Terrible Swarovski customer service for NL coating failure - No response for a month, then a $50 charge for expedited service (1 Viewer)

[John919]

The rubber armoring on my NL 10x42 binoculars has cracked on both barrels and is about to start falling off. On 2 May, I emailed Swarovski USA requesting customer service and immediately received a machine-generated email with a service ticket number. The email stated that a customer service agent would contact me "as soon as possible." On 16 May, having received no followup, I emailed Swarovski requesting a report on my service request. I received no response to that email.

Today, I called Swarovski and was advised that I could send the binoculars in for service and that it would take 6 to 8 weeks unless I paid $50 for expedited service, in which case the binoculars would be returned by late June. I complained that this was terrible customer service, in light of my request on 2 May and Swarovski's failure to get back to me as promised or to respond to email two weeks later. However, I agreed to pay the $50, as it was the only way to assure that my binoculars would be back before my next birding trip. Swarovski also refused to ship the binoculars to my post office box unless I agreed to waive liability! Other than Swarovski, only the lowliest eBay and Amazon Marketplace merchants refuse to ship to po boxes, the most secure way to receive mail and packages in the current era of porch pirates.

 

[tehri]

Amazing to read this !!!! 🤨

 

[dorubird]

I'm sorry about your problem. I saw that a few years ago you had a problem with your NL focus that was successfully solved by Swarovski at that time. But now, unfortunately, your experience with Swarovski service is different!
P.S.
Regarding the NL armor issue that become sticky, you can vote here Poll - Trying to get some numbers on Swarovski rubber armour issues.

 

[Bentley03]

If this experience is typical of Swarovski's NA customer care, I'm shocked. In no way does this even remotely reflect my own experiences (and there have been at least half a dozen over the past few years) when dealing with Austria via the UK office. The level of customer service I have personally received has been exemplary.

Really sorry to read this.

 

[Ignatius]

SONA used to be very accommodating and friendly, but that is about two/three years ago now before I left for pastures green. Sorry to hear about your plight @John919 .

 

[Trinovid]

At very least they should have looked into their own incredibly slow response and offered to waive the rush charge. Hope I never have need for their services which are dramatically eclipsed by Vortex, in courtesy, pricing (whether purchase or repair) and speed.

 

[Mike Crawley]

The customer service I have received from Swarovski Austria has been fabulous.
If I were you I would have been severely tempted to copy your e-mail exchange to the customer service team at Austria. Your local team are giving the company a bad name.

 

[dries1]

Never had a problem with Swarovski usa service, however wait times can be long at this time of the year. If I have a problem with something like service, I bitch to the wife, not on an online forum.

 

[Foss]

OTOH
SONA recently serviced my 30-year-old Habicht 8x20Bs and I am completely satisfied. I phoned first, received an email repair authorization with instructions, shipped them off, and received them within the 6 to 8 week time frame.
The repair-authorization instructions mentions Post Office Boxes:
We cannot ship to a PO BOX as we ship FedEx. Please keep in mind that the product will need to ship to an address where signature can be obtained. All products ship signature required. It is the customers responsibility to make sure we have a good shipping address where you can sign for the product upon arrival, before we ship the product back to you.
It would be advantageous to sign up for FedEx Delivery Manager. Once we ship your product back to you this will give you tracking updates, allow you to manage the delivery of your package and even utilize a customer release should you want to waive the signature requirement. We will not be held liable for a lost package that was granted customer release.

 

[Pinewood]

@Foss

Hello,

I suggest that there may be two explanations for SONA using FedEX: SONA considers it more reliable than the Post Office or they have contracted for a preferred rate, cheaper than the Post Office.

I have had a bad experience with international FedEx: a charge of $20 to pay a $5 customs charge. If one considered that a loan it would be usurious. With the Post Office, one would pay the duty picking the parcel up at a local Post Office branch.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur

 

[tenex]

Never had a problem with Swarovski usa service, however wait times can be long at this time of the year. If I have a problem with something like service, I bitch to the wife, not on an online forum.

I think Andy has a point. SONA do great repair work. We know about the armor issue, and by now the replacement may even be improved. CS communication isn't always perfect. $50 for expedited service is perfectly reasonable. Shipping with signature required defeats porch pirates, and is arguably more secure than a PO box. Be sure to post a retraction when you get your NL back like new, or better, from "terrible" SONA.

 

[NDhunter]

John:
I am thinking you are giving Swarovski a real negative blast for no good reason. A warranty repair
will take that long with any company, so realize that. I have experienced Swarovski service over the
years and have been treated very well. That is well known.
Jerry

 

[Dr. K]

I don’t think I’d expect the complimentary service to be particularly fast and I’m surprised there is an expedite option. FedEx and UPS cannot deliver to PO Boxes and blaming SONA for that doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. It is annoying that they didn’t respond faster to your online inquiry, sure, but if I were in a hurry I think I wouldn’t wait two weeks to call…

 

[joannec]

I understand your disappointment with the failing armour. Swarovski really need to get on top of this. My EL 8x32 armour failed too.

 

[Scott98]

Personally I don't see anything wrong with anything here including the $50. FWIW. You really need more than one pair of binoculars IMO.....then no worries about having a pair serviced for a couple months.

For a company to do warranty service in a week or two I would imagine the cost of their products would be driven up even higher than it is now.

 

[Hermann]

Well, well. Let me summarize what happened:

1. Swarovski equipped their binoculars with armour that is quite obviously unfit for the intended purpose.
2. The armour of the TO’s NL 10x42 cracked and started falling off.
3. The TO mailed Swarovski requesting customer service and got no reply despite getting an email Swarovski would promptly get in touch.
4. Two weeks later the TO called Swarovski and was told his binoculars would take 6-8 weeks to repair unless he paid 50 bucks for expedited service. Then it would "only" take until the end of June.

Sounds like the Swarovski service was pretty lousy in this case. They should at least have replied promptly to his email at the very minimum. But they didn't. Also 6-8 weeks for a simple warranty repair ... Is that still good service? I don't think so.

Hermann

 

[Hermann]

FWIW. You really need more than one pair of binoculars IMO.....then no worries about having a pair serviced for a couple months.

Wow. What a great idea. "Don't forget to buy two of our binoculars, just to make sure you've got a spare pair if you need to send one in for repairs."

Doesn't that sound like a clever marketing ploy?

For a company to do warranty service in a week or two I would imagine the cost of their products would be driven up even higher than it is now.

The cost of the top binoculars is so high that I'd expect faster service. It's as simple as that.

Hermann

 

[ticl2184]

The rubber armoring on my NL 10x42 binoculars has cracked on both barrels and is about to start falling off. On 2 May, I emailed Swarovski USA requesting customer service and immediately received a machine-generated email with a service ticket number. The email stated that a customer service agent would contact me "as soon as possible." On 16 May, having received no followup, I emailed Swarovski requesting a report on my service request. I received no response to that email.

Today, I called Swarovski and was advised that I could send the binoculars in for service and that it would take 6 to 8 weeks unless I paid $50 for expedited service, in which case the binoculars would be returned by late June. I complained that this was terrible customer service, in light of my request on 2 May and Swarovski's failure to get back to me as promised or to respond to email two weeks later. However, I agreed to pay the $50, as it was the only way to assure that my binoculars would be back before my next birding trip. Swarovski also refused to ship the binoculars to my post office box unless I agreed to waive liability! Other than Swarovski, only the lowliest eBay and Amazon Marketplace merchants refuse to ship to po boxes, the most secure way to receive mail and packages in the current era of porch pirates.

Swarovski are no longer the company they used to be .
They used to have the best customer service in the World but sadly now that has been put aside for making profit

Cheers
Tim

 

[tenex]

Six to eight weeks seems typical now at Leica US also, anyone know about Zeiss? And AFAIK they don't even have an expedited option.

So in any case it is wise to have another binocular, for this and other reasons. (It doesn't also have to be an NL)

 

[chill6x6]

Well, well. Let me summarize what happened:

1. Swarovski equipped their binoculars with armour that is quite obviously unfit for the intended purpose.
2. The armour of the TO’s NL 10x42 cracked and started falling off.
3. The TO mailed Swarovski requesting customer service and got no reply despite getting an email Swarovski would promptly get in touch.
4. Two weeks later the TO called Swarovski and was told his binoculars would take 6-8 weeks to repair unless he paid 50 bucks for expedited service. Then it would "only" take until the end of June.

Sounds like the Swarovski service was pretty lousy in this case. They should at least have replied promptly to his email at the very minimum. But they didn't. Also 6-8 weeks for a simple warranty repair ... Is that still good service? I don't think so.

Hermann

Wow. What a great idea. "Don't forget to buy two of our binoculars, just to make sure you've got a spare pair if you need to send one in for repairs."

Doesn't that sound like a clever marketing ploy?

The cost of the top binoculars is so high that I'd expect faster service. It's as simple as that.

Hermann

I mean....of course you are EXACTLY correct! This is a binocular that currently cost over $3000 USD.

Why not send the guy a loaner instead of charging $50 for expedited service? Consider "expedited" service is probably what used to be "typical" service.

No...not nearly good enough and the OP is justified to gripe about this.