Automatic Litterbox Central

I sent the following e-mail to Stephen Yampolsky, who's the new president of PetNovations as of about a year ago, when founder Rick Mellinger left the company and PetNovations raised a new round of funding. (Hey, when did the support start sucking? Just saying.) Stephen had previously been PetNovation's VP of sales and marketing. (Hey, I hear they're doing a big, expensive marketing push right now! Just saying.)

I sent the e-mail yesterday morning. As of COB today, I haven't heard a response. If I do, I'll give you all an update. I'm starting to think PetNovations either (a) is seriously overwhelmed with demand from their new marketing efforts or (b) is circling the drain.

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Steven,

PetNovations used to be legendary for their enthusiastic tech support; they understood that a broken litterbox is a Huge Problem, and were quick to ship replacement parts, escalate to the engineers, etc.

Lately, e-mails go unanswered, voicemails go unreturned, and problems go unsolved. When we can get through at all, your reps are giving canned "we haven't heard any reports; try rebooting" answers to get us off the phone.

What happened? Did the $2M go straight into DRTV and mall gimmicks? Did all the engineers quit? Are you just marketing a product you no longer have the means to maintain? What happened to the cartridge exchange program? And, most importantly, why does my apartment keep smelling like baked cat poop?

Here's a whole bunch of people who think the support is lacking:

catgenie/topic3134.html

I have tried to call PN several times and sent a few emails (including one saying I wanted to buy a CG). Still to this day, I have NEVER received a response/help/contact from PetNovations. I finally gave up and that's when I found this site, and other answers for the CG on the internet.

I find it pretty disheartening since I own several of their units, and in one of my emails I even let them know this. Obviously, customer service means nothing to them anymore.

I know they read these boards, they've made upgrades to their units because of these boards...maybe they'll take notice of the complaints that keep popping up on their lack of service.

I also agree. I have been a customer for about a year now. When I recieved my first unit back in Nov 2008 I could call support and get someone to answer right away. When I call today, I wait on hold for what 10 minutes only to have to leave a message and get a call back several hours later. I can honestly say that I do not know of any other customer service company that operates in this fashion. After all it's not like you're calling to say HI, most likely you're calling because you have an error or even worse a non-funcitoning CatGenie. This is basically an emergency. Put it this way, what if all of the toliets in your house didn't work, where would you go to the bathroom? Well it's no different for our animals to which the CatGenie is their only potty. And God forbid if your CG does go out of service because then you are FORCED to put out a traditional litter box (which your cats favor) and then when you do get your CatGenie back in operation you have to beg your cats to use it all over again (because they won't want to after they've used litter).

Petnovations needs to get their act together, customer service is all they have and without it they will start getting an influx of returns AND current customers will continue to seek alternatives to their over priced supplies. I am willing to pay for these supplies if AND ONLY if I get the customer service that I deserve and had once received.

I to have sent many messages to CG Customer Service via email that have gone unanswered. Once I purchased unscented cartridges directly from them and they sent scented (and the smell is sickening). Another time I bought a bunch of cartridges from Smarthome (all sealed in plastic) and several did not work when opened. I called Smarthome who said to call CG since it was beyond 30 days. I emailed CG and no reply. So the defective units made their way to the garbage.

I am on my second unit since the first just stopped working correctly a few years ago. It was within warranty and I called CG who sent me a new (but used since it was dirty) processor. That did not work either so I called again and they sent yet another new (yet used and smelly and wet) processor that .... you guessed it ......did not work. Called again and received yet another new (yet used) processor that did work. I shipped the first 3 processors back and never heard anything. Then a few months later the processor died again and I called and they said they could not help me since I never returned the first 3. How they lost track of all 3 I dont know. So they told me I had no choice but to buy a new unit. I was NOT a happy camper but I had no choice. I bet they just did not want to spend anymore money backing their warranty.

Recently I emailed them since Smarthome was selling the new model for less than CG and my CG is ...... you guessed it..... not working properly. I would have rather have bought directly from CG since Smarthome customer service is horrible. Well it seems that CG customer service is just as horrible since they never replied yet again.

In the end I bought a used unit off ebay and it works...... for now.

At one time I even asked to be an authorized reseller since I am for many items. CG never had the courtesy to respond that that either.

CG needs to get their act together or they will be out of business.

I returned 3 Cat Genie 60 cartridges for 1 120 cartridge and never did receive it. Petnovation received my shipment on April 8, 2011. I think it is taking a little too long for my cartridge to be sent to me. I want my cartridge.