Andy.I Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 On Thursday morning I discovered that my Spektrum DX6i would not bind. I called Horizon Hobby for advice and they asked if the antenna was damaged. I checkend and discovered that it was. They advised me to send it to them so they could check it because if I was unlucky the RF board might have blown. So, I packed it up and sent it by FedEx by next day service. To my surprise and delight FedEx delivered my transmitter to my door on Saturday morning. Horizon Hobby had replaced the antenna, upgraded the firmeware and retested it, packed in a new original box and returned it by FedEx, completely free of charge - and this was all done the day they received it. That is indeed outstanding service - thank you Horizon Hobby! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Posted by Percy Verance on 05/07/2014 11:59:14:..... Horizon Hobbies after sales care appears to be absolutely excellent. But is that because it needs to be I wonder? Care to expand on that, Percy? Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightypeesh Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Why would reports of 'outstanding service' be of concern? Surely indifferent service, non return of calls and messages, and goods not as described would be more of a worry? I too have received superb service from horizon in the past when I broke a switch on my DX6i - a set that was second hand in the first place and could not by any means be described as under warranty - One phone call and a couple of days later a new switch came in the post free of charge. That's service! I now have a DX7 which I have had from new for a number of years, with out a single problem. If I do however I will trust Horizon to sort me out without having to jump through hoops. I have however noticed a certain degree of 'spektrum bashing' down the patch of late, so maybe positive news about Horizon upsets the naysayers! Cheers, Simon Edited By mightypeesh on 05/07/2014 13:39:19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Fair comment, Percy, but I don't think it's as clear-cut as 'having a more reliable product in the first instance'. Horizon Hobby distribute a pretty formidable range of brands and I've no reason to suppose that their level of customer service varies significantly amongst those brands. Many of those brands are, I suspect, attractive to newbies and those perhaps with less time to devote to the hobby because of their completeness, quality and ease of use. I also suspect that Spektrum, for that is surely what this thread is discussing, is often the first choice radio system for many novices. That opens the door to failures due to inexperience, lack of knowledge of sound installation procedures (not only of the radio gear but also other components in the system) and a ready disbelief in their own failings when things go wrong! I'll also hazard a guess that users of Futaba and other 'premium' brands tend to have been in the hobby longer and have been through the learning experience, so that should rule out some of the above factors. There is also the question of volume - I haven't a clue what the figures are but if the forum poll is anything to go by, Spekky gear sales must surely exceed all other manufacturers by some margin. I think those reasons explain why there are probably more threads on HH service than on other distributors. In this instance, as in so many others, the reason for return seems to have been due to damage, rather than a fault and in the absence of evidence otherwise, we have to assume it's not as result of poor design or materials. If that is the case, there is no legal obligation on a supplier to effect a repair FOC, yet, time and again, we see instances of user damage being swiftly and efficiently dealt without cost. That is a pretty remarkable situation in the marketplace which can only inspire confidence in users and must be a strong sales feature in their favour. In my own experience, having used Spektrum gear for the past five years or so, the only failure I can specifically attribute to equipment was an incompatibility issue when using an older DSM2 Rx with a new DX8 - an issue which was quickly identified and remedied by Horizon - free of charge, of course. The fact is, correctly installed, my gear works as it should, day in and day out. Futaba, of course, seem to have avoided the possibility of this by making none of their many 2.4Ghz systems compatible, which hasn't endeared many of their customers, from what I've read.... I'm sure non-Spekky users must have recourse to their product's service agent from time to time, for servicing or repair. Perhaps the bill they get isn't something they feel like crowing about - but if they've got examples to prove me wrong, I'd been happy to hear of them..... Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avtur Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 I'm all in favour of publicizing good customer service whenever and wherever it is found. The general thought is that bad news travels faster and further than good news so I believe it is for everyones benefit to highlight good customer service. I know I am a 'mr grumpy' who will complain when things go wrong, but I will also go out of my way to give positive feedback when I receive good service. Given the results of the recent poll where Spektrum came out as the most popular radio in use then I would suggest that it is logical there are more posts about them than other brands. Also, picking up on what Pete B said, Spektrum is far more likely to be the choice of new entrant to our hobby and with those being less experienced users then perhaps it is only to be expected they encounter more problems. If HH adopt a 'positive and helpful' approach when their customers encounter problems then surely that is a good thing? Any positive experience with customer services can only be a good thing and should be applauded Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codename-John Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 The thing that concerns me about Horizons service for Spektrum is with things like receivers, they always seem to follow the same script as RX failed, was sent off to Horizon who subsequently find nothing wrong, yet replace said RX with a brand new one "just in case" My question is how can this be profitable, if they replace every ( according to their test ) perfectly fine RX, surely they are going to be loosing money, I mean say for instance if I came around to test your electrics in your house, it all tested fine, safe and within regulations then proceeded to tell you I`ll rewire it just in case, you`d think I was havin a laugh ! Or are they possibly finding faults yet deliberately saying there was no fault with the original RX as to not make themselves in someway liable for any incidents it may have caused, or look bad for selling a faulty product ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 As many of my previous posts will testify, I'm very impatient with poor customer service and poor quality gear (my recent encounter and postings here with a budget make of radio for instance). Now we have a company who appear to be doing their very best to please their customers and they get hit with flak! As for the conspiracy theories.......If a sixty quid (retail, so more like fifteen or twenty quid to HH!) receiver is returned under warranty, then I don't blame them chucking it in the bin and sending out a new one - just not cost effective to have a technician plug it all together and spend twenty or thirty minutes testing such a low value item, whether it was duff or not. When I worked in Harlow a few years back, I popped into HH with a small heli that I'd had for a couple of months and had the tail motor fail (i had flown it very extensively though). They replaced the motor FOC while I waited I take my hat off to Horizon, I doubt if they're 100% perfect, but given their attitude to their customers, a few more distributors could take a leaf out of their book. Edited By Cuban8 on 05/07/2014 21:00:28 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codename-John Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Posted by Cuban8 on 05/07/2014 20:57:02: If a sixty quid (retail, so more like fifteen or twenty quid to HH!) receiver is returned under warranty, then I don't blame them chucking it in the bin and sending out a new one - just not cost effective to have a technician plug it all together and spend twenty or thirty minutes testing such a low value item, whether it was duff or not. What if that £15 / £20 item to them was in a few £thousand worth or thousand hour creation of yours that went in due to radio problems, would you want to know then if it was that which was at fault, or would you be pleased with their £15 / £20 replacement ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avtur Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Posted by Codename-John on 05/07/2014 19:30:25: The thing that concerns me about Horizons service for Spektrum is with things like receivers, they always seem to follow the same script as RX failed, was sent off to Horizon who subsequently find nothing wrong, yet replace said RX with a brand new one "just in case" My question is how can this be profitable, if they replace every ( according to their test ) perfectly fine RX, surely they are going to be loosing money, I mean say for instance if I came around to test your electrics in your house, it all tested fine, safe and within regulations then proceeded to tell you I`ll rewire it just in case, you`d think I was havin a laugh ! Or are they possibly finding faults yet deliberately saying there was no fault with the original RX as to not make themselves in someway liable for any incidents it may have caused, or look bad for selling a faulty product ? In terms of commercial value this is probably the easiest and least expensive way to deal with the problem, in reality they are probably covering many end user problems but it is easier to replace like with like... With a unit value of £20 - £50 (at retail) there simply isn't enough profit in that to justify a full and comprehensive test and breakdown. It's far easier to replace and move on ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul C. Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Got back into the hobby after 20+ years so after reading every forum going settled on a DX8 (this 2.4 gears is great no chrystals to worry about). After the enevitable encounter with the ground I found that a range check only gave me 20 paces before starting to loose signal. Called Horizon they told me to send the receiver and sat 4 days later received new even though they found not fault. Can't fault the service I am most impressed, would I but Spectrum gear again? Absolutely YES no hesitation, guess that's what it's all about. Well done Horizon keep up the good work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul C. Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Oops should be buy not but Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codename-John Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Posted by avtur on 05/07/2014 21:24:35: Posted by Codename-John on 05/07/2014 19:30:25: The thing that concerns me about Horizons service for Spektrum is with things like receivers, they always seem to follow the same script as RX failed, was sent off to Horizon who subsequently find nothing wrong, yet replace said RX with a brand new one "just in case" My question is how can this be profitable, if they replace every ( according to their test ) perfectly fine RX, surely they are going to be loosing money, I mean say for instance if I came around to test your electrics in your house, it all tested fine, safe and within regulations then proceeded to tell you I`ll rewire it just in case, you`d think I was havin a laugh ! Or are they possibly finding faults yet deliberately saying there was no fault with the original RX as to not make themselves in someway liable for any incidents it may have caused, or look bad for selling a faulty product ? In terms of commercial value this is probably the easiest and least expensive way to deal with the problem, in reality they are probably covering many end user problems but it is easier to replace like with like... With a unit value of £20 - £50 (at retail) there simply isn't enough profit in that to justify a full and comprehensive test and breakdown. It's far easier to replace and move on ... I know its nit-picking but surely if that is the case then they shouldn't be telling people "we`ve tested it and there was no fault" they should say "ok if you`re not happy and suspect something is wrong, we will replace it with another just in case" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul C. Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Hi Percy I guess it all comes down to what each of us is comfortable with and have confidence in. For some folks it will be Futaba others Spectrum and so on, no one is wrong just personal preference. It's great to have these discussions on the forum to give people like me who was getting back into the hobby or newbees the benefit of our experiences so that can make their decision on what gear to go for. The last set of gear I had was a Futaba gold so you can tell that technology has moved on some what lol , I even had to read the manual to find out how to work the bloomin thing ( now thats a first ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon B Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 I worked in a branch of Hobby Stores for a while and you wouldn't believe the amount of faulty Futaba gear that we sent back, which was fine, as we sold a lot of it, but you NEVER heard people going 'oh, that Futaba, what a piece of junk'. It happens with lots of products, but for some reason our hobby seems to attract a ridiculous amount of one upmanship about who has the better system etc. I used Spektrum for years with no problems and only changed when Taranis appeared and offered me more features for less money They replace aerials when I broke them, switches etc without a quibble. It's just good service, no more, no less...I can't think of many bad systems about these days. Pretty much all of the major manufacturers are superb! Edited By Simon B on 05/07/2014 22:36:28 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Posted by Codename-John on 05/07/2014 22:14:29: I know its nit-picking but surely if that is the case then they shouldn't be telling people "we`ve tested it and there was no fault" they should say "ok if you`re not happy and suspect something is wrong, we will replace it with another just in case" You raise another interesting point there, John. That particular response from Horizon, frequently recounted in posts, has made me wonder from time to time whether HH are just covering up fundamental faults by saying they could find nothing wrong. I'm not sure it is as simple as that, though. Perhaps they really don't find anything wrong when they test an item - because they are testing it as it should be used, in controlled conditions. They have no knowledge of the installation or actual working conditions in which the 'fault' appeared to the user so they are unable to re-create it. Entering into a dialogue with each customer over precise circumstances wouldn't be cost-effective, I would have thought? As I said above, I'm convinced that a significant number (but not all - my confidence in the gear doesn't extend to blind faith!) of these 'faults' are likely to be as a result of user error in some form or other. If the equipment was really that unreliable, I and many other purchasers - and I've bought a fair few Spektrum products over the years - would almost certainly encounter faults sooner or later and that is not my experience. Rather than just return the item with 'No fault found' and have an unhappy customer, it may just be company policy to replace the item without quibble. Your suggested response, "ok if you`re not happy and suspect something is wrong, we will replace it with another just in case", would be seen as an admission that they did not have confidence in their product, I would say. Whilst their response may not satisfy everyone, I think it is probably the least worse option if they intend to retain customer confidence. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy.I Posted July 6, 2014 Author Share Posted July 6, 2014 This is the second time HH has repaired FoC an out-of-warranty item which I have damaged, and I could not possibly interpret their outstanding customer service as anything other than commitment to customer service and satisfaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon B Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Oh, I don't doubt one upmanship happens more in other areas, but it's ridiculous really. I can't say this is definite, but from what i saw with Futaba returns their users just seem to shut up and don't tell anyone if their gear breaks. Certainly it's the only explanation I can think of why their gear gets returned as often as it does with so little mention on forums. I think brand loyalty is all I can assume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaunie Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Spektrum users post what excellent service they've had from HH. Perhaps the only way we can even the score is to ask users of other brands to post that a repair to their gear took two weeks and cost forty quid or whatever! I think this is the problem:- people only post when they perceive an above average level of service and do not in general post when they receive only an expected level of service at an average price. On top of this some brand factions would chew off their own antenna rather than post that their revered brand actually needed a repair. BTW I have Spektrum, Futaba, Fleet and Frsky so I consider myself fairly impartial. Shaunie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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