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amdyhou
Enthusiast I
May 9, 2024 10:59 AM UTC

Don't accept this app!

Dear Community,

Many Sonos customers are angry and unhappy at what Sonos has done in releasing a new app which removes a vast amount of functionality, much of it basic stuff, with just the promise that it will be re-added over forthcoming releases. I personally feel that Sonos has treated its customers with derision, and I’m angry and unhappy that this new app was released in such a poor state of development.

I have pursued my complaint, asking that the old app is made available again to iOS users whilst the new app is developed to an acceptable level which includes the last functionality.

I am asking the community to back this by:

  1. Call customer service and demand that your complaint is escalated to the highest level. Don’t accept the “standard” reply that the 1st line customer reps have been given to respond to you … that the functionality will be added over forthcoming releases. Insist it is this is not acceptable and ask for your complaint to be escalated. Unfortunately, it can take over an hour to get your call answered due to the obvious popularity of the new app… but don’t allow call queue to put you off.
  1. Email the CEO at ceo@sonos.com. Yes there is a “form” response which you may get, but every complaint to the CEO is given a number internally.

The line I have taken is that “the product has become unfit for purpose as key features have been suddenly and unexpectedly removed, making the purpose for which it was purchased unachievable.” I have adopted this wording following a brief exploration of the potential for legal action should Sonos insist we wait for the functionality to be restored. You may use this or adopt your own approach, but remember calls are recorder (assuming you permit).

Do nothing and you are accepting that Sonos can ride rough-shod over its community.

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    36 replies

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    Mark Robson
    Enthusiast I
    May 9, 2024 1:58 PM UTC

    Dear Community,

    Many Sonos customers are angry and unhappy at what Sonos has done in releasing a new app which removes a vast amount of functionality, much of it basic stuff, with just the promise that it will be re-added over forthcoming releases. I personally feel that Sonos has treated its customers with derision, and I’m angry and unhappy that this new app was released in such a poor state of development.

    I have pursued my complaint, asking that the old app is made available again to iOS users whilst the new app is developed to an acceptable level which includes the last functionality.

    I am asking the community to back this by:

    1. Call customer service and demand that your complaint is escalated to the highest level. Don’t accept the “standard” reply that the 1st line customer reps have been given to respond to you … that the functionality will be added over forthcoming releases. Insist it is this is not acceptable and ask for your complaint to be escalated. Unfortunately, it can take over an hour to get your call answered due to the obvious popularity of the new app… but don’t allow call queue to put you off.
    1. Email the CEO at ceo@sonos.com. Yes there is a “form” response which you may get, but every complaint to the CEO is given a number internally.

    The line I have taken is that “the product has become unfit for purpose as key features have been suddenly and unexpectedly removed, making the purpose for which it was purchased unachievable.” I have adopted this wording following a brief exploration of the potential for legal action should Sonos insist we wait for the functionality to be restored. You may use this or adopt your own approach, but remember calls are recorder (assuming you permit).

    Do nothing and you are accepting that Sonos can ride rough-shod over its community.

    Good call. Have actioned by calling and emailing. Also shared link to this. Need to spread your note far and wide to Sonos users.

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      SgtSeaCow
      Lyricist III
      May 9, 2024 2:01 PM UTC

      ceo@sonos.com

      .

       

      Really, that’s Patrick’s email? That’s nearly as embarrassing as the app he dropped on Tuesday.

      Translate
        Mark Robson
        Enthusiast I
        May 9, 2024 2:12 PM UTC

        Dear Community,

        Many Sonos customers are angry and unhappy at what Sonos has done in releasing a new app which removes a vast amount of functionality, much of it basic stuff, with just the promise that it will be re-added over forthcoming releases. I personally feel that Sonos has treated its customers with derision, and I’m angry and unhappy that this new app was released in such a poor state of development.

        I have pursued my complaint, asking that the old app is made available again to iOS users whilst the new app is developed to an acceptable level which includes the last functionality.

        I am asking the community to back this by:

        1. Call customer service and demand that your complaint is escalated to the highest level. Don’t accept the “standard” reply that the 1st line customer reps have been given to respond to you … that the functionality will be added over forthcoming releases. Insist it is this is not acceptable and ask for your complaint to be escalated. Unfortunately, it can take over an hour to get your call answered due to the obvious popularity of the new app… but don’t allow call queue to put you off.
        1. Email the CEO at ceo@sonos.com. Yes there is a “form” response which you may get, but every complaint to the CEO is given a number internally.

        The line I have taken is that “the product has become unfit for purpose as key features have been suddenly and unexpectedly removed, making the purpose for which it was purchased unachievable.” I have adopted this wording following a brief exploration of the potential for legal action should Sonos insist we wait for the functionality to be restored. You may use this or adopt your own approach, but remember calls are recorder (assuming you permit).

        Do nothing and you are accepting that Sonos can ride rough-shod over its community.

        Good call. Have actioned by calling and emailing. Also shared link to this. Need to spread your note far and wide to Sonos users.

        Also otherSonos email addresses here: https://www.ceoemail.com/s.php?id=ceo-290640&c=Sonos-CEO 

        Moderator Note: Modified in accordance with the Community Code of Conduct.

         

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          Mark Robson
          Enthusiast I
          May 9, 2024 2:13 PM UTC

          ceo@sonos.com

          Really, that’s Patrick’s email? That’s nearly as embarrassing as the app he dropped on Tuesday.

          see my comment - link to CEO’s email address

          Translate
          Cochonou
          Enthusiast II
          May 9, 2024 2:39 PM UTC

          Well, honestly I am not sure this is the right course of action.

          Not that I do not share the outrage, but I do not think that Sonos, as a company, cares that much about a few hundreds e-mails and clogged support lines. What they care more about is their public image and reputation, as the board and shareholders are very sensitive to this.

          So I think it will be more effective to:

          • Review bomb the app with 1-star rating (which should happen quite naturally in any case)
          • Try to have a tech news site pickup the story about this catastrophic update (you can contact the writers)
          • This is likely to cause social media to relay the information, creating an uncomfortable echo chamber for Sonos

          I don’t think they will come out of the wood without this kind of action…

          Translate
            Bg573
            Enthusiast I
            May 9, 2024 4:42 PM UTC

            Yes, the email may not be worth much. I sent one anyway. I also dropped a one-star review on the play store.

            But I also have three recent upgrade purchases that are still returnable, and they are going back.

            Translate
              Cochonou
              Enthusiast II
              May 9, 2024 4:43 PM UTC

              Yes of course, I don’t want to discourage you from sending e-mails, I was just pointing out that there are other courses of action that might be more effective.

              Translate
              Calypso75
              Lyricist I
              May 9, 2024 7:09 PM UTC

              Email sent as below …

              Dear Sonos CEO,

               

              I have owned Sonos products since they were first released into the UK market in the early 2000s, and over the years I have been thrilled with the system. I have upgraded continuously and made the move from dedicated controllers to the iOS and Android version of the apps.

               

              The app has never been the strongest part of the Sonos ecosystem, but it has always been just about good enough. I was happy to trade the quality of the app for ease of use, integration and sound quality.

               

              Yesterday I was forced upgraded to the latest version of the app. I must say this new version is awful. Just plain bad. Initially I thought it was just the latest example of poor UI / UX design, but in hunting for the sleep timer and alarm function it quickly became apparent that certain functionality that I've come to rely on is now entirely missing and slated for a "future" release. As a loyal customer who has spent thousands of GBPs on Sonos products, and advocated that family and friends do the same, I am disappointed and confused as to how you could let this happen.

               

              There was a time when Sonos was the peerless example of multi-room, wireless streaming. I can honestly say that with this latest release I am losing my faith in your brand.

               

              Please consider making the prior version of the app available to your existing customers so we cAn return to a stable and fully functional app whilst your product team irons out the issues in the latest release.

               

              Please also consider apologising to your customers for letting this happen

               

              Thank you for listening.

              Translate
                Gary Y
                Avid Contributor I
                May 9, 2024 7:22 PM UTC

                Just sent this to the CEO

                 

                Dear Mr Spence,

                 

                I am certain that I am one of may messages you have received today and I think we are all demanding the same thing - Sonos needs to immediately roll back to the previous version of the app on all platforms.

                 

                Today, I struggled with so many errors, missing functions and a general lack of usability that I gave up listening to music while I worked and joined the community forum specifically to voice my disappointment at this catastrophic failure of a release.

                 

                Did nobody test the app? Was it some corporate deadline you had to meet? Regardless, you have left a global community wondering what their money is invested in when the very expensive units were purchased.

                 

                Please ensure that you are putting your customers first and revert back to the functioning app while your teams start over.

                Translate
                  Bob235178
                  Bob235178
                  Enthusiast I
                  May 9, 2024 10:12 PM UTC

                  I think this has become another company that releases their software whenever the marketing department demands it, whether or not QA and software development feel that it’s ready for release.  
                   

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