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Leica Service

algrove

Well-known member
Here in the US for US service it does not matter where you buy it as long as its in the US. They changed the service personnel a few years back and ever since then things do not seem to have been better. That said for some time they only had one person in the phone service staff. I knew the other two phone service staff who left and they were very responsive to my needs. What with higher sales nowadays that means even more problems with wait times this side of the Atlantic.

Now when servicing R lenses and the like we wait forever to get our items serviced and often without pre-notification of what's happening. In this case using a dealer to get the items sent to Germany has been beneficial, but even in these cases it takes many months to get items back and in some cases what comes back is not correctly repaired even though Germany did the repairs.
 
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Bernard

Member
The problem seems to be that Leica service in the US is overwhelmed. They do turn jobs around, but they don't answer queries promptly and the wait times appear to be much longer than in Europe.

That could be an issue with staffing, training, processes, any number of things, it's hard to speculate. Thing is, it's a fixable problem, so I hope they get it sorted.
 

algrove

Well-known member
The problem seems to be that Leica service in the US is overwhelmed. They do turn jobs around, but they don't answer queries promptly and the wait times appear to be much longer than in Europe.

That could be an issue with staffing, training, processes, any number of things, it's hard to speculate. Thing is, it's a fixable problem, so I hope they get it sorted.
Of course, it's fixable, but it has not been "sorted" for well over 10-15 years, so I hold little or not hope for any sorting in the next year.
 

aDam007

New member
FAIR IS FAIR... I bitch when Leica does a bad job or a slow job. So might as well share when they're not horrible.

Still doesn't excuse that even though I was personally promised (by the MD Asia) a loaner to my lenses and bodies.. I did not get a loaner 100S. BUT if I have to be fair, I was expecting my lens to take a lot longer.

100S total just over 3 weeks to service and return to me. However I was emailed this Friday midday (not called, they have my number). Which means technically I can't pick it up until Monday (they don't work Saturdays). And I'm gone for a week as of Sunday night (would have really liked to have brought the lens with me, oh well).

So just over 3 weeks to service the S lens, not professional, but not 8+ weeks like I'm use to seeing from them.


Who knows if it was actually fixed properly and or if it even works as I don't have it to test. And since I was told that they still use the SAME PARTS it will eventually break again (but at least this time it didn't cost $750 a trip). I don't know why Leica doesn't upgrade the parts, but there must be a reason for it.
 

doug

Well-known member
FAIR IS FAIR... I bitch when Leica does a bad job or a slow job. So might as well share when they're not horrible.

Still doesn't excuse that even though I was personally promised (by the MD Asia) a loaner to my lenses and bodies.. I did not get a loaner 100S. BUT if I have to be fair, I was expecting my lens to take a lot longer.

100S total just over 3 weeks to service and return to me. However I was emailed this Friday midday (not called, they have my number). Which means technically I can't pick it up until Monday (they don't work Saturdays). And I'm gone for a week as of Sunday night (would have really liked to have brought the lens with me, oh well).

So just over 3 weeks to service the S lens, not professional, but not 8+ weeks like I'm use to seeing from them.


Who knows if it was actually fixed properly and or if it even works as I don't have it to test. And since I was told that they still use the SAME PARTS it will eventually break again (but at least this time it didn't cost $750 a trip). I don't know why Leica doesn't upgrade the parts, but there must be a reason for it.
Compared with the service I've been getting on my 280/4 APO I'd be absolutely delighted with 8 weeks' turnaround. The 280/4 requires a CLA every two years because the aperture blades get gummy. The first time it took 4 months, the second time it was 6 months. This time it's 4 months so far and still no estimate for the repair cost. FOUR MONTHS AND NOT EVEN AN ESTIMATE.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
It seems backward that Leica still communicates via phone/voicemail and snail-mail paper-work.

Once the repair item leaves the hands of the shipping company, and is signed for at the loading dock, it goes into a black-hole time warp.

For crying out loud, just text me the status and/or the estimate. Have UPS (or whom ever) alert me with a tracking # when you ship the item back.

How hard can it be?

- Marc
 

aDam007

New member
It seems backward that Leica still communicates via phone/voicemail and snail-mail paper-work.

Once the repair item leaves the hands of the shipping company, and is signed for at the loading dock, it goes into a black-hole time warp.

For crying out loud, just text me the status and/or the estimate. Have UPS (or whom ever) alert me with a tracking # when you ship the item back.

How hard can it be?

- Marc
Yeah, no notice for me at all either. Which is why I couldn't collect my lens Friday. Which is why now I can't take it with me on my work trip this coming Sunday night. Meaning I technically won't see it for another week+

sigh... At least it wasn't gone months and months and months like my 50APO was (that two year old lens was at Leica longer then I've had it in hand).
 

Paratom

Well-known member
Adam, seems like some higher forces just dont want allow you to use Leica. Maybe its a sign.
I am sorry for the bad experience and the bad luck.
 

aDam007

New member
Adam, seems like some higher forces just dont want allow you to use Leica. Maybe its a sign.
I am sorry for the bad experience and the bad luck.

HAHAHA... Seems that way. I think it's my wife's sorcery TBH.
Anyway, I relayed to her the quote you wrote me, she laughed and said it was one of the better quotes she's heard in a while.

But seriously, I think I've had the most drama with Leica. Probably just due to the massive amounts of Leica gear I had.


Anyway, very few things left and I still have problems :facesmack:
 

docmoore

Subscriber and Workshop Member
Leica S-006 sensor corrosion issue... again :(
Adam,

To me the CCD Leica cameras are no longer tenable .... perhaps something in the spec of the sensor covers
allowed the corrosion to occur. But it seems not to be a random event but more pervasive in nature.

Shame of it is that the color of the 006 is really really good ...

But ... after running around Scotland with a Q and a recent change ... all my S gone ... I purchased a M-D. Thorsten Overgaard suggests that
the color of the M60 and M-D might be different than that of the 240 ... perhaps due to lack of circuitry for live view? I find it stunning with the 50 APO Summicron ...
and am very pleased to be free of the AF issues and hopefully concerns with corrosion of the sensor. Seems quite organic ... although the DR is
not up to the S I can work around it. The purity of color with the APO is stellar.

Hard to imagine what the course of the S would have been without sensor issues and if the cheap
AF gear had not been used ... as this and the M CCD corrosion issue have overwhelmed Leica.

For all their limitations Leica still has some amazing glass ...


Bob
 

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
It's now 5 months. No estimate.
I am sorry about your experience Doug.
As Leica's conduct is outrageous I certainly won't send them my similar lens for service.
BTW my 2009 M9 has developed leprosy. What's better send it to Leica NJ or Leica Germany for repair?
I am not relying much on my M9 for my current photography as I prefer my A7r2. Nevertheless I would like to get my M9 back in a reasonable amount of time.
 

Paratom

Well-known member
I would call them every day twice.
I believe you but I just cant imagine this is the standard behaviour. Certainly it is not in Germany.
I have had Leica equipment for service and/or repair several times over the last years and I never had to wait even close to 5 months. For S stuff I had never to wait any longer than 4 weeks.
 

doug

Well-known member
I would call them every day twice.
They don't pick up the phone, voicemail box is full. Infuriating. It's not like I'm expecting free service, I have the cash for repairs and am willing to pay for repairs. Send me the f***ing estimate.
 

algrove

Well-known member
I would call them every day twice.
I believe you but I just cant imagine this is the standard behaviour. Certainly it is not in Germany.
I have had Leica equipment for service and/or repair several times over the last years and I never had to wait even close to 5 months. For S stuff I had never to wait any longer than 4 weeks.
You don't get it. They don't give a flying damn about giving us service here in the US-they just take our money.
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
The problem seems to be that Leica service in the US is overwhelmed. They do turn jobs around, but they don't answer queries promptly and the wait times appear to be much longer than in Europe.

That could be an issue with staffing, training, processes, any number of things, it's hard to speculate. Thing is, it's a fixable problem, so I hope they get it sorted.
I resisted jumping in because frankly I know to much about this issue . Back when Leica had the warranty crisis with the M8 followed by massive demand for recalibrating lenses to digital standards .....I visited Leica in NJ and spent a day reviewing there customer service and repair processes . My background was in management consulting and I have plenty of experience in both fixing and setting up customer service departments . I provide at no charge (after playing for my own travel etc ) with both my observations and recommendations for improvement .

SIZE ....Leica has a very small customer service department and the technicians are specialized by type of repair service . They can shift around but for the most part ..the tech doing lens CLA work is not working on your Leica RF body . The backlog is managed by the department supervisor and for the most part ...not visible to the work force . This is of course why some repairs can be turned in a few weeks and others take months . I lens like Doug s CLA 280/4 is not an everyday occurrence and may in fact be work that the technician doesn t want to do .

LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY ...There is a complete lack of measurements in customer service and repairs . They don t know how many items are in the backlog or how frequently they are clearing work orders . Since they don t measure anything ..there is no accountability for performance ...other than COST .

Having a large backlog is actually good for the service department ..it means they can generate plenty of income by prioritizing repairs that are easy and can be turnaround quickly . The backlog means that nobody is thinking about downsizing technicians (like what happened in 2007 before the digital M ) .

COMMUNICATION .....the customer service team has a lot of experience in dealing with this situation and you don t . They know when service is overwhelmed with repairs that its a waste of time to ask about any repair order ...so they don t . They have zero visibility into your repair with their systems . (Unlike Germany where the repair system is on SAP and they log your repair into the system upon receipt ) . In NJ your lens is sitting on a shelf with a piece of paper around it showing that you own it .

The estimate process is just to get you to pay for the repair ..in most cases its a standard cost based on a quick look at the item . This is why you get repair estimates of $700 for a CLA on a basically new lens .

Once you get a repair estimate ...normally you are in better shape ...unless (1)they need a part or (2) they decide to send the repair to germany . Then you are ‘Screwed” a technical term for no good alternatives . I have never had anything take more than 6 weeks after a estimate has been given . But I ve had lenses that took a year to get right .

When I sat with the customers service reps ( I mean the ones you are trying to reach ) they explained that they were simply erasing all the messages you are leaving . This allowed them to start fresh .

Recommendations for Leica ....I found as have many others ...its a complete waste of time to try to help Leica . If you understand that they have no measure of customer service and view the department as a cost center ..well you get what you measure .

RECOMMENDATIONS (These are solid recommendations follow them or don t complain . They are based on having at least 50 repair orders with Leica since 2008)

1. Never ever send lenses for CLA to NJ ...use DAG . He was Leica trained and knows his craft as well as anyone in NJ . His turnaround depends on what you need . A few weeks can be had ...please don t abuse his kind nature . He can handle a RF calibration in a few weeks if you need it AND he will not miss your vacation .

2. Leica S repairs ...send directly to Germany . Never send your S to NJ . They do take the S seriously in Germany and seem to have a dedicated group that handles repairs . Repairs sent to directly to Germany normal take about a month .

3. Use a dealer to manage the process . This is critical ...if your dealer will not handle this for you ...find a new dealer . I use the Leica Store Miami and without their support ...I would have given up on Leica gear . They can talk directly to anyone in NJ or Wetzler . Sometimes I pay $150 to express ship my gear to Germany .

4. Leica gear needs periodic service ..don t expect that RF to stay in calibration or those lenses to work flawlessly without periodic CLA . I try to send my gear at times when I can t shoot as much (plus I have back ups for everything ....not suggesting this but it works ).

5. When you are being ‘stone walled” by customer service .......call the sales and marketing department . And post your situation on as many forums as you participate in . Start new posts (ask the moderators to not combine your situation with others ). Keep it on the front page . Send your experience to Diglloyd and others . Call the US CEO . Post on FB etc.

FYI ....I shoot with Leica M,SL,S and Q systems as well as Nikon FX gear .

I love Leica gear and have decided to develop a process I can live with to manage service issues . Hope that this helps some of you .
 

Paratom

Well-known member
They don't pick up the phone, voicemail box is full. Infuriating. It's not like I'm expecting free service, I have the cash for repairs and am willing to pay for repairs. Send me the f***ing estimate.
Then I would write a letter to the CEO or some official at Leica customer service. Also what does your dealer say? I wouldk.... in the b....
 

Paratom

Well-known member
You don't get it. They don't give a flying damn about giving us service here in the US-they just take our money.
ok, I dont get it. Whats your plan? Do you use other products even though you prefer Leicas just because service NJ sucks? Or do you try to give them more pressure to get a better treatment in the future? I would escelate the situation if I was treated like this.
 
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