Hi for all thoses who may be interested this is an outline of who I got my projector swapped even though Panasonic had lready said it could not be exchanged, Sorry its a long read.
My first line of attack was going back to my dealer, pointing out that this was the second unit I had that was faulty with in 3 months of using it. They tried to get the unit replaced but were told by Panasonic that they would not credit them for the unit and as such could only offer me a repair.
When I asked about return time I was told it would be turned round within a week, as a regular reader of this forum I knew this would not be the case, So I went back to the dealer again and said that I was not prepared to wait any longer than a couple of days for this unit to be repaired and wanted a replacement - I was assured that the repair would be done and the unit repaired within a week. So I let them send in a courier to pick up my projector and take it to an authorised repair centre.
I then phoned the repair center to make sure it had arrived and spoke to the enginer who would be dealing with it, I asked him when it would be reutned to me and was told that the parts needed were not in stock and would be in the next day.
As I thought this was rubbish I went back to the dealer and requested that the give me an exact date to get the unit returned to me, I was then told that it would be six weeks at the earliest, when I then said this is not good enough, I was told that they were expecting some parts in within two weeks and they would jump the queue for me and get mine sorted as soon as these parts were in, if however it was longer than two weeks they would send out a new unit to me.
When I pointed out that there was no way they would be in within two weeks and that they should stop wasting time and just send the new unit, It was suggested that I might like to take this up with Panasonic, so this is what I did.
The conversation went a little like this:
ME: I want to speak to somebody about replacing my fault projector
PAN: Im affraid we don't replace them, we can only offer a repair
ME: This is the second unit I have had within 7 months that has been faulty, and I am not going to and don't see why I should wait two-three months for it to be repaired.
PAN: I don't think it will take that long Sir
ME: OK then you go and check
PAN: (after a few mins) Im affraid the quickest we can get it reparied is six weeks as we are waiting for parts
ME: Well I am not waiting for this length of time because, I don't think this is aceptable, I have had two faulty units and I believe this product may not be fit for the purpose it was sold for, please will you replace my unit with a new one.
PAN: Im sorry sir but you are asking me to do something that I can't do.
ME: well please put me through to somebody that can
PAN: Sir I am a Customer Services Manager
ME: OK put me through to your manager
PAN: Iam the Customer Servcies manager
ME: well put me through to your escelation point. I not only have a piece of equipment that cost me £1500 I also have a whole bunch of equipment that cost in the region of £9500 sitting there that I can't use so In my reckoning that equates to approx £11000 So will you please get me your boss now!
PAN: (after about 5 mins) Sir please phone your dealer and quote this returns number and they will exchange your unit for you.
ME: Thanks
I have to say I was very firm with them but was not at all rude, it seems they are aware that the length of time for repair is not good enough but while they can get away with it they will.
Sorry this is a long message but I thought the history was a big factor in getting the unit swapped.
Hope anybody else waiting on repair may be able to get an exchange from Panasonic as why should we guys be without the projector due to manufacturing faults on their part.
Kind Regards
Adrian