Leica Contact

[NWT]

I really like Leica products. I have 2 pair of Leica binoculars, a spotting scope and a Ultravid 3.5 X 10 X 42mm rifle scope (which I am having the problem with).I have emailed Leica USA service three times and called once (when the scope was brand new)regarding a defective rubber Power Ring on the scope. Leica Service in NJ US service lady said no parts available. I can’t believe that. No one calls or emails me back. I am wanting to use this rifle/scope combination again and I am afraid this rubber power ring is going to just fall off the scope during hunting conditions. The ring keeps getting loose.
I am considering one of the new Leica rifle scopes but if Leica can’t perform the most basic of service I guess I can’t purchase another Leica.
Does anyone have a contact name for one of the USA/Europe Leica Factory Sales Representatives? I have found the sales guys/ladies can be the best resource for getting things done. Please feel free to pm me.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Send a PM to @Leica Sport Optics

 

[One Day...]

How timely! Similar distressing experience here.

The focus knob on a pair of Leica Geovid R Rangefinding 10x42 Binoculars was broken and fell off. The binocs are unusable without it. The first week (about a month ago) I left two voicemails in the Service box of the Leica (800) 222-0118 number. No reply. So I called again the following week and dialed 0 for the operator. After a decent wait, I was connected to Stacey. She took my email address and said she would email me that day the forms necessary for me to fill and send the binocs for the Leica Passport Warranty service under their Lifetime Sport Optics Protection Plan. No email came. After a few days I called back the (800) 222-0118, number, went back to the Service box, and recognized Stacey's voice on the recording. I left my email address again, in case a mistake was made when typing it (I was assuming Stacey attempted to send me the email). No result. Again the following week. Still no result.

@Leica Sport Optics, help! Your products and your brand are worth better than that.

I hate to say, but just before going to hunt buff in Limpopo in August this year https://www.africahunting.com/threa...safaris-the-proper-way-to-hunt-buffalo.45092/ I sent a pair of 8x32 30 year old binocs that were getting foggy to Swarovski. It took but one call to get things rolling and they returned them to me less than 3 weeks later so completely refurbished and crystal clear that I first thought they had just sent me a new pair. A specific small scratch I knew well on one of the ocular lenses convinced me it was the same pairs under a brand new housing, but other than that they are as good as new. And of course totally free. Awesome service!

@Leica Sport Optics, PLEAAAAAASE........

 

[wesheltonj]

I don't know what dealer your purchased the product from. However, the owner of Camerland NY plays golf weekly with the president of Leica USA. He would be able to get a good contact for you.

 

[NWT]

I don't know what dealer your purchased the product from. However, the owner of Camerland NY plays golf weekly with the president of Leica USA. He would be able to get a good contact for you.

I was living in the mid south at the time and bought it locally. Maybe I should purchase my next scope from Cameraland NY.

 

[slam8031]

just had a great customer service experience with them.

Customer Care
Leica Camera INC.

Contact:
Phone: (+1) 800-222-0118
Fax no.: (201) 995-1686
E-Mail: estimates@leicacamerausa.com

 

[slam8031]

name was Sarah

 

[CAustin]

How timely! Similar distressing experience here.

The focus knob on a pair of Leica Geovid R Rangefinding 10x42 Binoculars was broken and fell off. The binocs are unusable without it. The first week (about a month ago) I left two voicemails in the Service box of the Leica (800) 222-0118 number. No reply. So I called again the following week and dialed 0 for the operator. After a decent wait, I was connected to Stacey. She took my email address and said she would email me that day the forms necessary for me to fill and send the binocs for the Leica Passport Warranty service under their Lifetime Sport Optics Protection Plan. No email came. After a few days I called back the (800) 222-0118, number, went back to the Service box, and recognized Stacey's voice on the recording. I left my email address again, in case a mistake was made when typing it (I was assuming Stacey attempted to send me the email). No result. Again the following week. Still no result.

@Leica Sport Optics, help! Your products and your brand are worth better than that.

I hate to say, but just before going to hunt buff in Limpopo in August this year https://www.africahunting.com/threa...safaris-the-proper-way-to-hunt-buffalo.45092/ I sent a pair of 8x32 30 year old binocs that were getting foggy to Swarovski. It took but one call to get things rolling and they returned them to me less than 3 weeks later so completely refurbished and crystal clear that I first thought they had just sent me a new pair. A specific small scratch I knew well on one of the ocular lenses convinced me it was the same pairs under a brand new housing, but other than that they are as good as new. And of course totally free. Awesome service!

@Leica Sport Optics, PLEAAAAAASE........
View attachment 251620

Swarovski took care of me in the same fashion about three years ago. One call and that was all it took.

I hope the Leica folks respond and take care of the customers needs.

 

[IdaRam]

I really like Leica products as well. I’ve owned a couple and used a number of others. Generally speaking I think they make really good stuff. But their customer service SUCKS! I have heard this same story so many times it blows my mind. I may have purchased several Leica products in the past had it not been for their notorious reputation for crappy customer service. If they don’t care any more about me as a customer after the time of sale, I refuse to buy a single additional Leica product. Swarovski, Zeiss, Schmidt & Bender, Leupold and Night Force cover my needs entirely, so why support a company that doesn’t support me?
Just my two bits.
Would be great if @Leica Sport Optics could follow up on your issue @NWT and help you with a resolution. Possibly chime in here as well.
Best wishes in getting your problem resolved.

 

[Dwight Beagle]

But their customer service SUCKS! I have heard this same story so many times it blows my mind.

I’ve heard it ad nauseum too.

 

[Dwight Beagle]

I was living in the mid south at the time and bought it locally. Maybe I should purchase my next scope from Cameraland NY.

I’ve been purchasing scopes from Camera Land for around ten years. They are the best optics retailer I’ve ever dealt with by a huge margin. Even if they are higher priced on an item I buy from them if the price differential is not egregious. I cannot say enough good things about Camera Land.

 

[wesheltonj]

In sport optics I own 4 Leica rifle scopes and 4 Leica binoculars, none of which has ever fail and needed service. My oldest pair is 35 years old, and nothing is wrong with them. Someday the electronics, will fail in my Geovid HD-B as all electronics do. I am hoping they will be obsolete by then. Personally IMO the poor customer service stories just keep getting re-told over and over again and become "truth".

 

[gr8fuldoug]

It would be my pleasure to help you out. Please give me a call, 516-217-1000, and let's see what we can do.

 

[NWT]

It would be my pleasure to help you out. Please give me a call, 516-217-1000, and let's see what we can do.

Thank you! I will call you later today.

 

[rookhawk]

It would be my pleasure to help you out. Please give me a call, 516-217-1000, and let's see what we can do.

As a word to the wise in the future, Leica is a REALLY difficult company to do business with. Frankly, do so at your own peril if there is an equally good solution available from Swarovski instead.

But in any case, whether Leica, Swarovski, or other, I strongly recommend CameralandNY (member gra8fuldoug is their president) when buying any premium optics. Neil at Cameraland is just awesome as a salesperson.

Don't get me wrong, there are many places to buy premium optics, but when feces hits the propellor you better have someone with influence with the very tricky German-Austrian manufacturers to get it resolved because going the normal warranty route with the likes of Leica is a ridiculous experience. You're not going to pay less going to someone other than CameralandNY and you certainly aren't going to get post-sales service of equal measure using their competitors.

 

[markferrigno]

After having lived in Germany for 5 years I can say customer service is not a concept embraced by Germans.........

 

[One Day...]

... Personally IMO the poor customer service stories just keep getting re-told over and over again and become "truth".

@wesheltonj I adamantly agree with you about most of the web complaining. I believe that this applies to both customer service purported nightmare stories and products purported failures. Most people only relate half the story, forget to say how nasty and unreasonable they were in asking for service, or unreasonably used the product out of specs, home-gunsmithed it (i.e. destroyed it), or whatever, and then stories take on a life of their own...

However, and I can only speak about my case, please observe that I have not been raving and ranting in my post, I have not threatened to not buy Leica products ever again, I am not saying horrible things about Leica, etc., in other words I have been quite measured and reasonable and I simply related the facts and asked: please.

You can take mine to the bank. What I am saying is true; it is happening to me; it is happening right now; and there is no conflict between Leica and me (nore do I expect one to develop), it is just that I have not yet been able to speak with Leica despite persistent attempts over the last month or so...

How timely! Similar distressing experience here.

The focus knob on a pair of Leica Geovid R Rangefinding 10x42 Binoculars was broken and fell off. The binocs are unusable without it. The first week (about a month ago) I left two voicemails in the Service box of the Leica (800) 222-0118 number. No reply. So I called again the following week and dialed 0 for the operator. After a decent wait, I was connected to Stacey. She took my email address and said she would email me that day the forms necessary for me to fill and send the binocs for the Leica Passport Warranty service under their Lifetime Sport Optics Protection Plan. No email came. After a few days I called back the (800) 222-0118, number, went back to the Service box, and recognized Stacey's voice on the recording. I left my email address again, in case a mistake was made when typing it (I was assuming Stacey attempted to send me the email). No result. Again the following week. Still no result.

@Leica Sport Optics, help! Your products and your brand are worth better than that.

I hate to say, but just before going to hunt buff in Limpopo in August this year https://www.africahunting.com/threa...safaris-the-proper-way-to-hunt-buffalo.45092/ I sent a pair of 8x32 30 year old binocs that were getting foggy to Swarovski. It took but one call to get things rolling and they returned them to me less than 3 weeks later so completely refurbished and crystal clear that I first thought they had just sent me a new pair. A specific small scratch I knew well on one of the ocular lenses convinced me it was the same pairs under a brand new housing, but other than that they are as good as new. And of course totally free. Awesome service!

@Leica Sport Optics, PLEAAAAAASE........
View attachment 251620

 

[One Day...]

I don't know what dealer your purchased the product from. However, the owner of Camerland NY plays golf weekly with the president of Leica USA. He would be able to get a good contact for you.

It would be my pleasure to help you out. Please give me a call, 516-217-1000, and let's see what we can do.

Thank you @gr8fuldoug for joining the africahunting.com fraternity today apparently just to help two of us, and thank you @wesheltonj for being apparently instrumental in this happening.

Marketing studies indicate that customer service is important because it generally costs 6 times more to acquire new customers than to keep existing customers. Well, @gr8fuldoug hopefully we will not use too much of your time, but I suspect that you may very well be redefining both customer service and marketing efficiency. It looks like you are going to gain at least two new customers, and likely more, regardless of the brand they purchase in the future. Thank you. I am going to call you.

 

[rookhawk]

After having lived in Germany for 5 years I can say customer service is not a concept embraced by Germans.........

I can personally attest to Austrian customer service. Swarovski (and thus their Kahles holdings too) have INCREDIBLE customer service, an outfitter discount program, and a best-in-industry warranty in the exceedingly unlikely event you'd ever need to use it.

Leica on the other hand, they make pretty good product and their rangefinding binoculars are the best in the industry and will be the only game in town for many years until their patents expire. (for rangefinding, programmable binos that deliver firing solutions/holdover/etc.) However, I've had dozens of interactions with Leica that astound me beyond belief. A.) They advertise products that do not exist, B.) They advertise products that never existed at prices they changed. C.) Even though the prices increased, they never made the products to fulfill the orders. D.) They have no influence over product roadmap in the USA as the Germans need no help or customer feedback. E.) They don't know how their products work so tech support is limited in the States when you find a bug. F.) They went over A MONTH unable to accept orders or check inventory due to a software upgrade...something no for-profit entity anywhere in the world would ever conceive of doing. G.) They don't answer their phones often. H.) They don't reply to calls and emails more than half the time. I.) When you have a defect, they promise white glove delivery of a prepaid mailer to ship it back...yet that service didn't exist when I tried to use it on THREE defective products. (A camera, a range finder, a bino) J.) They keep their BEST dealers totally in the dark. K.) They make deadlines and don't meet them consistently. L.) When they obsolete their optics, their warranty on them is dubious because they outsource much of their manufacturing and then dissolve those relationships.

I could go on and on. At present, I have a pair of rangefinding binos (best in the world), a rifle scope, and a camera made by leica. I wouldn't hesitate to buy the rangefinding binos again because there is nothing else like them, but for all other purchases, I would only buy Leica if I got a deal because of points A-L above.

My cynical opinion is that Leica needs to feel the sheer force of market pressure and become insolvent, then acquired by S&B, Swarovski, or Leupold. With Leica's products being sold/offered by a world glass business there would be no stopping them, but alas, the products made by Leica aren't the issue, it's their business that is toxic.

 

[wesheltonj]

Thank you @gr8fuldoug for joining the africahunting.com fraternity today apparently just to help two of us, and thank you @wesheltonj for being apparently instrumental in this happening. . . .

Someone else tipped him off.