My Story Part 1: Introduction
I purchased a top-of-the-range Sony SZ5 laptop PC on 29 August 2007, and have since been through purgatory, ending up in what I now recognise as Sony Vaio Hell.
I feel compelled to tell the world about my experience, over the past nine months, for four main reasons:
- So others can avoid the misery, frustration and expense that I’ve suffered at Sony’s hands;
- So senior executives at Sony get the message that it ought to be unacceptable to lie, mislead or ignore customers in the way that Sony have treated me;
- So senior executives at Sony will think twice, in future, before launching products with inadequate software development and testing beforehand; and
- To provide a mechanism for others who have suffered at the hands of Sony Vaio to voice to their frustrations, with a view to encouraging Sony sit-up and take notice.
I have not had the benefit of even a single day of productive use of this Sony Vaio PC since I first pressed its power button on 31 August last year.
This PC has been back to Sony twice for inspection and repair, unsuccessfully in both cases. Indeed, I even had to threaten to report its loss to Lincolnshire Police in order to get Sony to return it to me again, so I can show the world what a supposedly “perfect” Sony Vaio PC looks like in reality.
Unfortunately, now I’m getting ahead of myself, and letting my sundry frustrations with Sony show, instead of telling you my story calmly, objectively and step-by-step.
First let me tell you a little bit about myelf, so you can see that I’m not some kind of nutter with a grudge against Sony.
As it happens, I’m an experienced management consultant with special expertise in helping organisations improve their customer experience. So I recognise both good and bad customer experience when I see it.
I have to say that dealing with Sony Vaio has been the very worst customer experience I have ever come across, either personally or professionally.
My intent, in creating this blog, is to provide a vehicle for people who have experienced appalling service from Sony Vaio, either in terms of products or services, to share their experience with the wider world, with a view to urging Sony to take product development and customer service more seriously.
My next posting will explain how the problems with my Sony SZ5 started.
Alan
September 8th, 2008 at 11:08 am
help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i have a new sony vaio with vista…. i have no sound!!!!!!!! i am going to through this thing i the pool. all the device mangers are working,,,,,, all mutes are off,,,,,,,,
what the heck can i do. no help from Sony at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Miss Ali
September 8th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Hi Ali,
I wish I could help you.
I certainly share your inclination to throw your new Sony Vaio computer in the pool. Indeed, I’m only keeping my own Sony Vaio SZ5 to illustrate to others what Sony Vaio customer service looks like in reality.
If you purchased your PC on a personal credit card, and depending on where you live, you may be able get your credit card company to take-up this issue with Sony on your behalf. In the UK, for instance, your PC with no sound output would be classed as not as of merchantable quality and your credit card company would be obliged refund your money.
Unfortunately, I purchased my Sony Vaio on a business credit card and therfore had no consumer protection of this ilk. Silly me. I won’t do that again.
I wish you all the best in trying to get a decent service out of Sony. You may succeed where I failed.
However, at least your comment will help others to understand just how dreadful Sony Vaio customer service can be, and therefore avoid buying Sony Vaio PCs until the service is improved dramatically.
Alan
November 5th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Sorry to hear about your problems. Sony is tricky in the way they package their software. It all works, if you follow directions. Here is the thing to note….you must burn RECOVERY DVD’s before you fiddle about with your OS. In this way, if the upgrade to Ultimate goes South, you can always revert back to the factory load. Also, you must realize that you may be forced to do a CLEAN INSTALL when upgrading, because your Ultimate disk is not compatible with the OEM install load. If this is the case, all of your drivers and Sony software will be lost. This is a very important concept to grasp. Further, if this should happen, do not fret. Continue with your upgrade to Ultimate and pull your drivers and desired software off the recovery discs. The recovery discs will recover the entire system AND/OR give you the Sony software, drivers, etc. to work with your Ultimate upgrade.
One final note: before doing ANYTHING to your OS, it is best to back up your important files. Remember, a clean install will pretty much wipe that disk. Your files may be renamed “windows.old”, but they will not be the main OS package that loads after the Ultimate upgrade.
Good luck and prepare to invest a great deal of time getting to your journey.