Reading your posts through thoroughly, trying to comprehend what is going on.
It would appear that the fault you’ve experienced is either an intermittently occurring issue or a fault peculiar to the circumstances of your situation.
When I started in the music business, we had a staff of electronic engineers, so gained insight into the type of issues that can plague customers equipment.
From a repairman’s point of view its better that a unit doesn’t work at all or that whatever the fault is, that is remains consistently apparent and thus clearly detectable.
The worst situation for them, is when they are faced with a unit that is reported to be faulty, but which whilst in their repair shop, operates perfectly as normal, exhibiting no fault whatever.
Usually, the approach taken to such devices is to leave them on a soak test for 24 hours or even perhaps two or three days consistently in the hope that whatever the issue is, over time it becomes apparent.
Of course, I have no way of knowing if that was the procedure used here, but I would be amazed if that wasn’t the case. To me, it would be standard operating procedure. But I know from experience that there are times when a fault, just doesn’t expose itself, when it’s on the bench.
The possibilities here are 1. that it wasn’t soak tested which I would like to think is improbable. Or 2. that the soak test had gone on for what was deemed to be a reasonable period with no apparent fault being detectable. As these units are professional tools and their return usually eagerly awaited, the repairman is in something of a Catch 22 situation.
If they simply hang on to the unit, soak testing it ad infinitum, the customer will be unhappy and complain about the slow turn around, whilst Kemper appear to pride themselves in a fast customer repair turnaround.
If they return the unit to the customer without actually finding a fault, they take the risk that the fault might subsequently reappear afterwards when used in the customers particular situation and then the customer will once again be unhappy.
A doctor needs to be able to clearly detect and understand the symptoms a patient exhibits, in order to be able to accurately diagnose the illness that they are suffering from.
What does a doctor do when a patient says they are ill, but no actual symptoms are clearly apparent or detectable?
It’s a difficult situation on both sides of this, if one really thinks this through!
In my experience, usually such issues are commonly only resolved after a number of visits, or returns and where more and more information regarding the issue is disclosed.
I wonder whether Kemper had the benefit of the sound file of the issue that has been posted here and of course a typed description and full explanation of the problem in detail?
Without that and with no issue apparent to them they are completely in the dark.
However, there is another fact that I would like to enlarge upon and in doing so its probably helpful to explain that I have decades of experience with major manufacturing companies, brands you will know and probably greatly admire.
All manufacturers from time to time have unwanted issues with their products.
The real issue then comes down to not whether a fault occurs, but how the unwanted issue is handled by the company concerned, and whether it is resolved in a timely manner and entirely to the customers satisfaction.
Unbelievable amounts, millions, are spent by companies I have been involved with on various aspects of marketing, and most especially, consumer research.
Thus, by expensive, intensive research it has been clearly determined that whatever problems an unhappy customer has with a product.
Whatever it costs to make that consumer happy and fully satisfied with their purchase at the end of the day.
Costs much less than it ever does to attract an entirely new customer to the brand.
In others words, retaining and building a strong bond of customer loyalty by fully satisfying a consumer, no matter how disgruntled they might be.
Is far cheaper by a country mile, than it will ever cost the company to engage consumers through marketing and enticingly captivate a completely new customer to the brand, to the point they, will finally make a purchase.
So satisfying the customer, is definitely a cost to the brand, to provide thoroughly outstanding customer service; but from the company’s point of view, especially where premium products are concerned, it’s the best and actually the cheapest option available.
Unhappy consumers have multiple global platforms available these days to advertise their complaints.
But customers who have experienced difficulties BUT had them addressed to entirely to their satisfaction, or beyond what they ever had a right to expect.
Similarly have multiple global platforms available to them to express the full emotion of their joyous delight in having their problem completely resolved, entirely to their satisfaction, and relieved are happy to use them.
They become the very best possible word of mouth advertisement for the brand.
Furthermore, the good will that is incurred more than often results in additional, repeat sales.
Having been fully satisfied by a company approach to service, they are most likely to return to the brand for ongoing, further purchases.
Customer satisfaction builds brand loyalty, and it’s not because there are never any problems, as no company on earth can provide that. But its that the issues are resolved fully to the customers satisfaction.
There’s just one further point I feel I should point out.
It appears that in this instance, the consumer has not communicated or dealt directly with the manufacturer.
This is entirely understandable, as he has returned the unit to the dealer he purchased it from. However, in my experience it is most often in such circumstances that misunderstandings and miscommunications occur.
That over hasty judgements can be made and over hasty conclusions drawn, simply by the fact that a middle man who is not directly involved in the repair processes, is communicating to the customer, and the customer entirely dependant upon what they are told. I like Andertons I think they are a good company as dealers go, but I have enough experience with dealers to know that at times the overall picture can be misrepresented.
I hope some of the thoughts here are helpful to some degree, to both sides, and that ultimately you can be persuaded to reconsider your present views and now it has been highlighted, give Kemper a chance to address and rectify all of your concerns.
Of course it's possible they already have. As Kemper may well have agreed to give Andertons credit for the unit with the issue. In which case that satisfaction expressed toward the dealer actually should lay with the manufacturer.
