More bad MOTU customer/tech support service

[cjackson111]

I purchased Ethno a little over a month ago. I am running Pro Tools and the specs on my computer are above average. I installed Ethno but it doesn't show up as a plug-in. The standalone version works ok, just not as a plug-in (which is what I need). I contacted tech support and after an hour on the phone we created a techlink. They said they will get back to me. They kept saying how strange the problem is. On that note, I find it hard to believe they have never heard of this problem before since everywhere I turn to online I see people with the same problem (not showing up as a plug-in). For the next two weeks (through techlink posts) the only direction I was given was to uninstall and reinstall Ethno. I have to keep posting reminders to keep me posted...like "Hello, I am still here". Several days go by without hearing from them between my posts.

I went another 10 days without hearing back from tech support so I tried to call them. It became very obvious that they took their phone off the hook. There was a busy signal everytime I called, not voicemail, not your on-hold elevator music, nothing. After hours of calling I decided to call their main customer service number. The woman who answered immediately sounded like she was having a bad day. I explained I could not get through to tech support and asked if there was another number I could call. She rudely said no and said I could fax them. I tried to fax tech support, attention to the tech manager (John F.). Their fax machine didn't even pick up. I tried 8 times. I called back to the main customer service number to inform the lady I spoke to before that they could not be reached and before I could make my point I was verbally attacked, like I was putting her out for telling her. She said I was being difficult. It seems they know how poor their customer service is and would rather ignore communications from good paying customers than to hear about the problems they need to address. It is a shame that once software is purchased and opened it cannot be returned for a refund. If I could I would return it and NEVER do business with MOTU again! Wow, it just blows my mind in today's economy companies like this don't want to make their (already paying) customers feel valued. People don't stand for bad customer service and MOTU may be the next company to close their doors.


As far as the plug-in problem (not showing up), does anyone know how I can use the standalone version and still record it using Pro Tools?

[BobK]

It's not that MOTU tech support takes their phone off the hook - they've never had 'hold' in the 11+ years I've been a customer. You just have to keep hitting 'redial' until you get through. That's just the way it is and probably always will be. Maybe they think customers don't want to waste long-distance tolls on hold, but rates are low enough these days that I suspect most people would rather pay that than to have to keep redialing. I sure would.

I've experienced the receptionist's bad attitude before - not every time I call, but most of the time. A colleague of mine who's an accomplished music-industry pro and long-time MOTU customer recently told me she was very rude to him too - and he's pretty low-key and patient. So you're not alone.

[Shooshie]

It's not that MOTU tech support takes their phone off the hook - they've never had 'hold' in the 11+ years I've been a customer. You just have to keep hitting 'redial' until you get through. That's just the way it is and probably always will be. Maybe they think customers don't want to waste long-distance tolls on hold, but rates are low enough these days that I suspect most people would rather pay that than to have to keep redialing. I sure would.

I've experienced the receptionist's bad attitude before - not every time I call, but most of the time. A colleague of mine who's an accomplished music-industry pro and long-time MOTU customer recently told me she was very rude to him too - and he's pretty low-key and patient. So you're not alone.

She's a challenge to me. I always try to see if I can get a smile out of her before she clicks me on hold to wait for whoever I'm calling in the office. Sometimes I succeed.


Shoosh

[mhschmieder]

I'm glad to hear that Tech Support is servicing More Bad MOTU Customers.

Oh, that's not what you meant?

[BobK]

I always try to see if I can get a smile out of her before she clicks me on hold to wait for whoever I'm calling in the office. Sometimes I succeed.

Yeah, I do that too. It's always worth a try!

[smink]

I actually wrote an applescript to redial MOTU through Skype until I got through. Yes, I have too much time on my hands. But it actually worked and I was able to get through any time I wanted to. It didn't help with my support experience though. I was very patient with them, but in the end, I felt like I was treated like an ignorant customer. I posted my script on the forum once but it was deleted. I think it wasn't really appreciated. But yeah, I feel for you. I really really really want to get rid of my MOTU 828 mkII. But just can't afford a replacement right now. The resale price on ebay is just too low. I think customers are becoming wise.

[Tonio]

Companies in general these days.. (maybe the economy?) Or is it that employees are so disgruntled, or don't have a clue?
Most folks don't even now how to properly answer a telephone. Normally I would at least they should state the company they work for , and their name. How about a "how may I help you?" I mean isn't a receptionist there to answer the phone in behalf of the company?
Is the general public just so lame these days? Wonder sometimes how people even have jobs. Pisses me off when I - a customer calls a company and gets greeted as if its a hardship to even pick up the phone.

Rant over

Not saying MOTU is that way at all. I've only called them once I tend to get quicker answers here. Actually they called me before to see how I was doing with a product, as if they knew I was at home , not working that day ??? Do they call customers like that any more?

OTOH There are rude customers too.

[cjackson111]

I totally agree, there are rude customers out there. It seems to me, through experience, that MOTU assumes everyone is rude and either tries to avoid them or immediately wants to act rude first. I have been patient and very civil with all of my communications and still treated poorly and not valued as a paying customer. It is very sad to see more and more companies not even trying to give even fair quality customer service. Don't they realize that is what generates return business? I own my own business and go out of my way to make each of my clients feel like they are my only client.

[mhschmieder]

I'm very sceptical of claims against MOTU Tech Support.

To be quite frank, I don't think most people realise how confrontational they are from the get go, when they contact a complaints department.

How you start out, will greatly determine how you are perceived.

I cannot possibly judge a situation I was not part of, but it's worth reflecting a bit on how you approach a situation.

I am polite, ask the person's name, repeat it, maybe ask how's their day, and apologise for calling in the event that I have overlooked something obvious or in the manual.

All of this is done in a calm voice. And I also state early on what my usage experience is, length of time as a customer, etc., so that they can have some measure of whether the question will be simple, advanced, and whether it is being asked out of laziness.

I have occasionally experienced brusqueness (though not in the past six years), but I'm from Boston and know that culture well, so understand very much where it is coming from and that it isn't intended as rudeness.

[trunorthmusic]

Your incident sounds very similar to mine.

I've encountered a VERY rude customer service woman. I've been trying to get tech support to help me resolve my issue since January 28 (it's now February 5th) and they do respond to techlinks, not on all days, but it's like a little here and there -- a question response may last a day... Yesterday no word at all. We faxed them last week - their tech fax doesn't answer.

Do some research.

The company that owns MOTU is "Mark of the Unicorn."

Contact the Better Business Bureau.

Does the owner REALLY KNOW how their company is behaving?

[carrythebanner]

The company that owns MOTU is "Mark of the Unicorn."

"MOTU" is an acronym for "Mark of the Unicorn."

[1nput0utput]

The company that owns MOTU is "Mark of the Unicorn."

"MOTU" is an acronym for "Mark of the Unicorn."

Wuts uh akrooneem?

[mhschmieder]

Yep, lawsuits, the answer to all problems.

[James Steele]

Yep, lawsuits, the answer to all problems.

The lawyers seem to think so. I must now restrain myself from breaking the "no politics" rule!

[Dan Walsh]

It's kinda wierd, but, I've called tech support 3 times since last april (when I jumped onto the DP platform) and each time I got thru and had the problem resolved. They were minor probs, but I've only had good experience when dealin' with em'. I'm gonna cross my fingers and hope it stays that way.