Digimate (DGM) Monitors

[Neonin]

Ok, I'll try and keep this as brief as possible, but I need a little advice here.

 

Nov 16th 2009 - Bought a Digimate (DGM) 23" L-2362WD monitor from eBuyer.

 

Jul 26th 2010 - Monitor developed two faults, two lines of dead pixels. Contacted eBuyer who gave me DGMs number and told me to get on to them. Rang DGM, arranged collection. Quoted 7-10 working days for turnaround.

 

Jul 27th 2010 - Monitor is collected and returned to DGM.

 

Sep 6th 2010 - After repeated emails (I refused to call their only listed number, an 0845) I finally get a response about the status of my repair. Apparently it needs a replacement part and they don't have it in stock and neither do their supplier. They will repair and ship the unit back to me as soon as they get the part.

 

Sep 23rd 2010 - On advice of a friend who works for TS, I send DGM an email saying it has now been 40 working days and I am giving them until 1st October to have it fixed or a replacement sent, otherwise I will be contacting Trading Standards.

 

Sep 24th 2010 - DGM reply to apologise and say they are still awaiting a TFT panel which is one of the major parts of the unit.

 

Sep 30th 2010 - I restate my deadline. I receive an email back the same day saying they understand my frustration and am passing the issue up to a manager.

 

Oct 2nd 2010 - I contact Trading Standards with my complaint, copying them every email between DGM and myself.

 

Oct 18th 2010 - Trading Standards fires off an email to DGM, telling them they are in breach of contract under the Supply of Goods and Services Act (9182) as all repairs should be completed in a timely manner, and giving them 10 days to respond.

 

Oct 21st 2010 - Trading Standards receive an email from DGM saying the issue has been passed on to a manager (again?).

 

Nov 1st 2010 - Trading Standards shoot off another email to DGM asking for an update on the complaint.

 

Nov 16th 2010 - I receive a phone call from DGM stating they are sending me a replacement from their head office and it should be with me in 2-3 days.

 

Nov 22nd 2010 - Replacement monitor finally arrives.

 

Dec 28th 2010 - Replacement monitor develops first fault. A patch in the bottom-centre of the screen flickers repeatedly, then eventually goes dark compared to the rest of the screen. I shoot off an email to DGM telling them of the fault.

 

Dec 30th 2010 - DGM reply asking for details of the make, model, and the nature of the fault. I reply with requested details. They reply asking for photos of the fault and give me an RMA number. I take and send requested photo, see here: http://aylan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/chris/faultdistant.JPG

 

Jan 4th 2011 - A second area of the screen flickers and dies while I watch. I take another photo and shoot it off to DGM to advise them of the new fault: http://aylan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/chris/newfault.JPG

 

Jan 14th 2011 - I send DGM an email requesting an update on when the monitor will be collected for repair.

 

Feb 2nd 2011 - I send DGM another email requesting an updat and informing them that if no reply is forthcoming by the end of the week I will be in touch with Trading Standards again. I receive a reply saying that one of their colleagues had left me answerphone messages on the 4th/5th Jan to say they cannot fix the monitor under warranty because it is "pressure marks" and so not covered, but I can ring up RepairTech and pay to have it fixed.

 

Ok, first off with my mobile phone company you have to pay extra on the monthly contract for voicemail service. I don't, and do not have a voicemail service they could have left a message on. I have checked my call record going back to Decemeber and I received no calls on thsoe two days, and that is the only number they have for me. Secondly, how can they conduct a professional diagnosis of a fault from two customer-supplied photographs? And thirdly, I sat and watched both those areas of the screen flicker and die. Since I received this replacement monitor it has been unboxed and sat on my desk. No-one else uses this computer. No-one else has access to the computer. The only part of the monitor I have touched is the power button.

 

I emailed them back again to say that I have received no voicemail messages and that to my mind from thr research I've done on the internet it's a failed backlight issue, or those areas of the screen wouldn't have flickered and failed all in one go.

 

I also rang eBuyer on this day to see if I had to deal with them under the Sale of Goods Act as it specifies the retailer as the place to go to. Their take on it is that if the unit they'd sold me had been repaired it would be their problem, but since DGM provided me with a replacement their understanding is that DGM takes over the warranty.

 

I sent DGM another email to say I was not accepting a brief look at a photo as a professional diagnosis of the problem, and that there was no way I could have caused the fault.

 

Feb 3rd 2011 - I receive another email from DGM saying it's customer damage and they're not going to take the monitor back. I sent them a reply saying I would like the email address of their line manager/supervisor to escalate the issue.

 

Phew, even trying to keep it brief that's a lot of stuff to write! Now, can anyone offer any other advice regarding this issue? I'm extremely frustrated that after 6 months of ownership I lost my monitor for four months and had to get in touch with Trading Standards before I finally received a replacement, and then when this unit promptly fails on me a month after receiving it I'm told it's my own fault without any form of professional check and that it's tough.

 

Is my next recourse to contact Trading Standards again? Or should I just go straight to the Small Claims Court this time? Any advice anyone could offer would be greatly appreciated, as right now I'm very unhappy with this whole situation.

[Neonin]

I have just received the following email from DGM regarding this:

 

Dear Chris,

Thank you for your email. The photos were passed to our head engineer who deals with cases such as your case daily.

He is able to tell from the photo that this is not a warranty issue.

My managers email address is [email protected]

Thank you

Kind regards,

 

Harriet

DGM Customer Services

 

Tel: 0871 250 8000

Fax: 0870 495 8234

Email: [email protected]

 

If anyone can advise what my reply should be I'd appreciate it, because at the moment my feeling is "abuse" which I'm sure wouldn't help the issue!

[labrat]

ok im not sure if this will help

 

i have a job repairing laptop whos lcds are very similar to those in monitors

 

looking at the images i would be denying that these are presure marks on the lcd

 

pressure marks in my experiance tend to show as areas of lighter marks on the screen

 

 

thats copied from another site appologies if it causes distortion of message boxes

 

 

from the dark areas that are shown i would estimate that it shows the possible start of the failure (if that makes sense) of the backlight, this is the light at the rear of the lcd it ussually runs along the bottom edge of the screen.

 

thats my opinion, from the pictures shown i would hold that it is impossible to state customer induced damage

[Jasper1965]

I'm with labrat, looking at the pattern it's the backlight or just possibly the inverter it's pretty obvious and easy to spot for anyone who deals with these issues suggest they are simply trying to pass the buck.

 

Of no help whatsoever but something to bear in mind for the future:

 

Iiyama give a standard 3 year on site warranty with all their monitors., not that in 15 years and dozens and dozens of monitors I've ever had one go wrong on me but it is a solid gold guarantee nonetheless.

[Neonin]

Thank you labrat and Jasper, although I realise this is only your opinion it's nice to see that I'm not just getting things horribly wrong due to my inexperience with LCD monitors.

 

Do you have any suggestions as to what I should say in my email to Jo Palimaka when I send one to complain about this issue? They've tried to fob me off three times now saying that it's customer damage so they seem to be digging their heels in. I just can't understand how they can say that from two photographs without even taking the unit in to check for faulty components. Surely there's some sort of regulation that says warranty issues have to be professionally tested to determine the cause of the failure?

Edited February 4, 2011 by Neonin

[Neonin]

Ok, here is a draft of the email I intend to send to DGM. If anyone could give me a critique or suggestions it would be very helpful!

 

Dear Ms Palimaka,

 

Ref: DGM 560734

 

I have been given your email address by your colleague Ms H Colvin as she states you are her manager, and I wished to take up the issue I am having with you. Thank you for taking the time to read this email.

 

As I'm sure you are aware from your records regarding this RMA number, I am currently trying to have a monitor returned to yourselves for repair under warranty. This is a replacement monitor for one that went faulty back in July 2010 that, for whatever reason, took over 80 working days to be replaced and unfortunately Trading Standards were also involved before I received it. I was never made aware if this was a brand new replacement or a B-stock, but I'm sure you have records for the unit in question and can check yourself.

 

A month after receiving this replacement unit, an area at the bottom-centre of the screen began to flicker. Later that day it "died" completely and left just a grey patch on the screen which is darker than the rest. I promptly sent your company an email advising of the problem, and after being requested sent the relevant information on make, model, fault, and a digital photograph clearly showing the darkened area.

 

Approximately a week later a second area, this time at the bottom-right of the screen, also began to flicker. As with the first area, this "died" the same day and so expanded the darkened area of the screen. I took a picture and sent it to yourselves to advise you that the fault had developed further.

 

Unfortunately, I did not hear anything from your company again until my email on the 2nd February 2011. I was told by Ms Colvin that representatives from your company had tried to contact me on the 4th and 5th January 2011, and had left answerphone messages. I do not mean to contradict her word, but I received no phone calls on the mobile phone number I supplied you on those dates and, as I do not pay for it, I have no answerphone service. I suppose it's possible they rang the wrong number, which might explain why I never got the message.

 

The message that they had been trying to leave for me was that after examining the photographs I sent you of the two faults your engineers had decided it was a "pressure mark", and therefore customer damage which is not covered under the warranty. I have explained that no pressure has been applied to the monitor and, having sat there and watched both areas flicker and then go out, it seemed far more likely to be a faulty backlight. I am not the type of person who complains for no reason and if I damage an item, and I would never try and get a company to repair it by pretending I had nothing to do with it.

 

I have since shown the two photographs I sent your company, along with my explanation of how the fault progressed, to someone who repairs laptop LCD screens for a living. His response was that from the dark areas on the screen he would estimate it shows the possible start of a backlight failure, and that in his opinion from the pictures shown it would be impossible to claim customer damage.

 

All I am asking is for your company to take back this faulty replacement and either repair it or furnish me with another (depending on which is more economical for you). Apart from developing these faults I have had no complaints about the monitor as I have enjoyed using it. Anything you could do to expedite this would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you again for your time and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

 

Yours sincerely,

Chris

[Surfer01]

Add if no suitable answer then it will be escalated to TS again.

[perplexity]

That email is a lot longer than it could have been.

 

I would begin with a single paragraph to cut to the chase:

 

"I want you, please, to replace a monitor that was already a replacement but failed, with one that will not fail again."

Then follow up with the boring details and if you're lucky they will just get on with the job, without the bother of reading the rest of it.

 

8-)

Edited February 4, 2011 by perplexity

[labrat]

ignore perplexity hes our local troll

[Neonin]

Thank you again all. I have added the part about contacting TS and sent the email today. We shall see what response it gets!

[labrat]

any updates?

[Neonin]

any updates?

 

Nothing so far I'm afraid. If you Google the name of the woman I sent the email to, someone else did a smiliar thing in the middle of last year and was complaining that she ignores emails from customers.

 

My plan was to leave it till the end of the week and if I hadn't heard anything get on to TS. Does that seem reasonable or should I send them another email on friday to let them know I'll be contacting TS?

[perplexity]

Nothing so far I'm afraid. If you Google the name of the woman I sent the email to, someone else did a smiliar thing in the middle of last year and was complaining that she ignores emails from customers.

 

 

Are you surprised by that?

 

I am not.

 

The way to persuade a person to spare the time is to begin by explaining what the benefit would be to them. If it looks like a lot of hard work for the benefit of somebody else, the chance is not so good.

 

8-)

[Neonin]

Obvious troll is obvious. Also, ignored.

Edited February 9, 2011 by Neonin

[perplexity]

Considering the woman is supposed to be Customer Support Team Leader, I think that would come under the heading of "her job" to deal with people.

 

The benefit to her should be "If I help the customers out I won't get fired".

 

No kidding?

 

If that was seriously supposed to be the threat, you should have said so.

 

In the mean time, my assumption is that she was hired and paid by the firm, and her job is to act as buffer, to take the flack, which is to suggest that if you wrote to her boss in the same way, you'd be in with less of a chance, not more.

 

8-)

[labrat]

perplex if your going to post then please post things that are to the persons benefit

 

im getting tired of you attacking everyone who doesnt see life the way you do, although im aware this is likely to be down to your personal universe syndrome

 

admitedly your ego is now large enough to create its own gravity but use that gravity to keep your overbearing unhelpful comments near the center of your personal universe instead of releasing them into a world in which they are obviously not suited to survival

 

 

(to the mods feel free to edit/delete this post or even feel free to sticky it as it saves several hundred people saying the same thing)

[perplexity]

I'd thought that this was already meant to tell us what would benefit:

 

Any advice anyone could offer would be greatly appreciated, ....

 

What I especially noticed about the letter to Ms Palimaka was the total absence of a "please" or "thank you".

 

8-)

[labrat]

Ok, here is a draft of the email I intend to send to DGM. If anyone could give me a critique or suggestions it would be very helpful!

 

 

 

 

Dear Ms Palimaka,

 

Ref: DGM 560734

 

I have been given your email address by your colleague Ms H Colvin as she states you are her manager, and I wished to take up the issue I am having with you. Thank you for taking the time to read this email.

 

As I'm sure you are aware from your records regarding this RMA number, I am currently trying to have a monitor returned to yourselves for repair under warranty. This is a replacement monitor for one that went faulty back in July 2010 that, for whatever reason, took over 80 working days to be replaced and unfortunately Trading Standards were also involved before I received it. I was never made aware if this was a brand new replacement or a B-stock, but I'm sure you have records for the unit in question and can check yourself.

 

A month after receiving this replacement unit, an area at the bottom-centre of the screen began to flicker. Later that day it "died" completely and left just a grey patch on the screen which is darker than the rest. I promptly sent your company an email advising of the problem, and after being requested sent the relevant information on make, model, fault, and a digital photograph clearly showing the darkened area.

 

Approximately a week later a second area, this time at the bottom-right of the screen, also began to flicker. As with the first area, this "died" the same day and so expanded the darkened area of the screen. I took a picture and sent it to yourselves to advise you that the fault had developed further.

 

Unfortunately, I did not hear anything from your company again until my email on the 2nd February 2011. I was told by Ms Colvin that representatives from your company had tried to contact me on the 4th and 5th January 2011, and had left answerphone messages. I do not mean to contradict her word, but I received no phone calls on the mobile phone number I supplied you on those dates and, as I do not pay for it, I have no answerphone service. I suppose it's possible they rang the wrong number, which might explain why I never got the message.

 

The message that they had been trying to leave for me was that after examining the photographs I sent you of the two faults your engineers had decided it was a "pressure mark", and therefore customer damage which is not covered under the warranty. I have explained that no pressure has been applied to the monitor and, having sat there and watched both areas flicker and then go out, it seemed far more likely to be a faulty backlight. I am not the type of person who complains for no reason and if I damage an item, and I would never try and get a company to repair it by pretending I had nothing to do with it.

 

I have since shown the two photographs I sent your company, along with my explanation of how the fault progressed, to someone who repairs laptop LCD screens for a living. His response was that from the dark areas on the screen he would estimate it shows the possible start of a backlight failure, and that in his opinion from the pictures shown it would be impossible to claim customer damage.

 

All I am asking is for your company to take back this faulty replacement and either repair it or furnish me with another (depending on which is more economical for you). Apart from developing these faults I have had no complaints about the monitor as I have enjoyed using it. Anything you could do to expedite this would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you again for your time and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

Chris

 

 

have you ever taken time to read a letter perp

[CarlosFundango]

In response to the original post, the failure is the backlight and is not "Customer damage"

 

The whole post reminds me of my situation with DGM/Repairtech. I bought the same monitor from Scan and at first I was very impressed - nice monitor, cheap and a great picture. So impressed I bought another two for the other PC's in the house soon after. 4 months after buying the first one, I had the exact same problem as the OP (only in the bottom left of the screen) and went through the same process with unanswered emails, waiting for 20 / 30 minutes on the 0845 number before it was answered. They finally arranged a collection date and I took the day off work. Nobody came. Called them up the next day and did the same. Nobody came. Now I was mad. I called them up rather irate, they apologised profusely and said they had no record of any contact I made with them (so I forwarded them the emails they sent me...just to remind them) and arranged another courier who did actually come. Two weeks later I get the monitor back and it's working great. Well for about 3 weeks anyway. Then it died completely. No lights, nothing. Again, the same process to send it back, but this time I sent the power block that comes with it (Since it was a complete power failure and this could be the problem). 2 weeks later I get the monitor back minus the power block. I call to complain and they apologise and promise to send me right away. 1 week later still no power block so I call again and complain. They apologise (they seem to do a lot of this) and say it was sent out. I asked who the courier was and they replied "2nd class post". Grrrrrr. 1 week later I recieve a parcel from Repairtech (postmarked the last date I complained so they didn't send it whenthey said they did). Yay !! Nay. They sent me a power lead. Back on the phone and another week later I finally recieve the power block.

Fastforward another month and the second monitor backlight fails. It's now been with Repairtech 3 weeks and have had no resonse from them. I fired off an email today so I await their response.

 

So, if you're trolling the internet doing research on a DGM monitor and end up here (as I did), I would avoid DGM monitors like the plague because product itself is clearly of very low quality and if it fails - and it probably will fail, my experience is that the repair contractor is dishonest, incompetent and generally leaves a lot to be desired. Spend an extra £20 or so and get something better.

[Neonin]

Thanks for the reply Carlos, it's good to know I'm not the only one having issues with this company.

 

As I have still received no reply, I shall be contacting Trading Standards first thing monday morning with my complaint unless RepairTech work on a saturday and I get a reply tomorrow!

[dav6]

OK my turn next

my monitor has been down with DGM for a month now, I contacted them then read this story so I called Aria Technology asking them to get involved as they sold me the monitor they replied asap but still nothing how can I get Aria to take control now and send a replacement.

The bad news I have a second monitor now gone dead.

[Neonin]

Ok, I'm still awaiting a response from Trading Standards for those following my particular case.

 

dav6, I suggest starting a new thread about your issue or maybe a mod will split it. To answer anyway...

 

When you originally sent it back, did Aria pass you the number for DGM or did they arrange it themselves? When did you last contact Aria and what was their response when you asked them to get involved? If they said it's not their problem then ring them again and remind them that under the Sale of Goods Act they, as retailer, are responsible for dealing with these issues and it is not your responsibility to contact the manufacturer to arrange them. See what they say to that before starting with any more serious responses.

[Neonin]

An update for you!

 

I received this message from Trading Standards today, along with a copy of their message to DGM:

 

Dear Mr Jenkins,

 

Thank you for your email dated the 13/02/11 the content of which has been noted.

 

I can confirm that Wolverhampton Trading Standards Service will assist you in resolving your complaint. Your previous complaint file has been reopened and I will be contacting the Company via email today to request a remedy.

 

Please note that I cannot insist that the Company provide a replacement or repair. If DGM/Repairtech do accept liability for the alleged fault then an independent report will need to be commissioned to prove that the problems with the monitor is a manufacturing fault and not customer misuse.

 

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

**********

Consumer Advice Officer

Trading Standards Service

Wolverhampton City Council

 

Dear *****,

 

Our Service has been contacted again by Mr Jenkins concerning problems he is experiencing with a Digimate monitor.

 

You will recall that Mr Jenkins was supplied with a replaced monitor after waiting 80 days for a repair. It is my understanding that the replacement monitor which was supplied has now developed a fault.

 

Mr Jenkins is seeking an appropriate remedy from you as the replacement monitor only lasted 1 month before the fault developed.

 

Please find attached to this email:

1) 2 images of current fault

2) Copies of email correspondence between DGM and Mr Jenkins (Ref DGM 560734)

3) Copies of previous complaint paperwork (Ref DGM 529215)

 

I would appreciate your comments and intentions regarding this matter within 10 days.

 

Yours sincerely,

*****************

Consumer Advice Officer

Trading Standards Service

Wolverhampton City Council

 

Now we wait to see what DGM reply. I have already sent an email back to the TS Officer dealing with this to let him know I would be happy to get the monitor independantly tested if they refuse to do anything, and that I assume the cost of this could then be claimed back from them should it prove to be a manufacturing defect or faulty part.

Edited February 16, 2011 by Neonin
Spelling

[Neonin]

I'm also posting this because it's a useful piece of information anyone else dealing with this sort of thing might need to know:

 

Dear Mr Jenkins,

Please accept my apologies for the error in my previous email. You are quite right: '.....if DGM/Repairtech do not accept liability....'.

Also following on from your other comments concerning the Company's response; DGM/Repairtech are not legally obliged to prove that the cause of fault is the result from customer damage/misuse, even if they have come to this conclusion by simply viewing a photograph of the fault.

The 'burden of proof' falls with the Consumer to justify their complaint and disprove the Trader/Company's comments or position. Putting this into the context of your complaint, an independent report may need to be commissioned and the initial cost would need to be paid by you. The cost of the report can potentially be sought from DGM/Repairtech if the report is in your favour and conclusive.

I will contact you with an update when a response is received from the Company.

Yours sincerely,

 

*****************

Consumer Advice Officer

Trading Standards Service

Wolverhampton City Council

 

I still find it hard to believe they can just dismiss something as customer damage from a photo... surely they can't claim customer misuse without some form of evidence? Otherwise it's simply a baseless claim.

 

Either way I have no problem getting it tested as I already mentioned, because I know I didn't cause this!

[CarlosFundango]

It's definately the backlight if it's anything like mine....