick your battles and don't cut off your nose...

 

[rasthedoctor]

Originally Posted by cheapbasslovin:

"If enough people have experiences like Bongo's it will catch up to TC."

No it wont( and no I'm not being sarcastic).

Yes, it will.

If (in the event that) enough people, (enough being a flexible term, in this case used to indicate a finite but undetermined threshold of TCE customers, without precluding any percentage, up to 100%, of TCE customers), have experiences like Bongo's (the purchase of a TCE product that doesn't do what it's supposed to, coupled with rude and ignorant CS reps), it will catch up (force TCE to change some aspect of their business that led to the issue at hand, be it CS, QA, tech, etc... in order to continue to be a viable company, i.e. sell enough products to make a profit, succeed in all aspects of their business model and live up to their "core values"*) with TC (TC Electronic).

Your dismissiveness is rude. TCE, like any business interested being viable (as any business is, fundamentally), understand cheapbasslovin's point (as indicated in their "core values," linked and partially quoted below), though their understanding may not be backed up with a willingness to follow through. If they consistently fail to satisfy their customers, they will go out of business.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed] :
*TC Electronic was founded in 1976 with the objective of developing, manufacturing and marketing first class audio products that provide lasting user value for audio professionals and musicians.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed] :
We recognize that the users of TC technology are discerning individuals and organizations, which deserve only the best quality, service and support. We welcome any customer response and critique, and actively solicit our users’ input in anything we do. We strive to combine art and science, and thus provide the world with the best tools possible today and tomorrow.
...
We strive for continuous improvement in our performance. We are action-oriented, and only the sky is the limit. We want simplicity, and we fight bureaucracy. When we commit, we deliver. We measure and evaluate our performance, never compromising the integrity and respect for people. We will compete aggressively, establishing challenging yet achievable targets. We realize that superior growth and financial performance are not only targets, but also fundamental means to fulfill Our Core Values. We recognize our responsibilities towards the world community.

 

[Mingus Addict]

This thread may have been started with the intention of hurting T.C. Electronic. I'm not saying it was, but it seems it could have been, and many have taken it that way. In my opinion, it doesn't really matter. I really don't care what happens to TCE.

I did take something away from it though. I won't be buying anything from T.C. Electronic any time soon, maybe ever. The reason isn't that I want to get behind Bongo to bring down the evil TCE. The reason is, I don't want to buy something that won't be backed up by the company that made it. It has nothing to do with hurting them. It's about protecting myself as a consumer.

Those who say that this thread won't really hurt T.C. Electronic are probably right. I don't know if that should really be the point. For the me the point is that I, and maybe a few others here, won't be making that mistake.

Just to be clear, my decision is not based soley on this thread, but on many stories I have heard over the past few years. This is simply the most detailed and disturbing of those stories to date.

 

[PhatBasstard]

I can help in that area if you like.

Great! Then why don't you "flex" a little of your supposed influence and get right on that.

Meanwhile, we'll just stay here and help Bongomania, one of the most respected gear hounds/educated/reviewers on this site (Oh Yeah,...one of the biggest bass specific sites on the net), waste some more time.

And all of you that have already said you are not buying TCE due to Bongo's experience,
go ahead and make those purchases as, apparently, it won't matter one bit to TCE if you (individually or as a collective) are satisfied or buy or don't.
Resistance Is Futile!

Carry on.

 

[barteroo2002]

WOW...

What an incredible thread. This really picked up momentum fast.
Humorously bad customer service in this one case.
But TCE being evil/****/incompetent etc - come on guys!? They make world renowned products. If you want the audio performance in your studio to sound as good as it can, TCE is a good place to start (and end). If you want a group hug, then smaller companies are always gonna be there for you.
Its a shame that one product failed to please the OP (twice), and that Eric (possibly Satan's offspring if I take this thread as a basis on his character) failed, but for god's sake, people do overreact sometimes!

Anyway, as long as we're all having fun, then we should carry on posting with all our might! At the end of the day, I'm a bassist, not a campaigner/member of a boycott.

I was just moved to contribute to this entertainingly emotional thread!

(Oh, and UKHTCE - the UKH stands for his name I think, not United Kingdom - isn't it Uffe K... Hansen or something? This was mentioned earlier.)

 

[PhatBasstard]

WOW...

What an incredible thread. This really picked up momentum fast.
Humorously bad customer service in this one case.
But TCE being evil/****/incompetent etc - come on guys!? They make world renowned products. If you want the audio performance in your studio to sound as good as it can, TCE is a good place to start (and end). If you want a group hug, then smaller companies are always gonna be there for you.
Its a shame that one product failed to please the OP (twice), and that Eric (possibly Satan's offspring if I take this thread as a basis on his character) failed, but for god's sake, people do overreact sometimes!

Anyway, as long as we're all having fun, then we should carry on posting with all our might! At the end of the day, I'm a bassist, not a campaigner/member of a boycott.

I was just moved to contribute to this entertainingly emotional thread!

(Oh, and UKHTCE - the UKH stands for his name I think, not United Kingdom - isn't it Uffe K... Hansen or something? This was mentioned earlier.)

Y'know, if this had just been "Eric", you might have a valid point. But when Bongo get's to the manager and more or less get's a big "So what!?!" and provable BS, then it starts to become an indictment of the whole company.

Are you kidding?!? They couldn't even confirm the product still existed. That's ridiculous enough before we even get to the bad attitudes.
C'mon.

 

[capnsandwich]

I'm sick of hearing about companies like this. I've heard such great stories about Lakland, GK, Genz Benz, etc., and then there's stuff like this. Here I was looking at their website the other day too. Glad to have found this thread before my income tax check came.

 

[JAUQO III-X]

Yes, it will.

It will not.

Your dismissiveness is rude.

To you it seems but my comments are a reality.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed] :
*TC Electronic was founded in 1976 with the objective of developing, manufacturing and marketing first class audio products that provide lasting user value for audio professionals and musicians.

Do you think Bongo's complaint has been the first in TCE's history?

Great! Then why don't you "flex" a little of your supposed influence and get right on that.

Until Bongo takes me up on my offer to help(remember I did inform him publicly that I can help him with his situation). I will just continue to observe TCE not being affected by his public complaint.

Meanwhile, we'll just stay here and help Bongomania,

Help him how?

 

[Jim C]

I can't help but think that if this thread was started by just some guy on this board and not Bongo, the outcome and heated conversation would not exist.

In fact, there would be some who defended TC because they had good experiences.

Kind of surprising that so many would vehomently stand behind one experience of a person they never met before (even though I think him to be skilled in equipment reviews, and for the most part, agree with his opinions).

 

[Bass Junkie]

TC builds great gear and I am impresed with their bass amp line, but I recently asked a technical question via email about their gear that was no where to be found on their website. After a week I got back some canned response about looking on their FAQ page. I was not impressed and never got my question answered.

 

[HollowBassman]

WOW...

What an incredible thread. This really picked up momentum fast.
Humorously bad customer service in this one case.
But TCE being evil/d*cks/incompetent etc - come on guys!? They make world renowned products. If you want the audio performance in your studio to sound as good as it can, TCE is a good place to start (and end). If you want a group hug, then smaller companies are always gonna be there for you.
Its a shame that one product failed to please the OP (twice), and that Eric (possibly Satan's offspring if I take this thread as a basis on his character) failed, but for god's sake, people do overreact sometimes!

Anyway, as long as we're all having fun, then we should carry on posting with all our might! At the end of the day, I'm a bassist, not a campaigner/member of a boycott.

I was just moved to contribute to this entertainingly emotional thread!

(Oh, and UKHTCE - the UKH stands for his name I think, not United Kingdom - isn't it Uffe K... Hansen or something? This was mentioned earlier.)

When I mentioned no longer being interested in their products it was because I have a knack for buying lemons and the OP sounds like something I would go through.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't think the company is evil, or wish them to fail, etc.

 

[J.Wolf]

regardless of all the rest of this discussion, THANK YOU bongo for passing along your real world CS experience with TC. Bad CS is an instant dealbreaker for me. There are just too many companies and builders making great products, and backing them up properly for me to justify supporting a company that isn't following their end of the bargain with integrity.

No, perhaps it will not affect TC's business too much in the future, but thats beside the point. The point is: Thanks Bongo for speaking up about getting the short end of the stick, and potentially helping others to not get into the same situation with them. I mean seriously, if you can't operate a solid CS system that allows for dialgue with users and accountability and support for your products, you might as well be saying "thanks for buying our stuff, and we officially don't give a $#!^ about you now that we have your money". Its pretty simple to me anyways. Why not choose to support the businesses that are going to support you in return?

I'm not saying I would never buy a piece of TCE gear based on Bongos experience, but I would definitely test the waters a bit first and make sure I felt comfortable and supported before investing in their gear..
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