[paulvzo]

Square Trade?

I have no idea of their repair competency, but from what I've been reading here, it has to be better than the official repair channels. They claim a five day turn around for repairs.

[amoringello]

Square Trade?

I have no idea of their repair competency, but from what I've been reading here, it has to be better than the official repair channels. They claim a five day turn around for repairs.

hehe, I could turn around repairs in five days as well.
I have no training, no tools and quite honestly no concept of where to even begin.
I would also return items with the equal results.

[c.a.m]

I have no training, no tools and quite honestly no concept of where to even begin.

I could lend you a pipe wrench, framing hammer, and crowbar if you want to get started.

Maybe hang out your shingle: "East Coast Camera Repairs. We'll fix your camera with precision. Whenever"

- Craig

[amoringello]

I could lend you a pipe wrench, framing hammer, and crowbar if you want to get started.

Maybe hang out your shingle: "East Coast Camera Repairs. We'll fix your camera with precision. Whenever"

- Craig

Ha! Yeah, and... "We'll meet the competition on price, quality and 'precision'. (although that ain't sayin much )"

[stevebrot]

Square Trade?

I have no idea of their repair competency, but from what I've been reading here, it has to be better than the official repair channels. They claim a five day turn around for repairs.

They only cover for non-warranty repairs and use outside shops to do the work. Since they are an insurance company, the usual remedy for significant damage or failure is to issue a check or gift card for a like or equivalent replacement with the amount being up to the insured amount for the policy.

Extended Warranty Insurance - Extended Warranties - Electronics Insurance

I am not sure, but I don't believe they warrant other than new purchases.


Steve

[mee]

Another week has past. I still have no broken lens returned or new lens sent to me as replacement. Precision also still have my primary camera body..

oh yeah... and no communication..

[amoringello]

Another week has past. I still have no broken lens returned or new lens sent to me as replacement. Precision also still have my primary camera body..

oh yeah... and no communication..

I know it's being a bit of a prick, but I would call Ricoh and let them know you've been trying to contact them with no response.
I do believe they need to know about how difficult every step of the process is with Precision.
I also believe they are out of touch with the real world and that they need to be reminded by their customers as often as possible.

Precision has very quick turnaround time. Even though they don't actually do the work, their turnaround times are quick.
If it is taking this long and you cannot get an answer to a simple inquiry, there is a problem that needs to be addressed.

[mee]

I know it's being a bit of a prick, but I would call Ricoh and let them know you've been trying to contact them with no response.
I do believe they need to know about how difficult every step of the process is with Precision.
I also believe they are out of touch with the real world and that they need to be reminded by their customers as often as possible.

Precision has very quick turnaround time. Even though they don't actually do the work, their turnaround times are quick.
If it is taking this long and you cannot get an answer to a simple inquiry, there is a problem that needs to be addressed.

I'm pondering the thought of drafting a letter once this whole fiasco is over with.. however it ends... I think that would be better than a phone call. I'm not big on telephone communication anyways. Prefer to write it out.. gives me more time to consider my words plus (at least to me) it makes the words said seem more sincere if they took the time to draft a physical letter. That is, provided, I can find an address.

[pete-tarmigan]

I'm pondering the thought of drafting a letter once this whole fiasco is over with.. however it ends... I think that would be better than a phone call. I'm not big on telephone communication anyways. Prefer to write it out.. gives me more time to consider my words plus (at least to me) it makes the words said seem more sincere if they took the time to draft a physical letter. That is, provided, I can find an address.

Creating a paper trail usually has more effect than telephone communication...at least it used to in the days of snail-mail.

[jatrax]

I think that would be better than a phone call.

Paper trail is good, but often an email is even better. It can get forwarded to higher even faster. PM me and I'll give you an email address that works if you want. Of course there is no reason you cannot do both.

I do think it is important that Ricoh be advised of these issues. I am certain the service provider is not going to do that.

[colonel00]

Also, make sure you are very thorough and document as best you can all the dates and communication attempts. An emotional story, while still valid, can be dismissed without a laundry list of facts as backup.

[stevebrot]

I know it's being a bit of a prick, but I would call Ricoh and let them know you've been trying to contact them with no response.

I do think it is important that Ricoh be advised of these issues.

I am not sure what Ricoh has to do with this particular problem. The lens was purchased used, i.e. is no longer on warranty, and the work was done for on a cash basis. Any relationship of Ricoh to mee's problem is peripheral. If Ricoh should be in the loop, so should Sony and other companies that authorize Precision for repair.


Steve

[UncleVanya]

I am not sure what Ricoh has to do with this particular problem. The lens was purchased used, i.e. is no longer on warranty, and the work was done for on a cash basis. Any relationship of Ricoh to mee's problem is peripheral. If Ricoh should be in the loop, so should Sony and other companies that authorize Precision for repair.


Steve

Maybe... for a while Pentax was only selling parts to a very small group of repair shops and it is virtually impossible to find any information about anyone except Precision from even Ricoh - in a way they have created an illusion that this is the only choice even for non-warranty work.

[mee]

I am not sure what Ricoh has to do with this particular problem. The lens was purchased used, i.e. is no longer on warranty, and the work was done for on a cash basis. Any relationship of Ricoh to mee's problem is peripheral. If Ricoh should be in the loop, so should Sony and other companies that authorize Precision for repair.

Yet the director of operations for North America, the marketing manager, and Joe Virgil himself have all reached out to me so far during this 2+ month fiasco. And the reason being, it appears to me, is that any support Precision gives me on a cash basis for an out of warranty Pentax product is the same level of support they're going to give an in warranty Pentax product. A job is a job -- Precision is getting paid either way. From joe customer directly or from sending Ricoh a bill.

If Precision cannot fix my lens (and it appears they cannot) regardless of the reason is inconsequential... the situation still remains that Precision cannot fix a simple issue as infinity focus on a DA* zoom lens. Even after 3 tries. Even after having their lead Pentax tech work on it. Even after supposedly having the manager of pro services look at it. Even after having my primary camera body in house. It should concern you too, provided you live in the USA and are subjected to Precision camera repair for your Pentax equipment repairs. Because this is showing a lack of ability to repair certain issues.. at a company whose one job is to repair.

But it does go beyond Ricoh because if you search online for Sony and Panasonic repairs (who use Precision) you'll see similar issues there too with Precision. However, it seems Ricoh cares more than the other companies, which I think is a big plus for Ricoh and Pentax products. Ricoh could have just told Precision to refund my money and say 'too bad so sad' but they didn't. They're supposedly replacing the whole lens. Kudos to Ricoh. I still feel they need to drop Precision like a bad habit and will make it known to them.

That said, I have been CCing the marketing manager (whom said it was OK to communicate with them) on most of my email correspondence thus far with Precision so they are pretty well in the know. Maybe why they are replacing the lens as they can see the huge headache Precision has been.

[Rondec]

I am not sure what Ricoh has to do with this particular problem. The lens was purchased used, i.e. is no longer on warranty, and the work was done for on a cash basis. Any relationship of Ricoh to mee's problem is peripheral. If Ricoh should be in the loop, so should Sony and other companies that authorize Precision for repair.


Steve

The problem is more of a general one, having to do with the overall service Precision provides. They communicate very poorly, they frequently don't fix things correctly the first time, and they frequently have to put items for repair on hold for extended periods of time due to a "lack of parts." Whether or not the repairs are being done under warranty is immaterial to the overall feeling that Precision is doing a really poor job of caring for Ricoh's customers and Ricoh needs to decide how to make that better.

I have had items repaired when Pentax did their own servicing in Colorado and the service was done quickly and with good communication. It got slower when it went to CRIS and there were more issues with back ordered parts, but it still wasn't this bad, even then.