GOOD GRIEF! Does Sony hire total idiots to work in thier CS dept?

shack

I recently bought a modded Sony SCD-CE775 without a remote from Troy here on the forum. No big deal since I already had one from my existing SCD-CE775 and I could probably use a universal or I could just buy another...or so I thought. There wasn't one listed on the Sony parts site so I sent a VERY CLEAR and to the point e-mail to Sony's Direct Accessories and Parts Center. Here is the response I recieved (note the part in bold italics):

Thank you for contacting Sony's Direct Accessories and Parts Center (DAPC USA).

Model: RMSC500
Your question was: I need a replacement remote for a Sony SCD-CE775 CD Player. The model # of the remote is RM-SC500. Do you carry this remote and if not what is the replacement model#?

Do not contact by phone - email only

Our staff is unable to determine what part you need based on the supplied information. Your model may be invalid, or some other additional information is needed.

Please contact our office at 1-800-488-7669 so we can better assist you.
Sony Direct Accessories & Parts Center web site - http://www.sony.com/accessories

This is an automated email message - please do not reply.

Thank you for your interest in Sony.
code: (d9sb)

???????????????????????????????

Should I have sent them a picture of the CDP and Remote?





I wonder what more information they need? I know they make a lot of stuff, but this remote was used on the SCD-C222ES, SCD-C555ES and several of their low end CDP changers as I recall, as well as my player. You would think SOMEWHERE in their database SOMETHING about this remote or this CDP would exist.

Sorry for the rant....

AndyGwis

I'm guessing the format of the parts #, or something was out of what with how they query things in their database.

Can't you google the part number and come up with some info / options?

Sony makes good universals for $10 that probably would work well. I agree that this leaves something to be determined regarding their CS. Pioneer's is pretty bad as well. I guess the bigger the manufacturer, the worst / less personal / less accountable the CS is.

AndyGwis

There seems to be one on ebay for $38 + $4.

http://search.ebay.com/RM-SC500_W0QQfromZR40QQsatitleZRMQ2dSC500

hoosier21

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-RM-SC500-NEW-5-Disc-CD-1-2-Remote-Control-ES_W0QQitemZ200038025612QQihZ010QQcategoryZ61318QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

get it off the bay

shack

Finding a remote is not an issue...there are lots of remotes that might work. The Sony is designed for a SACD changer and that's what I wanted. I am just amazed at the level of incompetence of the MFG.

Thanks Andy. I have looked on E-bay and other sources. Given the lifespan of remotes (I actually have one that quit working BEFORE the batteries went out) I will not buy one unless it is NIB.

bobman1235

Well, they have idiots working in their design departments, so why not their CS department?

shack

Thanks Russ as well. I guess that is the route I'll take. I hate E-bay though.

hoosier21

http://www.remotes.com/store/sony/rmsc500.html

63 plus at Sony store

shack

Thank Russ - That site is funny as well. According to the site, the original remote is no longer made but there is a substitute remote and they have a picture of the original and the substitute. They both are the exact same picture. I guess the Sony CS "mystique" carries on even into the secondary market.

Oh well...

Thanks guys. It is really no big deal...It just struck me as stupid and my stupid tolerance level is very low this morning.

F1nut

I'm with ya, bro. That response is unbelievable.

brettw22

I have a remote for sale........[/shamless plug]

shack

I would have been ok with "We no longer make that remote or a replacement" or "Not available - any Sony universal will work"....etc...

But to respond they have no clue what I am clearly referring to means:

A) They ARE totally stupid

Sony is so big and inefficient they have no idea what they do/make...

C) I got the "We have to resond somehow since we promised a response within 3 business days but we haven't bothered to check anything out" CYA standard response.

Probably C, but B or A are entirely possible.

Strong Bad

F-ing dumbasses at Sony! Makes you REALLY appreciate the good folks at Polk CS!

shack

Thanks Brett. I have a couple of universals that will work but I really wanted the specific SACD and changer funtions without having to program a bunch of stuff.

Strong Bad

shack wrote:

I would have been ok with "We no longer make that remote or a replacement" or "Not available - any Sony universal will work"....etc...

But to respond they have no clue what I am clearly referring to means:

A) They ARE totally stupid

Sony is so big and inefficient they have no idea what they do/make...

C) I got the "We have to resond somehow since we promised a response within 3 business days but we haven't bothered to check anything out" CYA standard response.

Probably C, but B or A are entirely possible.

You forgot...

D) All the above

audiobliss

Haha, wow; that is pretty unbelievable.

shack

Strong Bad wrote:

You forgot...

D) All the above

TroyD

That's what you get for buying stuff from me....

BDT

AndyGwis

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-Remote-Control-RM-SC505-for-5-Disc-ES-SCD-C2000ES_W0QQitemZ130057739756QQihZ003QQcategoryZ61318QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

This looks like the right one for the SCD-222ES and whatever you have.

Mike682

C) I got the "We have to resond somehow since we promised a response within 3 business days but we haven't bothered to check anything out" CYA standard response.

I'm going with C:
It appears as if no person at Sony read Shack's e-mail at all.

Probably an automated system that reads keywords and then forwards to a rep. If it doesn't understand (discontinued remote), it automatically sends an email back to the sender for clarification.

AndyGwis

I read the email. Sony CS sucks. . . trying to be proactive and find him a remote. No point in worrying about their CS. If you don't like their Sony because of their bad CS, sell all your Sony stuff and don't buy from them again.

edbert

This is the key part of the email that seems to be being overlooked.

"This is an automated email message - please do not reply."

Basically, if the information in the email is not correctly "decoded"(not the word I was looking for) then this is their automated response. Granted, it seems like you provided all the necessary information, but if it wasn't in the order that their program understands, it just kicks out the email that you got. Stupid I know, but at least you know you aren't dealing with some yahoo in customer service. The problem is the IT guy who wrote the program to read the emails.(No I am not bagging on IT guys, I have a buddy that does this type of thing for a credit card company.) It sounds like there are others out there to pick up though without having to deal with Sony directly though, if that's the route that you choose

Rivrrat

I deal with a lot of tech/cust support at work. They all suck, period.

AndyGwis

Exactly Rivrrat. If you buy from a small company, like polk, signal cable, outlaw, svs, etc., they have the ability to provide great customer support, and it's a part of their business model, marketing, etc.

You can't expect multinational, huge companies to answer every question you have. You are one in 10 million to them, and they can't handle 10 million buyers' questions in a personal, well thought out manner. If they did, their cost of business would skyrocket, so their product prices would skyrocket.