FUNAI Corporation Customer Service Symphonic 32" (by Funai) nothing but trouble Torrance California

On 11/24/06, we purchased a post-Thanksgiving special at Wal-Mart-a 32" Symphonic LCD TV and loved it. In May of '07, a black vertical line appeared in the right half. After contacting customer service, we were directed to a repair shop 2 1/2 hours away (the closest to our home). We carried the TV in (with receipt and in original box) and were finally told the LCD module was bad and that labor (parts still in warranty) would be $225! After much discussion, we decided to go ahead and have it repaired. We were told the part would take 7-10 days to come in, so after not hearing anything until a full month had passed, I contacted the repair shop and was told company had not sent part and they could not give me the part #, against their rules. I was also told I would be charged the original $28.50 I had paid for a restock fee. I contacted FUNAI customer service and reached a very helpful man, Jeff, badge #1128, who said my original information given by Candice (#1389), had been in error. My TV was a REPLACE or REFUND TV and gave me a fax # to Enrique who was handeling this problem. We did so immediatly and called the repair shop to cancel any repairs as the part was not on the way and would not be sent. We were then told we owed $224.50 for repairs that had already been done--none of which we authorized.

On 6/20, after speaking with Charlene (supervisor #1387), who forwarded the info on to corporate, I talked with Tasha, who agreed the repair shop was crooked, admitted they had complaints against them in the past and would help me get my TV back. She even said she would get their name off their list of repair shops and notify other companies of his ways. (he is still listed on their web site) (All I can say is even if a company recommends them, CHECK THE BBB!!) Finally, the corporate office got the TV shipped to them, supposedly repaired it and then shipped it to us. This is now July, but the TV seems to work fine. We're happy for now.

My husband gets a phone call from the repair shop. He wasn't home, so I took a message. I suppose they are wanting money, so I call the customer service dept. to see exactly what had been done to the TV when they got it in. I called the 310-787-3000 extension 274 (this was the # George, our contact for shipping the TV back to us, gave me to contact him) on 8/16 twice and left messages for Tasha, no return call. I called twice that day for George, who never returned my call. I called 8/20 and left a message. I called customer service 8/29 and spoke with Tim (1150) who assured me he would put in an escalation and someone from corporate would call me back in 7-10 days. No calls back. All I want to know is what was done to the TV when they got it in.

On 9/11, the black line is back and I am so unhappy with the whole mess. I speak with Pat-1545- who is giving info to supervisor. Some one will call back. I call back on 9/20 & speak with Carla-1038 and she lets me talk with Charlene (supervisor 1387). I re-summerize the whole story for her. She puts me on hold and supposedly talks with David at corporate, who is forwarding the info on to Enrique who will give me a call that day. I call back on 9/26 and talk with Bree-1019-who wants to know if I got my TV back. She says she will fill out another escalation form and someone should call back. I call back on 9/27 and speak to badge 1666 (J Bass I think) about the escalation form and am told it would do no good to fill another out. I insisted another be filled out as nothing had been done with the prior ones & was transfered to Ian -1088-escalation supervisor. Told him my tale of woe, put on hold while he calls corporate, Enrique is not in, but Edgar will call me back. On 10/2 I call & talk with Val-1516- who says Ian is not in and am transferred to Josh-1143. He can't access their computer as they are having problems. I am on hold while he finds a working computer and calls corporate. He says he talked with Enrique who will call that day and to re-call him (josh) if I haven't heard from Enrique by 1pm (pst). So when I call back, Josh is busy, I get Drew-1253-said Enrique should call back in a couple of days, as he probably wasn't in. I told him Josh said he had spoken with him that morning. Drew said he'd call after he hung up and get back with me, as he had to use the phone he was on. I told him Josh had found another phone to use and I held that morning and was willing to do the same again. Now after being on hold, I'm back to Josh. He puts me on hold agin, comes back and says Enrique is busy right now, but will call me that afternoon. So this morning, after speaking with Ricki-0231-I ask to speak to Josh--she puts me on hold and comes back and said he wasn't in and that he "said he'd call me back". HMMM So I ask to speak to his supervisor. I get JOSH! wow I told him I had heard from no one and wanted to speak to his supervisor. He said they were both busy but either Oliver or Bill will call me back as he will put a message on their desk. I asked Josh for the CEO's name and address and got the company address.

I have been very patient with this company and was truely impressed with their customer service department until they fell thru with their help. I feel they are jsut waiting me out until the warrenty is no longer any good. I truely hope this helps some one in their decision on what TV to buy--

Mad momma
Thayer, Missouri
U.S.A.