Several years back, Sony made some big changes to their service and support infrastructure. What used to be done a lot by dealers and resellers is now mostly done by Sony directly.
We at Z Systems are here to help you get back up and rolling as quickly as possible, and are happy to act as a liason, but once you learn Sony’s infrastructure, you will find the often you can get your issue resolved more efficiently by doing these yourself. Here’s a breakdown of Sony’s resources. Remember, if you are getting stuck or frustrated and you purchased your gear from us, give us a call and we’re happy to help.
Also, if you need to rent a replacement while your gear is in for repair, we can do that too. In fact, if you purchased your item here at Z Systems, then you will get a 50% discount on the rental.
Telephone Support for Operational Questions:
POSC 800-883-6817
Sometimes you aren’t sure if something is broken or if you just need a little help finding that button or menu item. Sony’s best kept secret is their POSC line. A wierd acronym (Professional Operations Support Center), but it is toll free lifetime technical and operational support for all of your Sony professional video and audio gear. Yes, there is a phone menu tree to traverse, and sometimes there is a hold time, but overall we’ve had good experiences with this line. You don’t need proof of purchase or anything like that, but it is helpful to have your model and serial number available before calling.
Sony Service Plus for online parts, repairs, software updates, and manuals:
https://www.servicesplus.sel.sony.com
If you own anything Sony, we urge you to go to this link immediately and set up a free account. Do it now, so that when you have an immediate need you are good to go. You can memorize the link above or just google ‘sony service plus’ and that will get you there. Here is where you can:
- Search their knowledge base for info and technical bulletins about your equipment
- Download product manuals
- Order parts and accessories
- Setup a depot (where you send it in) or an on-site repair
- Download software and firmware
- Sign up for online technical training, and
- Administer your service contracts, if you have any
A couple notes / insights re Sony Repair
Most of Sony’s repair services happen at either their Teaneck NJ or San Jose CA repair facilities. So if your equipment is broken, it probably needs to be shipped to Sony for repair. They have a ‘first in / first out’ type of system for equipment that isn’t under one of their service contracts. You can create the RMA / Repair Order online on their Sony Service Plus website, and then just send it in yourself. Their policy is that they will send it back to you via the same method you sent it in (i.e. overnight, 2 day air, ground, etc.). We have noticed that it typically takes a couple weeks before your item will be looked at, and for some reason, they aren’t the greatest at communicating with you re the status of your repair. Hopefully this is more of a worst case scenario, but we are seeing typical repair turn around times in the 2 – 5 week timeframe, including shipping.
If you need faster service, you may want to consider purchasing one of their service contracts – give us a call for details.
A Note About Repair Parts
As Sony dealers, we don’t get any special discount on Sony repair parts – not our choice, but that is they way it is. So, it is better for your to order your own parts. If you want to order them through us, that is fine, but we will add a 25% surcharge to the cost and shipping – $25 minimum.
How To Find A Part Number
With their website, you typically need to know the part number and it can be hard to find. If you can’t find it on their site, try emailing:
propartsresearch@am.sony.com
Typically, they will respond in a day or two.
Good luck, and remember – please call us if you are getting stuck!
– Z Systems
