Suggestion to Leica on how to avoid a long frustrating repair time

[Stef63]

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If you search this forum it is difficult to not conclude that Leica has somehow a problem with delays in their service & repair department.

 

Personal experience:  Since my M 240 was new (June 2013) I experienced a flaw in the LED display.  Occasionally one or two segments of one of the digits of the ISO or SPEED did not lid up.  Although annoying, I tried to live with it.  Mainly because I was not very eager to miss my camera for several weeks for a return trip to Solms.  The camera is now almost 2 years old and if I would have this fault repaired within warranty the trip is inevitable.

• Contacted Leica Repair via email with documents (downloaded from website & proof of purchase) included
• After 12 days I received a shipping label 
• Shipped right away including again the documents to make sure.  UPS tracking tool showed the camera arrived 2 days later in Solms
• 9 days passed. Emailed Leica about the repair status.
• 5 workdays later I got a reply telling the camera did not arrive yet (2 weeks after shipment ???)
• Supplied them with the proof of delivery from UPS.
• Got apologise within an hour that the camera did indeed arrive but the repair note and warranty documents were not included.  Must have been fallen out of the sealed box during shipment    
• Supplied for the third time repair request and warranty documents.  Got apologies (again) and promise to start the repair process right away.
• 2 weeks later received the repair order confirmation telling the "flexible board" needed to be replaced
• 4 weeks later I asked them about a repair time estimate.
• Got apologies and was told that the repair lead time was currently running around 6 weeks from moment of order confirmation.  Meaning 2 weeks to go before entering repair.
• 9 weeks after the order confirmation I contacted them once again to learn about the repair status..
• Apologies.  My camera should go into repair in two weeks..... Well, hopefully 

 

So this whole journey took up until now already 3 months and my camera is still sitting on the shelves at Leica waiting.  

 

I know that sometimes it is inevitable to return a camera for repair right away because it is not working anymore.  But for al those other smaller repairs, wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could make an appointment and pick a repair date in the future that Leica could more or less guarantee?  I shipped my camera in February to Leica. I can imagine that at that time they knew or at least had a rough idea that they wouldn’t be able to repair my camera before the month of May.  So if they would have provided me in February a timeslot telling “end of May”  I could have shipped my camera this week or next week and continued to use and enjoy it in the mean time.

 

I do not think that it is so hard to setup such an appointment system.   People use this for their cars, for the dentist…. etc.  By doing this Leica could avoid a lot of frustration and they also could prioritise repair of non working or dead camera’s over those where the owner can live with a longer delay but having the flexibility of sending it in on a time that’s convenient and with a guaranteed turn around time of some weeks (and not months). 

 

Just my 2cents.

Edited May 14, 2015 by Stef63

[dante]

I sympathize. And good ideas.

 

But how about this as well: "people with M9s and MMs who are not yet suffering visible problems should not send their cameras in for checks" or "hey, a film Leica does not need a CLA every time it changes hands."

 

Dante

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[algrove]

Agree with the CLA comment. It seems anymore than iof yoiu have pertfectly good performing lens , for example, most buyers will go for the "recently CLA'd by …" over the non CLA'd lens.*

[Jeff S]

That experience is simply unacceptable.  To minimize the chance of my having a similar experience with US service, I always call in advance, establish an understanding with the rep by phone on issues and timing, and send the camera directly to that person's attention, only then with a follow-up email for confirmation/thanks/shipping details and for subsequent status updates.  I shouldn't have to do this, and maybe I don't need to do it this way, but it has always served me well.

 

Jeff

Edited May 14, 2015 by Jeff S

[dkmoore]

I appreciate that you shared a problem that many have experienced but also provided an idea of how to correct or solve this issue. In talking with Leica NJ recently the new owner's area on the main website will most likely have tracking for repairs and service if your equipment is registered. This should help some of these issues because it will provide for more accountability.

 

I have had really good luck with Leica NJ repairs and service but all interactions were before the sensor corrosion announcement, which I am sure is not helping things.

[pico]

An absolutely unacceptable situation.

.

[dante]

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It seems anymore than iof yoiu have pertfectly good performing lens , for example, most buyers will go for the "recently CLA'd by …" over the non CLA'd lens.*

 

I know, right? Do they understand that every time you disassemble, clean, and fix a high-precision object, you risk damaging the glass or wrecking its tolerances? Unless you smoke, suffer fungus, or experience oil issues, you should never crack open a lens that is operating tolerably.

 

This is also one for the wristwatch crowd, where people have no idea what kind of wear and tear comes from disassembling and reassembling movements for the sake of making them "cleaner" and "more accurate." A lot of the time, what makes them run poorly (if indeed they are) is a part that needs to be replaced and is out of print.

 

Dante

[piblondin]

Leica has been scheduling repair times to minimize the time that customers spend away from their equipment. However, my experience with this didn't work out as planned, as they had an unexpected shortage of the required part after having received my camera, and it took three months for the repair to be completed. 

[fussgangerfoto]

Wholly unacceptable. A certain internet cynic would say that this madness is intentional - it compels the owner to keep a spare body or two to weather through the glacially slow repair process. 

[Ellie]

I got a an estimate on my M9 this week "Reparationstiden forventes at være 8-10 uger i Tyskland" - In English expected repair time 8-10 weeks.

[MarkP]

Four month turnaround from Germany, almost to the day, for a 35 Summilux FLE repair  .

Got it back yesterday.

[albireo_double]

An absolutely unacceptable situation.

.

Yep, my M-P (240) has been away for repair since 9 February, with occasionally non-responsive shutter release button. No indicative date of repair yet and the Summer's coming. 

Edited May 16, 2015 by albireo_double

[db24fps]

To say that I share your frustration is an understatement.

 

Tomorrow I "celebrate" three months without my M240 having handed it over to be returned to Germany to have the rangefinder adjusted. In that time I've received no communication from Leica about the camera's status or whereabouts, and Leica Mayfair have ignored my recent correspondence (I'll be dropping in on them next week, however, though I sense it will be a waste of my time). It's an embarrassing situation, and since I often turn to an M for work that situation has left me with no choice but to cease being a Leica customer, particularly since Leica in Mayfair have now consistently failed to get back to me whenever I have found myself calling upon their services on three separate occasions over the past two-years. Strike three. I shall continue to love my M2 safe in the knowledge that I am quite capable of repairing it myself, but in the meantime it would be nice to know when I can expect to see the camera I paid over £5000 for again.

[tobey bilek]

Been that way since my first Leica in 1980.  What really frosts you is when it comes back damaged or not repaired.   This is what keeps DAG and Sherry in business.

 

I took a Nikon to APS in Morton Grove.  1 week

[insf]

Hearing these stories absolutely frightens me if/when my camera has an issue. I don't understand how a brand with such a niche product appealing to such a small consumer base that pay such a premium price could treat their customers like this. It honestly boggles the mind. Is there any word that the new leadership is going to address this glaring issue?

[MarkP]

Hearing these stories absolutely frightens me if/when my camera has an issue. I don't understand how a brand with such a niche product appealing to such a small consumer base that pay such a premium price could treat their customers like this. It honestly boggles the mind. Is there any word that the new leadership is going to address this glaring issue?

 

None that I've heard, and I've had more than my fair share of problems with service/repair issues from Leica Germany.

Edited May 17, 2015 by MarkP

[blueuser]

In October last year I wanted to send in my M240 and a new apo-summicron 90 for calibration. The importer advised me to wait until this year because they expected that the turnaround then would be shorter. Today I am glad that I didn't wait because as I can read from this thread the turnaround time is still very long.

 

I got my camera back after 2 month and everything was fine. But I think that Leica really should improve their service because that is expected when you buy a high quality product for a premium price.

[LeicaBoss]

Yes, unacceptable for cameras in this price-range and for working photographers especially. I'm on the verge to buy a type 246 Monochrom, for that price I expect quality and if it does fail I expect service!

[Stef63]

I was contacted via PM by a Leica representative regarding my initial post.  Also I do not know if above message thread has anything to do with it that things got up to speed but my camera is back and repaired     

 

Again my suggestion that if I was able to make an appointment 3 months ago for a May 20th repair I could have shipped the camera and have it back in one week.  Considering the minor repair I would have been a very happy Leica customer.  

 

In the mean time I have a Monochrome that might experience the corrosion problem.  A 75 Lux that is off focus on the Monochrom but not on the M, a Nocti with the same problem, A 35 FLE with a very minor diaphragm ring problem.  I think I will wait and see if turn around times improve.

 

But happy my M is back !!!

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[rscheffler]

Mixed experiences for me. A couple times when I was in Germany for longer visits, I used the paid 'express' service for non-warranty work, and the gear came back quickly. But I've never dealt with them on regular service turnarounds. 

 

With Leica NJ, I've been able to 'drop in' with prior notice and get 24 hour RF adjustment/sensor cleaning (for a really stubborn spot I could't clean myself), but lens servicing has always been months long (the paid express service is not available outside the EU). I'd imagine serious camera problems would be the same. The current ongoing 'issue' is my 50 Lux ASPH, which was repaired again for being loose/wobbly after 6 months of use in the field since the previous repair. It took a couple months and came back feeling great (to focus), but now focuses slightly past infinity, meaning I can't just set the lens to the infinity hard stop for distant scenes because images are unacceptably soft (noticeably through to f/8), unless very carefully EVF focused. And the lens back focuses. 

 

After contacting NJ about this, was advised to send in the camera and the lens. My response was knowing how long turnaround times are, I have other 50mm lenses I can use, but not another M240 body (which I use in my Leica/Canon hybrid kit for work) and requested a solution from them. I haven't heard back in over a week... (been too busy to follow up - will write that email next).

 

As noted, I have been to Leica NJ in person in the past and have brought up the problem of overly long service turnarounds. Each time I received profuse apologies, and confirmation that they are very much aware of this problem. Yet, with the above reports, and others, one wonders what, if anything, is being done about it?

 

It reminds me of my experience with Canon here in Canada in the mid 2000s... Inconsistent and somewhat slow CPS turnaround times, as well as sporadic loaner equipment availability. Sometimes repairs were not resolved until second or third visits. It got to the point where I was buying duplicate bodies, in part for these reasons (not currently in a position to do that with Leica). Then CPS was completely overhauled. Seemingly miraculously, service quality improved dramatically. Turnaround times were several days and most repairs were done correctly the first time. It would be amazing if Leica could do the same. At the least, some sort of loaner pool would help ease longer turnaround times. But if they aren't able to reel those in, I suspect having a sufficiently sized loaner pool would be quite costly to maintain (but not really my concern).