Margie U.
Major failure of a remote hearing aid service
I have had my hearing aids from hear.com about 1 1/2 years and thought everything was fine. Then the right ear device developed a problem of almost constant feedback noise. This started in early May and now in late July is still not resolved. Phone troubleshooting didn't resolve it. A new wire was sent which did not solve it. I was then told I would have to send in both of my hearing aids so that the right one could be repaired, which would take 1-2 weeks. I asked if they would send me temporary replacements but was told "we don't do that". I was told there was no one local who could help me (I live in a major metro area.) So I sent them in. At the 2 week mark I received a call stating that they could not be repaired so I was being sent replacements. We confirmed the shipping address and I requested a tracking number only to find they were sent to the wrong address, in another state yet, apparently the address of another client. Almost a week later I received a call that they had received my devices back and would ship them out to me. Again we confirmed the shipping address and I requested a tracking number. Again they were sent to the wrong address. I finally received them after 3 1/2 weeks and the original problem still existed. After another phone call from me, they are sending me a new wire (which had already been tried) with the explanation that perhaps it was a bad batch of wires. As a result of this experience I am totally irate and disgusted with hear.com. I have been without badly needed hearing aids for an unacceptable amount of time. Apparently quality control needs to be improved so that devices are sufficiently tested before being returned to a client, and also in the shopping department. Also temporary replacements should be provided, as is done with a local service. To update, I called 4 days after being told a new wire was being sent by UPS overnight since I still had not received it. Customer service determined that the wire was sent to the wrong address- unbelievable! I requested an escalation and was told the manager of the repair service would call me. I did not receive a call that day or the following day. Now it’s the weekend so I will see what happens on Monday. Customer service should have escalated this a long time ago. In light of the response from hear.com, i would add that with the new hearing aids and some adjustments made during the recent appointment, the problem has been resolved after 4 months of struggle. I would suggest that some additional customer service training may be in order so that they could have brought up the issue of possible interference from ear wax and suggested an appointment be set up. The wax is still there and will take some time and treatments to remove but my hearing aids are now functioning properly.
Response from hear.comSep 4, 2024
Margie, thank you for sharing your detailed feedback, and I sincerely apologize for the frustrating experience you’ve had. We completely understand how upsetting it must have been to face multiple issues, including delays and mistakes with shipping to the wrong address. This falls far below our standards, and we are truly sorry for the inconvenience this caused you. We’re happy to know that you have received your replacement hearing aids and that you had a follow-up appointment to further address any issues. During that appointment, we found that the right ear was 90% full of earwax, which can significantly impact the performance of the hearing aid. This could have contributed to the feedback noise you were experiencing. We truly appreciate your patience throughout this process, and we’re here to ensure that you’re fully satisfied with your hearing aids moving forward. If you need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re committed to improving our services and making sure you have the best experience possible. All the best! -Samantha, Customer Success Team