Nikon Australia

[Onyx]

Let it be known that on this day, the fourteenth of November in the year two thousand and seven, I have submitted a warranty request for my D200 to Nikon Australia at Lidcombe. My little baby is barely 11 months old with a mere 7k actuations. It is a simple request for a group of ~5 hot pixels to be remapped. I could just as easily download the software to do it myself, but since it's under warranty (as I usually buy grey, having warranty on this occasion is a luxury) I thought I'd make use of it.

My previous dealings with them (when they were Maxwell) have been a mixed bag, so I shall reserve judgement of my experience on this occasion.

I've been told I should hear back something within 30 days, pending their workload. Realistically, I'm expecting it back before 2008. We shall see.

[Kyle]

Shall we start the betting?

Seriously though, I hope it's sooner rather than later for you onyx

Wish canon and nikon offered service like we do @ work.. 48hr turnaround on all repairs ftw!

[Glen]

Chi, will be interested to watch this thread

[Killakoala]

Good luck mate.

[Geoff]

We watch and wait Chi, with vested interest...hope it's quick for u buddy.

[team piggy]

I'm at 11 weeks and counting on 10 pin port caps with them, Good luck..... (you'll most likely need it)

[jammy2]

All the best Oynx for reasonable and hopefully expedient service from Nikon.

In my case, Nikon Australia provided reasonable service with my 9 month old D50 at Hartland's cameras in Perth. My shutter malfunctioned (sticky or broken?)at 21k shots and it took them 30 days to get it fixed (which gave me time to get reacquainted with the FM2 and OM2. When I first sent it in, one of the techs was supposedly away on holidays so repairs were delayed.

Anyway, the camera arrived in time for the Red bull race (by a day =) and is working tip-top.

[Oneputt]

Nikon Australia and customer service? You are joking aren't you?

I have been waiting six weeks for a couple of LCD protectors for my D2X, anyone would think that they are a part rarely required.

[petermmc]

I had a few hot pixels sine I purchased mine about 14 months ago. Also, rubber grip came loose on several spots. While quite a sturdy camera all told, it is really annoying when this happens. I hope yours has a speedy recovery. I have more hot pixels now.

[shutterbug]

I got me D200 back within a week

[Nikkofan]

I may be hexing myself with any future services but so far (touch wood) my experience with Nikon has been excellent.

Put my D200 and a lens in for service on a Monday. Told them I needed it back by Friday the following week for a wedding, if possible. They told me that since it was a grey import they couldn't lend me another one, but would keep in mind that I needed it for my work.

The next day I got a call from their service dept to say the camera and the lens were ready and I could pick them up (which I did) and the total cost of the service for both was less than $200.00.

I was a very happy little vegemite so can only say, on this occasion, Nikon Service excelled.

And I got the bonus of bumping into a fresh-back-from-NY-Wendell (who of course called me Deb ) at the counter and having a friendly chat. (It was good to see you again Wendell)

So, Chi, I hope you have the same luck with Nikon that I did! Don't knock them too soon, they may just surprise you (especially if any of them are reading this Forum! )

[team piggy]

(especially if any of them are reading this Forum! )

Oh, in that case they should read this thread http://www.dslrusers.net/viewtopic.php? ... highlight=

[Nikkofan]

My gosh, in reading that thread, I'm beginning to realise how lucky I've been in my experience with Nikon!

I hope they ARE reading these threads!

[Onyx]

<grumble grumble>....

It's always an excuse with them. "Waiting for parts to arrive" just doesn't bloody cut it for a job that doesn't require any! 5 weeks on, I don't have the camera back in my hands - so my expectations have been revised: February 2008 return.

This is fucked. Most people, even serious users of cameras, would have no idea what's involved in the service or repair of them, how they work etc. so they'll likely believe the fibs Nikon AU or their repairer tells them.

I'm not so much pissed at the time frame that it's taken for my camera to not have been attended to, but rather that I've been lied to. I would much rather the honest answer of "we haven't got around to looking at your camera yet, it's been sitting on the shelf for five weeks while we attend to the NPS folks. Would you like us to get around to it sometime before the D300 gets superceeded?".

I guess I should take comfort in not having had my mechanic tell me I needed $200 per ml of headlight fluid, or other such BS (I replace my own headlamp fluid thank you very much). Incidently, nothing else I've bought has ever needed repairs or warranty attention; maybe it's just photographic equipment and me.

I think next time (if there ever is a next time), I'll take a drive out to Poraday in Bondi... it seems they might be worth it (altho who's to say the Libcombe crowd don't already send their units there for repair anyways?!)

I should have known better than this....

Nikon Australia has just lost a customer for life. 4 times, 3 disappointments. Superior products let down by inferior local service. I'm a strong advocate for grey market now. Stuff paying a shitload more for the "assurance" of local warranty, it's utterly meaningless in Australia!

[gstark]

Chi,

It's always an excuse with them. "Waiting for parts to arrive" just doesn't bloody cut it for a job that doesn't require any!

Did you point this out to them?

I'd be calling them back, and asking to speak to, first of all, the manager of the service department, and when (if) that call fails, speak with the MD.

Ask them what specific parts they're waiting on. I'd respecftully suggest that perhaps they're waiting on the specific pixels, so that they can be individually replaced.

Most people, even serious users of cameras, would have no idea what's involved in the service or repair of them, how they work etc. so they'll likely believe the fibs Nikon AU or their repairer tells them.

I rarely accept what I'm told by people, and especially so when it's a drone in a call center or whereever.

Ask - demand even - to speak with somebody senior. I generally escalate by two levels at a time, as there is rarely enough separation between the worker bees and their immediate supervisors for any areas of concern to be properly and openly addressed.

Pay careful attention to the attitudes of the people that you're talking down to.

Any signs of evasiveness or defensiveness should put you on immediate alert, and should help you decide to escalate more promptly.

And especially make a point of the fact that you have been lied to; ask their senior people if lying to customers is a policy they espouse.

Stay calm, stay professional, but don;t accwet bullshit, and make it clear that you're not prepared to accept bullshit.

[big pix]

Nikon Australia and customer service? You are joking aren't you?

I have been waiting six weeks for a couple of LCD protectors for my D2X, anyone would think that they are a part rarely required.

...... they gave me one..... yes free

[Glen]

Chi, very sorry to hear your repair turning out like this. It does seem that good service by Nikon is the exception rather than the norm.



Love this line:

I'd respecftully suggest that perhaps they're waiting on the specific pixels, so that they can be individually replaced.

.

[Onyx]

Hey, at long last I got my camera back. Straight after my prev post I got someone to do the bitching and moaning on my behalf - someone who has a vested interest in keeping me happy, and may have more of an influence on whoever's on the end of the phone at Nikon... all of a sudden their tune changed and the job was rushed and returned.

Not surprisingly no parts were changed, it was just a "ccd depact, sensor clean and tested". They also did a body reset, clicked about 50 frames and checked the firmware. It's nice the D200 has a recent settings menu that acts like short term memory. The reset meant I had to reprogram all my settings to the way I like once again, but it's a small hassle considering the big scheme of things.

Happy to have her back, now I can fit my newly acquired 85 and go shooting!

[Killakoala]

Chi, I'm glad you got it back finally. Hopefully it is functioning properly now.

[mansunzz]

just in case you wander how many days it took ( i sort of counted for you). a mere 48 days only. not bad, come on is less than 2 mths.