Support?? Futaba vs JR/Spektrum

[HeLiJerSey]

OK guys i`m a newbie here! i just got my 10CHG, and i called for support just to see how they are as far as customer relations, like how they treat there customers.
(very very poor) Especially newbies like me. i was asking him about the sliders on the sides of the TX and the 3 knobs. i nicely asked him i am not all familiar with this, so please bear with me on this one. so I'm thinking he was telling himself ok i will teach him. instead he tells me to read the manual.i said fine!
reading is great but reading a manual that you have no clue what the hell the radio has to offer and has so many features. even if i did read it, i still wouldn't understand it because i don't know the proper lingo or terms when it comes to the heli world. so he said the only way you will know is building the heli and if something doesn't work there can be an issue with the TX and RX. i asked him what is his position he said he was a lead tech..i was like WOW, if your a lead tech you should take time to explain to a customer who is new to the hobby. so know i have to go and read the manual. i hope its written for dummies 101. this way i can understand certain functions.
i thought your suppose enjoy the hobby not what to bring back all your FUTABA items and get JR. finally i called Horizon Hobbies which they support JR and Spektrum.
i told him i just bought a DX 7, asked them what is collective and cyclic which is a very dumb question and i didn't even tell him i was a newbie. he explained to me what it does, nicely. and he asked is there anything else i can help you with? i said no thanks for your assistance.

i just want to take a poll on overall customer satisfaction, not the product itself.
so please feel free to input your experiences with FUTABA (hobby services) versus JR/SPEKTRUM (horizon hobbies)
PLEASE SELECT THE BETTER CUSTOMER SUPPORT. THANKS!!!!!!

[flyinfool]

I voted Futaba not so much for support but for service.
Fortunately, I have never needed to call for support.
I sent in my 14MZ for a problem 2 years out of warranty and it was repaired at no charge and back out the door in 2 days. The UPS tracking said that they received it on Tuesday afternoon and shipped it on Thursday.

A friend had his 9303 in for a problem and they took 4 weeks to even look at it, and another 2 weeks to fix it. Add a week each way for shipping and that is 2 months of no flying.
They were also very rude on the phone when he called to check progress weekly.

[mkoutnik]

Futaba's customer service is dismal, at best. I had a similar experience...As a newbie, I called about my 401 gyro. the jackass that answered the phone couldn't have cared less about my questions and treated me like I was an idiot because I didn't know the in's-and-out's of gyros. Never called again!

Spektrum, on the other hand, was fantastic to deal with.

[Flyextreme]

I won't even attempt to get service or support from Futaba "ever" again (don't get me started). I've have had nothing but outstanding service and support from Spektrum/JR (Horizon).

[HeLiJerSey]

Originally Posted by mkoutnik

Futaba's customer service is dismal, at best. I had a similar experience...As a newbie, I called about my 401 gyro. the jackass that answered the phone couldn't have cared less about my questions and treated me like I was an idiot because I didn't know the in's-and-out's of gyros. Never called again!

Spektrum, on the other hand, was fantastic to deal with.

OMG, that`s how i felt like a f`in jackass. and he made me feeeel and look like a f`in jackass twice...

[Lota Fun R]

I can't vote because I've only used Spektrum. The service that I have needed was very good and even though I was a dumb ass they didn't imply that in any way. My DX7 had a blown fuse and I was sure I had fried the thing, nope, just a fuse. And no charge.

[HeLiJerSey]

well this will be a heads up to everybody. or somebody that dealt with futaba themselves. specially a lead tech from futaba....im selling all my futaba stuff. anybody?? selling everything for a dollar. because that is what they are worth due to there customer support failure. i should call better business to file a complaint as well as check there stocks..that is even they have stocks...lol.. all in fun..just trying to help the newbies like me. so they know not to order a futaba product becasue if they have an issue they might as well throw out the product...lol

[cbdane]

I'm sorry but I just cn't conceive of calling a support line to ask "how's this work?" without reading the manual. Support is for "something's wrong" and not for "teach me the hobby."

[TheBum]

Originally Posted by cbdane

I'm sorry but I just cn't conceive of calling a support line to ask "how's this work?" without reading the manual. Support is for "something's wrong" and not for "teach me the hobby."

I agree except for cases where the manual is lacking. Case in point: programmable mixes. Other than a few specific examples, JR/Spektrum has no documentation on them and the examples don't fully explain the relation between the parameters and the resultant mix.

[joop1987]

Horizon Hobbies is employee owned company. Futaba/Tower are not. The employee's at Horizon are hobbiest who actaully play with the stuff they sell. They will stay on the phone with you until you fully understand their answer.

[ClayK]

The important point is that the OP didn't read the manual and then called customer service to ask a question on something that may or may not have been in the manual. Honestly, you can't expect to intelligently debate that point.... RTFM.

[daniel.messem]

Every query I have sent to JR has been answered quickly and completly - the answers I have received from Futaba all had some really wierd stuff in... confusing frequency with wavelength...giving me servo specs which contradict those on their website... come on guys, if anyone on this forum were to make a mistake like that in a post it would be shot down (nicely im sure )

[HeLiJerSey]

Originally Posted by ClayK

The important point is that the OP didn't read the manual and then called customer service to ask a question on something that may or may not have been in the manual. Honestly, you can't expect to intelligently debate that point.... RTFM.

what good is reading the manual when you dont know certain heli terms??
its like buying a new car and the sales person tells you read the manual..what would you do?

[Flyextreme]

Originally Posted by ClayK

The important point is that the OP didn't read the manual and then called customer service to ask a question on something that may or may not have been in the manual. Honestly, you can't expect to intelligently debate that point.... RTFM.

That's only one issue.....in general....IMHO....from my experience.......Futaba support and service SUCK!!! At the very least, by comparison to alot of other companies.

My 2 cents

[newhelliguy]

In the gy520 manual they have the color of the indicator red for acvs on one page and blue on another page. I emailed and they said blue was correct but everyone i have seen is red in avcs mode.

I have sent bad servos back to Futaba though and the always send me new ones. HH has always been good to replace bad stuff also. I cant vote for both but as far as service I have had great luck with both.

[cbdane]

Originally Posted by HeLiJerSey

what good is reading the manual when you dont know certain heli terms??
its like buying a new car and the sales person tells you read the manual..what would you do?

I understand what you're saying. The problem though, is that you can't expect the support service for an R/C radio system to teach the user about helicopter terms and how helicopters are controlled.

Using your car analogy, what you're suggesting would be like buying a new car and then telling the sales person, "Now, so... how do you drive this thing?"

BTW: That's why this forum is such a valuable resource. It's all here.

[HeLiJerSey]

Originally Posted by cbdane

I understand what you're saying. The problem though, is that you can't expect the support service for an R/C radio system to teach the user about helicopter terms and how helicopters are controlled.

Using your car analogy, what you're suggesting would be like buying a new car and then telling the sales person, "Now, so... how do you drive this thing?"

BTW: That's why this forum is such a valuable resource. It's all here.

yes you are right. i just didn't like his demeanor. no question is a dumb question, that`s how i look at life. he made me feel like doggy poop. i guess the way he said it. he had the red neck accent. i guess when he heard my jersey accent he was like f.. this dude....lol

look at it this way I'm not the only one who experienced this. there is more stuff that i asked, but i will keep it to myself. put it this way, FUTABA, is very proprietary!!! and that is all i have to say. i am sure it will pop up on this thread somewhere....

[Greybird]

I think Finless explains those sliders in his video's somewhere.

[HeLiJerSey]

yes he does i actually downloaded all his vids for the 10c..FINLESS is the man!!handsdown!!

[aucmax]

Originally Posted by HeLiJerSey

yes he does i actually downloaded all his vids for the 10c..FINLESS is the man!!handsdown!!

Did you watch them all...some twice? And then checked the manual again after you perused through it the first time before studying the vids? If so, then you have every right to contact Futaba with addition concerns. Jeez, you could have asked Finless and he could have most likely helped you! This is your forum as much as anybody else...Use it to your advantage! Anyway, in the future, try to be very specific with your problem, not generalistic. That will get you a much better response from any product support line that you may choose. Remember, these people are VERY busy troubleshooting problems that could have been avoided if customers first chose to do their homework. (that is probably why they are so busy, and abrupt, with their responses)? Just my 2 cents.