ComplaintsforVisual Dynamics, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  12/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On October 31, 2022 I brought my computer in for repair at Visual Dynamics. I explained the issue was that it would not charge, had lost battery power by the time I brought it in and wouldn't turn on. They diagnosed this as a logic board error, though two other shops previously diagnosed it as a charging port chip that should be repaired within logic board.On November 2, 2022 they called to tell me repairs were complete and my data was gone - I stated I was not made aware this would happen nor did I consent to it. The technician dismissed my questions about how it happened then abruptly hung up on me. I immediately called the owner, who said he would review his footage and audio recordings then call me back within 24 hours. He also explained the process that should have occurred, including educating me more about the repairs, and consenting to it in writing and/or via phone call verbally. I called him back to say I reviewed my phone records and documents and saw no legal disclaimers nor evidence of me approving data being wiped. He accused me of being a scammer (verbatim) and threatened a legal war.The next day they called and said they miraculously retrieved my data - something that should not be possible if their diagnosis of a logic board was accurate. I believe they (1) misdiagnosed my computer as a logic board issue when it was likely a charging port issue, which is double the cost in repairs and (2) were not willing to be accountable for this mistake and instead put the burden on me, the customer, and treated me poorly in the process by accusing me of being a scammer and generally dismissing my questions to get to the truth. I had to pay the fee to get my computer back before leaving the state permanently in the following days, but do not agree I should have to pay the full amount. I am seeking a 50% refund due to misdiagnosis and horrendous customer service blaming the customer. I have attached a document with further details and evidence of the incident.

  Business response

  12/05/2022

  We take complaints very seriously and are always looking for ways to improve our services. I am very sorry the customer feels they had a poor experience as that is never our intention. Unfortunately, this customer received incorrect information from *non-authorized repair shops* which has lead to a misunderstanding of the issue and solution because those shops have no authorized training or knowledge of these products - the diagnosis was 100% correct. Allow me to provide accurate information for clarity. First, "a charging port chip that should be repaired within logic board" is not possible in this case. There is no "charging port chip" that's replaceable as the charging control chips are soldered onto the logic board and controlled by the logic board. The only way to replace the charging circuitry is to replace the logic board, which is what was diagnosed and done. Additionally, the nature of the failure had nothing to do with the charging circuitry in any way. Secondly, the customer insists we 'wiped' the data, which we did not; at no point was data wiped. The data is stored on the logic board which is the part in the unit that failed - that's why it was brought in for service in the first place. In general when a computer storage device fails the data is often unrecoverable - it has nothing to do with being wiped or any actions we took. Lastly, allegations that we told this customer they were a "scammer" is completely untrue; the mention of "scammer" was in regards to authorizing work and then not paying for it, which was not this case. We diagnosed the unit as having a failed logic board - which is clearly indicated by diagnostic results, and for the device to be repaired the board needed to be replaced, which the customer approved and the work was completed. To be clear - at no point did we wipe the customer data nor provide any other information that was false. Everything discussed with the customer is exactly what we did. At no point did we "miraculously retrieve" the customer data - after many hours and attempts we were able to retrieve the data which we transferred to the replacement logic board. That service is generally outside the scope of replacing out of warranty hardware and would normally be fee based; the customer was *not charged* for that work. This type of failure was not caused by the customer in any way - it was just a bad part so we're not sure why they feel blamed, but apologize if that's how they feel. As far as the customer data goes, customers are responsible for their own data and should make backups in case of failure or loss of the item. In a case like this, once the logic board is replaced the user can simply restore from backup; we (I) advised her of that process. We reviewed the phone call info between the customer and the technician and found that we could have absolutely done a better job in handling that call. The customer was very upset and the call between the customer and technician became heated - the technician asked the customer to let him speak and explain the issue and I assume the customer did not hear him, which lead to the technician hanging up. That should have been handled better and I personally already apologized for that issue; the technician is being provided additional customer service training. All in all, the customer brought in a computer that was not working. It was diagnosed with a failed logic board that needed to be replaced for the computer to function again. We provide that information and pricing to the customer, which they approved, we then performed the work and the unit is functioning. Data recovery companies perform data recovery any where from $500-$2000 and we provided that service at no charge. Additionally per my phone conversation with the customer and the data recovery, the issue was settled. Because of these facts we don't find any justification for a refund since we did what we were paid to do, and more at no additional charge. In light of the customers feelings however, we will refund the labor component of the bill of $150 when the customer dismisses this case.

  Business response

  12/13/2022

  We stick with facts, not opinions and guesswork and stand by our diagnosis. We again stress there are no soldered components on the logic board that can be replaced, soldered chips can not be 'swapped'. We question the sources providing this information to the customer as if they were familiar with the product, they would know better. I would additionally note that I personally made an offer to the customer to not do the repair at all so the unit would be exactly like it was when it came in for repair and there would be no charge. The customer stated (again) they wanted the unit repaired so that work was completed. We will present this offer for resolution: Once the customer provides documented proof of their claims, we will be happy to present a refund. We require the following written and signed documents on the "technical repair shops" letterhead the customer is referring to. The requested documents are based on the customers response to the BBB 1) "Apple agrees it may have been a misdiagnosis". Followed by 2) "Secondly, I have also gotten more opinions from technical repair shops that this was likely a misdiagnosis" and then lastly 3) "two opinions from other tech repair stores that the issue was not the logic board itself but a smaller (and less expensive) component located on the logic board (that did not require a logic board replacement)". Based on the customers comments, 5 documents are required. As noted in our prior response, we do take responsibility both verbally and in writing for any verbal conversation causing distress and apologize for any misunderstandings during the customers conversations. Once we receive the documentation and it's verified by the BBB, we will provide the refund.

  Business response

  12/13/2022

  I would ask the BBB to review the documented paperwork the CUSTOMER supplied "******************** Quote" and "Visual Dynamics Receipt". And note on the Problem Description area that the unit did not have power and the CUSTOMER requested that we replace the logic-board out of warranty. Also, note the part and labor quote price exactly matches the pricing on the final receipt - the customer opted to purchase a 96W power adapter which is the difference in price. The bottom line is the work that was as quoted was the work that was done.

  Customer response

  12/13/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  The response written here from the business is being represented differently than the actual series of events. I would like to note to both BBB and the business owner, that not only did these events happen but there is evidence that they did. The owner admittedly has recordings of these conversations, and I also have a witness (among other things). If the owner does not want to take accountability for the incredibly poor and dismissive behavior towards a customer then I am happy to provide that evidence.
  
  The evidence includes: incomplete notes from technician on the quote, no legal disclaimer on the quote, no written or even verbal consent from me to move forward with the repair which would result in factory reset, recorded phone calls and videos of interactions provided by the retailer per their own admission, witness on my side who heard all of these phone calls and was present in the store with me, two opinions from other tech repair stores that the issue was not the logic board itself but a smaller (and less expensive) component located on the logic board, the data itself being restored which should not have been possible if it was in fact a logic board failure as they claimed, poor treatment from the business when I was simply a customer trying to find out what happened to my computer data (ex: calling me a scammer for asking for 50% refund to reflect the true diagnosis and threatening me with legal action just because I said I didn't see any legal disclaimers on his store quote).
  
  Since leaving the store, I have opened a complaint with Apple because Visual Dynamics are considered a Premier Partner of Apple. There is now a pending case with Apple where they are reviewing the situation based on what I described, and agree it may have been a misdiagnosis. I can provide a case number to verify. Secondly, I have also gotten more opinions from technical repair shops that this was likely a misdiagnosis. The owner of Visual Dynamics has no idea who I got these second opinions from and claiming it was not an authorized store is an attempt to discredit my claim. In fact, one of the two stores WAS a premium partner of Apple and the main reason I went with Visual Dynamics for repairs instead of them was solely based on having a faster turnaround time.
  
  The two other shops, as well as Apple, assessed that it was a charging port chip that should be replaced on the logic board (they could still access the computer while it was turning on), and that they were in fact able to retrieve my "lost" data, which should be near impossible according to Visual Dynamics own account and that of Apple had the logic board been the issue to begin with. I believe that my computer received a misdiagnosis for a logic board repair, when it should have been replacing the charging port chips located on the logic board as a repair.
  
  I went to the store to pick up the computer around 3 PM on November 3, 2022. I began inspecting the computer to make sure repairs were completed properly. By the time store closing came at 6 PM, I was still inspecting the computer. I was leaving the **************** the following week and therefore, would not have enough time to return to the store. Before leaving, I realized that my original charger still was not working in the charging port, but other chargers were working correctly. I have used this charger on the computer for a whole year prior, and the charger still works on other computers. I did not have enough time to address this issue with the store because (1) they were closing and (2) I would be permanently leaving the state before their next opening hours and therefore, paid to buy a new charger and the $980.01 just to get my computer back.
  
  Since retrieving my computer I have had new problems that never existing before: (1) the computer screen has completely blacked out several times and temporarily lost power even with battery over 40% and (2) the battery is dying faster than usual when using the computer. I am no longer in the country and cannot take the computer in for the obligatory 90-day warranty service provided on repairs from the shop. Therefore, I am still concerned about my computer not being totally functional since repairs began.
  
  I am simply seeking a 50% refund from the retailer because I strongly believe there was a misdiagnosis and I should not have the carry the burden of the company's mistakes. I believe that mistakes happen and that people have bad days. However, the way in which this was handled by the company was negatively projected onto me, the customer, and I have also acquired emotional stress from being given the blame of their mistake. I feel this is a fair resolution to receive what should have been the original quote for a repair of this nature, and to also address the new issues I continue to have related to the power source failures.

  Business response

  12/14/2022

  We have further investigated this matter and upon reviewing the documentation, diagnostics and process cannot find any evidence of a misdiagnosis or billing issue. Please review the two documents the customer uploaded in regards to this matter. The first "Visual Dynamics Quote" is the Quote the customer was provided before checking the unit in. That document specifies the pricing and clearly states "Desired Repair By Customer: Replace the logic board out of warranty" - the customer could have declined the repair at that time. The final bill which the customer also uploaded "******************** Receipt" matches that quote exactly, showing the part that was replaced per the customer request: *********** and Labor; the quote for the service matches the final bill exactly. The customer purchased an additional item "96W USB-C Power Adapter" which is the difference in the total. Also note that no information has been provided which justifies the claim of a misdiagnoses; no part numbers or the name of the part that should have been replaced in the case of a logic board no power condition. A claim of a misdiagnoses without facts doesn't lend any credence to this complaint. The evidence clearly shows the quote matches the work performed as requested by the customer; in the case of a no power condition due to a failed logic board, the only option is replace the logic board, which was the work that was requested and completed.

  Customer response

  12/21/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  I have received the response from the business. I will do my best to respond to the request for documentation, but as this is the holidays I am dependent upon the other shops I visited to respond in a timely manner and also their willingness to write a document on their letterhead for me. I can certainly document the places I visited, the times, and ask them to provide a letterhead with their opinions if they are willing.
  
  Taking this into consideration, I believe the business should be negotiable in how much documentation can be provided in this scenario based on the cooperation of the other businesses.

  Business response

  12/22/2022

  We have thoroughly investigated this issue and the information the customer has provided does not align with the repair that was performed. Being in business for 35 years and performing hundreds of these repairs gives us a wealth of experience, knowledge and background to perform repairs accurately. Opinions from "repair shops" who are not authorized for these repairs or unfamiliar with the product don't provide any evidence of an inaccurate repair. We are sorry these shops provided incorrect information to the customer - it has lead to a misunderstanding of the repair process on this device. We encourage the customer to check out these "repair shops" - are they authorized? If so, they can look up the repair that was performed and clearly see the diagnostics and what parts were required for the repair. We believe this will be revealing. We consider this matter closed.

  Customer response

  01/01/2023

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  The response from this business owner is a perfect example of how the business owner is attempting to manipulate information and bully his way into avoiding taking responsibility.
  
  After agreeing to gather the requested documentation to prove my claims, he then says that he is considering the case closed. How is that fair? This is avoiding allowing the truth to come forward. Once again, I am more than willing to provide the case number to the pending investigation from Apple (who THEY are a premier partner of).
  
  Secondly, a business cannot claim to have over 35 years of experience when the person who misdiagnosed my computer was a young man who cannot possibly have over 35 years of experience. I never met the owner, even when I showed up at his business in person and he was in the back room he refused to come out and meet me face to face.
  
  The facts are that the business owner was not present during the diagnosis or possibly even repair of the computer. He was also not present when the young technician made the initial diagnosis. He even admits this because he was physically present at his other location, and not even in the same town. The data was 100% accessible up until the computer was at 1%. He was not there to witness this, and the quote in the documentation I uploaded also did not include this note. This is further evidence of possible misdiagnosis.
  
  I was bullied during the repair of my computer, by being called a scammer among other distasteful things when I became upset that my data was lost. Since the business owner told me that every call is recorded, I request that the business owner submit these recordings to BBB for review. I also request at this point that a mediator at BBB step in to give an unbiased opinion because this business owner is clearly biased and manipulating information, as well as deflecting instead of reviewing everything I have submitted objectively.

  Business response

  01/03/2023

  The customer has not provided any additional information. The device had a failed logic board, which was replaced. It's a straightforward repair and done quickly and with a high degree of accuracy. Repairing devices are the responsibility of an Apple Certified technician, not the President of a Corporation; there is no requirement or need for an officer of a corporation to be involved with day-to-day repairs. The customer is responsible for their data. Because of the nature of the failure (no power or response), that data appeared to have already been lost. Only through additional efforts above what is normally done was the data able to be recovered (Note for clarity: at no additional charge). At no point did the owner refuse to meet this customer or was even aware the customer visited the headquarters or requested a meeting with the board. Again, this case is closed as no information has been provided.

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Went to store to have I-phone restored to factory settings. After paying $50, 2 hours later and allegedly two tries I was told it couldn't be done. The reason was that there was possible water and internal damage. I showed the phone to two other technicians and was advised there was no water or internal damage. Went to ******** corporate store and after 20 minutes phone was restored to factory settings at no charge.

  Business response

  04/21/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/04/04) */ As explained to the customer up front, we did not feel the service they requested would correct the issue. We put that in writing on the customers copy of the Service Repair Order #***** which we have attached to this case. Additionally, we can see that no diagnostics were run by the third party the customer mentioned in their statement so it's unclear if the device is functional or not. If a diagnostic can be run on the unit and it is determined the unit is properly functioning we would be happy to provide a full refund - if we messed up, we'll own that! The customer can bring the device in at their convenience for the diagnostic and potential refund. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/04/04) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I do not know what service they performed. Diagnostics did not have to be performed because********* did exactly what I requested and put the phone back to it's factory settings. The phone was restored in 20 minutes. Everything has been downloaded that was backed up. Phone is working perfectly and I am responding on it. Afraid to take phone back to them as I don't not trust them. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2022/04/05) */ The service we attempted to perform is clearly indicated in Service Repair Order # ****. We are happy to provide a refund if the phone is working properly. We need to verify that by performing a 5 minute diagnostic on the device to verify it's working. Once completed and the phone is verified to be in good working condition, we are happy to provide a full refund. Bottom line is that if we messed up, we apologize and need to own that and provide a refund. Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2022/04/05) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I do not feel comfortable going back there and leaving my phone. There is no way I could be responding to you on it if it were not working. They should should just give me my money back. Business Response /* (4000, 13, 2022/04/07) */ There is no 'leaving' a phone. As previously stated, it takes 5 minutes to run the diagnostic to ensure the device is working and is done in front of the customer while they wait. The customer will need to come to the store anyway for a refund to be issued as we do not process credit card transactions over the phone for security reasons and do not keep credit card numbers on file, also we do not expose credit card numbers to anyone. Consumer Response /* (2000, 15, 2022/04/07) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) Am going to business on Saturday to try and finish this. As phone is working I am bringing another person with me to make sure business gives me the refund.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩