Why do most audiologist refuse to reprogram online purchases?

@Bimodal_user
Time t try DIY … very easy to do.

@GrayGhost said:

@Bimodal_user
Time t try DIY … very easy to do.

I have Noahlink Wireless 2. Checked and readjusted initially in Target software with feedback treshold test, etc. It helped.

However, regarding I have rather larger volume of ear canal I need REM and P receiver.

The Wholesale sent me a size M, believing it would theoretically fit, even though I specified that I have a Paradise with size P.

@Neville said:

But honestly, we don’t have much interest in seeing patients who are mean to us.

If there’s a retail biz that can avoid the occasional (and sometimes frequent) “mean” customer, then please enlighten.

I worked for a time in the water well biz. Customers were almost always elated to see water running at their new home, or get their water back on, and in particular get their toilets flushing again. I considered that gratitude a perk of the job. But there was no avoiding the occasional customer who was pissed for some (usually) irrational reason. Hardly a surprise considering that irrational people are plentiful, including some service providers who have a talent for fueling the fire. I try not to prejudge any type of service provider. But damn, I find myself surprised when encountering the ones who are truly good at their jobs. Not worth “yelling” at the bad ones although I might have something to say about them sleeping through grade school.

Anyway, what’s the premium that bundled-service hearing aid customers are paying in case they might turn out to be mean?

@Dusty said:

Anyway, what’s the premium that bundled-service hearing aid customers are paying in case they might turn out to be mean?

Maybe this:

@kevels55 said:

You know Stephen, on more than one occasion, I have bought aids online second hand, more out of curiosity than anything else, just to try them… A private Audiologist, I know, has always programmed them for me, and charged me absolutely zero, even when I pushed them to charge something… I have given them artwork in return, for their efforts though.

And I’ll happily go above and beyond to help an existing client, even one who’s taken over aids from a family member.
That wasn’t the question above: the guy was asking/blaming audiologists for not wanting to do the work on his grey-label aids. It’s down to the people he asked at the end of the day, but given the attitude of entitlement in the posting, I’m not entirely surprised he’s not established a rapport with a professional.
I was merely laying out the reasons why he or his hearing aids could be a bad bet.

I also explained how we still take people on and illustrated the likely cost and pitfalls.

Different audiologists will take a different view on it. Please feel free to walk into Boots or Specsavers and ask them to take on a third party product. I appreciate that being a ‘lovable rogue’ might open doors for you, but artwork doesn’t pay the staff or the taxman.

Love that Tenkan! Straight and to the point.
or as I always say - er maybe I just read here somewhere:

‘He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.’

Yeah Stephen, I wouldn’t have made a good businessman, way too soft for my own good…Even nowadays, when I am retired, I am still fairly active, and occasionally friends will ask me to do a job of work for them, like joinery or concrete work, slab laying or block work, drainage or even roof work, I am skilled in them all, I have all the tools, but I never charge the going rate, I get embarrassed asking friends for money! But, I do appreciate you guys have to live, and yes, artwork doesn’t pay the bills, but it is given in appreciation, when they refuse to take payment, it is a token of my thanks… I collect Malt Whisky Stephen, but I probably gave away more, for favours rendered, than I was actually able to collect I have a friend whom has an exclusive B&B, it’s quite luxurious, but he refuses point blank to take any payment whatsoever, but that is a two way thing, I have always refused payment from him, for coaching sessions, and I know his wife is a lover of artwork, so I leave some… Cheers Kev

@Dusty said:

Anyway, what’s the premium that bundled-service hearing aid customers are paying in case they might turn out to be mean?

No premium, as I said a rational pricing structure means that on average pay as you go and bundled end up the same. So it’s the people who pay bundled and never come back for service who end up paying a bit more than they need whereas the ones who need extra help get a deal with the bundle. Some patients are good at sorting themselves and others aren’t.

@rosetribal said:

What do people do when they move?

Sorry, those weren’t really the ones I was thinking about. It’s the crowd that bought off Kijiji/found in their grandmother’s shoe/bought from an Internet wholesaler who tend to be argumentative. Not the DIY crowd, I haven’t had trouble with them. DIY crowd is so self sufficient, the couple I’ve had come for RECD/REM and maybe back for consult and don’t fuss. It’s the crowd that does everything they can to cheap out of service, pay the fit fee grudgingly, and then return a few months later with aids dipped in oil and caked in dirt and yell about paying us “again”.

@Raudrive said:

Speaking of home/property insurance. Why have it? The insurance companies won’t pay when you need them most.

It’s a thing in some places to not give a crap about contracts or their fellow man. We have it here as well but it’s not nearly so bad. Hundreds lost insured homes in our area in two separate wildfires in recent years. Some slow payments and plenty of complaints about speed, but payouts nonetheless as far as I’ve heard. Lots for some to argue about in terms of interim accommodation payments etc. Plus many who consider insurance payouts to be lottery winnings, so bound to be conflict. A worse problem is that homes built decades ago need to be rebuilt to modern standards and that can be anywhere from slow and difficult to impossible. Read about that issue in the recent Southern California fires. Decades ago one could sink a septic system on beachfront property. Not any more. Some of those folks will be jumping through many hoops and spending hundreds of thousands for underground sea walls before they qualify for a building permit. Imagine trying to get a US insurance company to pay for all that plus perhaps several years of interim accommodation.

Which oil in particular, do you find from experience - is the most destructive to the instruments ?

Interesting question!

Another I’d probably ask is why you needed to take them to a local audiologist in the first place… Are we talking about buying off eBay or a reputable online distributor?

If the latter, why not try out tele-audiology?

Because real-ear verification still has to be done in person.

BELOW IS GOOGLE AI result that should be of interest to most:

In the future, hearing aids could be equipped with integrated real-ear measurement (REM) technology, allowing for on-the-fly, personalized adjustments and verification of hearing aid performance without the need for separate equipment. This would lead to more efficient and accurate fitting, potentially reducing the need for multiple clinic visits.

Here’s a breakdown of the potential benefits and how it works:

• What is Real-Ear Measurement (REM)?

  • REM involves measuring the sound output of a hearing aid within a person’s ear canal.
  • This is done using a probe microphone placed in the ear canal alongside the hearing aid.
  • The audiologist can then compare the measured output to a target prescription, ensuring the hearing aid is providing the correct amplification and sound quality for the individual’s hearing loss.

• How Integrated REM Would Work:

  • Instead of requiring a separate probe microphone and testing equipment, the hearing aid itself would incorporate the necessary technology.
  • The hearing aid would measure the sound output in the ear canal and transmit the data to the audiologist’s software for analysis and adjustment.
  • This would allow for real-time fine-tuning of the hearing aid’s settings, ensuring the best possible listening experience.

• Benefits of Integrated REM:

  • More Accurate and Personalized Fittings: REM allows for precise tailoring of hearing aid settings to an individual’s unique ear canal acoustics and hearing needs.
  • Reduced Need for Multiple Clinic Visits: With integrated REM, audiologists could make adjustments and verify hearing aid performance during a single visit, saving time and effort for both the patient and the professional.
  • Improved Listening Outcomes: By ensuring the hearing aid is providing the correct amplification and sound quality, REM can lead to better speech understanding and overall listening satisfaction.
  • Easier to Use: Integrated REM would be simpler and more convenient for both the patient and the audiologist, as it would eliminate the need for separate equipment and procedures.

• Current Status:

  • While integrated REM technology is not yet fully mainstream, it is a growing area of research and development in the hearing aid industry.
  • Some hearing aid manufacturers are already incorporating REM capabilities into their devices, and it is likely that integrated REM technology will become more common in the future.

Although I’ve learned to loathe the term 'Fake News," this likely qualifies. AI is not a reliable source. The key issue I see is how to calibrate the supposed internal REM equipment.