Panasonic Concierge Waiting to Serve You
December 15, 2008 — For the third consecutive holiday season, Panasonic is making its Viera Concierge service available not just to existing owners of Panasonic HDTVs—but also to those just thinking of buying one. Call (888) 777-1170, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m to 9 p.m. ET. On Saturdays and Sundays the hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. You may also visit the Viera Concierge website for chat room assistance.

True, the service will no doubt have a one-brand orientation, with a strong appreciation for the benefits of plasma, that being a traditional strength of Panasonic (though the company also sells LCD sets). But newbie consumers often like to go beyond internet information—even when it's detailed and accurate—and hear advice from an actual human voice. Don't call us—call Panasonic!

As Bob Perry, a senior VP of Panasonic, says: "The quality and volume of calls our Viera HDTV Concierge experts have received from consumers during our past open-access periods underscored the fact that this effort has provided a valuable resource to people looking to buy a flat-panel television. As a maker of both plasma and LCD flat panels, we know that, especially this time of year, many consumers are confused and often bombarded with information on the pluses and minuses of the various flat-panel product offerings; some of this information may be outdated or inaccurate. Our goal in providing access to our Viera HDTV Concierge experts is to empower and inform consumers so they can ultimately select the HDTV that best suits their needs."

The service will take on all comers until the DTV transition date of February 17, 2009.

See press release.