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Customer disservice (continued)

I very rapidly determined that the keyboard did not meet my needs and requested return information from the maker via email. After 2-3 business days, I still had not received a response, so I called. I finally reached a real person after wading through the voicemail system and was given a return authorization and the email confirmation with return instructions came within minutes.

From the names and accent of the technicians, and knowing what I do of this company's support structure, it is most likely that company's tech support is routed to South Western Asia, probably India. In and of itself, there's nothing wrong with this, but outsourcing is a topic unto itself.

I don't care who handles my service, or where they're located, so long as I receive service. But it sounded as though the entire support staff was working out of someone's garage, as I could hear the staff dealing with other customers in the background. Couple this with an agent that speaks with a very difficult to understand accent, and it can make communication difficult.

I sent the package back, following all the instructions provided by the company. It was delivered, and accepted, four days later. According to this company's return policy, returns are processed within 48 hours of receipt and credited within 5-7 business days. Well it has been two weeks and I still do not have my money back. I did eventually receive a response to my initial email requests, after the product had already been returned. Giving the system another chance, I attempted to inquire about my refund via email. I still haven't had a response to that.

"It has now been another week and I still have not received my refund."

I finally called them again and spoke with another representative. Fortunately, all of the information they had regarding my transaction jived with mine. I was initially informed that refunds could take up to two complete billing cycles before the money is credited to an account. I quoted the refund policy to the operator and was put on hold while she apparently consulted with a supervisor.

She returned and told me that I should receive the refund on the next billing cycle. I inquired as to whose billing cycle she was referring to, the company's or mine and was told that it was my billing cycle to which she referred. When I informed her that the purchase was made with a Visa Check Card, so therefore I had no billing cycle and that I had real-time access to my account, I was again placed on hold.

Upon her return, she asked that I give it another 3-4 business days to appear on my account. I thanked her for her help and concluded the call.

It has now been another week and I still have not received my refund. I think tomorrow I'll go to my financial institution and initiate proceedings from that end to get my refund. I got my money back faster when I was the victim of fraud on eBay. This is ludicrous. It's like pulling teeth. In the end, I had to file a reverse-charge complaint with my bank in order to get a refund.


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