Contacting JVC Service Impossible -- Any Suggestions?

[Jack Walker]

This is the third busniness day I've tried to contact JVC service, and still no luck. Here is what I've done:

First, I should note that the camera is a brand new HD110, bought from an authorized dealer. The accessory is a brand new Anton Bauer adapter plate, registered with the warranty in my name. The problem is damaged threads in the holes used to attach the adapter plate. It turns out the adapter plate was defective/damaged which exascerbated the problem when following instructions fron Anton Bauer. The plate was not making contact and I received this message from AB:

"There is a quick fix that seems to help. When you attach the bracket to
the camera, you must really over tighten the 2 screws. This ensures that
the contacts on the bracket make contact with the camera."

Unfortunately, the end result of attaching and reattaching the plate several times damaged one of the screw holes in the camera.

Anton Bauer has has been exremely responsive and has taken care of the problem with the plate. However, I have been totally unable to reach JVC. Here is what I need to know from JVC:
1. What is the usual way JVC deals with this problem? (I have learned that this is a recurring problem).
2. If I fix the holes myself, and don't open the camera, will I void the warrantY?
3. Is the warranty already voided, because the holes are damaged.
4. I have an extended 4 year MACK warranty. Is this affected by the screw hole issue?

So far here is what I have done to get answers to these questions:

1. Tried the phone number in sticky above. Following all the prompts (service, service, pro service, pro camera, proHD, press zip) I get the 252-5722 phone number.

2. Called the 5722 number and follow all the prompts (authorized service, locate author. service, service, pro service, pro camera, proHD, enter zip) and I get the same message to call 5722.

3. Called the 2020 number mentioned in a post by Carl Hicks. No luck.

4. Sent a technical support email using the JVC support page. It has been over 24 hours and I have received no response. (The support request including camera serial number, date of purchase, and one sentence explanation of the problem.)

5. I tried other options on the JVC phone numbers, and I did somehow reach a live person. This person put me on someone's voice mail and I left my name and number with a short description of the problem. It is over 24 hours and no call back.

6. Posted here a number of days ago. Carl Hicks responded that there are procedures in place to handle these things, and I should contact my dealer and my area rep.

7. I sent a private email to Carl Hicks asking who my area rep was, giving Carl the name and location of my reseller.. He answered that I should get the name of the area rep from my reseller.

8. I phone twice leaving messages with a live person and send an email to my reseller (an anuthorized dealer) www.avalive.com. I received this answer:

"All warranty issues are handled thru the following list
http://pro.jvc.com/prof/support/index.jsp
Reps do not generally handle warranty issues:"

9. A little while ago I again tried all the phone numbers. I have spent over 3-1/2 hours on the phone over the past five days trying to solve this problem.

10. A day or two ago I send a second email to Carl Hicks with the specific info I needed from JVC (see questions above), but I have received no response so far, and besides, he is not my area rep.

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I want to say again that Anton Bauer has been extremely helpful. Unfortunately JVC is unreachable and unresponsive and the dealer seems to want no part of the issue since the sale is complete.

Perhaps I should mention that I went with avalive because they had the HD110 before anyone else, including Tapeworks. My normal dealer where I live, BandPro, doesn't carry JVC products -- something about the high amount stock JVC requires them to carry to sell anything in the line and they are more high end geared.

I have the 13x wide angle lens, the tape deck and other accessories for the HD110, so I am invested in the camera. Unfortunately, it has gone unused to date. (We did get a Z1U for some immediate work). However, the problem I have now is rather simple, and frankly I don't get why I can't get any kind of responsive contact from JVC. One way or the other we will use the JVC camera for the project it was bought for.

[Mark Silva]

I'm very surprised at this.

When I had issues and posted here, I was instructed to call a phone number.

I was contacted by JVC support before I had time to dial their number.

I would expect them to get right on it after this post you made.

[Jack Walker]

Originally Posted by Mark Silva

I'm very surprised at this.

When I had issues and posted here, I was instructed to call a phone number.

I was contacted by JVC support before I had time to dial their number.

I would expect them to get right on it after this post you made.

Yeah, I don't know what the problem is. This is the end of the 3rd business day and unable to reach anybody at JVC.

I tried the numbers again this afternoon and still get the circular auto system that ends in all cases with the general JVC number that goes nowhere but the same circle.

I have a couple of numbers for people in offices for parts. I'll try those tomorrow to see if I can reach someone who will transfer me to a person with the info I need.

As an update, Anton Bauer has completely taken care of the the issues with the adapter plate.

I don't know why it's so hard to get the info I need from JVC. I'm not asking for anything free or even under warranty, just what the best way to fix my problem is without causing problems with my warranty on the camera.

And why the number posted above with the sticky only goes in an automated circle, I don't know.

Even an anonymous message from JVC telling me that there is no help would be better than nothing.

[Jim Martin]

Doug Mullin is the tech rep in Cypress(JVC'S West coast office) His # is
714-229-8026. Call him and then get the camera down to Cypress:
5665 Corporate Ave
Cypress, Ca 90630

[Jack Walker]

Originally Posted by Jim Martin

Doug Mullin is the tech rep in Cypress(JVC'S West coast office) His # is
714-229-8026. Call him and then get the camera down to Cypress:
5665 Corporate Ave
Cypress, Ca 90630

Thank you. I will call tomorrow.

[Carl Hicks]

Hi Jack,

Sorry you are having trouble. I think that in most cases, we have been very responsive. I think others on this forum will agree.

As I mentioned before, one of the best ways to get personel help with an unusual situation is to get your JVC rep involved. I tried to find AV Alive our our dealer locator, but they did not come up as an authorized dealer, so they might have bought from someone other than JVC. Otherwise, I would be able to give you the JVC rep's name immediatly. Without knowing where AV Alive got the unit from, I don't know what rep to connect you with. Did you ask AV Alive who their JVC rep is? If they are authorized to buy from an authorized JVC distributor, then they should be able to get that info for you. This is why I did not respond to you on your second request - I can't find your rep's name without knowing where AV Alive got the camera.

The 1-800-582-5825 number generally works fine. Select option 7 to get to a person the fastest. It's manned by a small staff that is focued only on Pro. If someone was on vacation or out sick, or a lot of calls come in at once, sometimes the hold time can increase. Our phone report logs show that the average hold time is under 5 minutes during the normal business hours of 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern time. I will forward your post to the manager of the pro service division so the he will be aware of the difficulty you were having.

Don't waste your time calling the 1-800-252-5722 number - that's only for consumer products.

Your comment about BandPro is interesting, however, I had no problem finding them just now as an authorized reseller. I just pulled this off of our dealer locator website:

BAND PRO FILM & DIGITAL, INC.
3403 W. PACIFIC AVENUE
BURBANK, CA 91505
Phone: 818-841-9655
Fax: 818-841-7649

And, according to your item #9 above, AV Alive seem to not want to help in any after-sales support.


So, please try the 1-800-582-5825 number again, between 9 AM and 5 PM Eastern. Or, as has already been suggested above, you can contact the West Coast Sales Engineer, Doug Mullin, at (714) 229-8026 or (562) 938-7554. He is based in the Cypress, CA office, which is also where our West Coast service center is.

Best Regards,

[Jack Walker]

Thank you for the answer.

Regarding BandPro, yes I saw them on the list of dealers, though what I said was what I was told when I went in earlier in the year to get info on the HD100. Perhaps there are different levels of dealership. They don't have JVC equipment in the store and said they didn't sell the HD100. They deal more with the Sony 900, 950, etc. I believe, so maybe they avoid the smaller cameras.
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Thank you, I did not try option 7. I started with option 3 (service) which takes you down a path where you enter your zip code and the Cypress store (for my zip code) address is given with the 5722 number. The 5722 number ends up going through the same loop.

I will try option 7 and if not successul will call the west coast rep as suggested above.
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Regarding AValive, they are listed under a different name in your dealer database:
TRIANGLE VISUAL INTERACTIVE
3717 BENSON DRIVE
RALEIGH, NC 27609 OTHER LOCATIONS
Phone:
Fax:
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Regarding very JVC service, I am very patient because I have read many very positive stories about service here on the forum. Therefore, I consider the black hole I seem to have fallen in the past three days is only temporary.

I am confident I will get ahold of someone tomorrow. When I was trying to locate a part for a JVC focus controller for the HD110, I had very positive experience with the JVC people.

[Carl Hicks]

Originally Posted by Jack Walker

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Regarding AValive, they are listed under a different name in your dealer database:
TRIANGLE VISUAL INTERACTIVE
3717 BENSON DRIVE
RALEIGH, NC 27609 OTHER LOCATIONS
Phone:
Fax:

Yes, now I see. The different name created some confusion.

Using this info, the JVC Website "Contacts & Dealers" link also shows the JVC rep that handles this dealer, who is as follows:

Your JVC district sales manager:
Mike Jackson
Phone: 404-377-2191
Fax: 404-377-2191

E-Mail: mljackson@jvc.com

I suggest that you contact Mike and get his assistance, as well as the Customer Care Center.

Regards,