Bad Escort Customer Service

[djrams80]

OK, I lost my key code for my 9500ci, that's my bad. Well, I need this key code to update my RLC locations. So, I called Escort yesterday morning and was told that I would get an email with the key code. Never got it. So I called back yesterday afternoon and told someone that I never got this call back. That person told me that the person that has the ability to email me this key code had been notified via email and would get back to me soon. Well, I finally got this email today at 4:40 PM EST:


Thank you for your interest in Escort Inc. In order to provide the key code, we will need to verify you have the correct serial number. You provided XXXXXXXX. Please confirm the serial number matches the number provided. The serial number is located on the shipping box, on the dress box for the ci, and also on the front radar antenna.
Please fax a copy of your receipt or proof of purchase to the following number: 513-942-8849. Please3 send to the attention of Mike K and we will be able to verify and send you the correct key code.
Customer Service Department
Escort Inc.

Radar Laser Experts
5440 West Chester Road
West Chester Ohio 45069

Customer Service Department
1-800-543-1608
8 AM - 6 PM M-F EST

Sales 1-800-433-3487

WTF? Why do I need to fax in anything? I had the key code when I registered my 9500ci after it was installed! You sent this email to the exact same email address I used to register my 9500ci! Is it too hard to cross reference your registration database? So, because of Escort's laziness, I have to go out of my way to prove I bought my 9500ci properly? Isn't that why I registered my 9500ci in the first place? Thanks for responding too late Friday afternoon to get anything done before Monday! I called this Mike K cat at 5:05 PM EST and guess what, it went straight to voicemail, already gone! Shocker!

Sorry for the rant, but I'm not happy!

[Laser-InterceptorUSA]

You need to find a Better ESCORT SERVICE! :p

Cliff - C55

[thestaton]

:hmmmm2: Sorry to hear you are getting the run around. Bureaucracy is ruining customer service as we know it.

I had a lady today tell me she could only give me a gift card back on my return, because the bar code on my receipt would not scan... *sigh... So instead of doing what was right, she had to call a manager who then gave me a gift card, then had me to take it to the cash register where they exchanged it for cash. Then pitched the gift card in the trash can...

Hopefully you can get this fixed on Monday. Since MINE is now on the way I'll make sure I put it in safe keeping :) The only sad thing is HappyA$$ is going to get his installed before me...grr.

[RadarKid]

:hmmmm2: Sorry to hear you are getting the run around. Bureaucracy is ruining customer service as we know it.

I had a lady today tell me she could only give me a gift card back on my return, because the bar code on my receipt would not scan... *sigh... So instead of doing what was right, she had to call a manager who then gave me a gift card, then had me to take it to the cash register where they exchanged it for cash. Then pitched the gift card in the trash can...

Hopefully you can get this fixed on Monday. Since MINE is now on the way I'll make sure I put it in safe keeping :) The only sad thing is HappyA$$ is going to get his installed before me...grr.

Wow - wonder if its the same old b!tch I dealt with today...she as a miserable bag. I can't remember her name off hand...Michael Kennedy is a busy guy....he almost NEVER answers the phone even during business hours. Best bet is leaving a message and hoping for the best

[fire65]

I feel for you also. But the first thing you said,, I lost my key code, WHY. You paid 450 for the 9500. You also have responsibilities.

[Lucky225]

On the same token, you paid $450 for the unit, you think escort would respect that, esp. when the unit is already registered.

[bigalinwv]

The OP is talking about a 9500ci, which is considerably more than a 9500i. Nevertheless, they are treating him like his RD doesn't matter and can wait, definitely not after spending that kind of coin!!:mad:

[focalcivic]

DJ it happens, I assume they can not cross reference the registration database, or that person does not know how to do it. I would of called back and got someone else, or asked for her supervisor.

[thestaton]

I think everyone wishes there experience would go like this.

SAP.com (http://www.sap.com/demos/mmov/presentation_2.htm?swf_Location=MMOV_Player_1_14.s wf&xml_Location=MMOV_B1_MM1.xml&swf_height=450&swf_width=660)

[RadarKid]

I think everyone wishes there experience would go like this.

SAP.com (http://www.sap.com/demos/mmov/presentation_2.htm?swf_Location=MMOV_Player_1_14.s wf&xml_Location=MMOV_B1_MM1.xml&swf_height=450&swf_width=660)

I'd like the smack the girl in the face.....she's wicked annoying.....sicky sweet. :D

[djrams80]

Just an update. Apparently, Michael Kennedy at Escort figured that since I needed the key code, that meant I was trying to register my 9500ci. Well, the serial number that I gave them was already registered, to me. In reality, I was only trying to update my database. I told this to the customer service rep, but it looks like the email sent to Michael Kennedy said nothing about why I needed the key code, only that I needed it. Herein lied the confusion.

Michael Kennedy sent me two apologetic emails this morning explaining all of this, without the "throwing the customer service rep under the bus" part. I deciphered that. I have made sure to store this all-important key code in several different places, now that I realize its' magnitude. I was told earlier by the phone support person that I only needed it to register my 9500ci, which obviously turned out to be totally false.

Anyhow, I downloaded the updated database and merged it with my Truelock data. Was pretty easy, once I had the key code.

[RadarKid]

Just an update. Apparently, Michael Kennedy at Escort figured that since I needed the key code, that meant I was trying to register my 9500ci. Well, the serial number that I gave them was already registered, to me. In reality, I was only trying to update my database. I told this to the customer service rep, but it looks like the email sent to Michael Kennedy said nothing about why I needed the key code, only that I needed it. Herein lied the confusion.

Michael Kennedy sent me two apologetic emails this morning explaining all of this, without the "throwing the customer service rep under the bus" part. I deciphered that. I have made sure to store this all-important key code in several different places, now that I realize its' magnitude. I was told earlier by the phone support person that I only needed it to register my 9500ci, which obviously turned out to be totally false.

Anyhow, I downloaded the updated database and merged it with my Truelock data. Was pretty easy, once I had the key code.


Good deal. Glad to hear you worked it out. I think all in all M.K. is a good guy. Unfortunately he's busy as hell and therefore difficult to get a hold of...and even more unfortunate, and less excusable is some of the Cust.Service reps that are better suited working in a factor assembly line where it doesnt require any PEOPLE skills.

[focalcivic]

Just an update. Apparently, Michael Kennedy at Escort figured that since I needed the key code, that meant I was trying to register my 9500ci. Well, the serial number that I gave them was already registered, to me. In reality, I was only trying to update my database. I told this to the customer service rep, but it looks like the email sent to Michael Kennedy said nothing about why I needed the key code, only that I needed it. Herein lied the confusion.

Michael Kennedy sent me two apologetic emails this morning explaining all of this, without the "throwing the customer service rep under the bus" part. I deciphered that. I have made sure to store this all-important key code in several different places, now that I realize its' magnitude. I was told earlier by the phone support person that I only needed it to register my 9500ci, which obviously turned out to be totally false.

Anyhow, I downloaded the updated database and merged it with my Truelock data. Was pretty easy, once I had the key code.

I am curious do you DL the file and save it, then merge to the ci?

[djrams80]

I am curious do you DL the file and save it, then merge to the ci?
That's correct. First you download the latest database file, then press the big green button on the software that's marked "merge your data(Truelock and Marked locations) with the ESCORT location database", then grab the most recent downloaded file and the software does the rest.

[MEM-TEK]

...Michael Kennedy sent me two apologetic emails this morning explaining all of this, without the "throwing the customer service rep under the bus" part. I deciphered that...

Hi djrams80,

I'm glad that Mike Kennedy got everything straightened out for you. It would have been really funny if he had actually joked about "throwing the CS rep under a bus!"


Good deal. Glad to hear you worked it out. I think all in all M.K. is a good guy. Unfortunately he's busy as hell and therefore difficult to get a hold of...

I too agree that M.K. is a really good dude. Mike Kennedy seems to be Escort's equivalent to Michael Batten of Whistler. Is it just coincidence that their first names are Michael? Hmm...

Here is a good example which shows how Mike K helped me out:

I have an older A4M9 STi which uses a different display and display circuit board compared to more recent STi RDs. The displays on older STi RDs such as mine were hand soldered into place onto the display circuit board, and sometimes the soldering wouldn't be done with enough heat and a cold solder joint or two could be created. So, after nine months of using my STi, its display became erratic and would either greatly dim or completely go out. Yet a mild slap to the RD case would magically make the display start working again for a while. So I checked the display ribbon, checked and reflowed the row of soldered display pins, and even checked the connector on the STi main board where the ribbon plugs in and reflowed those tiny connections. No dice -- the display still persisted in flickering out. I called Escort and the CS rep happily set me up with a RMA number. Yet I explained that I was headed out on a trip at the end of the week, couldn't bear to be without my STi, and asked if there was any way that I could get a new display module for my STi and that I would pay for the new display module.

The CS rep puts me through to Mike Kennedy. I quickly explain all of the above.

Mike K: "Did you check and reflow the three display pins on the top row? Those are the ones which sometimes have cold solder joints."

Me: "What three pins? The display has a top row of pins too?"

Mike K: "Look carefully through the front of the display. You will see three pins near the top of the display which exit through the back of the display."

Me: "I am an idiot! I didn't even think to look through the front of the display. If I had, then obviously I would have spotted those three pins!" That got a good laugh out of Mike K.

Mike K: "Reflow those three pins and in particular the center pin since it sounds like your display has a cold solder joint and has an intermittent ground issue."

Mike K then gave me his email address so that I could let him know how reflowing the pins worked out, and asked me how I liked my STi and my 9500i and some other stuff about these RDs. It was obvious that he is very interested in customer opinions about Bel and Escort products.

I get home from running errands in town, fire up my soldering iron immediately after walking in the door, open up my STi, find and carefully reflow the three pins hidden under the display ribbon and some insulating tape, and viola! My STi's display is fixed and has been working perfectly ever since. I emailed Mike K with photos of my before and after repair work. My repair work is so neat that it looks like the pins have been wave soldered.

Escort's Michael Kennedy is tops in my book. I owe him a round of drinks! :D