Au revoir Sony, it's been a good 25 years.
I remember delightedly receiving my first Sony Walkman aged 11, all those two and a half decades ago, and it was a love affair since then.
But like all good things it has come to an end today.
My six-month old Vaio's case had the temerity to develop what appears to be a stress crack / fracture. Not huge at this stage, but I was a bit worried about it getting worse / becoming a bigger issue in the future.
After speaking to "customer services" (more on them later), I was told this wasn't covered under the warranty, and any costs to repair would have to be met by myself.
I had assumed that if you spent over £1,000 on a piece of technology, it would have reasonable durability / build quality.
I was wrong; once it leaves the factory, any subsequent issues that don't relate to the "insides" and they don't want to know.
The conversation with "customer services" was in equal parts depressing and inspiring though. Re the latter, I'm going to start a business making papier mache laptops. And when they start to crack, I'm going to tell my customers tough / go and do one, it was fine when it left the factory etc.
Regarding the "customer services" representative, she was a one-woman case study in how not to do it.
If Sony offers (some form of) training to its "customer services" representatives, it hasn't covered that it's bad form to (repeatedly) talk over the customer* (*Sony slang for time-wasting irritant).
As you can see from the above she could not help in the slightest (admittedly Sony policy in this respect). She declined to give me her surname (fair enough to an extent, but I wonder if there will be 27 different Maia's in the dept), said this was Sony policy, and said there was no supervisor I could speak to etc. I can only assume Maia is a Bertrand Russell reader, as after a few minutes enjoying the pleasure of her company, I wasn't even sure about my own existence, let alone hers and her superiors.
After doing a bit of research on the web, it seems Sony's very poor customer relations services and disdain for its customers isn't a very exclusive club.
I wish I had done my homework before I bought, I suppose to an extent I was blinded by this longstanding loyalty. But I'm certainly not going to buy a Sony product again. Any loyalty it seems is strictly one-way.
I'm guessing the philosphy behind the warranty is concern about false damage claims (in my case, bad pun, it happened on its own accord I assure you!). But I think it's a false economy. They must be declining to help in a lot of genuine cases, and subsequently losing a lot of customers / future business.
With the blinkers now off it seems Sony has lost it's way a bit. To use a sporting analogy, it reminds me of a boxer that has fought on too long.
Just look at some of the recent headlines: the PS3's yellow light of death, the substandard security in regard to the PS3 network etc, against the backdrop of some big losses; and it seems there is a growing disatisfaction with Sony's customer services, and its high hat approach to customers.
So a few questions:
-does anyone have the email address for Gildas Pelliet / CE of Sony UK I understand.
-does anyone know of a laptop manufactuer whose warranty will cover (non-accidental) damage to the exterior eg the casing? (if so they're about to gain some business)
Thanks in advance for any help / feedback.
It's not beyond the realms that a customer services rep / forum moderator will respond to this. But you'll get very short odds on them saying anything other I'm sorry to hear this, I'll pass on your comments to the relevant department etc; but no actual good coming of anything. It's not they're fault, just following protocol, but it's still lip service / a shrug of the shoulders.
