ComplaintsforPhonak

• Initial Complaint

  05/21/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  ALL BUYERS BEWARE: THIS COMPANY IS THE WORST!!! NO CUSTOMER SERVICE, NO LOGIC. WHEN YOU CALL, THEY HANG UP!Order# SEGE57680 On February 29, 2024, I purchased the ** 820 for $1,741.95 USD and received it on March 4th. I decided to return it and used their return process. On March 5th, I returned the product with their label and forgot about it, assuming a refund would follow.On April 6th, I realized I hadn't received a refund and contacted them with case C240406-0210. NO RESPONSE. Followed up on April 11th. They confirmed the item was returned but not moving with ***** and advised me to wait as they filed a claim with *****. No response until I emailed them again on April 28th.On April 29th, they again provided baseless information and directed ME to contact *****, contradicting their previous statement.Emailed them on May 6thNO RESPONSE. Emailed again on May 8th, and finally, they responded:Our Logistics team filed a claim for you. ***** has 90 days to reply. After that, I called and spoke with a representative who was extremely rude and unhelpful. I requested to speak with a supervisor, but she placed me on hold and then said all management is overseas. When I started to argue, she hung up on me.This is ridiculous behavior!!!***** is not disclosing any information to me since I am not the account holder who created the label. They are insisting that I need to wait until the claim is resolved, which is 90 days from April 11th.They plan to hold my money for 5 months since I purchased the product, without any customer support or logical sense.Apparently, ***** lost the package, but they are trying to find an excuse not to process a refund and constantly making me deal with this issue.This is definitely not the customer support or behavior you expect from such a big company.I was planning to purchase their soundbar, but after this issue, NO WAYI will stay away and recommend all future customers do the same!!!!

  

  Business response

  06/06/2024

  Dear BBB,

   

  We sincerely apologize for the experience Mr. ******* had when trying to return his product.  Unfortunately, there was an issue with the carrier and return was never received by our company.  We had to reach out to ***** to research and this took additional time.  ***** is still trying to locate his package, but as a courtesy to Mr. ******* we have refunded him in full even without receiving the product. The refund was issued on May 28, 2024 and a notification was sent to Mr. Makarov on May 28, 2024 as well. 

   

  Best Regards,
  
  *********************************
  Head of **************** Americas
  ------------------------------------------------------
  Sonova Consumer Hearing USA LLC
  **********************************************
  
  **************
  ************************************************************
  **********************************

• Initial Complaint

  03/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have an ******************* the center channel has a defect that makes dialogue sound muffled when Ambeo mode is turned on (I have already had to replace one for the same exact issue). It also has a red led light on through the grill that indicates a known center channel issue. This has been a known issue for years. I can't get anyone to respond to my emails. I see no phone number on their website to call under customer support. This is unacceptable in any case, but especially for a $2500 "premium" soundbar.

  

  Business response

  04/01/2024

  Dear BBB,

  I write in response to the complaint filed by consumer *********************.  We apologize for the inconvenience caused this has caused with **********.  Our technical support specialist has been in contact with **********.  We are currently in the process of shipping ********** a box for transport of his defective unit and have arranged for a shipment of new Ambeo Soundbar for replacement.

  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

  Best Regards,
  
  *********************************
  Head of **************** ********
  ------------------------------------------------------
  Sonova Consumer Hearing *** LLC
  *************************************************************************
  
  **************
  ************************************************************
  **********************************
  

   

  Customer response

  04/06/2024

   
  Complaint: 21477029
  
  I am rejecting this response because: This is partially true. They did not send me a new soundbar. I have to send the broken one in and they are going to see if they can repair it. I will be without a soundbar for however long this takes, assuming they can fix it. If they sent me a new soundbar I would have accepted the response and retracted my complaint. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************

  

  Business response

  04/17/2024

  Dear BBB,

  I apologize if there was any miscommunication regarding ************** soundbar, but I can assure you that his soundbar has been replaced and not repaired.  Our records indication that we shipped the replacement soundbar to ********** via tracking number 718386687827.  This was delivered to ********** on Saturday, April 13, 2024.  If ********** did not receive this, please have him contact us immediately.

  Sincerely,

  *********************************

   

  Customer response

  04/17/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************

• Initial Complaint

  03/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have had multiple problems with the hearing aides and I have not been able to use them for most of 2023. I keep trying to find a servicing place but, they will not work on these.

  

  Business response

  03/14/2024

  Good afternoon and thank you for reaching out.  We apologize for your experience with your hearing aids. Do you happen to know the make and model of your aids?  

  Your best option is indeed to find a provider in your area who can troubleshoot your hearing aids and send them in for service if needed.  Could you please respond to this email with your zip code so I can find a provider in your area?  Or you can go to phonak.com and find a provider in your area if that is easier.  

  Thank you

  Sonova Consumer Support

  Customer response

  03/15/2024

   
  Complaint: 21427573
  
  I am rejecting this response because:I am rejecting this response because: I have had these repaired a few times only to go bad in a short period of time.
  The worst part is the ear plugs are hard to maintain.
  The Bluetooth is good but difficult to switch over by touching the earpiece.
  Please let me switch to something less problematic.
  I can send you these back to you.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  

  Business response

  03/15/2024

  Hello and thank you for responding. 

  Again, we apologize for this inconvenience and want to make sure you have the appropriate resources to help you with your hearing instruments. 
  

  May I ask if you purchased these hearing instruments from your hearing care provider? If you can confirm where you purchased the aids from, I would be happy to reach out to them on your behalf to make sure they are aware of your issues.  In regards to returning hearing aids, that is between you and your hearing care provider because all financial transactions happen between you and your provider. 
  

  We very much want your experience with Sonova products to be positive.  Please confirm from where you purchased your aids and I would be happy to reach out to them so they can properly follow up with you. 

  With Kind Regards

  Sonova Consumer Support

  Customer response

  03/15/2024

   
  Complaint: 21427573
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I purchased them from this location.

  ********************************
  ********************************************************************************
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  03/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I originally purchased a pair of Sennheiser CX Plus True Wireless earbuds from Amazon on Dec. 16, 2022 (113-7483009-755549). The earbuds worked great, and I enjoyed them, until in June 2023, one of the earbuds quit working. No worries, I thought, this product has a 2 year warranty. I submitted a warranty request on June 14, 2023, and promptly received an RMA from Sonova/Sennheiser. I returned the defective pair of earbuds, and was sent a NEW set under warranty (C230614-0366). Fast forward to Dec. 15, 2023, and the replacement pair I was sent, suffered the same, early failure as the first pair. I again submitted a warranty return request, and again was send an RMA to return the second defective pair. Now today Jan. 2, 2024, I received (C231215-0185) from Sonova a USED pair of earbuds. First, the box had previously been opened, and resealed, at least three time, as evident by the 2 paper labels, and 1 large plastic sticker, as opposed to the small plastic sticker my 2 previous NEW pairs arrived with. Second, the serial number on the box, does not match the serial number on the bottom of the earbud case. Last, and worst of all, there is someone else's earwax inside one of the microphone holes on one of the earbuds! During this second warranty request, I had asked for a refund, as opposed to another pair of earbuds, with the track record of dying every 6 months. Instead they sent me a used pair! I attempted to contact Sonova directly through their online contact form, which was unable to be submitted, due to some error on their end. Then I tried calling them at 4:15 pm central, and received a recorded message that they were open between 9am and 6pm, which even if they were on eastern time, was only 5:15pm. At this point, I would like Sonova to send me a prepaid shipping label, as I've already paid shipping defective product back to them twice, to return this used pair back to them and a full refund of my purchase price.

  

  Business response

  01/05/2024

  Hello, thank you for reaching out.  I have forwarded your complaint to the BBB office in ***********. 

  Best of luck

  Sonova Consumer Support

  

  Business response

  01/23/2024

  Hello

  This will be forwarded to the BBB in ***********. 

  Sonova Consumer Support

  

  Business response

  01/26/2024

  Hello and thank you for reaching out.  This request has been forwarded to the *********** BBB.  

  Sonova Consumer Support

  

  Business response

  03/06/2024

  Dear BBB,

  We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience experienced by **************** with our CX Plus True Wireless earbuds.  Although our warranty process clearly states that we will either repair or replace any defective items, we have decided to provide **************** with a full refund as a one time courtesy.  Please note, since **************** did not purchase the earbuds directly through our company we will need additional information in order to process the refund.

  **************** will need to send us a copy of his original receipt.  He will need to return the current replacement pair of earbuds back to our warehouse.  We request the **************** provides us with the tracking number once he ships the item back.  When we can verify the return through our warehouse, we will reach out to **************** for a credit card number where we can post the credit.

  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

   

  Best Regards,

  *********************************
  Head of **************** ********
  ------------------------------------------------------
  Sonova Consumer Hearing *** LLC
  *************************************************************************
  
  **************
  ************************************************************
  **********************************
  
  

   

   

  Customer response

  03/12/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

  I will add, this is no thanks to the BBB and them constantly passing my complaint back and forth between different regional offices for 2 months. 

  ****** from Sonova finally contacted me, and is currently in the process of issuing my refund, and getting me a prepaid return label. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  02/28/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased the refurbished sennheiser 599HD for $161.46. I received the headphones on Feb 23rd and tested the out the same day. Upon plugging them in I was only getting audio out of the right ear cup. The left has produced no audio. I've tried using different audio cables and using different sources of audio to see if there was a change, but the problem still persists. I reached out to sennheiser on Feb 24th and received an automated response but no further information. It has now been 4 days since reaching out to them and still haven't heard anything back from them other than the automated response. Any help would be appreciated.

  

  Business response

  03/06/2024

  Dear BBB,

  We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience ********************** experienced with our product.  Our records indicate that on March 1,2024 we reached out to ********************** and advised him that he can return the product for a full refund.  If ********************** has any questions or needs additional assistance with the return process we are more than willing to help.

   

  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

  Best Regards,

  *********************************
  Head of **************** ********
  ------------------------------------------------------
  Sonova Consumer Hearing *** LLC
  *************************************************************************
  
  **************
  ************************************************************
  **********************************
  
  

   

• Initial Complaint

  02/06/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Hello,I bought an Ambeo Plus soundbar from Sennheiser a few weeks ago and have encountered issues. 1. Sound cutting out or sometimes the soundbar just doesn't have sound when the ** is on. I try to turn it on with the remote, but nothing happens. For me to get fix it I need to turn off the **.2. Audio plays through the soundbar without the ** on. I assume it's the cable ** that is connected to one of the **** on the ****** but the ** is off so why is there sound coming out of the soundbar? My other thought is someone from another apartment is using my Bluetooth, but does that make sense? Regardless, It's very creepy and its happened twice now.3. The night mode and voice enhancer appear to work but when my 2-year-old is asleep I find the voices are loud but so is the music and sound. I have played with most of the settings, but since the ** for AMBEO mode is unconventional, I am unsure how I should set the speaker so the voices are heard and the music and sound are quieter for nighttime. Please help with this as this was one of the big reasons for me buying this speaker.4. The lights on top of the soundbar do not turn off when I turn off the ** and stay on until I restart the soundbar from the app. * When I got the soundbar the box inside looked damaged as if this was not a new soundbar, but something refurbished. I have emailed Sennheiser twice now and have not heard back. What worries me is when I go looking into this soundbar I see many customers with the same issues and many not hearing back from ****. When I dive deeper and look at customer satisfaction I find hundreds of negative experiences. How is this possible for a brand that's known for quality?I am worried I will need to return this and for a sounbar that's thousands of dollars, this is not sustainable. What I am hoping for is help with my soundbar or a new replacement or if those are not on the table, give me my money back, please.Thank you, *****

  

  Business response

  02/05/2024

  Hello- thank you for reaching out.

  This request will be forwarded to the *********** BBB. 

  Thank you.

  Sonova Consumer Support

  Customer response

  02/05/2024

   
  Complaint: 21240612
  
  I am rejecting this response because they forwarded it so nothing has happened yet. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****************

  

  Business response

  02/12/2024

  Dear BBB,

  We apologize for any inconvenience caused to Mr. ************ After reviewing Mr. ******* complaint, one of our Technical Support Specialist reached out to him in order to assist with the issues he is experiencing with the soundbar.  Mr. ***** informed our specialist that he has already returned his product and was waiting for a refund.  I confirmed with our returns department that the product was received on February 8, ****, and the return has been processed.  We have issued Mr. ***** a full refund of his purchase price which he should see reflected in his account soon.   If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

  Sincerely,
  

  *********************************
  Head of **************** ********
  ------------------------------------------------------
  Sonova Consumer Hearing USA LLC
  *************************************************************************
  
  **************
  ************************************************************
  **********************************
  

   

   

  Customer response

  02/15/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and although I accept the response, I am still not pleased with the lack of customer service, the quality of the product and the optics around the company. I do not feel good about recommending their products at this time.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****************

• Initial Complaint

  02/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I purchased Phonak Audeo P90-RT hearing aids from Connect Hearing on ****** Is in *******, August 27, 2021. In August 2022 I moved home, to ***********, ******, after living in ********** for 10 years.I have had persistent problems with my hearing aids, most recently, the left. It charges but does not work. I have taken it to Connect Hearing in ***********, *********** and initially they were able to fix it. Now it does not work. I have approached Phonak online and by phone. None of the (minimal) suggestions have been successful.I am now advised by a tech support team email that I cannot have the hearing aid sent to a Phonak repair station for warrantied service, because I no longer reside in the country in which it was purchased. The hearing aids cost $4,749.** (United Health senior discount applied) and included a 36 month warranty. Nowhere in the warranty does it state that the hearing aids are not covered because I moved to ****** from the **.I am happy to send the hearing aid to the office in ******* where I purchased it, they could send it in for repair and then mail it to me; efforts to contact them have been unsuccessful. It seems so unfair that I spent so much money, fully expecting the warranty to be honoured, only to find that it is not.All I want is that the left hearing aid be repaired at no cost to me, since it is under warranty until the end of August, 2024.(You will notice that the sale receipt is from an office in *************. That's because there was rarely anyone ever in the ****** Is. office.)The money paid is in ** dollars.

  

  Business response

  02/12/2024

  Thank you for reaching out. We are very sorry to hear about your issues and frustrations. 

  
  Your first option, as you mentioned in your message, is to send your hearing aids to the ******* office that holds the warranty on the aids.  They can then send them into Phonak for repair and you can request the hearing aids be shipped directly back to you. 
  

  Another option is to contact Connect Hearing to find an office near you.  With that said, there may be a cost incurred because the international warranty is a one-year warranty from the date of purchase, which has now expired.  This information is in the back of your user manual. The toll-free number for Connect Hearing in ****** is ************** should you wish to pursue the second option.   

  With Kind Regards

  Phonak Consumer Support

  Customer response

  02/13/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  01/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  So me and my siblings purchased 3 different models of Phonak Audeo Lumity devices (L90 RT, L90 Life, L70 Life). We have Phonak Charger Case Go, Phonak Life ******** ********************** Charger case Ease. All 3 of us have 2 Skeleton Ear Molds with canal locks.The main issue is that the Ear piece ***** where the Ear molds sits inside when the hearing aids are charging are too small and will not allow our Ear molds to fit inside the chargers with the Lid closed. We have to buy another charger to place 1 hearing aid per charger to charge both at the same time overnight which is additional $200/charger.Phonak needs to upgrade the chargers so that consumers can fit both hearing aids with 2 skeleton ear molds (different sizes and shapes) into one charger without having to purchase another charger.The 2nd issue is that: With the Phonak Charger Case Go the internal battery will only charge 2 hearing aids 3 full times before the internal battery is dead.Me and my sister who both uses the Charger Case Go are going to *********** next month for 1 whole week and had to purchase a AC adapter for that country.We are only planning on going to *********** only 1 time which we are wasting money on AC adapter since the Charger should last for 7 full charges.We used to have the Phonak Audeo Marvel with Phonak Charger Case Combi and Phonak Power pack accessory and the power pack accessory charged our devices 7 full charges without the use of the cord.Issue #3: my brother lives in a house where he loses power a lot and he is 100% deaf so when hes house is out of power he has to come to my house to recharge his hearing aids.I even had to give him a spare key to my house so he can charge his hearing aids if Im out of the house.I believe that Phonak should had included the Phonak Power Pack accessory option to the Phonak Charger case Ease.We have spoken to our audiologists about this for a possible chargers upgrade but we wanted to bring these issues to Phonak directly.

  

  Business response

  01/25/2024

  Thank you for sharing this information to us and we apologize for any inconvenience this situation has caused you.  Your feedback about earmolds not fitting into the charger cases will be shared with our corporate product management team.  That said, all pricing and bundling of hearing aids and accessories, are set by your ************ Professional (HCP) so things like AC adapters and power packs would have to be included by them.  As pricing and bundling is not in scope for consumer support, your HCP is welcome to speak with their direct sales representatives to discuss these options. Thank you again for reaching out and providing your feedback.    Sonova Consumer Support 

  Customer response

  01/25/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  01/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Sennheiser sells wireless earbuds that come with a charging case. About one year after purchasing a set of CX Plus True Wireless earbuds, I have misplaced the case. After reaching out to **********, they told me that they do not sell replacements and did not offer any alternative way to charge the device. Instead, they told me to reach out to 3rd party retailers.

  

  Business response

  02/05/2024

  Thank you for reaching out. 

  This request will be forwarded to the *********** BBB.  

  Thank you

  Sonova Consumer Support

• Initial Complaint

  01/14/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On March 7, 2019 I ordered two Phonak Audeo M70-R hearing aids from ******************** Services located at **************************, phone ************, Dr. **************************** The warranty for these hearing aids went through 6/11/2021. After that date there would be a service charge if repair was needed and the repair work would be under warranty for one year after a repair was made. Since purchasing these I have four instances of having to send these in for repair:10/15/2021 left hearing aid did not work - charged $300 for repair 12/17/2021 replaced loose wire in hearing aid - charged $150 for repair 10/10/2022 right hearing aid did not work- charged $300 for repair 5/4/2023 left hearing aid did not work - charged $300 for repair I have gone in for the following clean and check visits:9/23/2019 hearing aid clean and check 5/6/2021 warranty check 12/17/2021 clean and check, wire replaced 11/13/2023 hearing aid clean and check On 1/14/2024 the right hearing aid that was repaired 10/10/2022 is not working. If I schedule this to be fixed the cost would now be $350 to send it in for repair. I have spent $1,050 in three years for repairs (for $6,000 hearing aids). If I schedule the latest one for repair it will be $1,400 for repairs in three years. I have voiced my concerns regarding the quality of this product with ******************** and am repeatedly told that this is a great product, they want to address my concerns and they offer to send in the broken hearing aid and have it fixed (for the fee of course). The reliability and quality of this particular set of hearing aids is unacceptable and I feel that the need to have these repaired, at my expense, will only continue. I ask that ******************** Services do one of two things: refund the cost of the hearing aids to my insurance company as well as refund the monies I have spent on repairs. Another, less appealing resolution, would be to provide a NEW set of hearing aids at no cost.

  

  Business response

  01/16/2024

  Thank you for reaching out.  

  We are very sorry to hear about this situation as it does not reflect the typical experience with our product.  This sounds like a very frustrating issue for you and we apologize for what this situation has caused you. Please understand that ******************** Services sets pricing for the hearing aids and the financial transactions were completed between you and their office. All services rendered are also provided to you by them.

  All that said, we will also reach out to them so they are aware of the situation.   

  Thank you, Phonak Consumer Support.  

  Customer response

  01/18/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me from the doctor/provider of services perspective.  ******************** responded quicky and offered to fix the right hearing aid at no cost.  When I went to the appointment with ******************** the LEFT hearing aid broke while in her office.  The left hearing aid was repaired at a cost of $300.00 on May 4, 2023.    Because it broke 7 months after being repaired it is still within the one-year warranty time period so will be fixed at no cost.   Dr.  ******** is following the procedures established by Phonak and returning them to be repaired and charging a fee to do so.   What is still unacceptable is the Phonak product is of very poor quality.   After these two repairs are made, the left one will have been in for repair three times and the right one in for repair four times in a 4-1/2 year time period.  I still believe that Phonak has a responsibility to resolve this issue from a long-term perspective.  Based upon the history of repairs the devices I have will no doubt continue to break.  A company that is concerned with the quality of their product would certainly offer to some type of resolution to resolve this issue for the long term.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

*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. ↩