Hasselblad repairs in NJ, USA - who else can I use?

[Joe Towner]

I had a repair done by Hasselblad USA and at this point will never go back.  I sent it in due to a scratch on the IR filter and a few nagging things and while the price wasn't great ($1,200) that didn't bother me.  What has me pissed off to no end is the customer service during and after the repair.  More so, their return shipping of my camera has me livid, looking for options before dropping the system completely.

Yes, that is my H4D-50, sitting in a single layer of mini bubble-wrap, up against the side of a box, shipped overnight across the country.  I brought this to the sales person for the west coast, whom forwarded it on someone at Hass in New Jersey.  They have dismissed my concerns, and ideas that would improve their customer service level.  But let me get back to the fact that they packed my $28,000 MSRP camera in loose paper, and don't see a problem.

[Paul2660]

Amazing, really amazing.

I can't help you on another company to fix a Hasselblad, in the US. but I totally agree that is not the way to ship something that has that value.  I am sure they have insurance on it, but still.

If you consider switching, Phase One, whom I have used since 2008, does have this part of the process well down.  Repair backs are shipped back and forth in a special designed box, with about 4 inches of foam all the way around the back. 

The good news is there should be no moving parts for yours, and hopefully it did not get bounced around too much.  But it's amazing that the US customer relations dept from Hasselblad feels this is OK. 

You might forward the picture on to the corporate offices. 

Paul

[JV]

You might forward the picture on to the corporate offices. 

I was thinking the same thing.

Hasselblad service used to be excellent in the US.  After it became HasselbladBron (and some truly excellent people left) I hear nothing but complaints.

I would go as far and high as Sweden if need be.

Sincerely, Joris.

[Doug Peterson]

If you consider switching, Phase One, whom I have used since 2008, does have this part of the process well down.  Repair backs are shipped back and forth in a special designed box, with about 4 inches of foam all the way around the back.  

The standardized Team Phase One digital back shipping cube is actually a huge help for us (as a dealer) in any number of situations where we ship or store backs. It's also just faster and easier than wrapping in bubble wrap (and those damnable shipping peanuts - I HATE those things). We also have a slightly larger one same thing for the back+body+80LS lens where the foam is cut to that shape instead of just the back.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Too bad they dismantled that world-class design team in Italy... they could have designed better shipping boxes, instead of rhino horn grips or what not.

[Steve Hendrix]

I actually have a blog post 90% done (for some time now) that we at CI call the HOS (or Hall of Shame) post. It's a collection of instances where some of our beloved clients have shipped items to us - usually for repair or diagnosis - in, let's say, really questionable packaging. We get quite excited when a HOS candidate comes in, racing to the box with our iPhones out before anyone jostles anything or spoils the crime scene. Maybe one day I'll get around to that last 10%, there's some pretty amazing tales in there.

And as long as they promise to never do it again, we forgive our wonderful clients for their lapse (it is their equipment they shipped, after all!).

But we don't usually see this from a manufacturer partner. Ultimately though, what's really important is how one responds when they break from perfection, make a mistake, etc. That is usually way more telling than the incidence of the mistake itself.


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration

[Chris Gahran]

Try contracting Jimmy Bjaaland @ B23. His email address is "[email protected]". He's in Denmark.

Note I believe he restricts his service work to older Hasselblad digital backs so he may not offer service for your newer gear.

Jimmy replaced the IR Filter on my CF-22MS last year when Hasselblad said "yes" and then "no" about replacing the scratched filter.

He did a fine job and charges the same as Hasselblad.

Chris

[gigdagefg]

The Hasselblad return center has always used bubble wrap plus peanuts when returning my camera back to me
Stanley

[Tony Ventouris Photography]

I always make it a habit of sending my equipment in my own protective bags and then boxed when I send repairs.  I recently sent my H1 and lenses to hasselblad and did the same thing.  I took everything apart, wrapped, and stuffed them into camera bag inserts and boxed the whole package.  Yes, they only used the little tiny bubbles to wrap the pieces back up when they were done...but they actually put each piece back in the case I sent them! 

I know manufacturers say not to send anything else when sending repairs...but I have always gotten my equipment back from Canon, olympus, fuji, hasselblad, back in the camera bags/cases I send them.  I wouldn't hesitate to send a pelican case if need be for large gear.  They sure as heck won't misplace that!  Seriously though, a spare camera bag insert, or a small photo backpack, etc...  adds a lot of extra protection with little extra weight. (its all relative, but when shipping anything worth more than $2000....a little extra shipping cost is fine by me)

 

[barihunk]

The standardized Team Phase One digital back shipping cube is actually a huge help for us (as a dealer) in any number of situations where we ship or store backs. It's also just faster and easier than wrapping in bubble wrap (and those damnable shipping peanuts - I HATE those things). We also have a slightly larger one same thing for the back+body+80LS lens where the foam is cut to that shape instead of just the back.

How would one get a hold of said packing supplies?

[Doug Peterson]

For our local clients we encourage them to bring or courier their back to our Manhattan office or Colorodo or California or Philly reps where we pack them in the box for shopping.

For our remote clients we can, as needed, ship an empty one to them. Or they can pack it in a normal box with plenty of padding. The shaped foam box is really nice and fast to use, but it's obviously not the only way to safely ship.

However, for any of our customers since Digital Transitions' 10th anniversary (last year) we have included, with the sale, a small Tenba case with a few goodies (dust blower, lens cloth) which is excellent for storing or shipping the back.