Sekonic warranty repairs US?

StepheKoontz · Feb 16, 2020

I have a light meter I got off amazon that needs a warranty repair. I am having zero luck trying to communicate with the US distributor, MAC group, either by email or over the phone. I'm hesitant to just mail the meter in for repair when they are so unresponsive. Anyone have any tips on resolving this? This makes me very hesitant to buy any future products from them.

BrianShaw · Feb 16, 2020

https://www.sekonic.com/warranty/register

Dial their phone number during business hours. I’ve resolved those kind of frustrating situations in the past with other company talking to a human.

StepheKoontz · Feb 16, 2020

I did call that number during business hours. They keep transferring my call about warranty repairs to a voice mail box that never returns my call. I've left 6 messages, when I complain to the human who answers the phone she said "I don't know what top tell you, let me transfer your call" and it is to the same dead voicemail box...

mgb74 · Feb 16, 2020

StepheKoontz said:
I did call that number during business hours. They keep transferring my call about warranty repairs to a voice mail box that never returns my call. I've left 6 messages, when I complain to the human who answers the phone she said "I don't know what top tell you, let me transfer your call" and it is to the same dead voicemail box...

I've read (but haven't tried) that it's sometimes best to contact them "publicly", via twitter or facebook. Right now your dealing with a receptionist who has no power and the repair department who appears to be the cause of the problem. You need the attention of someone who a) cares and b) has a bit of clout.

https://twitter.com/sekonic
https://www.facebook.com/sekonic/

BrianShaw · Feb 16, 2020

It’s often really difficult to get past the receptionist. They have a very limited role. Try asking for a manager... any manager... as a way to get to a human.

I once did that with Wall Street Journal. Wanted for their telemarking goons to leave me alone. In 3 calls I ended up talking to the WSJ VP of marketing. It was a short, informative, and effective chat. Before him, the admins I talked to were really helpful. I often struggle with being calm and sweet in the face of frustration but once I got that under control, and kept reminding myself of each persons role/limitations then communication became much easier.

Good luck. They seem like the kind of company that is intent on providing good service but aren’t staffed to chat.

Steve Goldstein · Feb 16, 2020

If you call MAC Group try asking for Rita Chen. I spoke with her regarding a Toyo view camera repair and she was very helpful.

MattKing · Feb 16, 2020

There is a very good chance that there is no "receptionist". There is a reasonably large chance that that first person is an answering service.
MAC group is a marketing entity, and may or may not have a single physical location. Centralized business premises mean overhead costs, including staff costs. The world isn't trending that way.
I would be glad to learn that the MAC group does things old school - a real office, where people actually work and work together - but I would also be surprised.

AgX · Feb 16, 2020

You could also inform Sekonic that you are let down by their distributor,.
(In a similar case a Fuji manager in Japan though replied with what I may condense to "fuck off".)

StepheKoontz · Feb 16, 2020

This clearly will be the last one of their products I purchase, and I've been using and recommending their products for decades. I've learned you find out what a business is really like when there is a problem. Luckily it was a fairly inexpensive meter and I'll likely just end up throwing it in the trash, life is too short to deal with nonsense like this.

mgb74 · Feb 16, 2020

StepheKoontz said:
This clearly will be the last one of their products I purchase, and I've been using and recommending their products for decades. I've learned you find out what a business is really like when there is a problem. Luckily it was a fairly inexpensive meter and I'll likely just end up throwing it in the trash, life is too short to deal with nonsense like this.

Companies provide terrible after-the-sale support then wonder why we view (and value) their products as commodities.

Ariston · Feb 16, 2020

StepheKoontz said:
This clearly will be the last one of their products I purchase, and I've been using and recommending their products for decades. I've learned you find out what a business is really like when there is a problem. Luckily it was a fairly inexpensive meter and I'll likely just end up throwing it in the trash, life is too short to deal with nonsense like this.

I'm sorry for your difficulty, but am glad you posted here. I have been considering a more modern light meter (the L508, I think) and now know to steer clear of Sekonic. At those prices there is no excuse.

Sirius Glass · Feb 16, 2020

Not a warranty repair, but Quality Light Metric [https://www.facebook.com/pages/Quality-Light-Metric/554305868044042] does calibrations and repairs. George charged me $88US for a calibration last year and told me that the meter was not linear at the low end. When I called him about the non linearity details a year later, he had me bring it in and readjusted it so it no longer had that problem, NO CHARGE!

John Koehrer · Feb 16, 2020

Just to satisfy my own curiosity(nosiness) but was the meter
bought from a dealer and did it come through their supply chain?

I know MAC isn't responsive.

NB23 · Feb 17, 2020

Would you send an expensive lens to an unresponsive warranty company? No!

Criminal practices, they should all go to jail. Eff them.

BrianShaw · Feb 17, 2020

Folks, let’s get real... most companies and government entities no longer provide phone support. If they do, it’s very difficult to access.

Going back to post 1... what’s really wanted/needed... a reassurance that someone is at the other end of the mail? If that’s the case I certainly understand. I felt the same way with Quality Light Metric. After talking to George and getting a lot of “it depends “ and “possibly “ answers as well as very sketchy mailing and drop-off instructions I went elsewhere.

Trusting can be difficult but does anyone know of situations where Sekonic lost a meter that was sent for repair? That’s what would scare me much more than nobody taking my phone call.

But to brand them criminals is just criminal.

NB23 · Feb 17, 2020

BrianShaw said:
But to brand them criminals is just criminal.

yeah, admit it!

But for real now, sounds like fraud to me. And fraud is criminal, yeah?

You buy a camera and pay for the beautiful mack warranty. Now your camera breaks and you have 2 options.
Option1, you call them to arrange the repair and they ghost on you. Who do you ask for a refund?
Who do you sue?

Option 2, you are gullible so you just send your camera to their address with signature confirmation.
Someone signs for it and you never hear from the camera again.
Who do you sue?

No, really. What do you do?

If you answer that you simply forget about using their services, you got defrauded by at least the price you paid for their warranty service. Someone can argue that it’s not fraud, but it’s so sketchy and shady that I have made my opinion.

BrianShaw · Feb 17, 2020

But getting back to the matter at hand...

is it too late to return the meter to the seller?

StepheKoontz · Feb 17, 2020

BrianShaw said:
But getting back to the matter at hand...

is it too late to return the meter to the seller?

Unfortunately, yes. It worked on for about 6 months, then all of a sudden it's 2 stops off sometimes and then randomly is correct.

StepheKoontz · Feb 17, 2020

BrianShaw said:
Folks, let’s get real... most companies and government entities no longer provide phone support. If they do, it’s very difficult to access.

Going back to post 1... what’s really wanted/needed... a reassurance that someone is at the other end of the mail? If that’s the case I certainly understand. I felt the same way with Quality Light Metric. After talking to George and getting a lot of “it depends “ and “possibly “ answers as well as very sketchy mailing and drop-off instructions I went elsewhere.

Trusting can be difficult but does anyone know of situations where Sekonic lost a meter that was sent for repair? That’s what would scare me much more than nobody taking my phone call.

But to brand them criminals is just criminal.

So no answer to a e-mails is OK too? I'm supposed to just blindly trust mailing it to them? Most companies I have dealt with for warranty work have some sort of RMA process etc.

And so now I'm at fault for reporting their silence/lack of support?? Seriously?

BrianShaw · Feb 17, 2020

StepheKoontz said:
So no answer to a e-mails is OK too? I'm supposed to just blindly trust mailing it to them? Most companies I have dealt with for warranty work have some sort of RMA process etc.

And so now I'm at fault for reporting their silence/lack of support?? Seriously?

Who ever said you were at fault? Certainly not me. Please control the accusations and paranoia.. I’m just pointing out a few realities of business these days. I don’t like it either.

BrianShaw · Feb 17, 2020

StepheKoontz said:
Unfortunately, yes. It worked on for about 6 months, then all of a sudden it's 2 stops off sometimes and then randomly is correct.

Thats very odd. And very unfortunate. I’m sorry you experiencing this. Which meter?

NB23 · Feb 17, 2020

BrianShaw said:
I’m just pointing out a few realities of BAD business these days. I don’t like it either.

Yeah.

BrianShaw · Feb 17, 2020

I cant totally disagree with your edit of the quote of my post.

StepheKoontz · Feb 18, 2020

BrianShaw said:
Thats very odd. And very unfortunate. I’m sorry you experiencing this. Which meter?

L-208 I bought this to have a small meter to use with my Leica IIIa.

StepheKoontz · Feb 18, 2020

BrianShaw said:
Who ever said you were at fault? Certainly not me. Please control the accusations and paranoia.. I’m just pointing out a few realities of business these days. I don’t like it either.

I've not run into this business practice of having emails ignored about a service/warranty issue. Not like they didn't respond fast enough, like never respond. And then when I tried the second contact they have listed. a phone number, it goes to a voice mailbox, no matter what time of the day I call. After I left 2 messages and waited 2 weeks, I called a dozen times at various times of the day. No one ever answers.

I had a problems with a nikon lens and it was a straightforward process to have repaired. You stated "Folks, let’s get real..." like it's ridiculous expected a response. You said "But to brand them criminals is just criminal." It feels like a crooked business to me to sell items with a 3 year warranty and then ignore customers when they have a problem.

Sekonic warranty repairs US?

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