How have you found Devialet Support?

[Hifi_swlon]

(rant alert)
Wow, Devialet support really know how to wind someone up! It seems they go out of their way in fact.

After weeks of hassle trying to actually get somewhere - after stupid responses, after being ignored for weeks (a UK manager had allegedly 'forgotten' to get in touch with me after it was escalated), and after having to get pretty upset with them, I finally receive their box and UPS label and get it packaged up and ready for shipment back to Paris for engineering tests/repair/replace/whatever.

While not overjoyed about it going away for several weeks, I at least breathe a sigh of relief that things are moving forwards. Deflated, but thinking there's some light at the end of the tunnel, I email Devialet as a courtesy this morning to let them know its on its way and re-list the issues for clarity (as many emails have exchanged hands). To my surprise and disbelief I get a fairly short email back essentially saying 'it's most likely configuration issues but we'll look at it'.

So now, apparently, despite a dealer saying the USB issue is almost certainly a faulty streaming board (he was going to send me one to install myself but I wanted the transformer looked at as well and felt Devialet should install it in any case), and Devialet never mentioning anything about possible configuration issues being the cause of any of the problems, suddenly on the day it's shipping back after many weeks of wasted time and aggravation, some bright spark at Devialet support just can't resist emailing something stupid about it probably not being faulty.

I'm sorry but it really is like talking to a bunch of idiots! I mean, you might as well be dealing with customer services for a vacuum cleaner. If you can actually get an answer out of support it's inconsistent, unhelpful, impolite, short, sometimes incomprehensible, and slightly arsey. In my experience.

Seriously, life's too short for this - there are other brands out there people. If anyone reading this is considering buying a Devialet, seriously, seriously, think about after-sales. It's expensive and complex technology, from a company with not perfect QA, and not great after care. If you ever have a problem no one else will be able to help you fix it - it will have to go back to them - and if you have to go though what I've been through it could make you seriously regret your purchase. And I'm working on the assumption that it will actually come back fixed, which isn't a given!

That's not to say everyone experiences this - but what I've experienced is a joke. How have other people been so lucky with support?!!!??!

Angry of SW London…..

[Axel]

If you don't mind me asking, what is the problem with your 200?

Sorry, should have read the previous posts.  Hope you have better luck getting you problems solved!

[dieterjp]

(rant alert)
Wow, Devialet support really know how to wind someone up! It seems they go out of their way in fact.

After weeks of hassle trying to actually get somewhere - after stupid responses, after being ignored for weeks (a UK manager had allegedly 'forgotten' to get in touch with me after it was escalated), and after having to get pretty upset with them, I finally receive their box and UPS label and get it packaged up and ready for shipment back to Paris for engineering tests/repair/replace/whatever.

While not overjoyed about it going away for several weeks, I at least breathe a sigh of relief that things are moving forwards. Deflated, but thinking there's some light at the end of the tunnel, I email Devialet as a courtesy this morning to let them know its on its way and re-list the issues for clarity (as many emails have exchanged hands). To my surprise and disbelief I get a fairly short email back essentially saying 'it's most likely configuration issues but we'll look at it'.

So now, apparently, despite a dealer saying the USB issue is almost certainly a faulty streaming board (he was going to send me one to install myself but I wanted the transformer looked at as well and felt Devialet should install it in any case), and Devialet never mentioning anything about possible configuration issues being the cause of any of the problems, suddenly on the day it's shipping back after many weeks of wasted time and aggravation, some bright spark at Devialet support just can't resist emailing something stupid about it probably not being faulty.

I'm sorry but it really is like talking to a bunch of idiots! I mean, you might as well be dealing with customer services for a vacuum cleaner. If you can actually get an answer out of support it's inconsistent, unhelpful, impolite, short, sometimes incomprehensible, and slightly arsey. In my experience.

Seriously, life's too short for this - there are other brands out there people. If anyone reading this is considering buying a Devialet, seriously, seriously, think about after-sales. It's expensive and complex technology, from a company with not perfect QA, and not great after care. If you ever have a problem no one else will be able to help you fix it - it will have to go back to them - and if you have to go though what I've been through it could make you seriously regret your purchase. And I'm working on the assumption that it will actually come back fixed, which isn't a given!

That's not to say everyone experiences this - but what I've experienced is a joke. How have other people been so lucky with support?!!!??!

Angry of SW London…..

Sounds like fun:-)
It took support about 4 weeks to agree to me shipping the D200 back. Gone for a week now, we'll see happens. But certainly more than underwhelmed.

[Rufus McDufus]

They don't seem to be very well organised. I'm really hoping they do actually log all customer communication but the fact you get a reply which often totally disregards all the work and effort that's already occurred seems to suggest they don't read back over issues/cases/tickets. Making random off-the-cuff diagnoses without being aware of the information that's already been passed to and fro is just making their life all the more difficult (as well as the customer of course).

[f1eng]

I did not need any support with my D-Premiers other than them offering me a config file before the on line configurator was launched.
When I had mine updated to 250 spec I had 3 problems. The first was that they had downgraded the optical input from 24/192 to 24/96. Luckily I had them updated one at a time so I noticed this on the first returned unit and queried it. The first response was "oh no we haven't" but that was quickly corrected after checking with the engineering dept and, luckily for me, since my second unit was actually in the workshop for update at the time they made sure my second unit worked on optical input 1 with 24/192. Whether this was a selected board or a retro-fit of a D-Premier part to my 250 I don't know, but for me this was excellent service. Most people don't play 24/192 via optical I imagine.
The second 2 problems were both to do with SD card slots. The latch failed on the first unit after only 2 or 3 uses, so the card was difficult to get out. The second unit did not always read its configuration when powered up, leaving it as a default 250 rather than the slave of a 800. This was not correctly diagnosed the first time back, but eventually was diagnosed and a replacement fitted.
Generally I was very fed up that the 250s seemed poorer quality than the D-Premiers had been, but they have subsequently been no problem.
I have had far more problems with Phantoms stuttering, which is still ongoing, but still prompt and helpful correspondence (Océane Turpin).
On their emails it asks for the reply to be "typed above this line" or reply somewhere on the web site (I have not used this method for a while). Doing this I have not had the problem somebody mentioned of replies implying not knowing the history. FWIW.

[Rufus McDufus]

On their emails it asks for the reply to be "typed above this line" or reply somewhere on the web site (I have not used this method for a while). Doing this I have not had the problem somebody mentioned of replies implying not knowing the history. FWIW.

Actually - good point. This implies they're using a trouble ticket system with an email handler as you need to put the reply in a specific place within the body of the reply message.  They're probably just not always skimming back over the ticket to see what information has already been provided.  This could well be because they're totally overloaded but it does rather defeat the object of recording the previous communication if they ignore it.
[edit] - they're using help desk software called Zendesk. It mentions it at the top of an email reply to me!

[now]

My D200 failed in about 3-months. Took 5 weeks to get it returned with no repair explanation. Terrible!
I believe reliability issues are rampant, and customer service is sub par. Inexcusable!
I will not recommend Devialet products to others..

[Hifi_swlon]

Well, as an unexpected update, I was contacted by Devialet, and they offered to send me a new D200 as replacement.

They acknowledged that the after care had not been to the standard they would like in this case, and that they didn't want me to wait further for the tests/repair to my D200.

I'm very thankful, but at the same time I would have preferred it was just dealt with efficiently, and the problem properly acknowledged and resolved. I feel bad for the outcome as I have a new unit which has cost them, but more than that I had the frustration and stress and had to be really firm which takes a lot of effort and isn't what life's all about.

People make mistakes and I always try and put myself in someone else's shoes and in the end there's not much more they could have done here so I'm grateful. But, I'm still very wary of potentially being in this position again down the line, as it doesn't seem like this was an isolated incident. So at the moment I'm not sure I'll actually fire up the new one. I might just stay with the setup I'm using now, and move the D200 on…. Will have to have a think on that one - unless the replacement sounds different to my previous model (i.e. it was generally faulty) I actually think 'd rather stay with the sound I have now its setup again. It's a less expensive system, but it sounds more 'right' to me.

There are things I miss about the Devialet as I listen now, but the treble just seems 'normal' and the sound quite natural, and not a pop or crackle in sight as would be expected. Perhaps the treble is just a good speaker match, or conditioning on my part, but I'm not sure I could go back to that 'thinness', and I would sacrifice the SAM bass extension for it, along with a little bass punch.

I probably won't be able to resist temptation to see if the new one sounds different though…. In any case, thankfully, the issue I've got now is a much better one to have.

I do intend to send a detailed letter to Devialet, going through the whole thing. I think it's really important for helping sort out their customer services, or at least my experience of it.

[Damon]

Hifi_swlon,

I'm glad the issue has been dealt with fully, in that they replaced the unit rather than attempting to repair casework or exchange a part which may have a different finish.
From your descriptions, I think the issue could have been handled differently, but it is good that they did accept responsibility for the handling, and say so in writing. A late recognition and action is better than a repair that comes with the insinuation that they have fixed a problem out of goodwill, while maintaining that it was your fault.

[Axel]

That response is an absolute corker! I did chuckle, but forgive me - it was in sympathy…!

It's practically incomprehensible, but "Our quality engineer is assuming that if there is a default, it was there since the beginning" means what exactly? 'You're a liar'!
Whatever it means it's totally unhelpful about resolving it, and I got a similar sentiment when I contacted them with my issues.

It could have happened in transit perhaps - I noticed the internal foam in my box had taken a bit of damage and had split at the cutout corners during shipping - it may not be up to task? Not that that helps you either.

Perhaps they've been too nice in the past, and now the capitalists want their money they've been told to just bounce support requests as hard as possible if it's likely to cost anything?  Or perhaps they've just employed a load of less skilled support staff to deal with Phantom and use them across the board?  Could be the end of the Devialet support heyday perhaps, as it seems many had good experiences before now.

I finally received my box to send my unit back for repair/replace, but seeing your post makes me fear for what's to come, especially in light of their 'we'll look at it in Paris and make our own minds up about what it needs' stance….  I feel like I'm trying to get a repair/replacement from of a dodgy trader who sell's from the back of a lorry!

'Luxury' goods indeed….

The annoying thing is that it couldn't possibly have happened in transit.  If someone had stood on it, it would have dished the cover, rather than bowed it.  They are definitely at fault somewhere along the line.

So now my amp. has to go back to France because the cases and covers are all different, which proves my point that they put the wrong cover on it before sending it back to me.  Not that they will admit this though!