John, you have a wealth of opportunity to make this right.
First of all, go back to the dealer, lens in hand, and explain to him
(calmly, politely) just how feel inside. (Now I don't know, but if it were
my lens trashed I'd be able to say that I felt "hurt and betrayed at the
least.) Then let the shop person speak. If he doesn't offer to make
it right (100% right) your next step would be to lean a bit on him and say
something like, "Well, then I'm gonna be forced to go into small claims
court with this matter. You might also tell him your conscience equally
demands that you also approach the local Better Business Bureau and Chamber
of Commerce, and maybe even have a chat with one or two local newspapermen
you happen to know--if you happen to know any. Remain calm and polite
throughout your presentation. then let this person respond. If he still
hasn't gotten the idea, wish him a good day and simply follow through.
Submit a claim in court, go down and discuss this incident in person with
the appropriate people at the BBB and CC, then walk round to the paper and
see if anyone there might be interested in this story. You might also check
and see if there's a society or club or some other kind of network locally
for photographic dealers and suppliers or whatnot and approach these
organizations as well--always calm, always polite. You never know, but
someone from around the community might take it upon himself, or his group
or agency, to give a holler over to this camera shop to see what's going
on. It can't hurt. Eventually your day in court will arrive, and if the
judge is sober, if you remain calm and polite, you should do all right.
(You sure can't do any worse.) Meanwhile, the shop guy who screwed might
come round and give you call and try to make it right on his own in. If he
does, all's fine.
I assume through all of this that you paid this gentleman cash. Yes? A
check would be easy enough to cancel, a credit card would require
a letter from you stating your reason for denying payment to this vendor--I
believe all states afford you 60 days grace in this instance, but check to
see what Washington law says. If you did pay cash, think again. I learned
long ago not to pay cash for anything I truly valued. We live in strange
times. Back in the heartland (I'm from northern Wisconsin) it might still
be the case where community peer pressure is strong enough to dissuade
otherwise honest men from these and similar dubious means and courses.
Apparently this is not true for Olympia. And then again maybe this "friend"
of yours is not an otherwise honest man.
It might also be that he is not aware of how severe the damage was to your
lens's front element. That's not likely, but this is possible. You'll find
that out fast enough when you take the lens back into him for your initial
chat over this matter.
Finally, you need to re-examine your own actions. You didn't bother to
inspect your lens on site upon receiving this article back from the
repairman? What's that? Excuse me, John, but wake up! You owe yourself
better treatment. For all you know this person might have screwed up
without knowing it at all, and then where would you be? Without even morale
high ground, that's where.
Wish you well.
Tris
At 02:57 PM 7/8/01 -0400, you wrote:
Hi all,
Thought I would get your thoughts on this beauty of an issue.
I took my Oly- Tamron 300mm f2.8 big boy into my local repair guy. He has
done some decent work for me before. I wanted him to clean the inner
elements of dust and gunk and put on a new rubber grip (I brought).
He called for pick up sooner than I expected and said..."It's ready but I
wanted to let you know I put a small nick in the front element" but didn't
sound "major".
I went and picked it up we chatted ( I get carried away) and he had it all
bagged up and I paid and left-not thinking of checking it.
A day or so later I opened the bagged 300/2.8 and saw that under filter
(yes-it DID have the protective 112mm filter on it), that was more than one
new ding-there were 3 dings and a criss cross scratch inch +. I have been so
incensed that I can't even call.
He did tell me that he had an identical lens in from a newspaper.
I know this is the same lens I brought in -did he switch my front element
with the other? What a pickle.
What is my recourse since I took the lens home without a look see (stupid
stupid I know!). My bill was discounted a whopping $20 for the one nick.
This is my lens I plan on keeping and I know a few marks will not affect
picture quality.
Thanks for listening to this rant
John Raymond
Olympia ,WA
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
|