has anyone had a working Roomba for more than three months?

dpeugeot · Joined: 05 Oct 2005 Posts: 21 Location: Austin, TX

Roomba number 3 (in 10 months) just died on me. The customer support is slow - unless you're buying something expect to wait at least a month to get your repair part. I even was contacted by one of iRobot's marketing guys to see about making me happier with the product - he sent me an email. I've since sent him several emails without a response, which is much like their customer support - great the first time you talk to them, but with lousy follow up.

RoombaRules · Posted: November 2, 2005, 1:28 pm Post subject:

Well one thing you need to know is that they are actualy a very small company, it's hard to believe but it's true. They're support staff is outsourced and not part of the actual company so there is a lag yes. Their support staff is also rather small, if you call back three or four times in a row chances are you'll get the same person twice (I've done this a few times :oops: :lol: ). iRobot is growing quite fast but they just can't keep up with how much attention they're getting, especialy at the moment when Scooba is in it's final stage of development.

dpeugeot · Joined: 05 Oct 2005 Posts: 21 Location: Austin, TX

I've tried to make excuses for iRobot, but I'm at the end of my rope. The roomba works so great that it makes the problems all the more harder to deal with.

Jazzie · Joined: 23 Oct 2005 Posts: 38

I have never had a problem with IRobot's customer support... They have always done what they said they were going to do.. I have gone through three and am now on number 4, (Am currently waiting for new battery) so I have had a lot of expeireince with customer support...

dpeugeot · Joined: 05 Oct 2005 Posts: 21 Location: Austin, TX

When I talk to their customer support it's all fine, but they have lousy followup. Specificly, they say they'll send me out something by the end of the week but they don't ship it for over a month. They ship me only half of what I need, because something is backordered, but they don't tell me that - they wait for me to call and complain that I'm missing parts. And those parts take another 4-6 weeks to arrive....

I have never had an RMA that took less than 5 weeks to get the replacement part(s). And that is completely unacceptable.

Jazzie · Joined: 23 Oct 2005 Posts: 38

Isn't that stange how two can have such different results.... I guess I have been v. lucky w/cutomer support.. Now if that would transfer to me getting a good working Roomba.... :?

pbannister

My third replacement Roomba Discovery (gray/white) just failed. I have received good customer support from iRobot - no complaint there - but wish these gadgets would last a bit longer. The bins get emptied every day and I clean out the units every week. Even so the design allows crud to get into places it should not. Pet hair into the bearings. Dust and dirt gets inside places not easy to clean (or possible without voiding the warranty).

I like what the unit does, just wish it would last longer. Hopefully someday iRobot or someone else will design a better unit.

Bought this at Sharper Image, but did not get the extended warranty. In retrospect, that was a big mistake.

GreenAsJade · Joined: 15 Nov 2005 Posts: 33

FWIW, I had to call to get a replacement fast charger, and it came as quickly as they said. And I'm in Australia!

gariadea · Joined: 23 Nov 2005 Posts: 148

Quote: Bought this at Sharper Image, but did not get the extended warranty. In retrospect, that was a big mistake.
Yep, sounds like a big mistake to me too, just buying from them, but you may not have read yet about BBB and HS with the FREE replacement/refund warranties. I just hope you read about buying from BB & B before you buy your next one. :)
Gariadea

GreenAsJade · Joined: 15 Nov 2005 Posts: 33

The sales person at TSI sold me a power adaptor to use in Australia with the Roomba she sold me!!!

Good product knowledge, eh? (not! :roll: )

Luckily I did buy the extended warranty, and they have been good for it so far. (Actually, now I think about it, it was TSI I called, not iRobot).