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| A broken 34470A and Keysight's terrible customer service |
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| 6thimage:
My 34470A (7.5 digit multimeter) died 2 weeks ago - it was happy logging away one moment, beeped and then the screen went white with some random black vertical lines on it. It now will not boot and can't make it into the bootloader - from a while back, there is a serial connector on the back of the front panel where you can normally see boot messages (from both u-boot and the multimeter's firmware), but nothing comes out of it. Whilst I'm annoyed at any piece of equipment failing (who isn't), what is by far the most irritating is Keysight's response to all of this, which I think is best summed up by their last email to me: --- Quote ---Keysight products are designed, manufactured, and tested for professional and industrial use. They are not designed or tested for personal, domestic, or household use. While we thank you for your interest in our products and/or services, we are unable to provide you with technical support without a VAT ID or equivalent proof of business license. --- End quote --- I'm based in the UK, where there is no such thing as a business license and VAT registration is only required for turnovers greater than £85,000 - so Keysight are effectively discriminating against small businesses just in case someone wants to buy a 7.5 digit multimeter for domestic use. So whilst I'm trying to find any possible way to convince them into even considering repairing it, I thought it might be worth bringing to people's attention so anyone who's self-employed / a contractor / runs a small business knows to avoid Keysight. |
| Kean:
See also this thread https://www.eevblog.com/forum/metrology/keysight-(lack-of)-calibration-other-services/ |
| bd139:
Wankers. Sue them. If you’re a private buyer (implied if you don’t have an account with someone) and you bought it as a retail customer you should still be protected by CRA 2015 on this. https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/consumer-rights-refunds-exchange/ Keysight do not have a leg to stand on because they don’t get to specify if its a B2C or B2B transaction unless they sold directly to a business. Resellers are bound by this too. The CRA2015 is statutory legislation they can’t revoke. Check the other thread about this. Keysight give such a shit that they didn’t even bother to reply and their usual forum rep has clammed up. I would never recommend them to anyone. Edit: actually they told you that you are a consumer so that makes them liable under CRA2015 :-DD. Fucking morons. |
| Cerebus:
Let's make this clear, if you are in the UK, are a self-employed professional and don't need to register for VAT (and have chosen not to) you will be left high and dry by Keysight. It's about time that someone in Keysight (That's a hint Daniel if you're watching) should get through the thick heads of the bureaucrats inside Keysight Germany that this will not fly in the UK and will at some point result in a lawsuit, sure as eggs is eggs. Better still, get to the root of it and find out why Keysight Germany have taken it into their heads to pursue this policy and get them to review it and come up with a new policy that is customer friendly, not customer hostile. As this stands, there are professional customers that cannot prove to Keysight Germany's satisfaction that they are professional customers and not consumers. As it stands I shall be forced to recommend to anyone who doesn't have a registered company and/or is not VAT registered that they avoid Keysight products at all costs until this mess is sorted out. That's personally embarrassing as it means that I have to backpedal on around 40 years of saying "Buy HP, they'll always see you right.". It's a bloody stupid company that goes out of its way to avoid acquiring new customers, it's bloody stupid company that spends years building brand loyalty and then puts a loyal and enthusiastic customer (me) in the position that they have to start saying "Sorry, it isn't the HP we knew and loved anymore, take your money somewhere else.". I'm in a quandary myself. Sure, I've got a VAT registered limited company that would satisfy Keysight Germany's bureaucrats but I've got a lot of HP/Agilent/Keysight gear that I own personally and use with my 'hobbyist' hat on. What do I do, finagle it all through my consulting company if I need to, or just start unloading my HPAK kit and replacing it with someone else's kit so that when/if I wind the company up I've got some hope of getting support for it? Edit: If they're not careful they'll get a new nickname around here: "LockBlind" because once they've got your money locked up they'll be blind to any appeals for help. |
| bd139:
That’s one reason I only buy rancid old stuff with service manuals from HPAK territory. You’d be insane to put money into anything expensive now unless you can afford for it to drop dead the day after the warranty is up. And the cost benefit there points more favourably to the likes of Siglent and Rigol. I would evaluate whether or not you are actually a business customer or not though and kick up a stink via that route as they certainly don’t get to dictate terms to consumers. |
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