customer service - sony style

[cybmole]

it seems that somewhere in a sequence of 30+ emails, 3 letters to sony head office, emails to named execs from http://www.ceoemail.com/, and a written threat of small claims court action - that I finally pressen the right buttons and Sony are now intending to refund me for the failed T3 that I bought from sony store ( old thread - cracked screen issue)

So as a (hopefully not too premature) celebration here is a "best of" how to do customer service - sony style - actula names & number edited out for posting

A selection of the idiotic responses received already – I have over 30 such replies!
1. Dear xxx
Thank you for your recent Email.
In regards to your query regarding your Reader has been sold to you with a faulty cracked screen, we would recommend reporting the fault to the original retailer.
Duh :How many more times – the original retailer was Sony United Kingdom and Ireland, a division of Sony Europe Limited.A company registered in England and Wales. Registered office: The Heights, Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 0XW Trading as sony store online

2. Dear xxxxx
Thank you for contacting Sony support.
In regards to your query regarding speaking to a manager I have tried contacting several times..., but it seems your number does not receive calls from our number.
[ I have explained, repeatedly that I do not accept Anonymous calls & they need to turn off caller number with-held]
3. Dear xxx,
Thank you for your reply, we apologize for the inconvenience.
In regards to your enquiry, please be advised that we have tried to contact you, but your number does not receive calls from our number and this is the only number that we can contact you from.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours Sincerely,
Mostafa

[I explain that I wish to call a direct line to a responsible individual, not a premium rate switchboard which will queue me ]

4. 20/3/13 Dear xxxx
Thank you for your feedback.

Regarding our case, we are afraid that this is the only number that Sony has : 08448466555

I will make sure that a manager contact you during the next 24 business hours, or you may call us if you please
I hope that my e-mail has gone some way to clarifying this matter.

Yours sincerely

Tamer
Sony Customer Support

5. Dear xxxx

Thank you for your reply.

We would like to clarify that the number provided before is not a premium rate number, we also confirm that our number is not an anonymous one.
[ but see above – 0844 is premium rate for me, and the only reason that a call will not get through is if it is anonymous – there is no fault on my phone line ! ]

6. ( this one is just a blatant lie ) 13/3/13 Dear xxxx
Thank you for your recent email.
We would like to confirm that you have been contacted, and definitely a supervisor will contact you again as soon as possible.
Should you have any further questions, please feel free to reply to this email.
Thank you for your enquiry.
Yours sincerely,
Nourhan Zidan

7. 10/3/13 Dear xxxxx
Thank you for your e-mail, we apologize for the inconvenience.
In regards for your enquiry, please be advised that the sales department in totally independent from us and that is the difference between the manufacture and the retailer, however, we have passed your case to a manager to review the e-mail, yet we still recommend contacting the sales department for further assistance with your issue.

8. Dear Mr Guest
Thank you for your recent email.
In regards to your query, we confirm that the Sales Department does not have an email address; however, you can try calling them on the number below:
08456000124
Thank you for your enquiry.
Yours sincerely,
Nourhan Zidan

9. 6/3/13 Dear xxxxx
Thank you for your recent email.
In regards to the cracked screen, we confirm that this is not a known issue and we confirm that when you received the e-reader, it did not have any cracks on the screen, and this happened due to an external force, and the warranty that we provide our customers does not cover physical damages.
And in regards to being not fit for purpose, we believe that you are referring to the sales of goods act, which refers to the relationship between the customer and the retailer, so we recommend for you to contact the retailer if you are looking for any further assistance.
And in regards to the person that came up with this decision, we confirm that the reply to any escalation is sent anonymously, and this decision was taken from the Complaints Department.
Also, in regards to the letter, please check the address below to be able to send your letter to the Head Quarters:
The Heights Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 0XW, United Kingdom
[I have sent 2 letters to that address, both have been ignored ]

[Glorfindel]

I love Amazon

[soulfuldog]

I think you've probably earned a replacement T3 plus a refund after dealing with a long series of emails like that.

[PatGIV]

Originally Posted by soulfuldog

I think you've probably earned a replacement T3 plus a refund after dealing with a long series of emails like that.

I do too!

[detayls]

Originally Posted by soulfuldog

I think you've probably earned a replacement T3 plus a refund after dealing with a long series of emails like that.

I was once offered a first prize of a week at Blackpool in England.

The second prize was two weeks....

[Dr. Drib]

Say with me:

FRANZ KAFKA!

[cybmole]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Say with me:

FRANZ KAFKA!

not even Kafka could have written the latest twist. Sony sales now say that i can have a refund but first, the faulty item has to be sent back to their warehouse, and it cannot go from Sony tech service ( who currently have it ) to Sony sales ( who now want it ) , because it has to be returned by the customer.

So Sony are now arranging two more couriers ( they already sent one last week to collect the item when it was not here ) - they are intending it to courier it from Sony repair center back to me, then courier it from me back to Sony sales !

I am almost tempted to hope that the repair guys have lost it ( or binned it as they threatened to do a few weeks back) , just to see how they'd dig themselves out of that hole

here's the reply to me asking why sony cant just ship it to themselves & leave me out of it:

> Please once you receive the package, leave it in the box from the
> technical department, just remove the labels with your address in
> order to prevent confusion. I am sorry for complications,
> unfortunately, we have to follow the procedure and according to them we have to receive the product from the customer.

& the previous reply

> > I am sorry for the confusing information, I have now requested from
> > the technical support to return the product directly to you. Once
> > you will receive the product we will request a collection and
> > delivery to the warehouse of the SONY Store Online. Unfortunately,
> > we have to receive the product in our warehouse in order to proceed with refund.
> > This confusion occurred due to the fact that the technical
> > department is located on the
> different place and our system are not connected.

[pdurrant]

That last twist is just amazing.

[cybmole]

Wikipedia tells me that Sony used to use the slogan "make believe" - it seems an apt description so far - they do "make believe" customer service very well

The words "make.believe" form the "Sony Group Brand Message."[4] The words are designed to unify the company's efforts at communication, and to reinvigorate the Sony brandSony budgeted US$100 million for its "make.believe" campaign in 2010


cost of replacement or refund £99
cost of employing "customer services" muppets to send 30+ delaying emails - about the same ?
cost of arranging original collection: couriering it to Pencoed so their tech guys could pronounce " screen is f**k*d " and email me a picture to prove it ! - £ same again ?
cost of 3 more pointless courier expeditions £ ?

cost of displaying Kafka-esque incompetence & leading edge telephony skills to world at large - priceless

> > > This confusion occurred due to the fact that the technical
> > > department is located on the
> > different place and our system are not connected.
> > >
> > > Please accept my apologies for misunderstanding.

> > > > Thank you - it seems that Sony has real problems with my landline but no-one else does.
> > > > It's a normal landline ... except that I have enabled the option to block anonymous caller withheld numbers at
> > > > virginmedia, my phone supplier., I cannot toggle that on & off, to make calls from Sony an exception - , it's all or nothing

> > >
> > > Unfortunately, our lines have hidden calling numbers and we cannot
> > > change it
> > >
> > > If you provide us a phone where we can contact you with hidden
> > > phone number I can give you a call.

i was then foolish enough to also ask about tracking:

Dear ...

Tracking number should be provided to you automatically by the delivery company. Unfortunately, since we do not facilitate the shipment we do not have it available.

With kind regards

[bla]

Lmao.... sorry but that is funny.... almost like a monty python sketch.. thanks for sharing gave me a good chuckle....

[teija]

Wow... I have heard stories from assorted companies regarding bad customer service, but this one quite possibly takes the cake. It's starting to remind me of that scene in Asterix where they go to "the place that drives you mad" (aka. town hall)!