Sony support -- terrible.

Hey guys, anyone else have experience with Sony customer support and the whole range of things related?

I sent my VAIO Z in for repair about a month ago. I received it back last week, and not only was it not repaired, the laptop was damaged during the repair. I've been trying to get ahold of the repair facility for a week now, and I haven't been able to hear from them, and every person I've talked to just said I would have to wait and promised me I would hear back within the day.

Every department has been referring me to another one, and I've been endlessly transferred around many times, and I've already wasted over 5 hours on the phone. Everyone just blamed the repair facility and the repair facility won't respond to me.


I was wondering if there was anything I could do to escalate my case or something like that. Get someone who can actually do something involved. My guess is no, but perhaps someone can offer insight on how slow things are.

 

Same story for many people here. You can find tons of negative reports about Sony's service here. I had a mere 5 calls and two friendly mails with them when I first bought my Z in 2010. I did not have to deal with service fortunately, had some problems with sales (totally scratched and beat up CTO Z, missing headphones, reps being unresponsive for days and then lying to me). What I can tell is, keep pushing and escalate, escalate, escalate. Write emails. Google the Internet for higher reps, service managers etc. Threaten them with BBB claims, whatever. I feel sorry for everyone that has to go through that PITA. Fight for it, only by doing so, they will learn their lesson some day. In my case, it was worth it. Talk to lovelaptops, he knows how to solve such issues.

 

thanks for the help. I already filed a BBB claim, but they refuse to escalate me any further.

I plan on fighting, but there's only so much I can do, since I use my VAIO for work and can't be without it for a really long amount of time

 

Be kind, take care of escalation on your own. I'm not from the U.S. so can't tell you contacts. I guess it's the same in the U.S. like here - if you have purchased a new Sony computer, they ask for your feedback - with a personal contact included (mostly after sales manager or something). Try to find out who that is and mail directly. I also PMed you a contact in Japan which is responsible for customer service, I had success this way.

 

Yup. If you manage to get elevated and talk to someone who knows what they're doing (I think they're level 3 support?) they're wonderful. Otherwise? No good. Luckily I've only ever run into one problem that needed that much support.

 

Sony NA? Then you got the standard Sony NA "repair". Send it to Sony Japan or Sony China if you actually want it fixed.

Dude, you need to do two things. File a complaint with the BBB and write a good o' fashion physical letter to the Office of the President of Sony NA. Either/both of those actions should get you an email/call from customer relations. They answer directly to the CEO. They should be able to help you out in short order.

 

Praise for BBB where due. They deserve it. I've tried it with a couple of companies who gave me the run around initially (including Sony) and BBB helped resolve everything as per my original reasonable expectations.

 

BBB...lol! do you know who funds the BBB? its the same companies! naturally they're not gonna do anything about big companies.

and anyways, the no-cares about the BBB. do you check BBB before going to buy a laptop??

 

So that we must accept that We paid a lot money to get a laptop with many problem and we can not do anything?

 

Well, i got a good story...

Sony replaced my palmrest (fading) with 2 days left on my warranty. They sent an on-site technician and got it fixed.

I recently murdered my touchpad cable, and Sony is again sending an onsite technician, i bought my laptop May of 2010.

I dunno, most companies would file fading touchpad under "wear and tear" but hey, i'm not complaining. AND they sent an onsite technician, so... I dunno.

Only problem is that Sony does contract out here in the US, so yeah. Sony Japan should be good as they do their own in-house repairs

 

The Better Business Bureau is a professional association, much like a state restaurant association. Businesses pay a membership fee, and in return, the association fights for its members by lobbying the government. Members also receive discounts on things like insurance and payment processing through association partners.

You completely fail to understand the concept of the BBB. Companies pay for a membership to the BBB because of the reputation it carries. Having a BBB membership icon on their store window or website means that they are held to a certain standard.

Having worked with the various associations here in Canada, I can confirm that, when warranted, the BBB does indeed "do something". If a company behaves in such a way as to elicit complaints from consumers, the BBB will act, because it is their reputation on the line as much as it is the offending company's. Both the company and the BBB get something out of the partnership; The BBB gets a yearly membership fee, and the company gets to tell customers that they hold themselves to a high standard of service.

As for why anyone would care...I for one do. I look for BBB membership when I hire a contractor, when I purchase big ticket items and when I shop for services like insurance. It means I can go to the BBB website and see any outstanding complaints lobbied against a company, as well as how they resolved those issues. And that includes this beautiful Vaio SA that I am typing on right now...knowing that Sony is a member of the BBB helped, since I know I have another arm to lean on should things go south.