MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - (Problem Resolved) AARGGGGHHHHH!!! Sony #&%@&^#(*%!*#& CS

DrMoze · 08-31-2007, 01:40 PM

So I ordered my Sony Reader in mid-July, enticed by the price ($60) and offer of $50 credit in the Connect Store. Was concerned about delays in shipping, because the $50 credit offer expired July 31. (A subsequent offer of 100 free "Classic" downloads is useless to me.) Went on vacation in August, and the Reader eventually arrived (last week).

I promptly e-mailed Sony CS regarding the long delay in shipping, and was told I could still get the $50 credit. Just send in a copy of my invoice showing I ordered the Reader before the end of July. I was also told that the $50 credit had to be used by August 31 (hmmmm.... that's today) as the offer is dead after that.

I promptly e-mailed a copy of my invoice, received a response (after a day or 2) saying the file was corrupt and I needed to re-send. I did so immediately on Tuesday. No response. I e-mailed an update to my follow-up on Wednesday, adding "URGENT" to the subject, politely requesting a fast response because the offer expires on Friday. Still no response. I sent in a new CS request, also marked URGENT, referencing my previous request (which is on file in their online tracking system) and again requesting an immediate response. Nada.

So, today is August 31, the last day to redeem the $50 credit which I have yet to receive. Not trustung any CS anywhere, I searched and finally found a phone number to call. (This was not simple--Sony Connect does NOT provide any phone number to speak to a live person. The number turned up in a direct e-mail from Connect to a customer, which was buried in a post somewhere in these very forums!)

So I called, hoping to reach a live CS rep and quickly resolve the request, get my credit, and buy a few e-books before midnight tonight. I anxiously dial, and am greeted with a recorded message saying that THE OFFICE IS CLOSED TODAY FOR A COMPANY HOLIDAY, AND WILL BE OPEN AT 8 A.M. CST ON THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY!

So, my hopes of actually getting a response to my request today, and of getting my $50 credit, are dashed completely.

I am NOT a happy camper!!! Their promise of a response within 24 hours is BS!

And I just needed to vent.

I do plan to call on Tuesday, and explain the whole fiasco. The content and times of my e-mails are in their system. I suspect they may tell me it's too late to do anything, but I will certainly do my best to convince them otherwise. The best I can do is to threaten to boycott the Connect Store and never buy an ebook from them, and to bad-mouth their poor responsiveness and service to others, if they don't make good on the offer which I qualified for and requested in a timely manner.

Any other suggestions? Anyone else have experience with Sony Connect CS?

08-31-2007, 01:40 PM	#1
DrMoze Booknut Posts: 858 Karma: 2852 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: West Palm Beach, Florida! Device: Sony Reader 500/505/300/350, Nook Glowlight Plus (6")	*(Problem Resolved) AARGGGGHHHHH!!! Sony #&%@&^#(%!#& CS* So I ordered my Sony Reader in mid-July, enticed by the price ($60) and offer of $50 credit in the Connect Store. Was concerned about delays in shipping, because the $50 credit offer expired July 31. (A subsequent offer of 100 free "Classic" downloads is useless to me.) Went on vacation in August, and the Reader eventually arrived (last week). I promptly e-mailed Sony CS regarding the long delay in shipping, and was told I could still get the $50 credit. Just send in a copy of my invoice showing I ordered the Reader before the end of July. I was also told that the $50 credit had to be used by August 31 (hmmmm.... that's today) as the offer is dead after that. I promptly e-mailed a copy of my invoice, received a response (after a day or 2) saying the file was corrupt and I needed to re-send. I did so immediately on Tuesday. No response. I e-mailed an update to my follow-up on Wednesday, adding "URGENT" to the subject, politely requesting a fast response because the offer expires on Friday. Still no response. I sent in a new CS request, also marked URGENT, referencing my previous request (which is on file in their online tracking system) and again requesting an immediate response. Nada. So, today is August 31, the last day to redeem the $50 credit which I have yet to receive. Not trustung any CS anywhere, I searched and finally found a phone number to call. (This was not simple--Sony Connect does NOT provide any phone number to speak to a live person. The number turned up in a direct e-mail from Connect to a customer, which was buried in a post somewhere in these very forums!) So I called, hoping to reach a live CS rep and quickly resolve the request, get my credit, and buy a few e-books before midnight tonight. I anxiously dial, and am greeted with a recorded message saying that THE OFFICE IS CLOSED TODAY FOR A COMPANY HOLIDAY, AND WILL BE OPEN AT 8 A.M. CST ON THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY! So, my hopes of actually getting a response to my request today, and of getting my $50 credit, are dashed completely. I am NOT a happy camper!!! Their promise of a response within 24 hours is BS! And I just needed to vent. I do plan to call on Tuesday, and explain the whole fiasco. The content and times of my e-mails are in their system. I suspect they may tell me it's too late to do anything, but I will certainly do my best to convince them otherwise. The best I can do is to threaten to boycott the Connect Store and never buy an ebook from them, and to bad-mouth their poor responsiveness and service to others, if they don't make good on the offer which I qualified for and requested in a timely manner. Any other suggestions? Anyone else have experience with Sony Connect CS?