stunsworth Posted September 17, 2008 Share #21 Posted September 17, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) he has not the time to surf in this forum... Perhaps he does, perhaps he doesn't Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted September 17, 2008 Posted September 17, 2008 Hi stunsworth, Take a look here A Letter To Dr. Kaufmann. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
offshore Posted September 21, 2008 Author Share #22 Posted September 21, 2008 Sorry I have not had a chance to get back to this post to submit an update. As of 9/16/08 two employees from the NJ service department left phone and email messages that my lens was being returned to me as un-repaired because it could not be completed in the 6 or 7 week time frame I needed. After posting the letter here, sending a copy to the Service Manager in NJ and a copy to our Leica rep I received a personal call at work from the Service Manager that my lens was completed AND shipped overnight as of 9/17/08. I'm happy about this outcome and don't want to come across as an ingrate but it does raise some questions that the Service Manager could not answer. I don't need to post the obvious here as I'm sure most who read this grasp the implications of this miraculous transformation. My opinion of Leica has not changed because of this, nor has my recommendation to the owner of the business I work for. In a market that is as highly competative as the retail photography market shelf space is at a premium especially for high end products, such as Leica, which do not pay for the space they acquire. Leica products, in our store, share space with Olympus which sells at a ratio of at least 100:1 and Olympus has a guaranteed 14 day turn around on ALL repairs. I read that Leica has an express service in Europe that adds an increased cost to the repair but is done in 2 days. Reorganization of repair proceedures and policy is obviously needed here in the states even if it adds cost to the repair and I would highly recommend that Leica put a repair facility on the West Coast somewhere to speed up repairs. I'm going to be holding my breath if and when I ship my M8 in for the upgrade and hopefully Leica will have put some thought into how the time will be handled for this program because having M8's sitting on a shelf for weeks will also be unacceptable. I'm travelling to Oaxaca for a Spanish immersion and cultural exchange for a month and may not be able to reply to this post for some time. I am taking my M8 but also a backup Panasonic. Adios! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Flatline Posted September 21, 2008 Share #23 Posted September 21, 2008 I'm gald you were able to get in touch with someone. I'm glad you got your lens, and I understand why your feelings remain the same. I hope and assume that Leica realize that poor service was provided, and that it might be systemic - that means that others might be facing problems like this. Any business person (an owner, a manager, a motivated employee) will want to understand it to fix it. Let's hope these types of people are prevalent at Leica, and wish them good luck in analyzing and remedying the situation as soon as possible. This kind of competitive disadvantage does not require a capital-intensive solution - this is about management. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posto 6 Posted September 21, 2008 Share #24 Posted September 21, 2008 Unfortunate as your experience has been, it does not really merit publishing here. I am sure that the problem could have been easily solved with a bit of peristence, and whilst it may be satisfying to gather sympathy from other readers, I do not (and I have no connection whatsoever with Leica) find that your outbursts and positioning as victim have in any way helped resolve the problem (which of course was far less serious than initially appeared to be the case). If you wish to write to Dr. Kaufmann, feel free to do so. However, public posturing and self-pity are generally a turn-off to resolving issues; for criticism to be effective, it should generally be positive and point the way to solutions. You seem to be merely soliciting expressions of sympathy and solidarity for your predicament. Why not try to work on issues constructively instead? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tollie Posted September 21, 2008 Share #25 Posted September 21, 2008 I am sure that the problem could have been easily solved with a bit of peristence...find that your outbursts and positioning as victim... I find it difficult to believe that a fair minded person, reading the OP's extensive contacts with Leica, could describe him in the manner you have chosen to. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenerrolrd Posted September 22, 2008 Share #26 Posted September 22, 2008 Unfortunate as your experience has been, it does not really merit publishing here. I am sure that the problem could have been easily solved with a bit of peristence, and whilst it may be satisfying to gather sympathy from other readers, I do not (and I have no connection whatsoever with Leica) find that your outbursts and positioning as victim have in any way helped resolve the problem (which of course was far less serious than initially appeared to be the case). If you wish to write to Dr. Kaufmann, feel free to do so. However, public posturing and self-pity are generally a turn-off to resolving issues; for criticism to be effective, it should generally be positive and point the way to solutions. You seem to be merely soliciting expressions of sympathy and solidarity for your predicament. Why not try to work on issues constructively instead?[/quote With all due respect to your opinion, I think you missed the entire purpose of his post . Rather than seeking sympathy , he was trying to raise the issue of poor service to an appropriate level. The repair he was seeking (6 bit coding) wasnt challenging ..as evidenced with it being completed in a day and turned around overnight. In most cases , it a simple change out of the mount and a quick check ..generally this is a 15-20minute effort. But that was never the point . Regarding the best way to get action...he proved his point by the response he received . It quite a bit different when a repair is complex and difficult to resolve...from when you have to make multiple calls and get a run around for a straightforward upgrade. He reported back on Leica s efforts and that they delivered in the end. As I noted before ..posting a letter to the president in a blog frequented by Leica s most relevant customers is similar to writing a letter to the editor of a major newspaper. Your opinion is seen by many and gains weight . ( Over 1000 LUF members read this post. ) In this case prompting a response. Personally I want to see Leica s service(thru NJ) become both a strength and a profit center. It can be both . Forums members are starting to post examples of excellent responsiveness: but the true test always comes when things don t work and communications are required. You can ,of course, draw your own conclusions from the post ....but I thought one of the values of a forum was to share opinions? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanG Posted September 22, 2008 Share #27 Posted September 22, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) I seem to remember some expression about a squeeky wheel and grease... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted September 23, 2008 Author Share #28 Posted September 23, 2008 Unfortunate as your experience has been, it does not really merit publishing here. I am sure that the problem could have been easily solved with a bit of peristence, and whilst it may be satisfying to gather sympathy from other readers, I do not (and I have no connection whatsoever with Leica) find that your outbursts and positioning as victim have in any way helped resolve the problem (which of course was far less serious than initially appeared to be the case). If you wish to write to Dr. Kaufmann, feel free to do so. However, public posturing and self-pity are generally a turn-off to resolving issues; for criticism to be effective, it should generally be positive and point the way to solutions. You seem to be merely soliciting expressions of sympathy and solidarity for your predicament. Why not try to work on issues constructively instead? Fortunately you are not the judge of what is published here the moderators are. As for merit, sympathy, outbursts, positioning and posturing you are misguided and pompous to assume the letter was posted on this forum for anyone but Dr. Kaufmann. The letter is in fact addressed to the owner of the Leica Authorized Dealer that I work for and is referenced to Dr. Kaufmann on this forum because sending a letter would have taken more time, money and effort, without guaranteed results, than I was willing to spend given the time, effort and money that had already been wasted. The letter, in fact, had you read the preamble and content, was not a letter of sympathy or posturing, I had already accepted that the lens would be returned unrepaired, but a recommendation that the business I work for reconsider selling Leica products given the poor delivery of products and even poorer repair response to those products. The target of the letter was not directed to me but to insure that our customers, who after spending several thousands of dollars on a system, would have a support system in place that worked for them and not against them. If Dr. Kaufmann interceded in this case then I thank him for his help, but as I indicated this does not belay any reservations I have with selling Leica products in the future until a working support system is in place. I sincerely hope that you are not in a position that requires dealing with the public and have any power over customer relations with any organization that deals with the public, as you exhibit all the traits that frustrate and infuriate customers to go elsewhere to do business. And frankly you come across as the south end of a north bound horse. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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