Re: Leica repairs

[Jim Brick <jim@brick.org>]

At 01:29 PM 8/6/97 -0400, you wrote:
>ted grant wrote:
>
>> When I spend $20,000 for a lens and multi thousands more for other
lenses and
>> camera bodies, you bet your sweet butt I expect that if something
unfortuane
>> goes wrong with one of mine, I want it done immediately!  And to be told
they
>> can't fix it as they have three amateur's cameras ahead of mine, forget it!
>
>So if I, as an amateur, spend $20K+ on equipment, I should not be entitled
to the
>samelevel of service from the manufacturer as you because our professions are
>different??
>Doesn't seem fair to me. Perhaps offering an extra-cost "high service grade"
>warranty
>or an "expedited service" fee could be justified, but I'd hate to be
preempted and
>not
>get my camera in time for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation just because
somebody else
>decided that their needs are more important than mine.  Loaner cameras
strike me as
>
>a good solution (they work well in the automotive repair field).
>

This is really very simple. As a pro, and you are about to screw-up a shoot
because of an equipment problem, you do indeed have "first dibs" on the
repair technicians. Business works this way. And it should. If you are
about to leave on an expensive, prepaid, (perhaps once-in-a-lifetime)
vacation and your equipment breaks, a simple phone call to Neils Thorsen,
Ernst Hartmann, or the like will most likely get your problem solved
pronto. If your equipment breaks, and it's not critical to your well being
(job) or your pocketbook (expensive trip), you should indeed wait your
turn. If everybody screamed "emergency", the whole system would screech to
a halt. And then, indeed, only the professional photographers would have
access to quick service. Anybody can usually get expedited service. But
before you yell "fire", make sure there really is one.

The people at Leica are really nice and WANT to do their very best for
everyone. But if you abuse the system, EVERYBODY will pay the price.

A loaner pool has to be a very tightly controlled entity. Just stop and
think about the logistics of loaning equipment to everybody who sent
equipment in for repair. Shipping, receiving, tracking, damage, and several
of everything currently made in the loaner pool. A logistical nightmare.
The loaner pool has a limited amount and type of equipment available.
Mostly that which professional photographers use on a daily basis with a
few specialty/new items for trial. Common sense dictates that it just
cannot be everything for everybody.

Jim