Asia,
One thing about 'cleaning' contact points, is that I have found (and Nikon repair has confirmed this) that battery corrosion is 'viral' so even if you make contact through cleaning the tips, that does not mean there is not internal damage that still is working its way up the 'cleaned' wire or metal circuitry, possibly to cause further outage down the line.
Although US law and UK law differ, there is a law of Sales in the UK and unless disclaimed by the retailer, there will be a warranty on the batteries AND the battery holder as well as the electrically (electronically) driven device.
If you bought them all from the same dealer, I'd just find my receipt or track it down or the sales number showing the transaction in some say, take it back to them and dump the whole affair in their laps.
Be kind, be polite and try to use the method that works usually for me best. Don't ever scream, shout or try to get rough or threatening, and at the same time don't deal with a clerk unless you have advance word that the clerk has 'authority' to fix the problem
I'd start by making a telephone problem and ask for someone 'in authority' but sometimes clerks pretend they are 'in authority' just by whomever answes the phone or who is not scheduled not out to lunch next, so beware.
I might be 'in authority' if I'm next on phone pickup rotation, if you get my drift.
Irate customers sometimes get special treatment and don't forget that, but safe that for a last resort.
Find the real person with AUTHORITY who can fix your problem and after identifying them, determine if it is better to approach them on the telephone and find out what info they need from you and then determine whether it is best to try to meet with that person face to face, and then learn that person's schedule and also when that person is not making oddles of money selling cameras, etc. to others and when a complaint will be seen as separating that person from next week's or month's income.
Be polite, explain that you've researched the law, regardless what a receipt says and that a court routinely will disregard the fine print disclaimers on receipts (call a solicitor and make sure it is so in your country -- it is in mine -- the USA) and then if that person says 'go sue me' have at it,and throw your weight around, but first try to overcome that hurdle and explain that while you're so upset that the cost of suit is something that you're willing to undertake since you've been so disrespected, especially since you went to such care to be calm AND research the law about warranties, and you have been a good, patient customer who wants to buy more lenses and cameras, etc in the future and have just begun to spend, but you just cannot do that if they disrespect you.
Of course, they see their pocket book eaten away by attorney fees, time in court (remind them of that) and the ultimate problem is that if they sold the whole thing to you, it does not matter to you what manufacture sold you what, if is all a ale from them to you and you don't care WHO fixes it, so long as they arrange it for you. Put the onus on them to coordinate a fix, and REMIND them that all corrosion is viral -- call the product repair center and talk to a tech to confirm that this is so (don't take my word for it and also find out if I'm correct and how far I'm correct. I think I am, and Nikon USA tells me I am, but hey, their source may tell them differently.
Look the person in the eye, tell them that you look to them as trustworthy people who will stand by their word -- after all you're sure they don't beat their children and are upstanding citizens, and surely as such good people they will take care of your problem for poor, unsuspecting you, and OH, BY THE WAY, HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU THINK YOU NEED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND WHAT PARTS DO YOU NEED TO POSSESS TO FIX IT -- within reason of course. "I'll help in any and every way, just have the proper person call me about it, but you call me first to tell me what is most helpful to tell them of the various varieties of the truth (there is always more than one viewpoint)
This approach works startlingly well with reputable dealers.
It has earned me one $3,500 laptop.
One dozen 80 gigabyte laptop hard drives.
Free data restoration for damaged hard drives that 'crashed' - no cost to me, and overseas where I was.
Invitation from a prominent 'hard drive' manufacture to 'walk into the President's office anytime for having probably saved them millions for pointing out a defect and why it might eventually cost them millions but taking the extra effort, rather than taking the hard drive back, to take it to the President's office directly so he could round up my defective drives and identify the improper manufacturing process and FIX it (and therefore save possibly a million or so.)
And so forth.
There is an art to complaining.
I once was an attorney, long, long ago, and there are only certain people with authority to resolve such matters and they are NOT telephone help people who read from scripts. You might try them (if applicable).
At the same time call the President's (or owner's office) and as for that person (if they won't tell you, look at the stock filings which will identify who is the President. Get that name and ask for that person by name.
You'll never speak to that person, but believe me they all have 'fixers' who surround them fixing problems. When the president's fixer calls a division chief and says the President says fix Asia's problem in the most expeditious way, it probably will get fixed. And well.
If it's ever gonna get fixed.
(c) 2009, John S. Crosley (I might publish this later, so copyright is just in case. All rights reserved.
Hope this helps.
In a circumstance like this, even a temporary fix may only be temporary -- given the viral nature of corrosion. A FIX may only be temporary no matter how wonderfully something works. so at least make a record if it seems 'fixed' now. Believe me you may be very glad you did.
I wrote this for all others of all stripes who have any sort of complaint to make -- and it's a good guide about how to get things resolves, or find out they won't be resolved except by a judge in Court.
John (Crosley)
Because of the nature of Sales and the law, the retailer owes you the duty to sell you merchantable goods, both in the UK and the US. Don't get kicked piller to post between manufacturer, after sales persons, battery manufactuere. etc., resolve it directly with the seller (and if there's stil. time, charge it back on a credit card, even if it now works). until the 'hidden' damage to those wires/contacts) is resolved, perhaps by an 'extended warranty' even if they have to craft one just for you, perhaps in a letter form -- there's no law against doing jsut that - don't take there oral word or oral promises, get it in writing and if the writing does not say what they promised precisely, send them a counter letter that does just that -- don't be shy. It's your money and they have it now; they'll be triply unwilling to part with it down the road and to dismiss your claims as 'insignificant' and devote their lives to 'selling' rather than 'resolving' so be bold (but very polite)l.
If you're politte but steadfast, they'll probably bend over backward to help you.
jc
, Jun 27, 2009; 11:44 p.m.
