Home audio & video: Pioneer Service... Benign Indifference

Pioneer Service... Benign Indifference

I purchased a Pioneer Elite Pro 930HD Plasma TV in July, 2006 after exhaustive research of product quality and service. I was extremely happy with its performance and well-satisfied with my decision to purchase. Then in March, 2007, just eight months later, a thick black horizontal line appeared across the screen. Since the unit had a full two year warranty, I was confident that I would receive satisfactory response from the service department and authorized service center. When I called the service center I was told that they only came to my area of residence on a rotational basis each month. I would have to wait over two weeks before they would get to my home. They would then pick up the unit but could not estimate a turn around time. Calls to Pioneer to improve that situation proved fruitless. I was even willing to pay for any extended service program that would merit a faster priority service ... to no avail. In short, I would have to wait until they get to me... this time and any other time in the future. Furthermore, there is no assured turn around time after which a replacement might be appropriate. I must say that no one has been hostile or rude. I expected much better, given the expensive price tag and promise of rapid service response. I can only describe the overall attitude as benign indifference as if I should be grateful to have had the privilege of purchasing and owning a pioneer product. The moral is this: before you plan to buy a pioneer TV make sure that you have a service center somewhere very near your home... or you will wait endlessly for a service response despite the expensive price tag. They have turned a happy customer into a disenchanted one.