repair saga

[snaarman]

I thought I would start a repair saga, maybe it will be a tale of joy, who knows? Anyway, it starts badly.

I sent a lens off last week special insured guaranteed next day expensive Post Office delivery. They give you a barcode so you can track it. I have tried this bar code tracking thing on line for 5 days and it has no report of delivery. I wonder if it works at all, to be honest.

I emailed Oly southend. Apparently, they collect stuff from the GPO, rather than the GPO delivering it, so it would only get picked up when they go looking. I expect this means that the barcode won't get logged until it has been collected by Oly and signed for. Next they gather a shipment of items for repair and send them off to Portugal. They in turn will book them into their system - something that can take a few days.

So - bare minimum from posting it to having appear on the Oly Portugal system is 1 week. Quite possibly 2 weeks if you miss a critical shipment I imagine.

They then *post* the estimate to you (!) I gave them email, mobile phone numbers etc... but post. Hmm.
Good thing I have other lenses.

Will keep you informed...

Pete

[Andel]

Re: repair saga

I tried to make a complaint to the ASA about the Royal Mail advertising a "tracking" service when in fact its a proof of delivery service. If it doesn't get delivered you can't track it!!

The ASA made it so difficult that I just gave up

[StephenL]

Re: repair saga

Strange! When I use Special D it shows if a package has been collected from the local post office, is out for delivery, delivery has been attempted unsuccessfully, or is delivered. Never any problems.

[Kiwi Paul]

Re: repair saga

Strange! When I use Special D it shows if a package has been collected from the local post office, is out for delivery, delivery has been attempted unsuccessfully, or is delivered. Never any problems.

Same here, and on occasions when it hasn't tracked properly i have rung the number on the tracking site and they can tell you where it is, they have more info than what we see online.

Paul

[snaarman]

Re: repair saga

i have rung the number on the tracking site and they can tell you where it is, they have more info than what we see online.

Paul

Hmm

I tried that. Firstly the recorded message recommends you use the web "www dot postoffice dot co dot uk slash track and trace" - just for a laugh I tried various ways of entering the spoken url, but none of them exist. You can Google it pretty quickly anyway.

The spoken instructions tell to to look for your "reference number" on your receipt. In fact on the receipt it is referred to as the "barcode number" - which could confuse some people I guess.

However I persisted with the voice operated system and read in the barcode into the system, yes it got the number right and no, its not able to help.

Maybe I will get a nice letter from Portugal before the post office admit it has been delivered :-)

Pete

[Kiwi Paul]

Re: repair saga

You have to go through all that rigmarole but eventually there is an option to speak to someone and they are usually helpful and can tell you more than the automated system does.

Paul

[Melaka]

Re: repair saga

We used tracking for a package sent to the USA. It toook ages to get to the recipient and apparently was only tracked to the US border, not the recipient.

[DerekC]

Re: repair saga

Just wait for the return package! Olympus repair us DHL. When my E-3 was returned I got a knock at the door, (we have parcel for you) handed me the parcel and walked off just as he got the van he said (what name is it) and processed to sign my name! I could have said I didn't recieve it not my signature.
When the delivered back a lens it took them 4 days I waited in two days they didn't turn up.

Regarding sending repairs to Olympus, if you call them they will send you dedicated packaging and DHL will collect it.

[yorky]

Re: repair saga

Well, at least I got mine back yesterday, It seems fine and was repaired f.o.c. under gaurantee!

[snaarman]

Re: repair saga

Progress! A letter from Olympus with a repair quote. So, they must have got the lens: The Royal Mail still have no knowledge of the delivery.

I didn't realise Olympus repairs depend so much on post. However, post item to estimate just less than a week. Not too bad.

You post the lens to them.
They post it to Portugal.
Southend on Sea posts you an estimate (oooh - does that mean Oly Portugal actually uses email???)
You post a cheque to Olympus.
(I suppost they post your cheque to the bank?)
Someone posts your lens back to you.

Keep you all informed

:-)

Pete

[Barr1e]

Re: repair saga

Thanks Pete - I would like to be kept posted about the outcome.

Regards. Barr1e

[snaarman]

Re: repair saga

Update: Yes - Olympus repair take credit cards, so that should save a couple of days :-)

Pete

PS, if you reply by post with the rear off strip - be careful which box you tick.:-)
1 - Repair it - I enclose payment
2 - Please return it un-repaired
3 - Please dispose of it in the dustbin for me

Progress! A letter from Olympus with a repair quote. So, they must have got the lens: The Royal Mail still have no knowledge of the delivery.

I didn't realise Olympus repairs depend so much on post. However, post item to estimate just less than a week. Not too bad.

You post the lens to them.
They post it to Portugal.
Southend on Sea posts you an estimate (oooh - does that mean Oly Portugal actually uses email???)
You post a cheque to Olympus.
(I suppost they post your cheque to the bank?)
Someone posts your lens back to you.

Keep you all informed

:-)

Pete

[Adagio]

Re: repair saga

Update: Yes - Olympus repair take credit cards, so that should save a couple of days :-)

But that is denying the postmen their due

[Kiwi Paul]

[snaarman]

Re: repair saga

My sympathy on this one... like you say, a trip to the post office would be quicker.

However... Its almost three weeks since I sent my lens off on very special next day post. I have to report that neither Royal Mail or Post Office or whatever they call themselves this week have any record of it. Fortunately Olympus sent me an estimate, so I know they have the item.

I am rather missing my lens and will be glad to see it back home. Will keep the forum posted.

Pete