Ongoing saga concerning my 55X8509C TV

[simsini]

I have had several issues with three KD-55X8509C TVs, the first and second of which were purchased from the Sony Centre in Ashford and the third was given to me as a replacement by Sony on Friday 25th November.

The first TV was an official Sony refurbished model that I bought in April, but I returned it within 28 days as there was excessive light bleed from the edges of the screen. I exchanged it for a new model and paid the difference of £130.00 on 19th May.

Initally I was happy with the TV, although there was judder from watching Sky which I reported to Sony customer support in August, but that would finally be resolved with a firmware update. 

However on 25th October, I emailed Sony customer support with other issues found, such as discolouration of the picture, clouding and 3D crosstalk that I was unable to eliminate. I sent pictures to show some of the issues with the picture. I kept going back and forth with them and they suggested resetting the TV, turning the brightness down (it was already set very low at 5) and it was even said that I shouldn't watch TV in a dark room.

They finally agreed to send an engineer, who came on 18th November. I showed him the faults with the picture and he said the panel was faulty and would have to be replaced. The same engineer came back on 25th November and within three hours a line of pixels appeared across the screen. It disappeared when I reset the TV, but since then it has come back on two different occasions. The TV also still suffers from appalling clouding and discolouring.

I spoke to Sony support on 25th November after I discovered these faults and they said they would organise another replacement TV of the same model and extend my warranty by six months. I said that this wasn't acceptable as I have had three of this TV already and could I have an alternative model. They asked if there was a model I had in mind and I suggested the KD-55XD9305 as it is the only model in this year's range that supports 3D. I said that I even didn't mind paying something towards it depending on how much that would be. They said they would get back to me by the end of the day after speaking to another department.

I then spoke to them on 28th November and they said they haven't heard back yet. I spoke to them again on 29th November and they said they still haven't heard back, but they would definitely hear something by 4pm on 30th November, when they would call me back. I called them on 30th November at 5.30pm and they still hadn't heard back, and said it would be another 24-48 hours. I called again with the same response on 2nd December and today. As it stands, I have requested a refund if I couldn't get the KD-55XD9305.

I have been dealing with Sony support for quite a while and it's becoming increasingly frustrating to get a response to what I feel isn't an unreasonable request. I have spent a lot of time on the phone, but feel like I am being ignored and fobbed off.

Sony's customer services are frankly appalling and they appear to treat their customers with utter contempt. I would strongly advise anyone to think twice before buying a Sony TV.

[Anonymous]

Hi there

I can understand your increasing frustrations over this saga.  Unfortunately I am not a Sony employee, so I cannot tell you what is going on.  I have however escalated this thread to Sony Support for them to find out what is going on and to contact you.  Please let us know how you get on.

Cheers

PS: If I hear nothing back from them, I'll keep prodding them until I do

[simsini]

Thanks. The issue seems to be that the offshore contact centre that I keep contacting have not heard back from the CRO team. The CRO team are supposed to be calling me back, but that should have happened in the first instance on 25th November. I have told the contact centre that I will be phoning them 2-3 times a day until this is resolved, because I cannot keep getting told it will be another 24 hours. To me nobody seems to care, which is disgraceful.

[simsini]

So they phoned me today and asked me to send them the pictures of the fault, pictures that I have already sent them, so they can confirm with their engineers. Then they said I would hear back in another 48 hours.

I have sent them the pictures again, but they have already told me I can have the TV replaced, I was just waiting for the decision on the 55XD9305 or a refund. I swear they are out to deliberately wind their customers up.

[Anonymous]

Hi @simsini

I have forwarded your reply and requested they find out what is going on.  This might be the case of someone (CRO) not reading the case notes properly (or in full....).

Cheers

[simsini]

Thanks. If they don't get back to me by lunchtime today, I'll phone the Sony office in Weybridge rather than the call centre, as it clearly isn't getting me anywhere.

[simsini]

I did eventually get a call back and they offered me the exact same TV again, even though I had already spoken to someone who offered this to me on 25th November. Frustrating doesn't begin to describe it. They were supposed to call me back on Friday or this morning at the latest, but haven't called me at all.