ComplaintsforStarkey

• Initial Complaint

  01/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have had two pair of Starkey hearing aids. The first pair were bought about 4 years ago. I was never fully satisfied by the first pair, but the technician at ******* Hearing worked hard to keep them going. So when the new Starkey Genesis ***** 24 came out I was excited to give them a try to upgrade my hearing aids. I know now that was a huge mistake. My technician assured me that Starkey had done a good job with the new design. After I got my pair it wasnt long before a huge flaw showed up. At random times during the day my hearing aids changed the volume on my hearing aids. This happened every day several times a day. My technician tried every thing in his system to correct the flaw, but to no avail. He finally sent the at pair back to the factory and got me a brand new pair. I received the new pair after the first of the year (****) and tried them for the last 7 days and the same problem showed up immediately. I called Starkey but got no where. I am now going to by another set of hearing aids by another manufacturer. After spending over $13000 dollars for two pair of Starkey hearing aids, I now realize that Starkey is not responsive to the trials of their patients. I am not wealthy man but I have to move on from Starkey. I am extremely discouraged by this experience and just wish to warn others. Thanks for giving us this forum!

  

  Business response

  01/22/2024

  Hello -  A meeting is scheduled today with ************** and our Management Team to discuss a resolution.  Thank you.

  Customer response

  01/25/2024

   Better Business Bureau:

   

  By the way, I dont want this actually reflect badly on ******* Hearing and ******* St *******. They were tired and diligently to get my hearing aids to work. They were just overwhelmed by what they were facing.  But I would like commend *****************, the regional magnet of Audible and, in particular *******************, the miracle worker, for getting my hearing aids to function the way I always hoped they would!!  Here is **** response. 
  
  
  
  
  Hi Bill,
  
  I apologize for the delay here, I was in *********** for meetings last week when you called. I spoke with the Sales Representative for the clinic below, he has called the clinic and let them know the background here and what we are looking to do with your hearing aids.
  
  The location address is:
  
  My Hearing Aid Place
  *************************************************************
  
  Phone #: ************
  
  Provider: *************************
  
  
  
  
  ****** is a miracle worker!! She got my hearing aids functioning!

  Thaks for your help BBB!!
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

• Initial Complaint

  12/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have recently purchased new Starkey Hearing Aids. In the booklet provided it showed accessorries..So I ordered the tabletop microphone which I could use for TV and carry with me and place on table when I'm dining with others. I live in a retirement community that employs great tech people. I've been wearing hearing aids for many years. Those were Phonak, but my hearing specialist suggest Starkey because they were better for my worsening hearing. I tried to set up the new device and couldn't. I then a friend and they couldn't make it work either. And neither could our tech people. I couldn't find a way to talk to Starkey directly so I'm writing you to hope you can help me find someone who can tell me or ********* here how to do it.

  

  Business response

  12/20/2022

  Hello - I did leave a a detailed voice message on the phone number provided and a left two options of phone numbers to call back for assistance in pairing. Starkey would be happy to assist in the pairing and sent an email to the provided email with offering our assistance and how to reach us.

   

  Here is a copy of the text sent in the email today:

  Hello *****
  
  I did receive your complaint through the Better Business Bureau in regard to pairing your hearing aids with the table microphone accessory. Our Tech Support Team is available Monday Friday from 7:30 am 5:00 pm CST to assist with pairing your hearing aids to your table mic.  I can also be reached on my direct line at ************.
  
  If you have not been able to locate the set up instructions,they can be found here: https://cdn.mediavalet.com/usil/starkeyhearingtech/MtWxaTpw-kSubidFFtDbJQ/WGBzVIzmk0GxvuGJswy__Q/Original/Table%20Microphone%20QuickTIP.pdf
  
  Also, you can locate our General Support website at https://www.starkey.com/support/get-help that would include online troubleshooting support.
  
  We apologize for the difficulties you are experiencing with pairing your hearing aids to your table microphone accessory and would like to assist you in a successful pairing!
  
  Thank you!

• Initial Complaint

  06/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have a pair of Starkey Hearing Aids still under warranty. When I purchased them I was given an app for my cell phone called Thrive that had a Find My Hearing Aid feature. On May 25 I lost a hearing aid. Tried to use the feature. The app tried to connect to my hearing aids for 30 minutes and failed. Not only could it not find the missing one it couldn't find the other one which was 6 inches away from the phone where the app was running. When I got in touch with my provider (Hear Well Again ************) , they told me that the App does not work right on Android phones which mine happens to be. See the reviews on ****** play at the link below, as well as previous BBB complaints and you will see this is true https://play.******.com/store/apps/details?id=com.starkey.android.newlink.release&hl=en_US&gl=US I spent an hour on the phone with a Starkey tech support rep on 5/31. He tried to help but we could not get the app to find the missing hearing aid. My provider charged me a $400 deductible to order a replacement. It is not fair to charge me $400 when the app is so bad that I had no chance whatsoever of finding the missing HA.

  

  Business response

  06/13/2022

  Hello - I received a voicemail from ******* on 6/2 and was able to connect with him on 6/2. He explained his experience that is highlighted in the complaint details. He stated the phone he has is a ** LMX 320 Android phone.  That particular phone model is not on our Android Compatibility list.  Here is a link to phones that are compatible with our Hearing Aids and our Thrive App: https://www.starkey.com/hearing-aids/apps/thrive-hearing-control/compatibility  I informed ******* that his phone is not compatible and that is the cause of why the Find My Hearing Aid feature in the Thrive App did not work.  I informed him that Starkey does not state or claim full function and compatibility with the ** LMX 320 Phone.  I informed him that the $400 loss and damage deductible charge is a fee his hearing care professional charges and payments are made to the hearing care professionals office and any refunds or price changes would need to be discussed with his hearing care professional.  Our Starkey Rep that works with his hearing care professional spoke with ********* hearing care professional and the Office stated they did not state or portray that ********* phone would be compatible and track his lost hearing aid.  ********** stated they will not be issuing a refund.

  Customer response

  06/14/2022

   I am rejecting this response because: 

  When the hearing aids were demoed to me the day I purchased them - I was shown the find my hearing aid feature (after the app was installed on my phone) before I made the purchase. It worked successfully. I would say that this is portraying that the app would work with my phone. Unfortunately that was the only time it ever worked.   Apparently my phone is one that the app works on intermittently.  It was my expectation from having seen it work the one time that it would work in future should I need it. If my phone was not a compatible model I should have been made aware of this fact

  
  

  

  Business response

  06/23/2022

  Starkey as the manufacturer of the hearing aids was not present at the time of the purchase and did not have a Manufacturer represent present at time. Starkey cannot speak on what was portrayed, but we can speak on that Starkey has never published anything that states our "find my hearing aids" feature works with all androids and that there is a list of phones available to the consumer via Starkey.com or to the practitioner on starkeypro.com. The original purchase agreement with the Loss and Damage information and details was done and agreed upon by the Consumer and their Hearing Care Office.  The replacement cost of $400 was paid to the Hearing ************ not Starkey as the manufacturer and we would not have received any funds to return to the consumer.  The purchase agreement and payments were made to an independently owned office and not with Starkey.  

• Initial Complaint

  03/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I spent $5091.00 on November 16, 2020, on my hearing aids, thinking that this would be great to be able to hear like the rest of the world, and all was well. Then about three months ago, January 2022, I noticed that the batteries started not holding a full charge. So like anything else, I contacted Starkey hearing aids, the manufacturer of the hearing aids to find out what type of warranty they had and how to have them serviced. They told me to contact the place I bought them from, so I did. I got and made an appointment to go into New Sound Hearing to find out what we can do about this. I was told that the warranty had just expired, it was for one year, and that I would have to pay to have them replaced. I was like, ok, so what is that charge? Well, that is roughly $450.00 per hearing aid. I was floored as they are only 13 months old, and the person told me if I had come in before the year, they would have replaced them as they go out right around a year. So I told her you are telling me this will be $1,000.00 a year for batteries. After paying over five thousand for these hearing aids, I will use them until they die as I will not pay $1,000.00 every year to get new batteries. They should tell you this upfront when you are buying them. The amount they charge for these hearing aids is upfront about the life span. Then New Sound Hearing said I could buy their service plan at $600.00 per hearing aid, and then I could pay a smaller deductible to have them replaced. I was like, that is more than sending them, and they are like well it also covers loss and other stuff. I just paid $5,091 for these devices. I still owe $1,000, and they can send me to collections. I am willing to take a hit on my credit report versus being bullied into paying this amount of money for something that you know is faulty with the life of the batteries and not disclose this upfront. I am beside

  

  Business response

  04/08/2022

  Starkey is working with the customer on a solution.

  Customer response

  04/08/2022

   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.

   

  The company has done a great job in resolving this problem Thank You ****.

   

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

*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. ↩