I enjoyed the blog post mostly because 'misery loves company' and I've been through this same nonsense before. Bottom line is that when a support system like P

I enjoyed the blog post mostly because 'misery loves company' and I've been through this same nonsense before. Bottom line is that when a support system like Panasonic's isn't working for you, quickly to abandon it and resort to a proper business letter sent through the mail. Format it properly, keep it very short and clearly state what you want, and include at least one complement as this works wonders. It takes less time than all the bullshit on the phone, plus I have seen a 100% success rate after resorting to this myself. I do 3-4 a year, easy. Look up the company's address and CEO, or head of that particular product division. Spend a tiny bit more than normal postage and get signature proof of delivery, it really is worth it. Include your email address on the printed letter and you will hear back from someone at the company who can actually help you. And be quicker to abandon the traditional support channels when they frustrate you. I'll set a hard limit of 10 minutes to get a human on the phone who sounds competent before I hang up and send a letter. I'll hang up right in the middle of their script, I just don't care anymore. The letters work.