Canopus aftersale customer service disappointing

[DVFun]

I am just curios to see if any of you guys who happen to be Canopus clients and have had the need to contact their support centres, if you have been satisfied.

It's been three weeks that my copy of Procoder Express stpped running. An error message keeps displaying, saying that the software needs to be reactivated. But, any time I try to reactivate it another error message says that I have already exceeded the number of possible reactivations.

I have contacted via emails the support centres in Japan, China and Australia (I live in Hong Kong) and after two weeks, no answers. Not even an acknowledgment that my inquiry has been received. I tried to send a message throught their supprt web site. But the message does not go through due to some errors.

I have always praised Procoder for the quality of the enconding from AVI to MPEG, which is so far still unsurpassed, IMHO! But, if this is the way they show gratitude or even respect to those people that pay for their softwares rathar than using them "for free" (You know what I mean), then I guess I have always had the wrong opinion about them!

I am not wishing for anyone to having the same bad experience as mine. However, if ther is another unfortunate case, I'd like to hear your opinion!

Thank in advance!

[jimmalenko]

Interesting ...


I had to contact them (australian arm) straight after my ADVC-100 arrived. I had gotten one of the faulty power supplies that were synonymous with the ADVC-100s at the time. Someone emailed me back within 48 hours, and gave me instructions about RMA-ing my power supply back to their Melbourne office for testing. It was found to be a part of the faulty batch, and a new one was couriered out to me. The whole thing would have taken about two weeks from first contact through to me receiving a working power supply.

Whilst I sympathise with your predicament, I've got nothing but praise for them.

[thecoalman]

Whilst I sympathise with your predicament, I've got nothing but praise for them.

I'd have to agree with Jim, I have a 110. As I mentioned in another post don't know what there support is like, no support required. It's pretty much idiot proof and works perfectly.

It's been my experience that trying to contact just about any company through e-mail for support has resulted in about the same thing you got. The only luck I ever had with that is through my website hosting company. I'd see if there is a toll free phone number, that usually gets results pretty quick.

[DVFun]

Finally, I managed to sort out the problem with the help from their Australian support centre and all done via emails.

Apparently after 3 reactivations, it is necessary to contact Canopus to get a new activation code. Fine by me, if the response was quick. But, waiting 2-3 weeks for that is not acceptable.

As for contacting Canopus by phone, I searched on their support web sites in China, Japan, Australia and USA and only the last two have contact phone numbers.

So, last night (11:30 PM HK time) I tried to call their help centre in USA, but the automated answering system said that I should call during office hours. I wonder where their help centre is located and what time it was at the other side when I called.........go figure!?!?

Anyway, I was happy to wake up this morning and find out that their Australian support had replied to my umpteenth email and after some tips from them, the software is finally back to normal now, and that's what matters.

2 thumbs up to Canopus Australia! I would have given them 3 TU, but they also made me wait a couple of days before I got an answer and they answered only after I had resent the message time and time again!!!

And 10 thumbs down to their China and Japan counterparts!!! Shame on them! After almost 3 weeks still no response!!!

[jimmalenko]

Go Oz !

[redwudz]

I always figured after I got my ADVC-100 and seeing the lack of owners manual quantity and software,(Which I don't miss as most included SW is crap anyway) that their customer support would be lacking.

I think some companies don't put much effort into customer support. They figure their product is infallible. They don't realize word-of-mouth about unresolved problems gets around fast in the video community and has an effect on sales. I haven't needed support, but I would be pissed if I didn't get it if I needed it. And I would tell anybody that would listen.

Just my opinion, but customer support makes more customers and loyal customers at that. SVCD2DVD's ChrissyBoy comes to mind. That kind of help and service builds customers. When will they ever learn.

End of Rant.

[DVFun]

Guys, thanks for your moral support! It was much appreciated and I also 100% agreed with redwudz 'rant'!