My Ongoing Sea&Sea Customer Service Experience

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chris.evans

Contributor
Messages
72
Reaction score
29
Location
North Carolina
# of dives
200 - 499
I just wanted to say that before writing this, I repeatedly contacted the customer service departments in Asia and Europe and followed any instructions given. I have been a loyal Sea&Sea customer for many years, but *never* had any issues with the equipment: now that I have: Customer service is a bit of a nightmare.

While in Lembeh, I had three YS-01's fail on me. One had a capacitor swell and blow (both compartments are bone dry), the other two had battery compartments flood: one on my wet bench in front of me, and the other in a rinse tank. Without pressure, it seems the battery doors can be a bit problematic. (No other gear on this trip flooded, multiple lights, housings, etc.. I maintain my o-rings and gear.

My flooded stobes were working ok after cleaning, but were a bit spotty at depth, turning off at times, I rinsed them by hand and blew the door area out with a compressor after every dive: no more floods happened, but I still wanted them serviced.

After calling and mailing Sea&Sea in Asia, I tried harder at my next stop: Europe. There seems not to be a Sea&Sea Europe, as their site puts you into contact with the service dept of AquaLung!

At least the AquaLung Customer Service replied! I spoke with Maja M, explained her the problems with each device and it's purchase date, also that I needed the devices for an upcoming trip (Dec 10th)! She told me to send them in to the service department in Singen Germany for repair.

Awesome! Stuff was in motion, and it seems they agree that these are hardware issues they will cover with service! Or so I thought, I now receive the strobes back, with no work done, and a note in German that my friend translates to "You must send your strobes to us through your Aqualung Retailer"

But I bought the strobes from three different retailers in three different countries! :D

So.. to recap, after contacting Sea&Sea Asia, I got nothing, then after contacting Aqualung at an address that Sea&Sea posts on it's own website and mailing my strobes to the address as I was instructed, they come back, telling me that I need to contact my RETAIL STORE of purchase.

Why do they have a Customer Service dept if any inquiry must be made through the retailer of purchase?

I have a dive trip planned in three weeks, and am just writing this as a last ditch effort for any kind of help, I hope that someone from Sea&Sea respond, as I assume there's something lost in translation above, also as you outsource customer service to other companies, maybe some process is wrong. And I assume that most people don't buy three strobes from different retailers in different countries. My next dive location is High Springs Florida, I will be in Florida for a month, maybe there is a service center near that location?

I am giving you guys the benefit of the doubt, but from my current experience, if I have to replace this gear, it's not going to be with Sea&Sea.
 
Chris - I, too, will never again buy another piece of Sea and Sea gear. Their customer service is virtually nonexistant, and it appears that once they drop a product from their line they cease to support it way too soon.

Backscatter handles their warranty work now, you might give them a try.
 
On the other hand, I've had GREAT customer service support from Sea&Sea.
 
There's obviously people on this forum from Sea & Sea posting replies to others, but none have reached out to me. If they have great service as you say, why leave photographers stranded in the field with broken equipment jumping through tons of hoops? They don't have a presence in Europe, I get that, but if Aqualung is unable to service their equipment.. I mean swollen and bursting caps are just inexcusable. Here is a photo of my new strobe, bone dry inside with a bad, swollen capacitor that has ruptured and is leaking electrolytic fluid onto the PCB:

seansea_cap.jpg

Just opening this I am sure 'voids my warranty', but the warranty is not helping me at all. So I hope these photos help you. This could be you on your next vacation, and with sea&sea outsourcing customer service to people who make other products, and send you in circles mailing your hardware around to 'service centers' which bounce it back only to later tell you to go back home and send it to the retailer you bought it from --that's just amateur hour! It's time wasted and unneeded frustration.
 
Hello Chris,

This forum is managed by the SEA&SEA USA Distributor, therefore we can only provide support for products purchased in the US. You can view our warranty policy here Sea And Sea USA
 
It would have been better for you not to post at all, than to post and tell the guy you won't help him. I understand SEA&SEA is a global company and it's hard to connect the dots, but but this is a customer in need who's getting the runaround.
 
It would have been better for you not to post at all, than to post and tell the guy you won't help him. I understand SEA&SEA is a global company and it's hard to connect the dots, but but this is a customer in need who's getting the runaround.

Completely agree. Sea & Sea, you have not told the customer anything that he already doesn't know, and you have provided absolutely NO RESOLVE OR VALUE to this customer. Somebody there needs to step up !

---------- Post added December 4th, 2013 at 02:01 PM ----------

Hello Chris,

This forum is managed by the SEA&SEA USA Distributor, therefore we can only provide support for products purchased in the US. You can view our warranty policy here Sea And Sea USA

Perhaps you can still help this guy out, though. My thoughts would be to reach out to whoever you need to, wherever, and get this guy an R/A, and a shipping label and make it happen. Certainly someone in YOUR office speaks to OTHER people in OTHER Sea & Sea offices worldwide. Just sayin'
 
Hello Chris,

This forum is managed by the SEA&SEA USA Distributor, therefore we can only provide support for products purchased in the US. You can view our warranty policy here Sea And Sea USA

OMG, this is the worst vendor response and customer service I have seen in a while. I can't believe this attitude. You could have at least found out how to help him and directed him to the proper channel.

Unbelievable!!!
 
Hi guys, I'm not here to beat on Sea&Sea, I just wanted to get my equipment fixed without a big hassle. I am doing the legwork to send the items back to the retailers, so they can send it to be serviced, but it seems like it could be months before I get working strobes back. And I bet the retailers could just as easily bounce a stobe back to me with a story about my needing to contact Sea&Sea, or aqualung, etc..

I always assumed companies that charge so much for what is essentially an underwater light, used some of that cash on great customer service. I mean this is a luxury item, we're talking about 1800eur for three lights. I can not in any way recommend Sea&Sea to anyone looking for a strobe. Especially if you are thinking about adding a strobe, make sure you buy it in the same region from the same retailer.
 
Hello Chris,

We can help –

As the distributor for SEA&SEA in the Americas, we are not the manufacturer. We purchase product from SEA&SEA (Japan) for sales in our region and we are limited to sales within the Americas. We support our sales 100%. We are sorry to hear that the distributor in the region from which you purchased your strobe is unable to assist you. Unfortunately, that is out of our control. However, we are capable of servicing your equipment. Our website does list information for contacting our service center, Pacific Housing Repair (warranty items) as well as servicing dealers, Backscatter East and West and Reef Photo & Video (non-warranty service). Product may also be returned directly to SEA&SEA USA.

chris.evans, please return your strobes directly to: SEA&SEA USA, 2380 Mira Mar Ave., Long Beach, CA 90815. Please send your strobes as soon as possible as we would like the opportunity to service your equipment and return it to you during your short stay in Florida. Please label the outside of your return package with RA#77718.

We welcome the opportunity to get you back in the water.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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