ComplaintsforStenograph, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  11/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Noticed two charges for incorrect amounts withdrawn from my checking account, one for $164 and another for $278. Sent emails and called Stenograph multiple times leaving voicemails over the first week before being able to reach a live person. Always assured there would be a response within two business days which was a lie. Reached a live person who apologized profusely and explained their new systems were charging people for four months of services even if their payments were up to date. Promised a refund would be issued for the $164 and the $278 minus $41 owed for the month. Three days later refund for $164 received. Still no refund for the remaining $237. This transaction posted to my account 11/04. Spoke to the *** Nov 7th. Since the one refund appeared Nov. 12th, I have calling Stenograph with no response and voicemail saying no one is available. This customer service is atrocious and nonexistant. How dare a business turn away from its specialized customer base and disrupt their bank accounts for so long without attempting to resolve the problem.

  Business response

  11/22/2024

  Please see the attached response.  

  Customer response

  11/25/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *****

• Initial Complaint

  07/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased Case Catalyst by Stenograph five years ago. Over the past two years, technical support has declined considerably. Not only did I purchase the software, I pay hundreds of dollars a year for tech support, which I'm not getting. Rather, I'm getting a runaround. I've had an outstanding issue with my software for three months now that's not being addressed. I provide the company with files they need, only for them to ask for them again. Or I proactively provide files for troubleshooting purposes, and they come back and ask for what I've already provided. I have a job to do and services to provide, and I'm unable to do that. I need some help with this. I've contacted three departments at Stenograph asking who I might escalate this to. I've had no response. Please and thank you.

  Business response

  07/26/2024

  Please see attached our response to this claim.  

  Customer response

  10/30/2024

   
  Complaint: 22043959
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 

  I was not able to respond to the July claim because the email went to my spam folder.  

  
  

  After having visited with **** and Mr. ********* I was told by both, that responses I was getting from tech support were not good.  In fact, ****, said, quote, "We've reviewed some of the recorded calls you've had with tech support, and I'm not happy with some of the things I've been hearing."  At the time, **** thought a remedy to the problem would be to extend Edge, the tech support plan, for three months.  When talking to ****, I had told him that for three months I wasn't able to do my job, provide real-time, because I was getting the run-around from tech support.  I ended up figuring out what the problem was, not tech support.  That's unacceptable as I have no background in IT.  The solution was a "class 101" for any tech support provider.  I was sitting in court all day, working on transcripts at night, taking care of a family all while trying to figure out my tech problem.  That's not right when I'm paying $1,000 a year for tech support.  

  
  

  I don't want my Edge contract extended.  Rather, I want to be reimbursed monetarily for the three months I got the run-around and was provided misleading and inaccurate information from tech support.  Despite paying for tech support, I wasn't able to do my job because they weren't doing there's--the job I'd paid for them to do. 

  
  

  Likewise, the poor professional support continues.  Back in July, I had to contact **** twice before we talked.  That was after he'd told me he'd contact me on a certain date.

  
  

  A month ago, I called **** again and left a voicemail on his extension.  I haven't even gotten the courtesy of a response. 

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******** ******

  Business response

  11/05/2024

  Please see the *** attached.  

  Customer response

  11/07/2024

   
  Complaint: 22043959
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******** ******

  Business response

  11/14/2024

  Please see the attached response.  

• Initial Complaint

  12/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased software to use for my business.The purchase price was $1,499.I was told I could finance it, and being new to my business and overwhelmed, I did not understand the math, I just knew I had to have to software to edit with.I am now told that the payments actually go one for 3 years, and are $1,000 more than I agreed to pay.I am then also told that no matter that I bought the software, when I pay it off, the software will cease essential functions forcing me to pay $500 a year or more in further fees.So why buy the software? This was a complete misrepresentation of the price and what my payments would be going towards, as I am being made to pay for 2 years of this service, as well as the program itself.It's extortion. I'm a very small business and they know that as a secondary user, I don't get very many options with which to make my living editing for court reporters and other stenographers. I sent 3 separate emails to different email addresses recently about the total due on my account, which never populated into the "my account" areas of their website when I logged in, and got zero response over several weeks of asking. I called finally, and was told that the price is now higher, and that my payments weren't actually fully going to pay for the software, but the yearly subscription that is apparently also required for service. No other numbers, aside from the purchase price, were given at the time of sale, and I flat out didn't do the math to realize how badly I was getting ripped off, for a software that I will never actually just own.I now have to continue paying them until I can save up enough to purchase alternate software, and find new clients. They need to be held accountable for their misrepresentations, and the people who purchase their software should be able to use ALL of it, forcing further memberships is extortion, plain and simple.Their actions are theft and misrepresentation of the abilities in future ownership of the program.

  Business response

  12/09/2022

  Please see the response to complaint BBB complaint ********.pdf and the supplementary agreement CaseCatagreement ******.pdf referenced in the response.   

  Customer response

  12/09/2022

   
  Complaint: 18539312
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  They entirely misrepresent what the software will do after purchase.

  The payments never end, this is a fake agreement that means nothing, they actually added almost $1,000 to my purchase price, and I did not understand that I will never be able to stop making these payments, or they go in internally and turn off essential functions of the program.

  Immediately after "purchasing it" they will go in and turn off essential functions if I do not immediately continue to make these payments, forever.

  I pay for a lesser version of the software and am supposed to own it, but they actually want to force me to continue to make these payments forever, I do not own the software, they absolutely lie about it.

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Business response

  12/12/2022

  After the payment period the customer will have fully functional Edit software.  Even if the customer declines the Edge add on, the customer can edit files and send or receive files to reporters.  There is nothing preventing the customer from completing work. Many customers produce transcripts using this setup.
  The essential functions referenced is the RealTeam feature.  It is not exclusive to the Edit ***************** is available on all CATalyst versions that have the Edge add on.  It has always been sold and marketed as an Edge add on since its release.  The customer has the option to pay for the service or not. 
  As we stated in our original response; We made every reasonable effort to address her misunderstanding professionally and alleviate her concerns. In summary, while the Customer is indicating lack of transparency in pricing and features, the electronically signed agreement for her software installment plan provides a full explanation of price and payments, all options available to the Customer, and the explanation of what is included in the pricing. Product features are additionally available online for review at any time. 

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

  Stenograph

  Vice President ***************************************

• Initial Complaint

  06/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am a court reporter. I have been doing business with this company for 30 years. I bought a stenomachine. It cost me $6,000. I financed it through FirstLease. it was GREAT they saud. I had an older version that I did not care for. They usually stand behind everything they would sell. I had my machine 4 mos. and it got electrocuted. I had a blackout. When I financed the machine they said, "Ask me ***************** I did not ask them about insurance because I am insured. All of a sudden they start charging me for insurance. (This is before anything happened.) I tell them I have insurance and they say you have to sign something. I say okay. It says, I take full responsibility for my machine. If anything happens to it, I am responsible. I file a complaint with the department of consumer protection. They sent a copy to the person 2 months later my machine gets electrocuted. it was not even plugged into the wall, it was plugged into an extension cord. They tried 2x to fix my machine but cannot. They never offer to replace it. The insurance they sold was for when your machine falls apart, you have saved up for another one. I notify the ***************** Affairs. They send her a copy. She calls me and tells me I do have a warranty 2 weeks ago. I spoke to **** the manager and he said he will let me keep the loanerI I say ok. They tried to fix the machine 2x, they could not fix it. but never offered to do ANYTHING. I tell them I want a new machine if I have a warranty. The manager basically said to me, "***, what happened? I thought you and I had a deal, you were going to take the loaner. If you are not going to take the loaner, Good Luck." I was reading my transcripts, the loaner makes a ton of mistakes too. They also started asking if I was ok, like I am crazy. Trusting them and buying 2 machines hurt my career, income and reputation. They make the machines too. This is a scam. Something is very wrong.

  Business response

  06/10/2022

  Please see the attached PDF document titled BBB complaint ******** as our response to this complaint.

   

  Sincerely,

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

  Stenograph ***********************************

  Customer response

  06/20/2022

   
  Complaint: 17327399
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  [You don't often get email from *********************** Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
  
  Dear Customer Relations:
  I am writing to tell you I am not satisfied with their response only because they are lying to you.
  
  They had a year to tell me my accident was not covered. How convenient all of a sudden they have a warranty online that just so happens to not cover my very particular incident? I was asking them all year. They were silent.
  
  FirstLease started charging me for insurance on the machine. This was never told to me when I was purchasing the machine. I told them I had insurance at home because I work at home. So they had me sign a piece of paper stating I take full responsibility for my machine no Matter what happens to it. If I had a warranty why would they make me sign that?
  
  There is also a paper trail. Warranty is never mentioned. I have written countless emails asking them about a warranty etc., they were silent. I thank them for lying to you because now you can see all the problems I have had with these people.
  
  They used to have integrity. They do not anymore. And they are bad liars.
  
  I told them I would keep my machine. What I did not tell them is I do not want to pay them or the leasing company one more cent - the leasing company did continue charging me like it was a brand new machine. They offered to give me a loaner that was a year old and used by many people because it is a loaner. And they said Good Luck if I do not want that deal. I want to be reimbursed from September ************************************************************************************************************* this. And I do not want to pay another ***** on this machine. I am paid in full.
  
  Stenograph did not answer my emails because they knew I wrote to the leasing company that I take full responsibility for my machine but I was assuming the machine was not defective. It was 4 months old! How can a machine get electrocuted with an extension zap protector cord? And now they say they do not cover that incident?! How convenient.
  Then they said that the tripod is metal. That is why. But the tripods have rubber on the bottom and my machine was on top of an area rug. It is a lame excuse just like the warranty is all of a sudden online. They are greedy and they did not want a $6,000 machine to be sent to me for free. That is why they continue to lie to This day.
  
  Like I said I will keep this machine, but I want to be reimbursed for when it no longer was working until now and be paid in full.
  
  I do not want to get a new machine from them now. I think a lot of them are defective.
  I will go to somebody else if I have to buy a new machine.
  
  Thank you very much for your time and patience. I will bet you I am not the only one this happened to. They also got nasty to me. And The salesperson said, ***? Do you feel ok? You sound different. Are you sure you ok?? I said that she was very unprofessional and we are done with this conversation and I hung up. Then she called and apologized.
  
  I can only imagine what they are getting away with. Their prices are the most expensive, they charge for anything and everything because they have a monopoly on the market. I guess this field is not regulated at all. I do not know. They are not who they were.
  
  Thank you again!
  Be safe. God bless you all!
  ***

  
  

  Business response

  06/27/2022

  We have reviewed the most recent comments. Our position remains the same as we expressed earlier this month.  I have reattached that PDF to this response.  

   

  Thank you.

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

  Vice President **************

  Customer response

  07/01/2022

   
  

  I have not heard from you but the first line explains it all.  I had a warranty, they never told me that I did, and they never replaced my machine.  

  
  

  If they are not in the insurance business why did the finance company automatically **** me for insurance? Why did the financial company have me sign a piece of paper stating that I will take responsibility for my machine?  The finance company is not in the insurance business either right?

  
  

  They did not replace my machine.  I was going to take the loaner because I was put in an impossible position.  

  
  

  They cannot have it both ways.  They tried to fix my machine and they could not.    I had to be nice to them as well because they were the ones with all the power.  I had not rights like I do right now.

  
  

  I am not paying any more for this machine.  Period.    It says on

  March 2021 I had a year warranty.  I was covered for any damages.  PERIOD.  So why didnt they send me a brand new machine?    My machine that was not plugged into the wall got electrocuted with a surge protector is not covered?  Oh, ok.

  
  

  Once again, it is obvious in their letter that they did not do what they said they would do.  Everything else is an excuse.

  
  

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

  *****************, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  01/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I sent my Stenograph machine in for an overhaul maintenance service. I put a note on the machine to replace the rubber on/off buttons. If there was extra paperwork for this, I would have expected the technician to contact me and inform me that it requires that.The shipping cost alone is $150, so it's a big deal to send this machine in and have service like this. Instead, the technician ignored the request to replace the tabs. and did not inform the proper department that there was additional work to be done and has sent the machine back to me, (******** to *******). I would like the company to send a ***** label and have the machine's rubber on/off buttons replaced. When I called Stenograph to resolve this issue, after an exhaustive 1 hour call, they ended by blaming this on "supply chain issues," which if true would have been told to me when they had the machine or at the beginning of the Support Call. A company this size with this many machines no doubt has these parts in their facility.I believe their worker was lazy, blew off the request, and just sent the machine back. Another worker who does not take pride in their job and could care less.

  Business response

  03/07/2022

  See attachment.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩