Canon Service Process Failures
 

Good News first, Canon gets high marks for repairs on my GL1's. Bad News: They get low marks for their repair PROCESSES. First an example, then recommendations:

Canon had no record that I called on 6/28/05 to approve a repair estimate and provide payment for a GL1. The employee who took my called failed to input the information! So I will not get my GL1 back in time for a wedding this weekend, even though Canon will now expedite the repair. I can remember at least three times human/process errors has caused a delay in returning equipment to me. Sometimes it was human error. Sometimes a change in their processes which were not communicated to customers.

Recommendations:

1) Forget the idea of including payment information in correspondence shipped with your camera. Canon reps say they no longer accept such info. EVEN though my last estimate included the words, "No Pre-approval amt. given" as though I could do so. Upon calling 6/28/05 the phone rep nixed the idea that I should/could ever give a pre-approval amt!

2) Provide your email address in correspondence shipped with your camera. Canon will email the estimate to you. In the correspondence, tell them you prefer email. This saves time! You will probably get a copy in the U. S. mail, too, but not all the time. Sometimes you may NOT get an email estimate even if you provide an email address. So call several days (5?) days after Canon receives your camera to check status. Get the Order no. for your camera repair. You cannot check the repair status on-line until you have the order no! Start checking the repair status on line every day. Call if you don't have an estimate within 7 days.

3) Upon receiving the email estimate, call to approve the estimate and give them payment info (credit card). To be sure, you might also reply to the email estimate, but including credit card info in an email is not very secure. You might also fax or mail approval and payment info. Doing all three MIGHT prevent human error on Canon's part?

4) After communicating approval and payment info, check the next two days to make sure they got it. According to Canon, their on-line system might NOT be updated the next day. You can check at their on-line repair status site. And you might also CALL again to confirm!

5) Get the name of every person with whom you communicate at Canon. Keep detail notes of every phone conversation, copies of corespondence, and emails.

Every time I think I have done enough on my part to get my equipment back as soon as possible, I discover another step I could have taken that would have prevented a delay. Many of those steps are simply to DISCOVER human errors or process errors at Canon. Unfortunately, this means I will have to communicate with Canon more often (more expense for them and more time for me). Certainly not perfect, but necessary!

One again, I DO agree Canon does pretty good work performing repairs on my cameras. But there is plenty of room for them to improve their processes to reduce delays in returning equipment as soon as possible.

If you have any suggestions to add, I'd like to hear them!

Use photoshop to create a picture of yourslelf with Arnold Schwartzenegger on one side and Barbara Walters on the other. Enclose it with your cam. They won't know what you're trying to say (neither do I) but it will differentiate your case in their minds ;)

What I was saying
 

Fred,
If you don't know what I was trying to say, then it is likely you have not sent equipment to Canon for repair very often. Or maybe time was not of essence when you sent equipment?

I know it was a long post, but it was intended to assist those who will be sending equipment to Canon for repair in the future. I thought some tips gleaned from my experiences might help others avoid a few potholes along the way.

So sorry, Mike... obviously I really flubbed my attempt at a humorous response to your invitation for suggestions.

I know exactly what you were trying to say, I enjoyed your post, and didn't think it was too long. I'm with you. The "they won't know what you what you're trying to say (neither do I)" was meant to refer only to the silly picture I was (tongue in cheek) suggesting that you create.

Mike, thanks for taking the time to report your experiences... much appreciated,

Followup to Fred and Chris
 

Yes, Fred, I wasn't quite sure how to take your suggestion. Even if I send no picture, Canon service employees will create their own mental picture of me if I contact them that often about one repair service. My wife says I am obsesive. She is always right. I do intend to check their on line site for repair status more often.

Thanks, Chris, for taking the time to respond.