Telescope Reviews: Orion Customer Service

My Orion Atlas EQ-G mount developed a faulty electronics board about a week shy of the one year warranty period expiration date. I had the best customer service experience with Orion Customer service. Basically, I got through immediately - no waiting on hold listening to canned music or manufacturer ads for products. A real live person picked up and on hearing my issues with my Orion mount, immedaitely transferred me to the right technical person. The guy asked me only two questions: (a) when and where did you buy the mount, and (b) what is the issue you are experiencing with the mount? When I told him the issue, he asked me for my email address and promptly emailed me a FedEx automated return form. I simply printed the form off, packed the whole mount head and dropped it off at the staffed FedEx location indicated on the form. The lady at the FedEx counter said "No charge..it's prepaid. We'll get it to Watsonville within four business days." This was astonishing. I can't think of a single other manufacturer who would pay to have the item shipped to them even if the item was under warranty. Within a day of getting the mount, they had replaced the electronics board with a brand new one, tested the mount indoors, packed it up and shipped it back to me. The mount is as good as new now and functions perfectly. And they extended the warranty on the electronics board by one more year. That's customer service. I wish all manufacturers took some lessons from the friendly people at Orion.

Anjal.