Olympus Imaging Australia has no plans to introduce the Olympus Pro Advantage Program Olympus US has announced to support photographers owning Olympus Micro Four Thirds products.
‘As always the team here at Olympus Australia are responsive to market feedback and requirements, as such we continually review our offering to market for product, service and support,’ Olympus Imaging Australia’s marketing manager, Kristie Galea, told PhotoCounter.
‘When we have a position to announce any developments we will update our customers, business partners and media.’
(Which viewed in a positive light might translate as, ‘definitely not right now but maybe some time in the future.’)
Olympus (in the US) now joins Canon, Nikon and Sony in offering a professional support program. Benefits include fast-tracked repairs, free overnight shipping, complementary equipment loans and priority technical phone support. To join, a photographer must meet the minimum equipment requirement of two bodies (OM-D E-M1 Mark II, E-M1, E-M5 Mark II, E-M5, PEN-F and successor models), as well as three Pro or Premium lenses).
It will allow Olympus users to take advantage of free standard overnight shipping of their gear. This includes to and from the repair center. Expedited repair service offers a three business-day turnaround from repair center receipt.
Complementary equipment loans will be available for repairs that require more than three days, so Pro Advantage members won’t be without their gear for extended time periods.
Members needing repair on out-of-warranty gear will be provided a 15 percent discount off the total cost of repair. In addition, registered camera bodies will receive a six-month warranty extension from the original date of purchase.
The program also includes two free Clean & Check coupons per year to help program members maintain their gear in top working order. Priority technical support phone call escalation is also available for program members.
New members who sign up online will receive an introductory welcome kit that includes a camera strap, lens wrapping cloth, Olympus Pro Advantage ‘RUSH’ repair stickers and two complementary Clean & Check coupons.
The Olympus Pro Advantage Program will be available in the US market only, beginning October, for US$99.99 per year.
Well, I’m very disappointed in Olympus Australia . I’m no Pro photographer but I was in the Pro Lab supply section of our industry for well over 30 years and I have always owned Olympus cameras since my first 35mm SLR, a Russian Zenith. Totally agricultural but taught me lots about shooting. From Om-1, through to my current OM-D, I’ve been a loyal customer over 40 years. I rang Olympus Head office some months ago seeking technical assistance, was promised some support and have heard nothing since! Well done Olympus, last time I by that brand! From my side of the Pro industry, customer service and technical back up was essential and we did it well. My, how times have changed! And, with the deterioration of the industry over the past decade or so you would think major suppliers would be bending over backwards to again grow the industry.