Sony Support <--Terrible service. Damaged Vaio Z, Help and advice needed?

azza21

Hi guys I'm in need of some serious advice here.
In December I purchased a costume made Vaio Z2 notebook from the Sony style website. The notebook however developed an issue with the touchpad, so because I am in warranty I contacted Sony Europe and they took it away and repaired the touchpad, all well and good. However when I got the notebook back I noticed a deep scratch on the left side of the palm rest, near where all the nvidia, windows etc...stickers are.
Now I do not know who is accountable but somewhere along the way of DHL or at the Sony repair centre an accident has happened which has caused the deep scratch. Now as soon as I noticed the scratch which was the day I got it back, I contact Sony and explained the problem to them, it was fine at this point they arranged a re-collection.

This collection was on the 11th Sept, they came and took it, however I heard nothing for 11 days so on the 22nd Sept I contacted there support team asking what was going on. They told that the Sony repair centre said the scratch was already there before hand and that I had two options a bill of £220 to repair/replace the part or accept the notebook back in the condition it is in. I vigorously stood my ground (as anyone would) and explained that I'm not accepting it back until it is repaired as they have caused the scratch and I'm definitely not footing the bill. The agent said ok I will pass this onto the repair centre engineers and will get them to call you in the next 24 hours. Wednesday came and went, I heard nothing. So Thursday after work I rang them again explained the situation, the agent basically told me the same again that the repair centre would call me by today (Friday 25th Sept). They never did so I just rang them again, after complaining angrily to the agent he put me through to the repair centre where their agent told me that unless I foot the bill it won't be repaired and that my Vaio Z will be sent back in the condition it is in and if I don't agree the only option is to complain in a written letter to Sony. I asked to speak to a manager but he said the only root I can go down is a written complaint that's how it works at Sony as it's there policy.

Now I need some advice, I feel really let down not just because of the scratch but the whole team at Sony repair/Europe, it was over 11 days before I had to contact them to find out what was going on, then I got told a Sony engineer would ring me, day after day no one ever phoned me, it was me who's done the chasing, only to be told my only option is to write a written complaint to them and i would get the notebook back in the condition it is in. This is the stage I'm at now.
The notebook cost me £2600.00 which included an extended warranty of 2 years, they have more then made their money from me, I expect better, their customer service has been abysmal.

Peeps where do I go from here other than a letter of complaint...? They, Sony have damaged my notebook why should I have to pay £220 bill when they have done it.
I do not know where to go on this one, so I thought of this forum, as it is full of people who deal with laptops who have experience in these situations. Can anyone lead me in the right direction for support or whom to go too, the help would be ever so much appreciated.

Regards
Aaron

Widelats

Not a lot you can do mate, if they say it was already there they its your word against theirs, unless you got dated photos to prove it was not there i think this is a unlucky thing.

azza21

Hi peeps, unfortunately i'm getting my notebook back with the scratch

Friday, FINALLY (20 days later) one of there engineers rang me and told me in no uncertain terms that they won't be taking liability on the damage as when the notebook comes into the repair centre, the notebooks are checked over visually and he claimed there scratch was already there. He also told me what i already knew, i either have to pay £220 for get a new keyboard or accept it back the way it is.

I'm the innocent party here and therefor i'm not giving in on this. I'm going to take the matter further with Sony, i will start by writing a letter as advised by there support, i will ask about the Sony customer relations, and see what happens.

What has sickened me is the Sony support, in my case its been a complete and utter joke, i feel really let down.

I will keep you guys updated on this.

az

4743hudsonj

yeh they are extortionate.

one of my keys got jammed on my fw series so i used a card to gettly unjam it, and pop. off it came and once its off it doesnt go back on so they offered a good will repair :rolleyes: for £220

had a little peak for the serial number and got a keyboard for £20. just waiting on delivery and ill fit it myself.

i had a look and although the z2 has a similar hinge to my fw, its a completly different chassis shape, otherwise i could have video taped a guide to taking it apart as they seem to be similar some models, and you could have done a self repair if the parts were available.

markybaby

I feel for you, I really do. Sony make fantastic products but will fight tooth and nail not to repair anything they can claim is not their fault. Unless you have absolute proof the damage was not there when they got it (I suppose a video of it being packed) they will not do anything. I remember getting my company to pay £220 for a repair on a dvd drive years ago that sony claimed was customer damage. It was an internal spring you could not have possibly reached without damaging the case but they said it was not a manufacturer fault. The laptop was 8 days old. They make great things but they must have good lawyers as they have been doing this for years...

4743hudsonj

markybaby wrote: »

I feel for you, I really do. Sony make fantastic products but will fight tooth and nail not to repair anything they can claim is not their fault. Unless you have absolute proof the damage was not there when they got it (I suppose a video of it being packed) they will not do anything. I remember getting my company to pay £220 for a repair on a dvd drive years ago that sony claimed was customer damage. It was an internal spring you could not have possibly reached without damaging the case but they said it was not a manufacturer fault. The laptop was 8 days old. They make great things but they must have good lawyers as they have been doing this for years...

yes indeed, i do think its similar to apple, because their products are high range theyre in the mindset that nothing can possibly ever go wrong thats their fault.

o well i shall still make my film as there seem to be no others around!

vyle

I can't really help with your problem, but can add another story to sony's rubbish customer service.

A customer came in yesterday with a vaio that wouldn't connect to the internet. It seemed to have a problem with its network card, so they couldn't connect wirlessly or by ethernet.

The customer had given sony a ring to see if they could help sort it out. They emailed her some updated drivers.

4743hudsonj

vyle wrote: »

I can't really help with your problem, but can add another story to sony's rubbish customer service.

A customer came in yesterday with a vaio that wouldn't connect to the internet. It seemed to have a problem with its network card, so they couldn't connect wirlessly or by ethernet.

The customer had given sony a ring to see if they could help sort it out. They emailed her some updated drivers.

one thing i do applaud is that the people one the other end of the phone speak good english and seem to know something about the computers they sell and arnt just reading from a manuscript.

reuben23

4743hudsonj wrote: »

one thing i do applaud is that the people one the other end of the phone speak good english and seem to know something about the computers they sell and arnt just reading from a manuscript.

I agree with the above but when your warranty expires Sonys support line is an exorbitant 01905 number for everything. Good online live support through viao-link between 12-8pm if you have not used it.

4743hudsonj

reuben23 wrote: »

I agree with the above but when your warranty expires Sonys support line is an exorbitant 01905 number for everything. Good online live support through viao-link between 12-8pm if you have not used it.

try say no to 0870..... google it


not sure if they have switchboard lines to those numbers but always worth a try

reuben23

4743hudsonj wrote: »

try say no to 0870..... google it


not sure if they have switchboard lines to those numbers but always worth a try

Thanks is a good site. Did try it but nothing, in the end I made Comet phone them!! 40 min lol.