Job Discussion Forums

[Chris21]

Does anyone have experience with getting a TV repaired in Japan? In particular, I've got a broken North American TV... a new Samsung (LCD). I called Samsung Japan, and they said that Japanese TVs are different from International TVs. Other than the amount of electricity used, I'd be surprised if the technology of a North American Samsung is dramatically different from a Japanese one.

Anyway, if anyone has any experience or insights, I'd really apreciate hearing them. Either general info on getting a TV fixed, or specific info on repair-people in the Machida-Sagamihara-Ebina-Atsugi area, would be much appreciated.

Thanks, in advance.

[Yawarakaijin]

How is your Japanese? I don't know any repair shops per say but I sure some of the tech guys at a Yamada denki or a Sakuraya would be able to point you in the right direction.

[JimDunlop2]

Haha... Funny you should bring that up. This was the very topic of the last e-mail that I sent to my parents. Through the wonders of "copy" and "paste" I'll just re-reprint the e-mail that I sent them last week (pretty much verbatim).

The only thing I can't help you with is the fact that the TV was purchased outside of Japan -- they have different models (and model numbers) here. It may or may not be the same TV they have for sale abroad -- but quite often the principles in repairing TVs is more or less the same -- if it's an electronics problem.

----

I'm finding that these days, it's not even a matter of Japan not HAVING what I want most of the time -- it's a matter of knowing WHAT to look for and HOW to look for it. For example, for the past four years, I've been asking my Japanese friends/co-workers about TV repair shops and if they could help me find a repair shop to fix my TV. They always say "no -- there are no TV repair shops." So I would then ask them what they would do if their TV broke? And they ALWAYS said: "buy a new one." Well, that's also bull$h!t. First of all, not everyone has $500-$1000 to shell out whenever their TV breaks. And second of all, that would be VERY wasteful -- even for the Japanese.

So after four years, I FINALLY found out how to get a TV fixed in Japan. It's really, really easy. Just call the company! No joke! If you have a Toshiba TV, just pick up the phone and call Toshiba in Tokyo and tell them you have a broken TV. There is no waiting in queue, there's no "please hold for the next available representative," there's no "just a moment I'll transfer you" about 5 times before you get the right person. They pick up the phone immediately, and there's a live, helpful person on the other end.

After you tell them that your TV is broken, the first thing they will do is apologize profusely that one of their products would cause you so much trouble. Then, they will make an appointment to send TV repairmen to your home -- usually within 48 hours. None of this TELUS-style "please be at home between 9am and 4 pm" crap... If you tell them to be there at 5 pm for when you get home from work. They will be there at 5:00 pm. In fact, they will usually call you at least twice -- once in the morning to confirm the time, and once just before the scheduled time just so you don't worry and to inform you that they've almost arrived.

How much does this service cost? Nothing. It's free. You only pay for parts and labour BUT only if they can fix it. If they can't fix your TV, they will tell you, apologize once more and put the TV back together again and leave. You won't pay a penny! Last year I had all 88 keys of my digital piano replaced by a Roland technician. He had to travel almost 3 hours from another city to come to my house, but I didn't pay a single yen for the service. I only paid for the new parts (the new keys).

In many ways, Japan is a dream world of amazing customer service and technical support -- but you have to know what to do and how to do it! Then, when they are all finished, they will even bring a vacuum cleaner and clean any mess they made or any dust that came out of your TV, and apologize once again for all the inconvenience this must have caused you.

--

As an afterthought, Yawarakaijin also has a very good point. When calling companies in Japan, they don't necessarily have English-speaking staff (although I know for a fact that both SONY and Apple do, among others)... So you may be dealing with a Japanese service agent. Anyway, sorry for the lengthy narrative, but it was easier than just re-typing my recent experience again... I hope that helps.

[Chris21]

Thanks for the feedback. Actually, about 15 minutes after I posted, my TV started mysteriously working again. Very strange.

One thing that I have now confirmed with another person... there is very little difference between a Japanese TV and a non-Japanese one. Same parts... same technology... so that Samsung service guy was talking out of his a$$. For some reason, customer service people in tech shops here have given me incorrect info about half of the time.

Anyway, thanks again for the info.

[6810]

why on earth would you have an "American" TV made by a Korean company, while in Japan?

[Chris21]

They're much cheaper.