Hasselblad has gone to china

[ScandiPhoto]

Im sorry to write this but im so frustrated, so lets get some steam out.

I got 2 Hasselblad scanners, and some older cameras. I live 20 min away from the head office of Hasselblad in Sweden. Formally I have always been able to drop of my scanners to service. Talk to the technician, or sellers and they have been extremely nice, and easy to reach. It was one of my favorite companies for many years.

Unfortunately, now when I try to do the same, I realized that it's not the same company anymore. There is one number, and it's connected to a call center in China. They refuse to give out the number to anyone in Sweden, and absolutely not to a technician. This results in lots of emails, and hard to understand phone conversations where I try to explain the particular problem with this scanner, and how to find the fault (only on 4x5" scans). All I get back is automatic mails with a quote for standard service. I then call to china again to try to figure out if anyone has solved the problem I had. But they can only forward this to the service technicians... This is so stupid. I really get frustrating. Something that was personal, and went fast is now a multi day project and talking to the Chinese (nothing agains Chinese people) is like talkting to a very polite wall.

I would never buy any gear from a company like this. Totally worthless costumer service! It's really the opposite of what the company used to represent.

 

[Dan Daniel]

To paraphrase Shakespeare, 'The first thing we do, let's kill all the MBAs.'

(I wonder if similar issues arose when Imacon sold to those non-German speaking Swedes?)

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Im sorry to write this but im so frustrated, so lets get some steam out.

I got 2 Hasselblad scanners, and some older cameras. I live 20 min away from the head office of Hasselblad in Sweden. Formally I have always been able to drop of my scanners to service. Talk to the technician, or sellers and they have been extremely nice, and easy to reach. It was one of my favorite companies for many years.

Unfortunately, now when I try to do the same, I realized that it's not the same company anymore. There is one number, and it's connected to a call center in China. They refuse to give out the number to anyone in Sweden, and absolutely not to a technician. This results in lots of emails, and hard to understand phone conversations where I try to explain the particular problem with this scanner, and how to find the fault (only on 4x5" scans). All I get back is automatic mails with a quote for standard service. I then call to china again to try to figure out if anyone has solved the problem I had. But they can only forward this to the service technicians... This is so stupid. I really get frustrating. Something that was personal, and went fast is now a multi day project and talking to the Chinese (nothing agains Chinese people) is like talkting to a very polite wall.

I would never buy any gear from a company like this. Totally worthless costumer service! It's really the opposite of what the company used to represent.

I feel your frustration, but keep in mind, there are a lot more people in this world speaking Chinese than people speaking Swedish. Maybe we all should start learning Mandarin.

 

[prado333]

Sad news,

 

[BrianShaw]

At least you get to talk to a human and not an AI BOT...

Most of the customer service I call goes to call centers in the Philippines or India. Sometimes they can actually help with routine matters. Other times, they transfer me to a US-based customer service, who seems to have different powers/authority and can do more. Once, an offshore agent who I was having particularly difficult time understanding (and she had similar difficulty with me) told me that I can ask to be transferred to a customer service agent in the USA. It works; You should try that!

 

[Arthurwg]

Way of the world.

 

[Chuck1]

I remember once calling a local store to see if they were open during a snowstorm. It went to a call center that didn't know.
It used to be so simple to communicate

 

[pentaxuser]

My sympathies. It's called capitalism - the pursuit of the greatest profit for the least cost. Sometimes that pursuit has unintended and unforeseen consequences for the decision makers. British Telecom for instance outsourced its call centre to India a few years ago which was cheaper in the short term but obviously proved to be a poor decision in the longer term as it reverted to a U.K. based call centre

Hopefully Hasselblad may do the same

pentaxuser

 

[ScandiPhoto]

I ended up driving there, and managed to be allowed to entered. The technicians are all the same as before. It is just a thick layer of corporate mudd to get through. It would be nightmare if I lived abroad. Once inside thou, they are all super nice. And I like the products a lot.

It's just sad and a part of the Enshittification going on everywhere. It was so much easier when you could call someone and talk to a person who knew something... But I guess im getting old.

 

[Chan Tran]

Im sorry to write this but im so frustrated, so lets get some steam out.

I got 2 Hasselblad scanners, and some older cameras. I live 20 min away from the head office of Hasselblad in Sweden. Formally I have always been able to drop of my scanners to service. Talk to the technician, or sellers and they have been extremely nice, and easy to reach. It was one of my favorite companies for many years.

Unfortunately, now when I try to do the same, I realized that it's not the same company anymore. There is one number, and it's connected to a call center in China. They refuse to give out the number to anyone in Sweden, and absolutely not to a technician. This results in lots of emails, and hard to understand phone conversations where I try to explain the particular problem with this scanner, and how to find the fault (only on 4x5" scans). All I get back is automatic mails with a quote for standard service. I then call to china again to try to figure out if anyone has solved the problem I had. But they can only forward this to the service technicians... This is so stupid. I really get frustrating. Something that was personal, and went fast is now a multi day project and talking to the Chinese (nothing agains Chinese people) is like talkting to a very polite wall.

I would never buy any gear from a company like this. Totally worthless costumer service! It's really the opposite of what the company used to represent.

I feel your pain as so many of Sweden industries have gone to China.

 

[4season]

I imagine that you can thank drone-maker DJI for saving what was left of the old Hasselblad company: Thank goodness for Chinese fanboys!

 

[chuckroast]

Im sorry to write this but im so frustrated, so lets get some steam out.

I got 2 Hasselblad scanners, and some older cameras. I live 20 min away from the head office of Hasselblad in Sweden. Formally I have always been able to drop of my scanners to service. Talk to the technician, or sellers and they have been extremely nice, and easy to reach. It was one of my favorite companies for many years.

Unfortunately, now when I try to do the same, I realized that it's not the same company anymore. There is one number, and it's connected to a call center in China. They refuse to give out the number to anyone in Sweden, and absolutely not to a technician. This results in lots of emails, and hard to understand phone conversations where I try to explain the particular problem with this scanner, and how to find the fault (only on 4x5" scans). All I get back is automatic mails with a quote for standard service. I then call to china again to try to figure out if anyone has solved the problem I had. But they can only forward this to the service technicians... This is so stupid. I really get frustrating. Something that was personal, and went fast is now a multi day project and talking to the Chinese (nothing agains Chinese people) is like talkting to a very polite wall.

I would never buy any gear from a company like this. Totally worthless costumer service! It's really the opposite of what the company used to represent.

Realistically, the market for Hasselblad products peaked decades ago. What's left is a shell of the company that likely struggles to remain profitable with higher costs and lower revenues.

They are very much a niche play now and have to do what is necessary to remain solvent and profitable. Asia, generally, offers considerably lower labour costs than Western Europe or the US/Canada, so capital will go where it is most efficiently used.

This isn't some scheme or plot afoot, it's just economic reality. If you were a Hasselblad owner and/or stockholder, you'd want this as well.

 

[MattKing]

Hasselblad's existence was saved by interests in China.
The location of the customer service isn't the problem. The problem is the quality of the customer service.

 

[Kino]

With the increasing adoption of AI, I fear the labyrinth of customer support will become nigh impenetrable in every country.

I got a medical bill that was supremely messed-up, called the "customer support" number and was informed that their new AI system would handle my issues. I hung up, drove to the doctor's office and had the issue solved in 10 minutes.

 

[Chuck1]

I ended up driving there, and managed to be allowed to entered. The technicians are all the same as before. It is just a thick layer of corporate mudd to get through. It would be nightmare if I lived abroad. Once inside thou, they are all super nice. And I like the products a lot.

It's just sad and a part of the Enshittification going on everywhere. It was so much easier when you could call someone and talk to a person who knew something... But I guess im getting old.

No one is getting any younger

 

[itsdoable]

(I wonder if similar issues arose when Imacon sold to those non-German speaking Swedes?)

I thought Imacon was Danish?

 

[Richard Man]

My experience is quite different. I have a Hassy 203FE and a couple Flextight 848/X1 scanners (long story). About 8 years ago, just before Hassy moved the support from NJ to CA, it was kind of clear signal that they might not be able to service the Flextight much longer.

Then the X1 needed servicing recently, and the CA office is prompt and did the repair quickly and within quote.

I actually sent in the CFV back to them a few years ago and same experience, fast and quick.

I have no complaint.

 

[chuckroast]

With the increasing adoption of AI, I fear the labyrinth of customer support will become nigh impenetrable in every country.

I got a medical bill that was supremely messed-up, called the "customer support" number and was informed that their new AI system would handle my issues. I hung up, drove to the doctor's office and had the issue solved in 10 minutes.

There is no incentive to make that billing and reconciliation process more efficient. The providers' primary model is to maintain opacity of pricing so they can bilk insurers whether private or public.

 

[John Wiegerink]

There is no incentive to make that billing and reconciliation process more efficient. The providers' primary model is to maintain opacity of pricing so they can bilk insurers whether private or public.

This is slightly off topic, but it sure seems that these companies, especially larger corporations, don't want billing mistakes corrected very fast. Instead, they seem to want you to work your ass off in hopes you finally are exhausted enough to say, the hell with it. Of course, if the mistake is in their favor it has to be resolved just a little faster. I married a nice Dutch girl, and she never lets them get away with anything. She'll hound them to death and that's no joke either.

 

[mshchem]

Money talks. Freaking drone company! Oh well.

 

[Bob Merlin]

I'm to the point that before I buy anything of value, I check to see if there's a phone number on their website. No number, no sale!