Pentax customer service - my experience

les45 · 06-28-2018, 02:36 AM - **1 Like**

I have a K50 that is about three years old with very low usage which recently started experiencing the dreaded aperture control problem. It took me a while to find out the extent of this problem through online research. I took the approach that this was a known latent defect and that Pentax should fix it under warranty even though my initial 12 months had expired. I wrote to Pentax through their online web page contact system twice and both times they ignored my request for warranty repair. I would get an auto reply saying I would hear something in two to four work days but I never heard anything. I would probably have settled for a negative response and moved on to try to repair the problem myself after watching the Youtube videos. The fact that they did not have the courtesy of a response just made me mad so I wrote a letter to their CEO in Malvern, PA outlining my negative experience with their product and their customer service. Within a week I received a not so customer friendly email from a CS rep in Canada questioning my ability to diagnose my problem or to estimate the cost of repair if I had not already sent it to their repair shop (Precision). They did, however, send a shipping label so I promptly shipped my stripped camera body to Precision with a letter advising them that I considered my problem to be a latent defect and that it should be covered under warranty. If they decided that was not the case, then they should take no action and simply return my camera. Well, much to my surprise, I received the camera back in a little over a week with the aperture problem repaired along with a system update and cleaning and no charge to me. Not sure if the technician forgot or if i was getting a little extra for my troubles but I got a new Pentax battery also. Sadly, customer service tends to be like this in so many things we buy nowadays. I would encourage anyone who has experienced this problem to do what I did and keep going up the chain of command until you get satisfaction (or at least a definitive response).

Not a Number · 06-28-2018, 05:48 AM

If you have been following some the threads posted by other members of PF it would seem that since the latest revision of the US Ricoh Imaging website that there has been a consistent lack of response to the web contact form. I suspect this is a technical problem rather than a problem with customer service. The messages could just be not being routed correctly. When people have not gotten a response from the contact form (other than the auto response) calling the toll-free number listed on the warranty card and on the warranty information page of the website resulted in prompt and courteous action.

Did Ricoh say that they had your previous contacts on file?

In the past others have had the repair covered by Ricoh out of warranty simply by politely asking. The squeaky wheel may get the grease but then you can catch more bees with honey than with vinegar. How's that for a mixed metaphor?

HoutHans · 06-28-2018, 05:53 AM

That's a nice mixaphor!

antipattern · 06-28-2018, 07:39 AM - **1 Like**

Actually, given that you got your problem fixed eventually, it's a pretty good outcome. I know, my standards are low. But companies will try to avoid taking responsibility for all sorts of reasons, unless you stand your ground. Often I found that striking the balance between polite and firm to be the best way of dealing with them. Despite this I wouldn't have been too hopeful in a case like yours, but well done :-)

Jonathan Mac · 06-28-2018, 08:09 AM

I think this may be the first report I've ever read of a good experience with Pentax customer service. Luckily I've never needed to use it, but there are a lot of very bad stories around.

C_Jones · 06-28-2018, 08:46 AM

Pentax customer service has always been courteous and responsive when I have confided in them or when dealing with the repair service center (Precision).

**hman** · 06-28-2018, 10:21 AM

I live in Malvern, PA. Is that where the CEO lives? My K-50 has the same issue and it's been suggested that I tape the contacts and just use manual lenses.

C_Jones · 06-28-2018, 10:35 AM

Originally posted by hman

I live in Malvern, PA. Is that where the CEO lives? My K-50 has the same issue and it's been suggested that I tape the contacts and just use manual lenses.

The following address and phone number may be of help.

Ricoh USA, Inc. Regional HQ
70 Valley Stream Parkway, Malvern, PA, 19355, USA
+1 610-296-8000

johnyates · 06-28-2018, 11:41 AM

Originally posted by Not a Number

a consistent lack of response to the web contact form. I suspect this is a technical problem rather than a problem with customer service. The messages could just be not being routed correctly.

There's a huge army of evil bots roaming the internet. They seek out contact forms and enter spam. For each legitimate message generated from the form, there are millions which are not. The spam filters on the recipients' end eventually determine that if an email is generated from a contact form it is spam.

You either have to email directly or pick up the phone.

reh321 · 06-28-2018, 03:33 PM

Originally posted by hman

it's been suggested that I tape the contacts and just use manual lenses.

If you have it configured properly, you shouldn't have to tape anything.

amoringello · 06-28-2018, 03:39 PM

Contacting higher-ups at Ricoh has been the only way any of my equipment got fixed properly.
They have contract rules that do not allow it to happen quickly, but they do right by their customers in the end when they can. I just wish they cared enough to not make so many hoops a necessity in the first place, although I understand the reasons why to some degree. :-(

zero86r · 07-02-2018, 04:57 AM

Originally posted by Jonathan Mac

I think this may be the first report I've ever read of a good experience with Pentax customer service. Luckily I've never needed to use it, but there are a lot of very bad stories around.

My K-50 suffered the aperture failure issue some time back and I have to say customer service for me was excellent. I was dealing with Pentax UK however!

Not a Number · 07-02-2018, 10:56 AM

Originally posted by johnyates

You either have to email directly or pick up the phone.

The email contact is well hidden on the US Ricoh site. I suspect that the latest revision of the form may have gotten it wrong. The only alternative for US users is to use the phone number, which is not listed on the contact page - you have to dig around in the Warranty section. People seem to have an aversion to using telephones for some purposes even though you will see them yakking away on their cell phones every spare minute they're not tapping away at the screen.

andyk17 · 07-22-2018, 02:57 PM

Originally posted by zero86r

My K-50 suffered the aperture failure issue some time back and I have to say customer service for me was excellent. I was dealing with Pentax UK however!

Not my experience, basically said it was out of warranty and if I sent it in they would investigate but repair was likely to cost around £200, they also quoted an admin fee if I chose not to have repair and just wanted camera back.

Wouldn't even acknowledge it was a known issue.

Andy

jeallen01 · 07-22-2018, 03:16 PM

Originally posted by andyk17

Not my experience, basically said it was out of warranty and if I sent it in they would investigate but repair was likely to cost around £200, they also quoted an admin fee if I chose not to have repair and just wanted camera back.

Wouldn't even acknowledge it was a known issue.

Andy

See here

06-28-2018, 02:36 AM - 1 Like	#1
les45 New Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 6	Pentax customer service - my experience I have a K50 that is about three years old with very low usage which recently started experiencing the dreaded aperture control problem. It took me a while to find out the extent of this problem through online research. I took the approach that this was a known latent defect and that Pentax should fix it under warranty even though my initial 12 months had expired. I wrote to Pentax through their online web page contact system twice and both times they ignored my request for warranty repair. I would get an auto reply saying I would hear something in two to four work days but I never heard anything. I would probably have settled for a negative response and moved on to try to repair the problem myself after watching the Youtube videos. The fact that they did not have the courtesy of a response just made me mad so I wrote a letter to their CEO in Malvern, PA outlining my negative experience with their product and their customer service. Within a week I received a not so customer friendly email from a CS rep in Canada questioning my ability to diagnose my problem or to estimate the cost of repair if I had not already sent it to their repair shop (Precision). They did, however, send a shipping label so I promptly shipped my stripped camera body to Precision with a letter advising them that I considered my problem to be a latent defect and that it should be covered under warranty. If they decided that was not the case, then they should take no action and simply return my camera. Well, much to my surprise, I received the camera back in a little over a week with the aperture problem repaired along with a system update and cleaning and no charge to me. Not sure if the technician forgot or if i was getting a little extra for my troubles but I got a new Pentax battery also. Sadly, customer service tends to be like this in so many things we buy nowadays. I would encourage anyone who has experienced this problem to do what I did and keep going up the chain of command until you get satisfaction (or at least a definitive response).

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Really unhappy with KEH customer service	ZombieArmy	General Talk	15	02-21-2018 01:56 AM
A horrible customer service odyssey.	c_kamb	Repairs and Warranty Service	41	12-13-2017 04:24 AM
walmart.com customer service.. is this normal for stores to do this?	mee	General Talk	24	01-06-2017 09:37 AM
Hi everyone. Terrible customer service experience	Locut0s	Welcomes and Introductions	5	12-01-2014 10:45 AM
Absolutely Superlative Customer Service from Pentax (DA*'s 16-50 and 60-250)	Heie	Photographic Industry and Professionals	9	04-20-2013 07:16 PM

06-28-2018, 05:48 AM	#2
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	If you have been following some the threads posted by other members of PF it would seem that since the latest revision of the US Ricoh Imaging website that there has been a consistent lack of response to the web contact form. I suspect this is a technical problem rather than a problem with customer service. The messages could just be not being routed correctly. When people have not gotten a response from the contact form (other than the auto response) calling the toll-free number listed on the warranty card and on the warranty information page of the website resulted in prompt and courteous action. Did Ricoh say that they had your previous contacts on file? In the past others have had the repair covered by Ricoh out of warranty simply by politely asking. The squeaky wheel may get the grease but then you can catch more bees with honey than with vinegar. How's that for a mixed metaphor?

06-28-2018, 05:53 AM	#3
HoutHans Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Appingedam Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,119	That's a nice mixaphor!

06-28-2018, 07:39 AM - 1 Like	#4
antipattern Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Berlin, Germany Photos: Albums Posts: 232	Actually, given that you got your problem fixed eventually, it's a pretty good outcome. I know, my standards are low. But companies will try to avoid taking responsibility for all sorts of reasons, unless you stand your ground. Often I found that striking the balance between polite and firm to be the best way of dealing with them. Despite this I wouldn't have been too hopeful in a case like yours, but well done :-)

06-28-2018, 08:09 AM	#5
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,897	I think this may be the first report I've ever read of a good experience with Pentax customer service. Luckily I've never needed to use it, but there are a lot of very bad stories around.

06-28-2018, 08:46 AM	#6
C_Jones Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,084	Pentax customer service has always been courteous and responsive when I have confided in them or when dealing with the repair service center (Precision).

06-28-2018, 10:21 AM	#7
hman Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WEST CHESTER, PA Photos: Gallery Posts: 299	I live in Malvern, PA. Is that where the CEO lives? My K-50 has the same issue and it's been suggested that I tape the contacts and just use manual lenses.

06-28-2018, 10:35 AM	#8
C_Jones Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,084	Originally posted by hman I live in Malvern, PA. Is that where the CEO lives? My K-50 has the same issue and it's been suggested that I tape the contacts and just use manual lenses. The following address and phone number may be of help. Ricoh USA, Inc. Regional HQ 70 Valley Stream Parkway, Malvern, PA, 19355, USA +1 610-296-8000

06-28-2018, 11:41 AM	#9
johnyates Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Saskatoon, SK Photos: Albums Posts: 1,345	Originally posted by Not a Number a consistent lack of response to the web contact form. I suspect this is a technical problem rather than a problem with customer service. The messages could just be not being routed correctly. There's a huge army of evil bots roaming the internet. They seek out contact forms and enter spam. For each legitimate message generated from the form, there are millions which are not. The spam filters on the recipients' end eventually determine that if an email is generated from a contact form it is spam. You either have to email directly or pick up the phone.

06-28-2018, 03:33 PM	#10
reh321 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Bend, IN, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,179	Originally posted by hman it's been suggested that I tape the contacts and just use manual lenses. If you have it configured properly, you shouldn't have to tape anything.

06-28-2018, 03:39 PM	#11
amoringello Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Virginia, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,562	Contacting higher-ups at Ricoh has been the only way any of my equipment got fixed properly. They have contract rules that do not allow it to happen quickly, but they do right by their customers in the end when they can. I just wish they cared enough to not make so many hoops a necessity in the first place, although I understand the reasons why to some degree. :-(

07-02-2018, 04:57 AM	#12
zero86r Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Galway, Ireland. Photos: Gallery Posts: 104	Originally posted by Jonathan Mac I think this may be the first report I've ever read of a good experience with Pentax customer service. Luckily I've never needed to use it, but there are a lot of very bad stories around. My K-50 suffered the aperture failure issue some time back and I have to say customer service for me was excellent. I was dealing with Pentax UK however!

07-02-2018, 10:56 AM	#13
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	Originally posted by johnyates You either have to email directly or pick up the phone. The email contact is well hidden on the US Ricoh site. I suspect that the latest revision of the form may have gotten it wrong. The only alternative for US users is to use the phone number, which is not listed on the contact page - you have to dig around in the Warranty section. People seem to have an aversion to using telephones for some purposes even though you will see them yakking away on their cell phones every spare minute they're not tapping away at the screen.

07-22-2018, 02:57 PM	#14
andyk17 Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2018 Posts: 31	Originally posted by zero86r My K-50 suffered the aperture failure issue some time back and I have to say customer service for me was excellent. I was dealing with Pentax UK however! Not my experience, basically said it was out of warranty and if I sent it in they would investigate but repair was likely to cost around £200, they also quoted an admin fee if I chose not to have repair and just wanted camera back. Wouldn't even acknowledge it was a known issue. Andy

07-22-2018, 03:16 PM	#15
jeallen01 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2008 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,697	Originally posted by andyk17 Not my experience, basically said it was out of warranty and if I sent it in they would investigate but repair was likely to cost around £200, they also quoted an admin fee if I chose not to have repair and just wanted camera back. Wouldn't even acknowledge it was a known issue. Andy See here