Mount Fuji - Part 3

Dear Mr. Carola:

I am hoping that the situation with my camera can finally be resolved. As explained to Giraldo and Christine before him, I sent the camera to your location under warranty for repair because the screen had turned pink and the picture image was fuzzy. This occurred approximately two weeks after it was repaired - again under warranty - at Advanced Camera Care in Garden Grove. It was used only once after it was returned to me and then, for two weeks, sat untouched on my desk.

I was very surprised to receive a repair estimate that noted "impact damage" and a bill for the repair. As I know in my heart-of-hearts that there was no impact on this end; no dents or separation of top, and since Christine said that if the damage had happened during shipment, there would have been a notation upon receipt, I must assume that if the camera is indeed dented, then it must have been dropped and dented by one of your employees while being unpacked or inspected.

Christine asked me to have Advanced Camera Repair fax a copy of their report in which they note no "impact damage" (or, they they tell me no damage of any kind) to your location; they did so and I confirmed with Giraldo that it was received.

I chose a Fuji camera over other options in part because of your reputation for excellent customer service. I am confident that, upon reviewing the facts, that you will repair my camera under the warranty umbrella under which it was still covered and return it to me soon. The truth is the truth, and the truth here is that there was no damage to that camera of any kind when I sent it to your location. I hope that you will choose to honor the truth.

My contact phone # is 818-881-xxxx.

Sincerely,

Laura

This is the e-mail I sent to Fuji Film after Giraldo - the customer service person I spoke to last week - couldn't help me. He had put me on hold so that he could transfer me to his manager, then said that the manager was on the phone and would only be a few minutes, then finally came back to say that it was going to be a long wait, so why don't I send the manager an e-mail explaining the problem. He promised that the manager would be back to me the same day.

I am sometimes a somewhat patient person. I did not really anticipate that dscarola at Fuji would be back that day. After all, it would take him a while to research my situation so that he could come to the honest truth. I did not dent that camera. So I gave him a whole week to respond, and when he didn't, I called back this morning.

I initially got a girl on the phone who refused to give me her name. Refused to put me through, saying that the manager was not in yet. Would not give me the name of his supervisor, or transfer me to somebody else who would handle the case. And then, on purpose as she announced as such, hung the phone up on me.

I've worked in corporate offices, so I was not daunted. I called Fuji Corporate and spoke to I-don't-know-who, but he was very polite and understanding. I remained calm although frustrated, and verified with him that that's the way that I was coming across. I wasn't angry, or rude enough to warrant being hung up on, and he agreed. I wish I did get his name because he was very helpful. And, after conferring with somebody on his end, put me through to the manager of the Digital Camera Repair unit at Edison - Mr. Scarola, who happened to be at his desk and picked up the phone immediately.

At first I had to explain my position, and the fact that I am very frustrated but am doing my best to be polite and calm, and he agreed that I was perfectly within line. Anger management therapy... you're working. I've spent a long time on this issue and there is a decided difference in my approach.

After explaining to him why I was so frustrated, it came down to the same thing. I say that I did not dent that camera, and they claim that it arrived dented with the top separated. And swore to me that there was not a penalty for their employees dropping cameras... it happens all the time and they even installed rubber floors so that the damage would be minimized. But I would not relent... I did not drop and dent the camera. And I didn't.

He did ultimately try to be accomodating. He said that the original estimate was to replace the part that got damaged in the "impact," but that the damage was not that severe and the camera could be repaired without new parts. They could fix it for $35. But the issue still remained... I did not dent that camera and I don't want a dented camera in return. He mentioned that the camera was quite worn... it had seen a lot of use. "That's true," I replied. "I've enjoyed that camera immensely and used it quite a bit." And I hope that my honesty and candor in that respect made an impression on him.

We finally came upon a compromise that although I am not happy about, I can live with. Fuji, for the $35 'repair fee,' will - rather than repairing my old camera, will send me a "new" one. In fact, the camera that they are sending me will be refurbished from another customer, but since many of the Sony products that I bought while working for them were also refurbished and I never had a problem with any of them, I can live with it. And, in addition to getting a newer camera that will not be dented, I will get a six month warranty. The warranty on my original camera expired this week.

Mr. Scarola thought that the 'new' camera might be shipped out as soon as today, so I might take receipt next week. Even as soon as early next week if I am lucky. Although I am not thrilled at paying anything at all for a situation that I fully state - once again - is not my fault, it is a cheaper solution than going to Costco and buying a new one.

And I will finally be able to take pictures and bring my blog back up to it's full potential.