Problem With Sony Service Center

[svenivan]

Is there anyone out there that has a good contact with someone in Sony Service Center in Bangkok?

This is what happened:

I bought this camera, a Sony SLT-a77, direct from Sony Thailand in end of October4 2011.

I have used it daily since the day I got it and I really love the camera and it takes great photos.

But almost 3 weeks ago when I picked it up it was dead, I changed to a newly charged battery but could not get it starting.

So I went to Sony shop in Central Plaza here in Chiang Rai and they said they needed to send it to Sony in Chiang Mai. That was

Sunday 30 Sept 2012.

After a couple of days I called Sony in Chiang Mai and they told me they could not fix it so they had sent it to Sony Service Center in Bangkok.

So last week I called Sony in Bangkok two times to ask about my camera but they did not know about the camera but both times they promised to call me up.

Not a sound back and I managed to fill in a form on Sony Thai website with information about what happened and serialnbr of my camera. I got an email

last Friday telling me this:

Dear Valued customer,

Thank you for your support in Sony product.

We would like to apologize for any inconvenience.

Now, we already coordinated with concerned function. We will inform you about the information as soon as possible.

Should you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us again.

Best regards,

Pornpan P.

Customer Contact Center

Sony Thai Co., Ltd.

From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]

And as you see there is this DoNotReply.... thing

Well I tried to reply anyway to ask for more information but nothing.

I went back to Sony Shop in Chiang Rai last Sunday and asked them to contact Sony in Bangkok to find out more information and then contact me.

Nothing!

I have sent two of these forms to Sony Bankok this week but no reply.

So what can I do?

Is there anyone out there that got an email address to a person in Sony Service Center or a phone number I would appreciate if you give me

a PM with the details!

Thanks in advance!

[svenivan]

I must admit that I am impressed with the Power of ThaiVisa !

A couple of minutes ago I got this email from Sony Service Center:

Dear Sir,

We would like to apologize for any inconvenience regarding repair service.

After we checked with service department, pleased be informed that the part for repair your camera is arrived now and our chief engineer is repairing your camera.

At this stage, please rest assured that we have been in conjunction with the concerned parties to expedite your repair.

You will be updated again shortly.

Once again, we are sorry for any inconvenience has caused to you during this time. Your kind understanding would be highly appreciated.

Best regards,

Pornpan P.

Customer Contact Center

Sony Thai Co., Ltd.

Well I have not got my camera back yet but hey, they are talking to me!

[astral]

Unusual in my book

I have always found Sony Service to be good, but that was the Pattaya centre.

[svenivan]

Unusual in my book

I have always found Sony Service to be good, but that was the Pattaya centre.

You are lucky you got a Sony Service Center close. I have to go to the Sony Store and they are not much interested because they did not

sell the camera to me.

But besides posting this problem in ThaiVisa, I also found that Sony Thailand and Sony Store Thailand have their own pages in Facebook so

I posted the same story in both places. I think that was good to make someone interested to help me.

We will see if and when I get my camera back.

[svenivan]

just got a telephone call from Sony in Chiang Mai telling me that Sony Service Center in Bangkok has informed them that they have ordered

parts for my camera from Singapore and they expect them to come to Bangkok on Tuesday next week. He also said that they hope I will get

my camera next Saturday, 8 days from now!

So I sent a couple of questions for Sony Service center in Bangkok:

1. You told me in attached mail that you got the part already 2 days ago, so what happened?

2. Why do Sony Service center in Bangkok order parts from Singapore for a Sony camera made in Ayuttayha Thailand only 65 km away?

It cannot be that it is quicker because it will take 5 days to get the part from Singapore and they can get someone walking from Ayuttayha in half time.

3. Are you going to send the camera, when it is working, first to Sony in Chiang mai and then that they send the camera to Sony in Chiang Rai

and then when they got it from postoffice hopefully they will call me? Is that the plan?

When I bought the camera almost a year ago I thought it was good that the camera was made in Thailand. They should have the expertise in

Thailand so if any problem they could solve it quick and easy.

But This Is Thailand! Now I know better!

+

[svenivan]

Now I start to be real worried! I got this email today from Sony in Bangkok:

Dear Sir,

We reiterate our sincere apologies for any inconvenience or frustration caused to you regarding this repair service, job no. 48V61621.

Having immediately investigated into your case, we would like to explain that the required spare part already has been arrived since 17 October 2012, yet it is still under repaired. We expect that it could be finished by early of next week which you will be timely updated again by our service staff on Monday afternoon.

Furthermore, according to your warranty period, the repair of your set has still been done under Free of Charge basis.

At this stage, we are sorry if this was not properly explained to you by our staff at our Service Center – Chiangmai, however, the situation described is not reflective of our overall standards of service, and we would like to sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused.

Please rest assured that your case already has been in the attention of our Service Manager to ensure that the quality of service will be properly recovered.

Your kind understanding would be highly appreciated.

Best regards,

Pornpan P.

Customer Contact Center

Sony Thai Co., Ltd.

Sony in Bangkok got the part October 17th and the chief engineer has been working with the camera since then and they expect to finish early of next week!

What are we talking about? A Boeing 747 or a camera?

And they expect as they said earlier that I shall have the camera in my hand on Saturday 27th of October 2012. That is exactly on the day one year after I bought the camera!

Hmm... So now comes another question: How long time is the warranty for this repair? I mean, if they don't know they have fixed the camera after 4 days (today), how can they be sure it is 100% OK next week?

I don't know how much Sony in Bangkok charges per hour but in US they charge 135$ per hour (and that is not the chief engineer).

So if they started working 17th of October and finish beginning of next week, say 40 hours, that will be 5400$ ( 162 000 baht).

I know I don't have to pay anything this time but next...

[svenivan]

In the post above you can see that I got a job no from Sony.

I just checked the repairing status for that job no in Sony Thailand's website and got this reply:

"This set is now waiting for a new spare part. Our staff will notify you when it is completed. Thank you. "

But on Friday they told me " we would like to explain that the required spare part already has been arrived since 17 October 2012"

so either they don't update the customer system or they tell me lies.

I am very worried about my camera and that they cannot get it working reminds me about an old Mercedes Benz, a 220 S from 1958.

The head gasket broke and I did the repair myself. After a couple of days work I got everything together and started the engine. It was running

for about 2 minutes and then it died. I tried everything but could not start it again so I took the engine apart again, checking everything, new head gasket again etc.

After I got it all together I started and the engine was running for 2 minutes and then died. I could not find the problem and after 6 months I sold the car for almost

nothing to a friend of my father that was "good at cars". He worked with it for a long time but could never got it running.

And I still wonder if Sony Service center in Bangkok order parts for a77 from Singapore !

[Jaedmon]

Interesting. Anything new?

Sounds like an auto repair and paint job that I waited 10 months for and finally accepted before it was totally finished, paying full contract price, of course.

Do you or anyone if they make the new Cybershot RX100 in Thailand? It sells for at least $100 more here than the US.

[svenivan]

Interesting. Anything new?

Sounds like an auto repair and paint job that I waited 10 months for and finally accepted before it was totally finished, paying full contract price, of course.

Do you or anyone if they make the new Cybershot RX100 in Thailand? It sells for at least $100 more here than the US.

I got my camera back yesterday and what I can see so far it is working OK.

Someone replied in My Sony Thailand Facebook page like this:

" I believe it's part of the BOI agreement with the government. Sony get the privileges with taxes to set up a factory and import all equipments,

parts, to produce the cameras, however, they must export everything outside of the country under the agreement to protect the local industries.

For local sales, then they can import them back again with proper taxes. So they can't just walk into the Ayudhya factory and grab some parts.

However the reason they don't import and prepare some parts in advance for a quicker service is what I would call poor.

Sony Thailand can't do anything though, the decision and policy are all up to the regional HQ in Singapore, the big boss.

You should direct your complaint towards Sony Singapore for some changes to really happen. "

So that is the reason this repair took long time and it is probably the reason why cameras produced in Thailand are more expensive to buy here

in Thailand than in US.

If you buy the RX100 I hope you report here how you like it. It seem to be a very good camera that you always can have in your pocket so you don't miss any shots.

[svenivan]

Jaedmon,

While you are waiting for your Sony RX100, check this link: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4900621122191&set=o.448694495152805&type=1&theater

It is a Facebook page for Sony RX100 photography.

There are many great shots there and the ones taken by James McDonnell are outstanding !

[samuijimmy]

Interesting!!! ...

Well when I sent a Sony "pocket" camera back to Sony, under warranty, via my local shop here on Samui, it took Sony in BKK nearly six months to fix the problem (not really sure what it was ).... Sony attempted to ask for money, in the process, which I refused to pay (nearly as much as a new camera ) ... The local shop made numerous calls to find out where things where at, over that period....

Finally it came back, worked for about a week, and died again.... never another Sony product of any kind for me...

I've always found Canon service to to be efficient and comes back working

[svenivan]

Interesting!!! ...

Well when I sent a Sony "pocket" camera back to Sony, under warranty, via my local shop here on Samui, it took Sony in BKK nearly six months to fix the problem (not really sure what it was ).... Sony attempted to ask for money, in the process, which I refused to pay (nearly as much as a new camera ) ... The local shop made numerous calls to find out where things where at, over that period....

Finally it came back, worked for about a week, and died again.... never another Sony product of any kind for me...

I've always found Canon service to to be efficient and comes back working

I am sorry to hear that. It seem to be a problem with Sony service. As I said before, this is my Sony camera number four and once I had a problem

and had the camera sent to BKK but it came back within a month and is still working.

I hope I have the same luck with the new camera. They give 3 months warranty on the repair!

[samuijimmy]

Interesting!!! ...

Well when I sent a Sony "pocket" camera back to Sony, under warranty, via my local shop here on Samui, it took Sony in BKK nearly six months to fix the problem (not really sure what it was ).... Sony attempted to ask for money, in the process, which I refused to pay (nearly as much as a new camera ) ... The local shop made numerous calls to find out where things where at, over that period....

Finally it came back, worked for about a week, and died again.... never another Sony product of any kind for me...

I've always found Canon service to to be efficient and comes back working

I am sorry to hear that. It seem to be a problem with Sony service. As I said before, this is my Sony camera number four and once I had a problem

and had the camera sent to BKK but it came back within a month and is still working.

I hope I have the same luck with the new camera. They give 3 months warranty on the repair!

All I can say is you were very lucky, .... perhaps I'll get an email from Sony ??? ..... but won't hold my breathe!!!

The Sony (and Canon) reseller here on Samui is usually good explaining things, they did not convey the 3 months warranty, after the "repair" ....

So after not having the camera for that long period, I would not have wanted to wait again!!!!

Plus the fact Sony asked for money.... to fix it, but after I refused to pay they "fixed it" and finally returned it. .......