Dear Sony and Sony Customers,
Trying to do business direct with Sony and their 3rd part service provider ‘FoneBiz’ when you have a quality issue is totally frustrating, unhelpful, unresponsive and unprofessional, so I have decided to come here.
My request that a refund be given after a number of attempts to repair my phone was totally ignored. Under Australian Consumer Law, the following applies;
Repair, replacement or refund
You can ask a business for your preference of a free repair, replacement or refund, but you are not always entitled to one. For example, the consumer guarantees do not apply if you got what you asked for but simply changed your mind, found it cheaper somewhere else, decided you did not like the purchase or had no use for it.
If you have a minor problem with a product or service, the business can choose to give you a free repair instead of a replacement or refund. When you have a major problem with a product, you have the right to ask for your choice of a replacement or refund. For a major problem with a service, you can choose to receive compensation for the drop in value below the price paid, or a refund.
Happy Reading!
My request to ‘Sony’ as a good corporate citizen is to provide me a refund for the product that I have purchased. Below is a summary of events since the purchase of my Sony product. I believe that the multiple repairs and time period over which they took place is considered a ‘major problem’ I am happy to supply the 80+ emails that have been conducted during this transaction. Please let me know.
I purchased my Sony Xperia Z1 on 31/12/13.
Since this date I have had numerous problems with this phone – seeking advice from Sony via email, chat and over the phone. From each avenue I was never assisted to a satisfactory standard. Over the years I have purchased countless Sony products and recommended to anyone but not this time – it seems that I got a lemon (An expensive and time-consuming lemon), plus – no decent customer service to help me with any of my claims.
I have collected all my emails to and from Sony – the count was almost 90 emails. This does not count the conversations I have had with staff over ‘chat’ function and phone calls
Timeline
Feb 2014: I emailed with the first issue
Put up with issues – seeking advice from customer services reps through ‘Sony Chat’
Sept 2014: Repair
Issue remained
Oct 2014: Multiple emails and use of Sony ‘chat’ asking for a replacement
Was sent generic messages, like, ‘In relation to the multiple repairs performed on your product….In the hope of providing an alternative solution’
Oct 2014: Repair 2
Dec 2014: Asked for a refund
22 Dec 2014: Another issue
Multiple emails – no response
15 Jan: Sony responded - (Conveniently now, after my phones 1 year warranty has expired) : Was told given another generic response – that they will pursue another avenue to help me
15/1: Received a generic email from FoneBIz Repair Centre – with phone booked into repair (No response from Sony) “ASSESSMENT ONLY’
Sent multiple emails asking for another option
8/1/15 Received another generic email – how to send your phone off to FoneBiz
22/1/15 Sent phone as no other help was being offered
2/2 called FoneBiz for update – was told that they hadn’t received phone
Worried, I emailed Sony - checked my Aus Post tracking – FoneBiz received on 27/1
3/2 called FoneBiz for confirm they received – Oh! They did have it.
Sent correspondence to Sony
5/2 Sony emailed to say FoneBiz received on 30/1 – ‘Work in progress, give 1-2 weeks’
9/2 Expressed that I didn’t want a repair - I wanted a refund
10/2 Sony told me then to disregard previous email (5/2) as it was ‘meant for the service centre’
12/2 Asked Sony for update
Sony responded ‘it appears they are repairing your phone’ (Shown job report)
I responded, quoting the email saying that it was only an assessment
Sony corrected themselves – ‘that is what I meant’ (Back peddling) – This Sony rep then asked what faults were again
I resubmitted faults in full
Sony: We cannot update these faults from our end – I highly recommend you call repair centre immediately
12/2 Asked for reassurance that I was not getting my lemon of a phone repaired
13/2 Sony: yes, it has been communicated to FoneBiz
16/2 It has been over 2 weeks since 30/1 (Since Sony said FoneBiz received my phone) asked for update
Sony: still investigating, waiting on information from FoneBiz, will email you when we hear
I received an email from FoneBiz minutes later - saying my phone has been dispatched
I forward this email to Sony
17/2
‘Action Taken: your mobile phone has been replaced with a factory tested warranty replacement unit. The balance of your warranty continues from the original handset purchase’
I do not know how many times I asked for a refund for this lemon of a phone. At all times this request was ignored. To receive a ‘factory tested warranty replacement unit’ (with no warranty) instead, does not suffice.All the while – no communication from Sony to say what has occurred (Even though it was promised)
Your tagline on your emails reads , ‘As part of Sony Mobile's commitment to excellent customer service, we offer a wide variety of mobile products to suit your lifestyle.’This ‘service’ can hardly be described as anything close to excellent, as described in your business commitment to the community/customers.
