NSC, the last place I'll bring my camera for service!

[Gymrat76]

OK, you can bring your cameras/lenses for repaor at NSC, this i just MY opinion and story on the subject.

Last year, I dropped my backpack containing my D70 18-70mm kit lens. As a result, the damned thing couldn't focus -either by turning the focus ring, or using the camera's AF. Turning the ring didn't have any effect on the focus reading window.

So I brought it to NSC for repair. After a week or so, I got a call, saying it would cost me close to $400 to repair. Reason? The AF-S motor needed to be changed. Since I could very well buy a new lens for the price, I declined the repair and collected my lens from NSC the next day. It has since been sitting in my dry cabinet while I contemplate what to do with it...maybe as a paper weight?

Fast forward to the present: A few days ago I found someone who could do lens repairs, so I decided to try and pass him my paper weight (nothing to lose, right?). To my surprise, after a few hours, he SMS'ed me that the lens was repaired!

I just collected the lens and its working perfectly. And I won't go into the cause of the focussing problem, but its a damned simple problem that NSC could have figured out IF THEY HAD BOTHERED TO EVEN OPEN UP AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE LENS!!

Needless to say, that's the last time I'm bringing anything to NSC before getting a second opinion elsewhere. Way to go Nikon.... bleah...

[tropiccana]

haha..they just simply quote ah...>.<

[dccruzjr]

Seems NSC has indirectly informed you to buy a new lens via the repair cost.
Have they even bothered looking into lens? Just because its not focusing..they already suspect the AF-S motor was damaged? What if the focusing was just miss aligned or stuck?

Maybe its a kit lens and they won't bother looking into it since it might wasted the time of the NSC staff doing the repair.

[wenbin0215]

i had a similar experience at NSC..

bought one of my lens over there for general cleaning.. however after inspection, i was told that the dust particles in the lens would not affect the output and there is no need to clean it.. when i insist, one of the staffs told me that they can clean the lens for me, but they do not confirm they will do a good job as their cleaning room got dust particles as well.. meaning to say.. they are afraid they will do more "harm" and bring in more dust to my lens than its condition now..

what do u all have to think?

[porkypig]

Originally Posted by wenbin0215 i had a similar experience at NSC.. bought one of my lens over there for general cleaning.. however after inspection, i was told that the dust particles in the lens would not affect the output and there is no need to clean it.. when i insist, one of the staffs told me that they can clean the lens for me, but they do not confirm they will do a good job as their cleaning room got dust particles as well.. meaning to say.. they are afraid they will do more "harm" and bring in more dust to my lens than its condition now.. what do u all have to think?

if a doctor say,
i can operate you, but the germs on the knife might infect your wounds,
will you sue the doctor?

NSC, not too professional right?

[wenbin0215]

yup.. that is a gd description of my experience at NSC..

a bit regrettable not insisting all the way on that day.. come to think back, i will have to make a 2nd trip back there again someday..

hope i won't have to quarrel with anybody there..

Originally Posted by porkypig if a doctor say, i can operate you, but the germs on the knife might infect your wounds, will you sue the doctor? NSC, not too professional right?

[sjackal]

Originally Posted by wenbin0215 i had a similar experience at NSC.. bought one of my lens over there for general cleaning.. however after inspection, i was told that the dust particles in the lens would not affect the output and there is no need to clean it.. when i insist, one of the staffs told me that they can clean the lens for me, but they do not confirm they will do a good job as their cleaning room got dust particles as well.. meaning to say.. they are afraid they will do more "harm" and bring in more dust to my lens than its condition now.. what do u all have to think?

In general the dust particles if its not a real lot won't affect your pic quality. Most lens got some dust in them, its a fact of life. It is until the dust get really really thick, like old lenses from many many years of use, then its worth a cleaning. Otherwise cleaning might invite more dust in. The NSC is just being honest.

All my zooms got dust particles in it (I think zooms more prone to it). My 50mm f1.8 made in china prime also got dust. The Sigma 30mm f1.4 prime I used to own was the cleanest and I couldn't even find one speck, maybe I didnt try hard enough.

[Omega23]

I have been there few times.. here is mine experience...

Got one time when i was there there is a guy who is collecting his SB600 or SB800 flash. From far one look i find that the "red window" position looks funny. And yes lucky that guy noticed it too... guess what Nikon has assembled the "red window" upside down!!!

I send a few lenses for general cleaning before and almost all the cases there is not dusts inside but stain. Sometime it is so minor and i just let go but there is once the stain on the underside of the front element is too large to ignore but is only obvious if you tilted the lens at an angle and lucky i spotted it. Placed mine lens there overnight and waste mine precious time.. The next day they told me was a stubborn stain and need to replace the front element (bullsh1t or what i dun know but lucky they didn't charge me extra)

The flash case on top is really a shame i would said and is obvious Nikon Singapore never take pride in their work. Quite disappointing for such a re-owned Japan brand.

[kitkai]

You guys should write to NSC about your experiences... If they value customer service, they should have a system to keep track. Email becomes official records, and these people can't run... When there are too many of these, it will surface to management. But it is a big IF. I don't know enough how their NSC is run.

Verbal conversation, customer service got nothing to lose, since there is no official records to show their bad attitude...

[Omega23]

No use writing to them because i tried emailing them a particular manufacturing defect and didn't receive a single reply for weeks.. Until i wrote to Nikon japan then the local replied. But their reply sucks and i dun even bother to reply back.

[u2nofear]

Mind to share which shop and who help to repair your lens ???

[newmonk]

Hi,

I have been wanting to talk about my experience with them but was afraid that it happened only to me and did not write here. Now that you all are saying it, let me share mine.
At the end of last month, my friends (a couple) from my country visited Singapore. They have been using Olympus DSLRs and they wanted to buy a fullframe camera here. They are like many others, who don't know which one to go for(between D700 and 5D mk ii). I recommended them to go and get the information from Nikon showroom at FujiXerox Tower because I could not go with them as I was having an exam at that time. I thought Nikon staff can help them and persuade them to buy their products. When the couple came back home in the evening, they bought 5d mk ii and a few Canon lenses. When I asked them, they said they found only chained camera bodies which are without lenses nor batteries to test at Nikon showroom. No assistance from the staff at all.
After a few days, I went to Nikon showroom. They were right. Camera bodies (all types of models) are lying on a table with chains attached. However, I found no batteries in them nor a lens attached. I saw some staff there but they were even avoiding eye-contact. I wrote to their marketing about it with the title "what's the purpose of a showroom" but do not hear anything from them. I don't get it. I thought they should be representing the brand "Nikon". Selling a camera body is not the finishing line. It is just a beginning. They should be very informative about their products. No matter how good a system is, if people do not know about it, they will not buy it. I am just upset with the service. Not the system.

Best regards,

monk

[vince123123]

Gymrat - similar experience, they charged me 50-80 for a small white battery catch which was broken on the MBD200. They also quoted me S$750 to change the AFS motor on my squeaking 28-70 (which I have not done till today and its still workign fine, screeching disappeared too). They overcharge on a lot of things one

Not to mention their technical handling skills isn't that up to par. When told about backfocussing on the body, the staff can even shoot a picture indoors, handheld and show me on the small LCD screen "See no problem what!".

EDIT: By the way, I brought the body to solve the backfocus problem 3 times to NSC and they still failed to fix it. So much for being a service centre.

[GoheadGostern]

hi

let me share my experience that happen last monday. i send in my lens 18-105 for mount replacement. the lens mount crack while in the bag with no sign of significant hit or knocks. a customer service lady attended to my case and she doesn't seems professional in her work. why? firstly. when i handed the lens to her. she kept on fidgeting and zooming the lens in and out. playing with the focusing ring also. right in front of me. professional in handling customers item? i dont think so. she then disappear to talk to one of the technician. came back and gave me a half past six answer on why the mount could break without any sign of knocks. after persistent request to talk to the technician. the technician came out to talk. again. he really portray a vy 'professional' behavior. he also while talking to me twirl the camera, zoom in zoom out, play with the focusing ring. i was vy vy irritated. first. avoiding eye contact when talking to a customer and to me showing disrespect to customer by playing ard with my lens. when i asked him to put down my lens so that he can stop playing with it. his repy was " dont tell me wat to do. i deal with lens everyday. i know how to handle a lens properly' a reply that really shows the 'professionalism' of Nikon technician. 2 other friends of mine was there and able to vouch for this sentence. when i asked for any hardcopy forms for me to fill in as feedback, the technician reply is. ' oh we dont have such forms. you can send an online form to us.' If that is the case,Nikon is the first company i come across that doesn't have a feedback form in their office for customer immediate feedback on their service.

Really disappointed in Nikon. how is Singapore gg to achieve a standard of excellence with this kind of professionalism.
This really tarnish the reputation of Nikon in my eyes.

cheers

[kitkai]

Originally Posted by Omega23 No use writing to them because i tried emailing them a particular manufacturing defect and didn't receive a single reply for weeks.. Until i wrote to Nikon japan then the local replied. But their reply sucks and i dun even bother to reply back.

http://www.internetretailer.com/inte...r-service.html
http://www.crmproject.com/documents.asp?d_ID=4392
They deployed customer service management software... So now is to find out how to hurt the customer rep most, and fire all the complains using that channel.

[kitkai]

BTW, those with photo blogs, blog about your experience... IF the management don't act using their own channels, the blogsphere will eventually get their attention...

[jeanie]

let's wait for 'spokeperson' from nikon to reply.
they do have people surfing this thread.

i have heard tons of stories about NSC.
which is why to date, i've NEVER gone back to do any repairs/servicing(touch wood).

not even sensor cleaning.
i would rather use spot heal to clean out the dust.

[Cheesecake]

i love nikon lenses, cameras and flashes.


i simply HATE NSC, NPS and all that after-sales services from nikon.

[DrSpock]

IMO they are taking the same approach as the public Hospital A&E when they raised the $$ many moons back in order to stop ppl coming in with minor/petty flu/headache sickness. What they telling you is if it's small miserable issue go to those corner repair shop to bug them and leave them (N$#) to their coffee breaks unless it's a 'major operation' or L&D

[geraldkhoo]

How about writing to the GM of Nikon Singapore, Mr. Jeffrey Low?