Posted by
Armstrong, Brian on
URL: http://confocal-microscopy-list.275.s1.nabble.com/Uniformity-of-2-photon-illumination-tp6719119p6751112.html
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I agree that service is region specific and that you should check with people in your region before purchasing an instrument. Let me share my experience with Coherent service.
Our Coherent service rep came by when I reported that I thought the power had been dropping on one of our Chameleon lasers. It still had plenty of power, but I thought it may be a symptom of a bigger problem such as a inefficient chiller. The service rep thought that the Verdi power was low so he decided to replace the entire laser system. A new refurbished Chameleon laser came in a large wooden crate about 3 weeks later. We placed the old Chameleon in the wooden crate for return shipment and installed the new Chameleon laser system. We were without the use of the laser for about 1 hour. We have had excellent service from Coherent, but then again we maintain a service contract which may greatly influence the service responsiveness.
Cheers,
Brian Armstrong PhD
Assistant Research Professor
Light Microscopy Core
Beckman Research Institute
City of Hope
1500 East Duarte Road
Duarte, CA 91010
626-256-4673 x62872
Light Microscopy Core Facility
-----Original Message-----
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:
[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Craig Brideau
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 9:52 AM
To:
[hidden email]
Subject: Re: Newport MaiTai 2-photon laser maintenance
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Service from any company seems to be very hit-and-miss these days. I have
noticed severe slowdowns whenever I need anything done from almost every
company. From what I have heard, support tends to be one of the first
things that gets cut when a company needs to downsize. As a result, all the
existing customers suffer. I keep hearing stories about how this or that
service rep or even manager has been laid off! The key thing is to find out
how service is in your local area with regards to whatever company you are
considering purchasing from. If you are unlucky, the service rep in your
area will either have been laid off, or is so badly overworked he'll never
have the time to get to you.'
Craig
On Thu, Sep 1, 2011 at 5:34 AM, Sylvie LeGuyader <
[hidden email]>wrote:
> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
>
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy> *****
>
> Ouch!
>
> I guess the strong stand you are taking now is the obvious desperate next
> step!
>
> Best of luck with it all!
>
> Med vänlig hälsning / Best regards
>
> Sylvie
>
> @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
> Sylvie Le Guyader
> Live Cell Imaging Unit
> Dept of Biosciences and Nutrition
> Karolinska Institutet
> Novum
> 14183 Huddinge
> Sweden
> office: +46 (0) 8 5248 1107
> LCI room: +46 (0) 8 5248 1172
> mobile: +46 (0) 73 733 5008
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Confocal Microscopy List
> > [mailto:
[hidden email]] On Behalf Of CCI
> > Sent: 01 September 2011 13:17
> > To:
[hidden email]
> > Subject: Newport MaiTai 2-photon laser maintenance
> >
> > *****
> > To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> >
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy> > *****
> >
> > Dear Colleagues,
> >
> > Do you own/you want to buy a two photon laser from Spectra
> Physics/Newport?
> > I would like to share my experience with the Spectra Physics/Newport
> service :
> >
> > 15.03.2011 Our MaiTai laser has a very low output power and doesn't
> pulse. I
> > contact the service engineer.
> >
> > 29.03.2011 After two weeks of mail exchange with the engineer trying to
> solve the
> > problem in remote,
> > it turns out that this is something more serious. The engineer comes
> over, collects
> > the laser and promise we will have the laser back in 1,5-2 months. End
> of May
> > then. That is the only Multi Photon laser in the facility and I start
> already to have
> > worried users around asking when the laser will be back.
> >
> > 03.06.2011 I write Spectra Physics (SP) urging news about the laser.
> >
> > 27.06.2011 SP informs me that they will start to work on the laser "this
> week" and
> > the laser should be back in the week of the 11th of July. They added "If
> it is
> > possible to do it any earlier we will".
> >
> > 01.07.2011 SP informs me that there are good news: the laser will be
> really back by
> > the middle of July.
> >
> > 14.07.2011 No news from SP. I write them asking about an update. SP
> answers
> > quickly: new installation date, the 3rd of August. 2011? My bad, I forgot
> to ask
> > them.
> >
> > 05.08.2011 Again no news and no laser back. I write this time the Sales
> Director a
> > complaint letter asking when we will have our laser back and if it is
> possible to
> > have a replacement instrument, as we are without laser since more than 4
> months
> > now.
> >
> > 17.08.2011 Receiving no answer from the Sales Director I call him, and
> receive
> > assurance that the laser will be back next week.
> >
> > 26.08.2011 Still nothing. I write a new complaint mail to the Sales
> Director. He
> > answers that there were more delays, but by the 31st of August he will
> surely be
> > able to know more about when the laser will be back and he will contact
> me.
> >
> > 01.09.2011 No news from SP (to be continued).
> >
> > Now it might well be that all of it is absolutely normal, I just would
> like to get a
> > feedback from the community if there is anything else I can do in order
> to have the
> > laser back.
> > Thanks for reading this overly long post and for your feedback.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Marco
> >
> >
> > Marco Marcello
> > Imaging Manager
> > Centre for Cellular Imaging, IIB
> > University of Liverpool
> > UK
>
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