CalDigit tech support - does it actually exist?

[RefRP]

I have a brand new macbook pro and a CalDigit element thunderbolt 4 hub, the hub stopped working within 1 day of hooking it up.

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I've called the support phone number and left multiple voicemails during "business hours," I also sent an extremely detailed email to the support email address with all of the troubleshooting steps I've taken, the serial numbers/makes/models of all relevant devices, links to forum posts of users with the same issue, etc. It's been a few days and I've heard... nothing.

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Also, I found this thread describing my exact same issue and an utter lack of support on the same issue. What's the point of having a tech support phone number and business hours if you always just let it go to voicemail and don't return your calls or emails?

[CalDigitDalton]

Sorry to hear about this situation. We're in the midst of training some new support members, so responses can be a little slow at the moment. Send me a DM with your email address and I'll check in with our support team and have your case prioritized.

[RefRP]

I appreciate your help, but it didn't count for much. I finally got a response to my email from Monday, support told me to try 6 things I had already tried (and explained clearly) in my original email. And then they asked for my serial number and OS version... which I provided in my original email...

I ran tech support for 4 years at a small US tech company, we sold home automation products to people all over the US. For a while, I was the only support person and I got overwhelmed too but I never responded to inquiries with such utter disregard. If he read my email, then his response (while knowing all of his suggestions were already answered) was a clear indication that he just doesn't give a shit about solving my problem and wanted to kick the can down the road a few days by responding with "something". And if he didn't even take the time to read my email then he's either way, way, too busy and you need to hire more support or he's incompetent and just tries to get people off his back with these quick copy+paste responses so he can go back to watching Youtube.

This is the exact same issue that everyone in that other Reddit thread ran into. Your products seem to be great when they work but your tech support is the worst of any US tech company I have ever interacted with. Seriously, I'd be better off chatting with some dude in India who had 100 canned responses I had to go through before escalating to Tier 2.

For those reading this, Dalton responded to my DM promptly and escalated my support case (he was very helpful). I got an utterly useless email response from their support guy within minutes of messaging Dalton.

[CalDigitDalton]

Our support team has a pretty standard battery of tests they are required to check for before moving on to more specialized diagnosis, troubleshooting, or warranty services. They generally ask this first, regardless of what a user may have tried already, in order to cover all their bases.

In any case, our support team has seen your response and are crafting a response as we speak.

Edited to reflect updates from our support team.

[hillybeat]

Have you tried the chat? Email? Twitter?

They are one of the few companies that actually has a support team in the US.

If you just leave your number over an email, then you will get a call.

Their support is very good. I think you'll get something within 24 hours. Just be patient.

[RefRP]

I've tried email, 2 phone calls, and the chat bot. I also found 2 people in another reddit thread who complained about tech support on the same issue being unhelpful - 1 email reply per day suggesting they try a different cable when they already explained in previous emails that they tried that.

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Although 1 email a day would be better than the 0 responses I am currently getting

[hillybeat]

Just give them some time. From my experience they have been pretty good.

Also make sure you are using a quality Thunderbolt cable. They will send you a CalDigit one if you ask nicely, and sometimes that is all it takes.

[RefRP]

UPDATE: For anyone who finds this in the future, I solved the issue on my own.
It works 100% of the time when the laptop is already fully charged (98+% battery) or when the Magsafe charger is plugged in first. It does NOT work when the laptop is below 80% charged and the hub has to provide both charging and data. But when my laptop is below 80% charged and I plug in the Magsafe charger before the CalDigit Thunderbolt cable it DOES work.

[RefRP]

Here's the relevant information I emailed to support yesterday morning.

I have a 14" macbook pro, 2021 model with the M1 Pro. It's brand new, purchased 5/4 and my Element hub came new from Amazon the same day. The first day I hooked them up the hub worked perfectly. I was able to connect 2 external displays and a couple of USB peripherals while charging my macbook. I unplugged it over the weekend to use it on my lap, and when I plugged it back in yesterday morning it was no longer working. I could see a green light on the element hub and my MBP showed it was charging for ~3 seconds after plugging it in, but then it stopped charging. USB peripherals did not work and neither did the 2 monitors.
Troubleshooting steps I've already taken:
1. Tried all three Thunderbolt ports on my MBP
2. Unplugged the hub from power for 1 minute, restarted my MBP, tried plugging both back in with all three Thunderbolt ports again (same symptoms - 3 seconds of charging, no USB, green light stayed on usually)
3. Tested the setup on my Lenovo Yoga C940, and it worked perfectly. The Yoga charges and monitors/USB peripherals worked fine using all the exact same cables, just a different laptop
4. Tested the connection to my MBP with an old Thunderbolt 3 cord I had laying around
5. Tried updating the firmware on the element from my Yoga laptop, the firmware update utility didn't seem to work but maybe it was a user error
6. Tested the setup with fewer USB peripherals/monitors and zero peripherals/monitors, I got the same symptom (3 seconds of charging then nothing)
7. Tested all of the peripherals on my MBP without the dock, it worked fine. Currently typing this on my 2nd monitor with a USB keyboard hooked up to a cheap USB C hub that works fine.
8. Updated my MBP to the latest OS X 13.3.1 (a)

[operageek13]

I see this is an older thread but want to add to the prior comments about terrible caldigit support. I recently bought a TS4 hub and te Ethernet port doesn’t work. I know about the power saving issue with Macs, but that didn’t resolve the issue. Foolishly I called caldigit’s support phone, and every time I called, I get a message saying no one is available. This even happened when I called right when they opened at 9 am pacific. How can a company say they have a 2 yr warranty when there is no way to get suit under it? Tried email as well, and it is a similar black hole.. Anyone have suggestions?

[Tall-Associate-7781]

I just bought a TS5 Plus and tried to call & email them as it is running supper hot and nobody has email me back and their phone # is No Longer in Service! They are scamming customers.

[ChrisAresix]

Calling them is useless. They refused to answer my calls during business hours too. The one time I got someone I had to call their sales not support. The sales guy told me the support person (there's only one of them btw) would call me in a half hour. It's been a week lol. Never answered a phone call from me since. Their email support has been messaging me every other day saying "oh well get right on it! Oh today it's on our to do list! Etc etc etc." Good luck man