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MrMagica

Rubbish L&B Customer Service

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I have always brought Larsen based on their legendary reputation. However I have to say I've been very disappointed.

I would have loved replacements when faults occur, but I wouldn't make this post purely on that basis (all the devices were out of warranty). They simply fail basic correspondence every time I've had an issue. I asked them to clarify there position, and yet again they failed to even bother replying to my courteous emails.

Therefore I think it's reasonable to put a post up as I'm not sure L&B is quite the amazing company they have a reputation for - at least not anymore....

What a disappointment! I'm lucky to even get a reply on any courteous emails I send them. I've had a cracked viso. A protrack with battery issues, no reply. A dead pro dytter - said out of service, and a faulty protrack that would no longer turn on - they asked the date of purchase, then never replied given 2 follow up emails from me.

I mean I think it's bloody rude when they can't even reply to an email telling you they're sorry but they won't replace / repair your goods. These aren't kids toys they are very expensive products which are critical in a dangerous sport.

L&B stuff is alright. I never understand why protrack is so bloody expensive, needs an update for usability - and it doesn't have canopy alarms forcing buying another audible. The viso is nice, but prone to cracking, and an even worse menu system than a protrack, takes a genius and a manual.

Big let down. Maybe they will chuck out a few more freebies at events to let the skydive community know how great they are, pity if they fail at the basics thought isn't it...

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I've had consistent and recent experience with L&B that is quite the contrary. They are a little slow (like 48 hours tops) and very brief responding to emails, I imagine high maintenance customers will have a bit of a challenge dealing with that, but they always respond and always have followed through for me.

They had a big press release announcing when they would no longer service the dytter and pro-dytter It even says they no longer service them on their website http://www.l-and-b.dk/products/repair). And as for the "it costs too much" and "I break mine too much" I don't know man, that sucks I guess. :S

#I'm not sponsored, just giving my 2 cents.

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I have mixed experiences:

-I had a second hand Viso I. It stopped working. I told them and they sent me a new Viso II, without questions.

-I have a ProTrack. You can't turn it off. You simply can't, it is not that I am doing it wrong. A buddy of mine tried to follow the same steps as in his and it just doesn't work. I've sent them an email about it. They asked which year was it from. I told them that I didn't know (it is also second hand). No reply. No big deal, the ProTrack shuts down automatically after some hours.

-The same ProTrack had a broken battery cover. They've sent me a new cover with screws and springs in no time.

-The same ProTrack cracked on the side after a buddy used it in a helmet a bit too tight. I asked if I could buy a new case, since functionally it was still perfect. They asked which year is it from. I told them that I didn't know. No reply. I asked about the lack of reply (something like "should I assume that I can't get it repaired?"). Again, no reply.

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Deimian

ProTrack ... They asked which year was it from. I told them that I didn't know (it is also second hand). No reply.

The same ProTrack ... They asked which year is it from. I told them that I didn't know. No reply.

I asked about the lack of reply (something like "should I assume that I can't get it repaired?"). Again, no reply.



That lack of response seems specific to me - tell them you don't know what year your ProTrack is, and they ignore you. Does anyone know why? Do they think you are an idiot or something if you don't know "what year your ProTrack is"? Or do they think it is "used" and not under warranty if you don't know?

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peek

***ProTrack ... They asked which year was it from. I told them that I didn't know (it is also second hand). No reply.

The same ProTrack ... They asked which year is it from. I told them that I didn't know. No reply.

I asked about the lack of reply (something like "should I assume that I can't get it repaired?"). Again, no reply.



That lack of response seems specific to me - tell them you don't know what year your ProTrack is, and they ignore you. Does anyone know why? Do they think you are an idiot or something if you don't know "what year your ProTrack is"? Or do they think it is "used" and not under warranty if you don't know?

Could be an interesting experiment - start a brand new email conversation with them from a different addy and when the ask what year its from just make up something that's probably about right and see what happens! :p
Do you want to have an ideagasm?

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Agree on the communication front. Two day minimum to get a response and it's 50/50 whether they answer more than one question from your original email. To be fair, they did replace my AltiTrack when it started misbehaving.

On the other hand, I bought a Viso II+ from ParaGear while my AltiTrack was away. It came with a Velcro wrist mount instead of the hand mount that was supposed to be included. ParaGear didn't know what or why, so I emailed L&B. Turns out they ran out of hand mounts for this batch and so included wrist mounts instead. Offered to send me a hand mount for free and asked for my shipping address. Two weeks later, I still haven't received anything, so sent another email to see if the hand mount was shipped. No reply and it's been a month since my original email.

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I suspect that sometimes an email gets lost in a spamfilter. So If you have not received an answer from them, just shoot them a new email.

It would not be the first time that this happens or that a mailserver just blocks mails from a specific domain, because he has received to much spam from it.

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I've had similar bad experience. I have a pro-trac that when i go to turn it on it just shows a jumble of crap on the screen like the LCD is messed up. Sometimes it works, most of the time it doesn't. I've put in new battereis and the problem stays. When emailing L&B you get a slow response, and when you do get a response it's a curt one word or one sentance. The last response I got from them was "are you using Panasonic batteries?" I responded that they were not and got no further response.

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WTF happened to these guys? Used to be stellar customer service.

My buddy found a protrack sitting in mud in middle of the landing area after rain and returned it to L&B and got a new one back.

I've lost my viso in freefall(prior to the sleeve) and they offered me a free new one.

I've cracked both of my optima and they gave me a new ones with new battery.

guess, the times change.

Suunto Vectors are cheaper and you can actually wear the thing for other activity.
Bernie Sanders for President 2016

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stayhigh

WTF happened to these guys? Used to be stellar customer service.



Too many people abused that stellar customer service. No more freebies from those guys.
"My belief is that once the doctor whacks you on the butt, all guarantees are off" Jerry Baumchen

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My recent experience with returning a Pro-Track to L&B: The device started going through a set of batteries within a couple of days, sometimes less.

I went to the website, noted their repair and return policies, then emailed them as their site requested. I have never received a response.

As I am a working skydiver who uses his audible all the time, I went ahead and followed their instructions to ship it in a padded mailer, registered mail. That cost $25 USD.

Without emailing or contacting me, they promptly shipped the broken Pro-Track back to me with a photocopy that says "Old model Pro-Dytter, Pro-Tracks that are more than two years old, first generation Solo, Optima, and Viso will no longer be repaired/replaced/upgraded." Note that their site does not mention that Pro-tracks are not eligible for service after 2 years:


First Generation SOLO, OPTIMA and VISO as well as Pro-Dytter are now EOPL (End of Product Life) as replacement parts for these units are no longer available.

Broken and/or defective SOLO II, OPTIMA II, VISO II, QUATTRO, ARES and VISO II+ will be repaired and/or replaced with the same model as long as the part(s) is/are available.


The site has one policy for repair and replacement in the "Repair" section (LARSEN & BRUSGAARD has stopped servicing the old model "DYTTER" and "Pro-Dytter".), another in their "Happenings" sections (quoted above), and a third that they mailed to me.

Your mileage may vary.

It appears that if you have one of the newer products, AS LONG AS IT IS NOT THE VERY EXPENSIVE PRO-TRACK they are still offering their very good replacement service. Older products have been understandably deemed beyond "End of Life".

Besides my old Pro-Dytter, I have bought three Pro-Tracks new over the past 8 years. One my wife still uses, one that was lost when it fell out of the pocket on a Z-1, and this one that I sent back for service. I don't mind paying to have the unit fixed, even though it rides around in comfort in a padded helmet and I can't think what would have caused it to break. But knowing that they will only support Pro-Tracks for 2 years will keep me from replacing this $325 audible with another L&B product.

And I perceive the lack of email responses or even a note besides the photocopy of the "repair policy" as rudeness or lack of willingness to interact with the customer. Either way, not a positive experience.

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My biggest problem with these products is the cheap plastic cases they come in. At retail prices like they are getting for this junk they should come in much sturdier cases. You should not be able to break your $323 protrac unless you step on it.
Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

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I've always been okay with the plastic cases because until now I believed the oft-repeated story that L&B would replace or repair their products if they were broken, even under exceptional circumstances.

Their policies may have changed from people abusing the system, but the price/quality/support equation is less in balance now than it was before.

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kawisixer01

I've had similar bad experience. I have a pro-trac that when i go to turn it on it just shows a jumble of crap on the screen like the LCD is messed up. Sometimes it works, most of the time it doesn't. I've put in new battereis and the problem stays. When emailing L&B you get a slow response, and when you do get a response it's a curt one word or one sentance. The last response I got from them was "are you using Panasonic batteries?" I responded that they were not and got no further response.



I have the exact same problem. Usually when it's cold, or after a long off period. I get the thing warm, or even after a jump or two, and then it works fine. But it sucks if you're on an early load and can't see which alarm preset you have. (the thing works, you just can't see anything until it warms up)

I think it's a screen gone bad.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

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I wonder if their products might last longer in terms of cases not breaking, weird display issues, etc. if they are simply used with minimal/no use of the buttons/switches.

My Optima II never gets fiddled with except to confirm once in a great while to change batteries after it gives the audible warning that it would need new batteries. I don't bother to turn it off or on, don't bother to confirm any info after jumps. I only use one set of warning altitudes.

Of course it should not require such non-use to prevent failure, I'm just wondering.
People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

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MrMagica



It doesn't have canopy alarms forcing buying another audible. The viso is nice, but prone to cracking, and an even worse menu system than a protrack, takes a genius and a manual.



lol, what? The menu is easy as shit.

If you want canopy alarms don't buy a protrack, buy an optima or quattro. You already have a viso that logs jumps. Did it break because you hit it on something? In the tech world I would say you sound high maintenance with user error.

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JWest

***

It doesn't have canopy alarms forcing buying another audible. The viso is nice, but prone to cracking, and an even worse menu system than a protrack, takes a genius and a manual.



lol, what? The menu is easy as shit.

If you want canopy alarms don't buy a protrack, buy an optima or quattro. You already have a viso that logs jumps. Did it break because you hit it on something? In the tech world I would say you sound high maintenance with user error.


He may have a point, but it is hard to take an anonymous poster too seriously.
"Here's a good specimen of my own wisdom. Something is so, except when it isn't so."

Charles Fort, commenting on the many contradictions of astronomy

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DougH

This is too bad. I have recommended their products to many new jumpers due to their previous customer service. I guess that has to stop.


Why, how has it changed or effected your dealings with them.

I had an issue with my visoII and had a lot of problems with communications in Europe, HOWEVER the Facbook USA rep, was freaking OUTSTANDING in both communication and help. L&B is a small operation and as such can sometimes get swamped in emails or caught up in their daily non work lives.

I tend to give the benefit of doubt, and rarely do I every take much stock in disgruntled posters on online forums. They do tend to colour their issues in a light most favorable to them and are hardly objective.
You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

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DougH

This is too bad. I have recommended their products to many new jumpers due to their previous customer service. I guess that has to stop.



The day I stop supporting a company like L&B is the day I see consistent bad support. I've had great support from them. They even offered a very low cost fix on an audible that was broken from a novices foot and was in no way their fault.

-Michael

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Use a N3, that is an easy as shit menu. Every ~6 months or so when I want to do something besides see my logged jumps on my Viso I have to look up the manual online because I forgot which function I needed, or which setting is which. I don't complain because I simply don't care. If I used the menus more, I'd remember more so it's moot.

Having a non-intuitive menu system is not "user error".

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It's one button to get into the log and one button to get into the settings. Not being able to use the technology you bought that hundreds of other people don't have issue with is practically the definition of user error, or incompetence, your pick.

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JWest

It's one button to get into the log and one button to get into the settings. Not being able to use the technology you bought that hundreds of other people don't have issue with is practically the definition of user error, or incompetence, your pick.



I completely disagree.

Not only is it non-intuitive, but the manual seems to have been written by people that were too familiar with the procedure, and I'd bet they never tested the usability of the manual on people that weren't already familiar with it.
People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

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