How is our customer service to you?

Robertb · 09-10-2009, 09:47 PM

Dear All:

We would welcome your comments on Astak's Customer Service! If you have written to support@astak.com or made a phone call or needed information... we would like to hear from you.

Please have had a factual contact with Astak Customer Service. At least please rate on a scale of 1-5:

(1) Poor
(2) Fair
(3) Decent
(4) Very Good
(5) Exceptional and Excellent

How was their courtesy? Did they get back to you promptly? Did they get you an answer willingly? What was done wrong and what was done right?
How could we improve?

cvkemp · 09-10-2009, 10:16 PM

I have not had to call or ask for service from the service department but it they are anything like you then there should not be any problems.

Chuck

slm · 09-10-2009, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear All:

We would welcome your comments on Astak's Customer Service! If you have written to support@astak.com or made a phone call or needed information... we would like to hear from you.

Please have had a factual contact with Astak Customer Service. At least please rate on a scale of 1-5:

(1) Poor
(2) Fair
(3) Decent
(4) Very Good
(5) Exceptional and Excellent

How was their courtesy? Did they get back to you promptly? Did they get you an answer willingly? What was done wrong and what was done right?
How could we improve?

I did call when I got my 6" a couple of months ago and they rep was exceptional. It is one of the reasons I bought the Astek version of the 5"

emellaich · 09-10-2009, 10:45 PM

From what I've seen here, your support has generally been excellent. However, were you able to straighten out things with the person who thought they had been shipped the wrong color?

MLH

Solicitous · 09-11-2009, 04:26 AM

I have sent a couple of emails requesting a freight price. 48 hours and still waiting thus far, and I'm not sure if this is a normal waiting period for emails responses or not. Can't comment too much yet.

Robertb · 09-11-2009, 02:54 PM

Dear All:

Here is what we are trying to do:

We know that no matter what we do Amazon and Sony will dominate the market. We can never compete on name recognition. Where we feel we can excel is in both before-sales and after-sales service. Two advantages that a medium sized company has are:

1. They generally have less layers of bureaucracy and can listen better and make changes faster.
2. They can make their purchasers and end users and future-purchasers feel like the support level is exceptional.

In other words, we hope to have a reputation of assisting, listening, taking recommendations seriously, letting MobileRead Forum members have a voice in some choices, getting upgrades done quickly and often, and making ourselves "The Company That Listens".

Please remember that I am Business Development. I can and will spotlight problems to my TEAM... but I cannot tell you (as I do not know) if the wrong color mailed situation was fixed. I have not seen anything posted more... so I assume it was indeed.

cultureulterior · 09-11-2009, 02:58 PM

My mails (asking for an order confirmation- didn't feel right just sending you a paypal payment and waiting) went unanswered, so I called. It took three calls over two days to get through (all operators busy). Eventually I got through, and got a tracking code. The code still doesn't show up in the usps system (But apparently it can take 3-4 days to appear, usps must be using pigeons to sync).

Personally, I have had many better experiences on ebay, but I understand you're launching a product.

All in all, I'd give you a 3.

DixieGal · 09-11-2009, 03:07 PM

USPS tracking is a joke, just think of it as something to do to pass the time until your package arrives.

FedEx is worse, because although the tracking is right on, well, at least you get to see the initial and last name of whoever signed for your mis-delivered package. No hurry to find it and get it re-directed to you either.

UPS (United Parcel Service) RULES!!!

(I send and receive lots of packages and, therefore, feel very strongly about shipping)

Now back to your regular scheduled thread.....

RichyRich · 09-11-2009, 04:08 PM

Anything I've ever tracked with the USPS never showed accurate info. I think the last package I had delivered that way didn't show delivered until a few days after I got the package. I do wish their tracking were better as that would definitely help out the postal system.

Musicman · 09-11-2009, 04:27 PM

Robertb,

The one time I emailed for help, I received a response about four hours later.

Exceptional response in my opinion!

Stensie4JC · 09-14-2009, 06:59 PM

I called once and got a person right away. I'd had a problem confirming my shipping address and it was resolved. I emailed later, however, to double-check. The person who answered the phone had a very strong accent, and I wasn't sure she completely understood my question.

Also I am sort of obsessive about correct grammar and punctuation (ESL teacher) and was bothered by this disclaimer at the bottom of my email:

"If your package is being shipped to an address outside of the United States, your package was sent as a gift, and it will pass through international customs and may still be subject to additional delay and duties or taxes. "

SDRebel · 09-15-2009, 07:59 PM

Robert,
As you may have already seen in another thread, my pocket pro is currently a brick (locked up) and it has to be sent back (got a RMA).
I was very happy with the device until it stopped working. I was hoping that customer support would be able to fix it without me having to send it back, but they couldn't.
I have to pay for shipping back to Astak and doesn't make me very happy since I just got it the day before labor day weekend... and then I have to wait several days without my reading device and I have to go back to good ol' paper books.
I still need to see how the RMA process goes to give a veredict.

jojo81 · 09-20-2009, 07:57 AM

well i emailed a week ago regarding your international returns policy. ive still had no reply so after a few more days i think another company will be getting my custom.

Solicitous · 09-20-2009, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jojo81

well i emailed a week ago regarding your international returns policy. ive still had no reply so after a few more days i think another company will be getting my custom.

I too emailed both sales and support without response. Well I can thank the user wallcraft for pointing me in the right direction, http://robertbez.blogspot.com/2009/0...s-outside.html gives a quick overview. Seems you pay for shipping to Astak and they ship it back to you. From what I am seeing Astak are responding to people who have purchased and pre-purchase enquiries are seeming to be ignored. Kind of sad.

Solicitous · 09-20-2009, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDRebel

Robert,
I have to pay for shipping back to Astak and doesn't make me very happy since I just got it the day before labor day weekend... and then I have to wait several days without my reading device and I have to go back to good ol' paper books.
I still need to see how the RMA process goes to give a veredict.

Pity you didn't have paint blemishes, would have been free freight for a return. Would be nice if units that are considered dead-on-arrival have their freight covered both ways. I can understand after 2+ weeks where user pays shipping back, but if it dies within the first couple of days it is a bit rough having to cough up the freight cost.

09-10-2009, 09:47 PM	#1
Robertb Astak Director, Bus. Devl Posts: 2,560 Karma: 2500000 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Astak Pocket PRO	How is our customer service to you? Dear All: We would welcome your comments on Astak's Customer Service! If you have written to support@astak.com or made a phone call or needed information... we would like to hear from you. Please have had a factual contact with Astak Customer Service. At least please rate on a scale of 1-5: (1) Poor (2) Fair (3) Decent (4) Very Good (5) Exceptional and Excellent How was their courtesy? Did they get back to you promptly? Did they get you an answer willingly? What was done wrong and what was done right? How could we improve?

09-11-2009, 02:54 PM	#6
Robertb Astak Director, Bus. Devl Posts: 2,560 Karma: 2500000 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Astak Pocket PRO	Thank you for comments Dear All: Here is what we are trying to do: We know that no matter what we do Amazon and Sony will dominate the market. We can never compete on name recognition. Where we feel we can excel is in both before-sales and after-sales service. Two advantages that a medium sized company has are: 1. They generally have less layers of bureaucracy and can listen better and make changes faster. 2. They can make their purchasers and end users and future-purchasers feel like the support level is exceptional. In other words, we hope to have a reputation of assisting, listening, taking recommendations seriously, letting MobileRead Forum members have a voice in some choices, getting upgrades done quickly and often, and making ourselves "The Company That Listens". Please remember that I am Business Development. I can and will spotlight problems to my TEAM... but I cannot tell you (as I do not know) if the wrong color mailed situation was fixed. I have not seen anything posted more... so I assume it was indeed.

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09-10-2009, 10:16 PM	#2
cvkemp Loving life Posts: 1,420 Karma: 7991496 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Hot Springs Village, Arkansas Device: PaperWhite 5,iPhone 13, IPad, MacBook Air	I have not had to call or ask for service from the service department but it they are anything like you then there should not be any problems. Chuck

09-10-2009, 10:45 PM	#4
emellaich Wizard Posts: 1,101 Karma: 4388403 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Palm>Ebookman>IPaq>Axim>Cybook>Kndl2>IPAD>Kndl3SO>Voyager>Oasis	From what I've seen here, your support has generally been excellent. However, were you able to straighten out things with the person who thought they had been shipped the wrong color? MLH

09-11-2009, 04:26 AM	#5
Solicitous Wizard Posts: 1,434 Karma: 1525776 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: TAS, Australia Device: Astak Pocket Pro (Black), 2 x Kindle WiFi (Graphite), iPod Touch 4G	I have sent a couple of emails requesting a freight price. 48 hours and still waiting thus far, and I'm not sure if this is a normal waiting period for emails responses or not. Can't comment too much yet.

09-11-2009, 02:58 PM	#7
cultureulterior Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: Astak	My mails (asking for an order confirmation- didn't feel right just sending you a paypal payment and waiting) went unanswered, so I called. It took three calls over two days to get through (all operators busy). Eventually I got through, and got a tracking code. The code still doesn't show up in the usps system (But apparently it can take 3-4 days to appear, usps must be using pigeons to sync). Personally, I have had many better experiences on ebay, but I understand you're launching a product. All in all, I'd give you a 3.

09-11-2009, 03:07 PM	#8
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	USPS tracking is a joke, just think of it as something to do to pass the time until your package arrives. FedEx is worse, because although the tracking is right on, well, at least you get to see the initial and last name of whoever signed for your mis-delivered package. No hurry to find it and get it re-directed to you either. UPS (United Parcel Service) RULES!!! (I send and receive lots of packages and, therefore, feel very strongly about shipping) Now back to your regular scheduled thread.....

09-11-2009, 04:08 PM	#9
RichyRich Connoisseur Posts: 72 Karma: 511678 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: EZ Reader Pocket Pro	Anything I've ever tracked with the USPS never showed accurate info. I think the last package I had delivered that way didn't show delivered until a few days after I got the package. I do wish their tracking were better as that would definitely help out the postal system.

09-11-2009, 04:27 PM	#10
Musicman Evangelist Posts: 450 Karma: 364 Join Date: May 2009 Location: New York Device: EZ-Reader - Samsung Nook's- Nook S/T w/Glow - Kindle Fire - Nova 2	Robertb, The one time I emailed for help, I received a response about four hours later. Exceptional response in my opinion!

09-14-2009, 06:59 PM	#11
Stensie4JC Book Diva Posts: 76 Karma: 44 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Nook Color	I called once and got a person right away. I'd had a problem confirming my shipping address and it was resolved. I emailed later, however, to double-check. The person who answered the phone had a very strong accent, and I wasn't sure she completely understood my question. Also I am sort of obsessive about correct grammar and punctuation (ESL teacher) and was bothered by this disclaimer at the bottom of my email: "If your package is being shipped to an address outside of the United States, your package was sent as a gift, and it will pass through international customs and may still be subject to additional delay and duties or taxes. "

09-15-2009, 07:59 PM	#12
SDRebel Addict Posts: 294 Karma: 92 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: astak pro	Robert, As you may have already seen in another thread, my pocket pro is currently a brick (locked up) and it has to be sent back (got a RMA). I was very happy with the device until it stopped working. I was hoping that customer support would be able to fix it without me having to send it back, but they couldn't. I have to pay for shipping back to Astak and doesn't make me very happy since I just got it the day before labor day weekend... and then I have to wait several days without my reading device and I have to go back to good ol' paper books. I still need to see how the RMA process goes to give a veredict.

09-20-2009, 07:57 AM	#13
jojo81 Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: ezreader	well i emailed a week ago regarding your international returns policy. ive still had no reply so after a few more days i think another company will be getting my custom.

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