Sony Professional-The worst service ever

[Keith Forman]

Here is a copy of a email I sent to them

I cannot emphasize how much I am disappointed with Sony PROFESSIONAL Service.

Waiting two days for a return call is completely unacceptable. Broadcast professionals needs very quick service.

I waited my two days, the technical person phoned me while I was in a business meeting and I could not take the call. When I called him back, whomever answered the phone said it would take another two days unless I paid them $100 for priority service--effectively a shakedown.

This is a $7000 camera which I own several. When I call I expect a return call within a reasonable amount of time and to be treated like a professional. The person answering the call would not even allow me to speak to his supervisor. Even my cable company allows that to happen.

I will be posting a copy of this message to as many professional Sony forums as possible

[Chris Hurd]

I have no direct experience with Sony Professional Service, but I can point out a comparison if it helps:

Canon Professional Service has different tiers of yearly membership, within which you can buy your way to consecutively better levels of service. There's the "free" level, called Silver, which offers a 5 to 7 day turnaround on repairs.

Spend more money -- $500 -- for their Platinum level, and you'll get a 2-day turnaround plus equipment loan.

But then, for Canon's Cinema EOS service package, it's $1,000 per year (see Canon Professional Services - About CPS). I guess my point here is that the $100 that Sony wants to get from you seems like a bargain to me, in compared to what some other manufacturers charge.

Everything is relative, of course, but I agree that professional quality service should have been an assumed part of that original equipment MSRP.

[Peter Parker]

Sory, but this is a load of b*****ks. If you spend $1,0000s on professional cameras, why should you have to pay to get good after sales service?
Sony/Canon rep. "Thank you for spending all this money with us. By the way, if anything goes wrong or you would like to contact us, we will have to charge you for that privilege. The more you pay, the quicker we'll deal with you"

Well done Keith, spread the message.

[Andrew Smith]

Not being able to get a response back within a day smacks of a business which administratively just isn't coping and is a sign that they might not even be up to the task. It's basic competence.

Andrew

[Mark Rosenzweig]

Originally Posted by Peter Parker

Sory, but this is a load of b*****ks. If you spend $1,0000s on professional cameras, why should you have to pay to get good after sales service?

Well, let's see: they could price the $5,000 camera at $5,100 and give everyone "free"service. Then I would have to pay $100 extra for the camera so you can feel (falsely) content that you have "free" service.

Nothing is free.

More importantly, providing services for free, inefficiently leads to overuse - it's free, so why not call instead of reading the manual (I know you have a good reason, but the phones get clogged up by people who don't and call because it is free)? Service will be better if it is not free precisely because then it will create less demands and serve only people who really need it. You should be grateful they offer premiere service for a fee, rather than you having to use a shoddy free service. Free services are for non-professionals.

[Keith Forman]

Asking questions about an issue with a camera is not asking for anything free. In fact, if I opt to spend the $2000 for the repair then it is to their advantage to talk to me.

[Chris Hurd]

Originally Posted by Keith Forman

if I opt to spend the $2000 for the repair then it is to their advantage to talk to me.

I have to agree with Keith on this point completely.

[Mark Rosenzweig]

Originally Posted by Chris Hurd

I have to agree with Keith on this point completely.

I agree that if Sony knew he was going to purchase services it would have been advantageous to talk to him. But they have no way of knowing that.

The point is that if you want good service you have to pay for it. Why is that so offensive? Everyone understands that paying more for cameras usually gets you a something you need; services are no different. Professionals pay way more than others for better cameras and lenses, and they will pay more for services too. No different - more money, better equipment. More money, better service.

Professionals cannot afford to wait on line with hundreds of amateurs who think they are professionals asking for help on inserting an sd card for their next vacation video. Having a paid tier service ensures that professionals get the priority they need to carry out their work - they can spend more time shooting for pay rather than venting in forums, making bad economics 101 arguments for "free" things and waiting for call backs.

[Keith Forman]

I can call my cable company with questions. I can call Mazda with questions. I can even call ATT. None charge for that call

[Leslie Wand]

first, which camera? sony strictly segregates their range, consumer / prosumer / industrial / broadcast.

with the first two, well, unless it's under warranty, good luck (even so). industrial, medical, i've found reasonable turnaround. broadcast, when i had broadcast cameras i never missed a beat if i took the camera in. this is in sydney australia.

nowadays i think nearly all manufacturers look at after sales service as an expense rather than a service, unless you're paying top whack for equipment - and whilst i realise your $7k camera is quite an investment for you (as is my ex1r for me nowadays), they don't really rate on sony's radar.

if it's out of warranty i've found great service from independent techs (all sony trained) not only fast and reliable but MUCH cheaper.

as ever, ymmv

[Keith Forman]

The camera is a PXW-X200. The lens on this camera has had four versions due to problems with the design (as explained to me). Mine being the first because it was an early production model.

What really irks me the most is that when you call and they tell you that it will be one to two business days (before they call you back) and you ask for a supervisor they refuse to let you speak to one. I waited the two days; the tech called me however I was not able to take the call when he phoned. I was told that I would have to wait again for one to two days (again). I really felt that Sony not only did not care but enjoyed humiliating its customers

In the past I have been able to negotiate with Sony for repair of problems which should never occurred. Now all I can do is deal with some anonymous person via email.

Please call Sony at 866-766-9272 and you can get a sense of how bad this service has become

[Leslie Wand]

keith i don't doubt for a moment your experience, and i deeply sympathize with it.

my last experience with sony direct was not so long ago when i wanted to update my ex1's firmware. couldn't get through to my tech so called sony. they said drop it in and it'd take a week or so (i wanted the update asap), and i think they quoted $375, next day my tech rang back and did it the following day for $125.

[Noa Put]

What they should do is send you a email with a time they are planning to call you so you can prepare, you can't expect them to adapt to your agenda because they probably have so many to call but by sending you a time you at least can prepare to be available at that moment. And I also agree, asking questions should not be a service you have to pay for, no-one does that.

[Mark Rosenzweig]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

. And I also agree, asking questions should not be a service you have to pay for, no-one does that.

Once again, a categorical statement that a service should be free, with the only argument that "no one does that." Why should any resource be free? How can it be free if it is costly? Who then pays for this service? Maybe cameras should be free, or sd cards? Or, you think not because "no one does that."

I do not think you have thought this through - a free service for "questions" then gets lots of questions; the service cannot prioritize serious questions (those for which money is at stake) from frivolous or ignorant ones. Free questions also creates incentives not to read up: why not just ask a question - it's free? And those who make a living getting things correct - professionals - wait on line behind those who use their big camera to impress their friends or who do not work and thus have plenty of time to ask questions.

If you paid for a service, then you can complain and have a threat - withdraw your money, do not re-subscribe.

Having a paid service option is what professionals should want and pay for if they really want useful, timely support. I am not surprised that a free service is the worst ever, but it is worth every penny you pay for it...

[Noa Put]

The service they are performing to fix your camera should not be free if it's out of warranty but if I call them and just have a question about the delivery date or the possibility for a replacement camera you are saying that their time to answer my question should be invoiced to me as well? Sorry, but that's just ridiculous.