Sony Defies Description of BAD Service

I just received my "lemon" SZ back again from Sony.

First, let me just say that I'm not a novice at computer tech. I've built many many high-end machines, and troubleshoot computers as an added duty at my day job as an educator. The only machines I don't build myself are laptops, for obvious reasons.

So...I send my SZ in for a last ditch return to factory settings, in hopes that this disaster of a device will perhaps start out fresh (after they replace several defective parts).

So... Sony:


To start things off, I turn on the laptop to find that the tech didn't even finish the hard drive image steps. It came back to me still within the process and in "technical Administrator mode," requiring me to make choices for how I wished to proceed with the re-imaging of the drive...including choices I'm sure they didn't mean for customers to see. I had to call Sony to make sure I reset the image properly, and other steps they'd ignored. After I follwed Sony's advice, I found that I couldn't log in because it was still registering a Sony Technical person as the computer's administrator.

Next... They tell me they installed a brand new keyboard (actually talked to the tech who was working on my machine at the time via phone, after he called me to ask a question).
What did they install instead?
-A VERY used, *warped* keyboard!!! The thing bows upward very badly on the right-mid portion, causing it to bend awkwardly downward when using keys on that side, while the rest works as it should.

But it doesn't stop there...
Next, the DVD drive--which never burned properly--leaving areas on CDs and DVDs that didn't fully burn (leaving visual evidence of a weak burn)...so they said they'd replace that with new. On the repair sheet, there is no indication of any servicing of the drive at all, and no evidence of a new drive.

Next, my laptop came back having been sprayed with some sort of hideous smelling...something--I don't know what. It had a greasy film completely covering the LCD, and the keyboard stunk like a custodian's closet. Try as I might, I can't get the smell out.

Next, the machine completely crashed twice...immediately...when nothing but the factory settings were even loaded. Not a shut-down...but a total black-out...something which never happened before service got their hands on it.

More... I got a battery incompatibility warning popping up on my screen which has never happened in the past. -Never mind that the machine was plugged in at the time...

When the supervisor told me I'd once again have to send it in... I asked how many of these failed service cycles one was expected to go through before some more drastic action was taken by Sony....i.e. replacement. He said I'd just have to keep sending it in... -So what if that meant another two weeks or a month. -I asked how many times *he* would go through this and be OK with this level of service... -His answer was, "As long as I knew I'd eventually get it back in working order, I'd be OK with that." BS. He was being recorded... We all know he wouldn't be OK with that unless he was an idiot....

Come on, Mike--at the San Diego Sony Service Center...

So basically, even if this takes 4 or 5 trips back and forth, I'm supposed be fine with that...never mind if it actually comes back in worse shape that it went out...with multiple unfulfilled promises of new parts replacement.

Sony: You are (as is now common knowledge) the worst service Provider I ever experienced...and I've experience a lot of them. I knew that already from past experiences with them and this SZ laptop, but this latest round takes the cake.

It's just unacceptable the level of incompetence and broken promises we are expected to accept from this company. I've really had it, and will be looking into legal action for failure to provide promised product and services.

-Mark

 

Hey Matt I feel for you, what I would do first is contact Sony's Corporate Office and explain your entire story to whomever they give you, talking to small fish like repair techs won't accomplish anything. If your an advanced systems builder you should know this anyways.

The only way to get things done is to tell them you will be seeking legal action if this problem isn't taken care of properly.

Make sure you are insistant, don't waiver and are decently nice. You should act definitively and demand that the situation is horrid and that it's Sony's responsibility to fix it.

For the price of a Sony notebook things like that just shouldn't happen, it's time for them to step up to the plate. I wish you luck good sir.

Not to get off subject but, I just thought I would tell you a similar problem I had.


I purchased a used HP laptop off Ebay and had it for about a year or so, and while I was using it I smelled burning plastic. Low and behold my LCD inverter overheated and partially melted my LCD bezel as well as throwing off some pretty nasty smoke and sparks.

It was out of warranty for 2 years, but I felt it was my duty to call up HP and report that this had happend. To make a long story short after I was bounced around by probably no less than 50 HP techs and consumer case managers I said I want to file a complaint.

Only then was I transferred (they gave me the number) to HP's Corporate office where I spoke to someone who cared, and even made a paper trail of my whole story. All I wanted to do was have the laptop fixed and inform them that this could possibly happen to others, and they ended up sending me a brand new $1,250 laptop for my troubles. Now that is quality service, but it wouldn't have happend if I just gave up.

Don't give up and call their corporate office

 

I think you mean defines... not defies.

 

I really feel the same pain with you Keep us posted. I mgiht need your guidance in the near future.

 

Iam also victim of sony. Sent mine for repair. never got it back.

I dont know how sony is managing in the market with worst service that too with highly priced products.

 

I sent my SZ340 into Sony's (then) new Memphis repair center, and when I got it back the right side of my laptop suffered some minor damage. I called customer service, reported the damage (and that I wasn't still satisfied with the repairs they made ---- but that's a long story that eventually has a happy ending). I asked to be transferred to a supervisor, and got to speak with the lead technician at the CA facility. He was VERY on top of the next repair, told me to send the unit directly to him, called me with updates, etc etc.

*HE* was very much concerned about an upset customer who had received a laptop back in bad condition, and he made sure that I knew he was going to take personal accountability for making sure everything was set right.

So yeah, to echo what someone else said, it's all about who you talk to when you have complaints of this nature. All customer service teams are like this (in my experience, anyway), and most are willing to make sure that you come out of the deal happy.