Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/14/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I'm writing this for my mom. My mom got her new StarLink hearing aids in July 2024. She had Widex before, and they were great for the first four years( at $500) but they got old. Her doctor in **********, ** recommended these STARLInks at $4000 ( after the insurance covered a small portion) with custom molds, which have been a problem since the beginning. The mold for her right ear didn't fit, and we had to send it back to fix it. On the STArKey app, we do a self-check and it says the wax plug needs changing and the microphone needs cleaning ( on the right ear), nope the details remain the same after doing that and they don't work better. I customize the programs with the equalizer and adjust the volume with each ear multiple times a day -nope, not better. It doesn't make sense. We also get her ears checked for wax every 2 months with the **** Why am I constantly readjusting and customizing programs and taking my mom to the audiologist? Is ******** willing to replace these? Don't they have a warranty? Why are they so bad? What is our recourse? Repair, Replacement or Refund?

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/15/2025

  Hello - We are sorry to learn of your current experience with the hearing aids and the issues that have arised.  I attempted to contact you via the phone number provided and did leave a message.  Please contact me directly at ************ to discuss a resolution. Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/16/2025

   We were at a wake of a family member when you called and have funeral today .  We will return the call asap

   

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/26/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I've been paying to extend the warranty service on my hearing aids for two years and when I had to have my hearing aids sent in for service I was told sorry that part of your hearing aid is not covered; that will be $259.00. Thank you for doing business with us, we value you as a customer.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/27/2024

  Hello - I spoke with Mr. ****** and also with the Office he purchased his hearing aids and extended warranty through. We reached a resolution to extend warranty coverage for complete repair.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/11/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  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

  Date: 01/22/2024

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

  Customer Answer

  Date: 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

  Date:12/20/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  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

  Date: 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

  Date:06/06/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  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

  Date: 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 Answer

  Date: 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

  Date: 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.