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Amazingly bad customer service from Canon (1 Viewer)

C

Captain Jim

New member
I was putting a boat into storage this afternoon, waiting to hear from Canon Customer Service on the status of a repair on a set of Canon image stabilized binoculars I own.

On the way home from the storage yard, I got an e-mail from Canon Service. I had sent them the binoculars to be repaired. It took SEVEN e-mails (over a period of months) to them to get one response... and all I was looking for was the address and procedure for repairs. The biggest issue with the binoculars was the fact that the exterior was disintegrating... really, anything that was rubber on the exterior was turning into a sticky slime. Then, the image stabilization quit working.

I had to make a post on the Canon sponsored owners forum in order to get someone to return my e-mail request for service information. I tried to put that behind me and do what was necessary to get the binoculars repaired. After the Canon service facility received the binoculars, it was several days before any confirmation from them regarding receipt. I got a bill for around $150. The repair was put into process and I was told, "5 to 7 days"... that was 19 days ago. Now that I had a phone number and a repair number, I decided to call to see why there was no word from Canon regarding the completion of the repair.

Shortly after that, I received a new bill... for $836.41. Seriously??? No mention of anything out of the ordinary until after I called. I called again, outraged, and spoke to a customer service person who said, "A supervisor will call you right back." That never happened.

Here is the last message I posted on that Canon forum:

-------------------------

OK, one more follow-up. It is now 17 days after my previous post. The bill for that repair was supposed to be around $150. I was told it would take "5 to 7 days" for the repair. When I contacted customer service today to see why it was taking longer than the "5 to 7 days", I received a new bill...

FOR $846.31

I was told the new charge was because the binoculars "had been immersed in water." ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE!!! Never even used in the rain. That price, by the way, is more than the binoculars originally cost. I thought I was finally able to get the service work I have trying to arrange, FOR MONTHS, accomplished. There was no mention of this SUPPOSED immersion damage in the first repair estimate. Let this be a lesson for those who have purchased Canon products and try to get a repair done: be quiet; don't question how long a repair will take, even if they tell you "5 to 7 days" and you patiently wait nearly three times that length of time. Question them, and the bill will more than quadruple!

I am angry and appalled. I have no doubt that this new bill was issued as a punitive action for contacting customer service to find out why the repair was taking longer than I was originally told.

I called customer service again this afternoon to question this new, outrageous, charge, and I was told a supervisor would be calling me right back. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but that didn't happen, either.

I don't need another apology from someone at Canon - I need CUSTOMER SERVICE. Not lip service.

Sincerely,
Captain Jim B
 
Captain Jim said:
I was putting a boat into storage this afternoon, waiting to hear from Canon Customer Service on the status of a repair on a set of Canon image stabilized binoculars I own.

On the way home from the storage yard, I got an e-mail from Canon Service. I had sent them the binoculars to be repaired. It took SEVEN e-mails (over a period of months) to them to get one response... and all I was looking for was the address and procedure for repairs. The biggest issue with the binoculars was the fact that the exterior was disintegrating... really, anything that was rubber on the exterior was turning into a sticky slime. Then, the image stabilization quit working.

I had to make a post on the Canon sponsored owners forum in order to get someone to return my e-mail request for service information. I tried to put that behind me and do what was necessary to get the binoculars repaired. After the Canon service facility received the binoculars, it was several days before any confirmation from them regarding receipt. I got a bill for around $150. The repair was put into process and I was told, "5 to 7 days"... that was 19 days ago. Now that I had a phone number and a repair number, I decided to call to see why there was no word from Canon regarding the completion of the repair.

Shortly after that, I received a new bill... for $836.41. Seriously??? No mention of anything out of the ordinary until after I called. I called again, outraged, and spoke to a customer service person who said, "A supervisor will call you right back." That never happened.

Here is the last message I posted on that Canon forum:

-------------------------

OK, one more follow-up. It is now 17 days after my previous post. The bill for that repair was supposed to be around $150. I was told it would take "5 to 7 days" for the repair. When I contacted customer service today to see why it was taking longer than the "5 to 7 days", I received a new bill...

FOR $846.31

I was told the new charge was because the binoculars "had been immersed in water." ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE!!! Never even used in the rain. That price, by the way, is more than the binoculars originally cost. I thought I was finally able to get the service work I have trying to arrange, FOR MONTHS, accomplished. There was no mention of this SUPPOSED immersion damage in the first repair estimate. Let this be a lesson for those who have purchased Canon products and try to get a repair done: be quiet; don't question how long a repair will take, even if they tell you "5 to 7 days" and you patiently wait nearly three times that length of time. Question them, and the bill will more than quadruple!

I am angry and appalled. I have no doubt that this new bill was issued as a punitive action for contacting customer service to find out why the repair was taking longer than I was originally told.

I called customer service again this afternoon to question this new, outrageous, charge, and I was told a supervisor would be calling me right back. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but that didn't happen, either.

I don't need another apology from someone at Canon - I need CUSTOMER SERVICE. Not lip service.

Sincerely,
Captain Jim B
Click to expand...

A'Hoy! Captain Jim,

I don't blame you for being angry, appalled and outraged.

Now you know why I steer clear of Canon IS bins (except the 10x30 IS, which, if bought second-hand, is disposable if shipwrecked).

But with models costing $800 or more, if the IS fizzles, you might be facing a bill equal to the cost of binoculars. I've read such horror stories on Cloudy Nights. Fortunately, the site's biggest proponent of IS bins (he owns all models) hasn't had one fail yet, but when he does and gets an $800 bill, he will be joining the choir.

I had something similar happen to me recently at Best Buy. The customer service rep who I brought back my Microsoft keyboard to, which was still under warranty, saw some smudges on the keyboard (from my fingers) and he assumed the keyboard had been splashed with water, which it hadn't. The way he said it almost sounded scripted, like he was supposed to say that if the keyboard wasn anything but pristine.

Like all wireless keyboards I've bought, it's a Chinese mass produced product set to fail 1 month after the warranty (my first HP keyboard did exactly that!). Got lucky the second time, it failed a month before the warranty, and the MS one I bought since they were out of HPs, lasted only six months before it developed problems.

I said I wanted to see his manager, and he changed his mind about it being splashed and said I could get a replacement for the same value. I like the MS keyboard since it fits nicely on top of the laptop keyboard that failed in two years (right after the warranty was up, what did I tell ya?) because it doesn't have an extended number keyboard so it fits nicely and is a bit rounded for better ergonomics. So I exchanged my fizzled one with another MS keyboard, which I'm typing on right now.

So you might use that approach or call the company HQ in the US and complain. Going over the head of the guy you went over the head with and explaining what happened might help.

Lesson Learned. Buy the two-year extended warranty if you want another IS bin and then sell it when the warranty is near expiring and buy a new one with another extended warranty. Only way to cover yourself with electronics. Cost me $250 for a 2-year extended warranty on my $550 laptop. The AC adapter transformer failed before two years was up, so I got one for free. If I didn't have the warranty, it would have cost me $180 + shipping.

Alternative -- buy a 7x50 Fujinon FMT for your boat and forget about IS bins.

Billy Budd
 
I have other binoculars that we use on the boat and on land... the I S is nice when the boat is moving.

I was appalled that Canon Repair would try to charge me TWICE the cost of a new pair to fix an old pair... Seemed rather punitive to me, because I had the gall to contact them regarding why the repair was already three times longer than the time they said.

Plenty of other good brands, and you can be sure Canon will not get any more of my $$.
 
I would hope that someone from Canon occasionally reads these, as this sort of experience steers me clear of their products.

Birdforum has pretty good readership too, so it really can influence a lot of people. Canon, you listening?
 
Joe Ogiba, that's the guy whose name I couldn't remember. You'll find his positive reviews of Canon IS bins on Cloudy Nights and all over the Web. He really seems to enjoy them without reservation.

AFAIK, the only non-IS bin he owns is the Zeiss 7x42 FL.

Here's three from his collection.

http://www.cloudynights.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=3850&size=big&password=&sort=7&thecat=500

As I get older, I appreciate the steadier view of an IS bin, but the short warranty is a turn off. I'd be willing to pay half the bin price extra for a 20-year warranty. Worth it to avoid the hassles Cap'n Jim described above. I've read similar stories on CN.

Only the 10x30 and 12x36 II appeal to me, because of their light weight and small size. The others are too heavy and bulky.

Nanotech might help with the miniaturization of the electronics, but they still need to conquer the exit pupil issue. Only the 10x42 model has decent sized exit pupils useful for year round birding.

As to their utility on a boat, I was under the impression that the Canon IS bin's micro-vibration correction wasn't as good for correcting "boat sway" as the Fuji and Nikon IS bins.

<B>
 
Something is odd here.
It is true that Canon treats customers awfully sometimes, from copiers to everything.
One has to ring Holland from Britain, but they speak very good english.
Firstly I never deal with people by email, only by telephone.
Here in Britain the IS binocular warranty is one year and I accept that because of the extraordinary performance of these binoculars handheld.
I have used them extensively for ten years, the only problem is with a secondhand 10 x 30.
I will never buy a used Canon IS again.

Others may have experienced the rubber disintegrating, but to me it sounds like exposure to something, maybe salty air? This does not sound normal to me.

I had a Canon consumer good Powershot digital compact.
At 60,000 photos just within warranty I noticed some dust in the zoom lens, and a minute coating fault that was there from new and did absolutely nothing to degrade the excellent photos that could be enlarged to AO size.
There was also a small bit of dust on the sensor.
Without hesitation the Canon repairer in Colchester completely replaced the lens/ shutter unit and cleaned the sensor f.o.c.
So I think that to be safe one should buy extended insurance and for use on boats, buy Fujinon stablized.
For me the superb performance of the Canon IS for astronomy says it all despite what is said above.
 
Unfortunately Canon won't care if they lose a few customers. Binoculars aren't their bread and butter. They are more likely to cater to the pro sports photographers who buy their $12,000 lenses to attach to their $3,000 cameras. Never mind that the bulk of their customer base probably keeps them fat and happy purchasing point and shoot digital cameras for under $300. Companies have grown accustomed to living in a throw away society. Most people don't bother getting their gadgets repaired once the warranty expires. They expect us to toss them.
 
I have never sent a binocular to Canon, but have sent a Canon 100-400L zoom lens for repair that fell apart on me at the "Goodwood Festival of speed" a few years ago.
I sent a fairly stiff leter saying how disappointed I was to find a supposed high class lens fall apart under very little useage.
I received a quote for £110 for the repair plus an additional £45 to have the lens "sharpened up" at the high zoom end.
Total turnaround was two weeks as originally quoted and overall I was satisfied with the outcome.
 
Jack Dawe said:
DEET maybe? I have read elsewhere on here that it is lethal to rubber coatings.
Click to expand...

Bingo! My thoughts exactly.

Funny how someone signs up to a forum intent on giving a public thrashing of a product he bought in his very first posts. Agenda? Methinks so!:flyaway:
 
RJM said:
Funny how someone signs up to a forum intent on giving a public thrashing of a product he bought in his very first posts. Agenda? Methinks so!:flyaway:
Click to expand...

Really--and what precisely do you think Captain Jim's "agenda" might be?
 
Last edited:
I have found that it helps
when dealing with a product known for poor customer service
to work with a dealer known for good customer service
it may balance out

of course, it always helps to deal with a dealer know for good service

edj
 
Captain Jim registers with BF yesterday and writes his welcome post. Three minutes later he posts the complaint above as his second post like we here on BF can do anything to help.

And while there may be some grains of truth to it, I think the binocular suffered missuse, intentional or not. Certainly doubt Canon is being punitive about his service request, which seems to be his main gripe.

Just in case this is news to anyone, pretty much all portable electronics now have a color marker hidden inside that changes color if water invades the electronics to clue the service techs. Trying to deny water damage to an electronic device now is as believable as saying the dog ate your homework. And the rubber issue is classic DEET exposure. I would guess the binocular is actually unrepairable. He would be better off filing a claim with his insurance.
 
Last edited:
Does DEET affect waterproofing seals?

From my perspective, Canon equipment has been at least as reliable as other manufacturers, and the only time I had a failure they sorted me out with no hassles. Luck or a different continent?
 
Last edited:
"DEET is a plasticizer and can damage certain rubber, plastic, vinyl, or elastic
materials such as contact lenses, eyeglass frames and lenses, watch crystals,
combs, painted and varnished surfaces, and certain synthetic or treated fabrics.​
DEET does not damage natural fibers including cotton and wool."

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/DEETtech.pdf

As with the water damage, I am certain Canon has decades of experience with this type of damage and can easily identify the cause.
 
RJM said:
Captain Jim registers with BF yesterday and writes his welcome post. Three minutes later he posts the complaint above as his second post like we here on BF can do anything to help.
Click to expand...

Surely he signed up precisely because he was angry and wanted to sound off to sympathetic others. Nothing wrong with that. That's what a forum is for, or do you think we should only be allowed to moan after we've made 1,000 posts?
Chris
 
Talking about school excuses, I was late and said to the prefect that ''The train stopped at every station''
He wasn't very bright and said O.K. and I was not given a black mark.
I had various other excuses, you just have to keep a straight face.

If people ask and they do a lot I always recommend Canon and Panasonic compact digital cameras as being the most hassle free and reliable, good autofocus, good exposure etc.
Some makes, which I will not name fail at 13 months regularly as if they have a self destruct mechanism as soon as the year's warranty expires.
 
RJM said:
Captain Jim registers with BF yesterday and writes his welcome post. Three minutes later he posts the complaint above as his second post like we here on BF can do anything to help.

And while there may be some grains of truth to it, I think the binocular suffered missuse, intentional or not. Certainly doubt Canon is being punitive about his service request, which seems to be his main gripe..
Click to expand...

So, in your opinion his long detailed post is an elaborate lie? Care to suggest a motive?

And speaking of agendas, I'm beginning to worry about yours! ;)
 
fugl said:
So, in your opinion his long detailed post is an elaborate lie? Care to suggest a motive?

And speaking of agendas, I'm beginning to worry about yours! ;)
Click to expand...


I agree that Capt. Jim was probably upset to the point that he needed a forum to vent. And, it was this forum. I have felt the same before and don't think this was agenda-driven.
 
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