This potential Fanatec customer might have to buy elswhere

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I've been monitoring all the GT boards the last couple months and am pretty discouraged by the comments regarding Fanatec. I don't currently own a PS3, but plan to buy one when GT5 comes out.

I want to buy a Rennsport stand and wheel, and have narrowed it down to the 911 Turbo wheel because I would like the wireless connection to the PS3. However the many comments about Fanatec's poor customer service has me worried. I can understand a company getting behind in assembling products, but they should eventually correct that situation. What I don't understand is the apparent lack, or inconsistency, in their customer service. In my mind there is no excuse for that. How can a company not keep customers informed about their purchases? Even worse how can they not respond to customers with problems who already bought their products? Customer support should be their #1 priority.

I'm not trying to suggest that Thomas and his company aren't trying, but obviously they need to do something to correct the situation. I also understand that people with problems might be more likely to post to forums such as this; however, there seems to be quite a few posts regarding problems with their customer support. These problems are even posted on Fanatec's web site and have not received responses.

So what's a potential customer like myself supposed to do? If Fanatec is having these problems now, what is going to happen when GT5 finally releases? They are probably going to get flooded with orders for wheels from new customers such as myself and current GT owners who want to upgrade their wheels. Is Fanatec prepared for this?

So I guess it's my choice whether I roll the dice with Fanatec or go with a wired Logitech wheel and Wheel Stand Pro that isn't my first choice. It's a shame because I would still buy from them if they at least responded to the customer service complaints. Or if I'm wrong, I would love to hear Fantec's view on things.

Sorry for my long rant as my first post.
 
We are fully working on improving the service but it takes some time. We are currently installing a CRM system, new website, new webshop, international support agents etc etc. And of course we are fully focused on solving any technical issues and improving quality.

Fortunatly we have a lot of very satisfied customers out there but the picture you get in forums is simple: People have the tendency to complain heavily and loud when something goes wrong and of course they do this in order to get help. But if everything is going well there is little incentive to post something positive. And if there is something positive many people will not note it as well as a negative post. This is also human nature as we are trained to look at the obstacles and potential threats.

Even in the worst batch we have sent out (which was the first batch of GT3RS wheels) we had a defective rate below 10% (which was certainly still too high) but in the forums it sounded like 110%.
 
WOW Fanatec, thanks for the response! I never expected a response, let alone this quickly. I'm glad you posted because it might help clear some things up, especially for potential customers like myself.

I agree that forums like this usually bring out people with problems, more so than satisfied customers so it's great to hear you're addressing any issues you have.

You've instilled confidence in me again that I can now go back to my first choice of your Rennsport stand and 911 Turbo wheel.

Thanks again for the update. Just doing updates like this when you can helps instill confidence in potential customers like myself.

Thanks again.
 
Yeah, I'm looking forward to the improved tech support :/ I'm still waiting for a reply about my issues...
 
Hey Thomas, I'm just here to let you know that I am a very happy customer with both the Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo S wheel package and the extra Club Sport Pedals I order later both have been working great with no problems at all in both Forza 3 and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, and now the GT5 TT demo.

I am so happy with my purchases that I am just waiting for you to make a Club Sport shifter (H pattern) and as soon as it hits the website you will have one customer in me.

So congratulations on making a great product and actually delivering on your promises.
Good luck and I will be looking for more great products from your company.
 
I myself am a happy Fanatec customer. I recieved my Rennsport wheel stand in approximately 6 days from my order time. It came with great intructions and with all the neccessary tools. Great product and great proccesing time!
 
Fanatec...
We are fully working on improving the service but it takes some time. We are currently installing a CRM system, new website, new webshop, international support agents etc etc. And of course we are fully focused on solving any technical issues and improving quality.
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You answered a thread from a prospective client, telling them how good your service "will be" in the future. This is to entice prospective clients to buy your product. But yet, numerous threads that this perspective client has been reading have been sitting there with no help or sporadic help. Some state they are getting emails back almost immediately, some six days, some 3-4 week. Personally, we're on two weeks with no return emails.

We ordered our wheel/pedals and it took almost 6 weeks to receive. Others are claiming faster shipping. Dependent on the product, time beta/production? What is a person to do?

Sure are looking forward to the improved service, see thread https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=124714
 
You know, I appreciate Fanatec's honesty here. They aren't hardware giants like Logitech and they seem to be aware and acknowledge their customer service flaws... I know this doesn't justify bad customer service but this is at least something to take into account. They also take the time to post in our forums and provide us with some information other manufacturers wouldn't share... Do you think Logitech would share their defective rates with us?
 
Coxis
You know, I appreciate Fanatec's honesty here. They aren't hardware giants like Logitech and they seem to be aware and acknowledge their customer service flaws... I know this doesn't justify bad customer service but this is at least something to take into account. They also take the time to post in our forums and provide us with some information other manufacturers wouldn't share... Do you think Logitech would share their defective rates with us?
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+1 indeed. I've benn able to get ahold of Thomas through here, Youtube and another forum (can't remember which) but I also see him commenting in product reviews.

I should be getting my Turbo S next week or the week after (customs from USA to Canada, sheesh :ouch:)

Out of the thousands of people who have ordered these wheels so far the vocal minority is going to be the people who have had problems with the product and/or customer service which makes perfect sense.

*crossing fingers for solid product* :scared:👍
 
Just wondering,
Is the price of shipping to the USA really high for a Fanetec wheel ?
If you live in the USA where would the wheel and other parts you might buy be getting shipped from ?
 
Kilborn230
I've benn able to get ahold of Thomas through here, Youtube and another forum (can't remember which) but I also see him commenting in product reviews.
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Maybe, .. he should focus more on his customers, rather than trawling the internet while he's supposed to be working. It seems to me they're more worried about recruiting more custom than they are dealing with the ones they have already.

Also, the product obviously has a cost price to the company, but they randomly chose a price to charge everyone in their respective currencies. (clubsport gt3rs) $299.95 and 299.95 euros ??

What? Does the european wheel have better build quality or features? Or is it just a random and unexplainable price hike? The exchange rate doesnt apply at fanatec? You get charged delivery and import tax on that too!
 
Fanatec...
People have the tendency to complain heavily and loud when something goes wrong and of course they do this in order to get help. But if everything is going well there is little incentive to post something positive.
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That is a very irrelevant and over used response. It has nothing to do with what he wrote. The fact is that there are people who feel you guys have terrible customer service. Other people saying it's great, won't change that.
 
I hope the customer service does improve. I love my Turbo S wheel. However, I (like many, and don't you try and deny it, there is too much evidence) am still waiting on not only a product, but a response to multiple emails. Like many people on this forum, I have been waiting months for a simple email response. I was promised something and told it would be sent out immediately, and yet months later I am still waiting, and still with no response, or any update.... at all....

The wheel itself has worked flawlessly (thus far), and I am enjoying it quite a bit.

The customer service however, is a big problem. There's no denying it.



;)
 
Well there is a lot what the customers can do in order to help us as well:

-Please do not send us e-amils to several e-mail accounts. We have to search multiple folders to find out to who you wrote.

- Please send us pictures or a video (using mediafire.com) to describe the problem

- Please don`t send us multiple emails

- Please include the invoice number (better attach the invoice) and the serial number.

It takes a lot of time for us to check with every email what the problem really is and if the customer is actually qualified for service.
 
dave_sz
That is a very irrelevant and over used response. It has nothing to do with what he wrote. The fact is that there are people who feel you guys have terrible customer service. Other people saying it's great, won't change that.
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Likewise, the fact that others have a less than positive experience does not change the fact that I and the majority of other Fanatec's recent and long time customers have had a positive one and now quietly enjoy a high quality, premium (and in the of the case Turbo S Clubsport edition wheel, a unique) product. What it does do is give a balanced picture of the situation this cannot be a be a thing can it?

How else do you expect Fanatec/Thomas to respond but as he has on several forums (and is now being criticised for by some in this thread) but to apologise and acknowledge the problems they are having at this time and say they are trying to rectify the matter?

While doing so is it so unreasonable to then wish to have readers of forums such as this (who are, of course, the target audience for his products) realise that the complaints they read as they consider what to buy, are not, the overall impression of his company, its products and their efforts to provide as good a service as they would no doubt wish to provide?

Surely Fanatec as a company have at least as much to lose as any individual customer who has been unfortunate to have problems with their orders/deliveries etc.
 
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Fanatec...
Well there is a lot what the customers can do in order to help us as well:

-Please do not send us e-amils to several e-mail accounts. We have to search multiple folders to find out to who you wrote.

- Please send us pictures or a video (using mediafire.com) to describe the problem

- Please don`t send us multiple emails

- Please include the invoice number (better attach the invoice) and the serial number.

It takes a lot of time for us to check with every email what the problem really is and if the customer is actually qualified for service.
Click to expand...


Sounds like the customer service was originally designed poorly... :)
 
Funny thing is i was thissss close to copping a Fanatec wheel. I hate to say... but this is the reason they lost a customer to Logitech. I just really can't be bothered with poor service. As nice as the wheels look, i really cant handle having to wait a month for a simple response to my problem, and even longer to get them fixed.
 
Live_Fr0m_NY
Funny thing is i was thissss close to copping a Fanatec wheel. I hate to say... but this is the reason they lost a customer to Logitech. I just really can't be bothered with poor service. As nice as the wheels look, i really cant handle having to wait a month for a simple response to my problem, and even longer to get them fixed.
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I can sympathise, in between placing my order on the 26.9.09 and receiving it on the 9.12.09 I would read forums daily and see all the problems that others were having but I held my nerve and didn't cancel (really though there is no alternative for my specific requirements) the Turbo S was and is perfect for my needs in that it is multiformat and I had enough of having several wheels and the thought of having to change wheels on the Rennesport wheelstand (I went to the Fanatec site for originally!!) every time I wanted to play a different game was to much to bear...

However having waited 24 hours to finally turn it on (fearing the worst) I have enjoyed problem free virtual driving in all games played on all formats thus far, and so now can't help but think how close I came to missing out on this is. This is now the primary reason I do vouch for Fanatec as I do.

It is worth noting up until it launched I had hoped that the G25 replacement would be multi format, I would have bought it in an instant if it had, as I had wanted a clutch pedal since the G25 came out.
 
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Fanatec...
Well there is a lot what the customers can do in order to help us as well:

-Please do not send us e-amils to several e-mail accounts. We have to search multiple folders to find out to who you wrote.

- Please send us pictures or a video (using mediafire.com) to describe the problem

- Please don`t send us multiple emails

- Please include the invoice number (better attach the invoice) and the serial number.

It takes a lot of time for us to check with every email what the problem really is and if the customer is actually qualified for service.
Click to expand...

If all that is needed, why on earth there is no form in webpage where user could fill all the regurements (upload video etc) And mail would automaticly go to what ever email address you want.
 
:) I think we all know how send email (even with attachments :O ) but i think you got my point; "support form" would clear those issues fantec posted about.
 
W00ps!

Link didn't show what I wanted to show.

This is what I wanted to show you. Is this what you want?



I'm not defending Fanatec. Fanatec/Thomas if you read this, with all due respect, I don't entirely trust you.

Remember my lenghty post in https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=112348 talking about a generic versus Porsche wheel and the license costs involved? Well, I think it's the right moment to explain that post.

In the https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=112348 thread, you once said that the Porsche license makes these wheels a bit more expensive than a generic wheel. In another post, you said that it wouldn't make any difference, that, if I understood you correctly, a generic wheel would be as expensive as a Porsche licensed wheel due to the expensive and high end materials used for making the Fanatec Porsche wheels.

Well as an entrepreneurn, CEO of Fanatec, you have to be consistent and honest, which you clearly aren't. A generic Fanatec wheel is less expensive or it's not. Don't change your mind, stick to what is and don't make up stories, just to go along with another poster when you obviously don't see eye to eye with me.

At the moment I'm leaning towards a Logitech wheel but if Fanatec develops a generic wheel and all the service problems and some are solved, I could still be pursuaded to buy a Fanatec wheel. I can't deny it, Fanatec wheels are very decent wheels, I have no doubt about that.

These are harsh words and I'm being rude at the moment, but if no-one speaks up, nothing will change. Let's say that these words are meant as a wake up call for Fanatec! ;)

If you can prove me wrong, I'm the first to admit that I'm in the wrong.

I think I'm going to get in trouble with this post.
 
I've started my trust with Fanatec with a Turbo S. If that falls through, they can completely forget my Rennsport Cockpit purchase later this year. We'll see how it goes. With all the problems I've seen pop up, I still decided to give it a try since it fits my needs best with me needing PS3/360/PC support. First and foremost though, the product needs to work properly. If by some chance that it doesn't, it needs to be fixed in a timely and professional manner.

If those criteria can't be met, this will be my only Fanatec purchase. Ever.
 
F34R
I've started my trust with Fanatec with a Turbo S. If that falls through, they can completely forget my Rennsport Cockpit purchase later this year. We'll see how it goes. With all the problems I've seen pop up, I still decided to give it a try since it fits my needs best with me needing PS3/360/PC support. First and foremost though, the product needs to work properly. If by some chance that it doesn't, it needs to be fixed in a timely and professional manner.

If those criteria can't be met, this will be my only Fanatec purchase. Ever.
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I like Fanatecs gt3rs wheel. Although my gt3rs is total failure, I still may buy turbo S in summer if I have enough money for it and hope it works better.
 
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I am amazed that Fanatec has been able to handle customer service at all without the use of a CRM. As someone who works in business software, I can tell you that good CRM software will immediately improve their customer relations/service. As far as you people telling Thomas to get back to work: An argument can be made that trawling around the internet is a valuable part of his job. Also, I know no one that works every waking hour. You have every right to be upset, but be realistic.
 
<<<<<< This GTP member is still a potential Fanatec customer in spite of all the problems mentioned here and elsewhere on the internet.
 
i only emailed them a few days ago about my wheel I ordered on the 23rd. I hope to hear something in the way of a reply or shipping date.... SOON.
 
F34R
i only emailed them a few days ago about my wheel I ordered on the 23rd. I hope to hear something in the way of a reply or shipping date.... SOON.
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You will.....








Next month...





;)
 

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