Banana Hobby Unbelievably bad customer service. Los Angeles California

Letter to Taylor of Banana Hobby.
It is with intense frustration that I write to tell you that I will no longer be a customer of Banana Hobby's. Despite the 6 helicopters I have purchased from you, and the many more planned for, I was told that because my initial contact about my defective Esky Big Lama E020 was three days past the warranty, I am on my own for replacing the defective ESC. Really?! Three days?! When I have been conducting business with you exclusively? I'm sure that you have many customers that regularly buy 6 or more helicopters, and will continue doing so. I however, will be taking my business someplace where customers matter. I thought this had been worked out with earlier correspondences, and I was quite pleased to have you respond so positively. This seems to have been a onetime thing, however, since the last time I spoke with you (placing an order for parts last Friday 10 Jul 09), you placed me on hold and never came back. After about 20 minutes on hold the line went dead.
The facts are that you don't have the lowest prices around, and the only thing you could have to distinguish yourself from the dozens of other hobby shops on-line is superior service. Without that there is no reason not to buy from other sources, and that is what I will have to do.

I have never seen such deplorably poor customer service as I have experienced at this company. Amazingly long waits on hold, only to be placed back on hold with every question asked. Apparently there is only one person who knows anything about their products because every technical question is answered with, "hold on a second", then I am placed on hold for up to 35 minutes only to have the connection severed.
Promises of parts and products coming in on such and such a date have never proven correct. I placed a specific order for parts that required them to contact the source in China and order from them. Not only was this never done, I was left hanging until the date they were due to arrive. Only then, after the interminable wait on hold, was I finally told those parts had not yet been ordered. Incredibly inept technical service also prevails there. For two months I had tried to get someone to listen to me about my Esky Big Lama E020. I kept telling them the problem was not in the battery as I had tested it over and over. Apparently the service gurus at Banana Hobby somehow psychically divined what was wrong and insisted the battery had been drained too low. I was told I would have another battery sent to me, and to call as soon as I had tried it out. A week later, after no battery was received, I called back and was, eventually, told they were out of them and didn't know when they would be in. No call back, no lousy little e-mail notification, no contact whatsoever. Today (15 Jul 09) I finally convinced them that it was, indeed, the ESC that was faulty. This was supported by Esky's own technical advisors, but it took nearly two months to get anyone to listen at Banana Hobby. Then, after they agreed it was the ESC, I was told I was out of warranty, by three days! Clearly Banana Hobby is both totally inept and completely uncaring of the customers spending their money there.

Michael
Phoenix, Arizona
U.S.A.