One of the largest optics dealers in the country is near where I live and when I was picking out a spotting scope last summer we ran through a gauntlet of models from high end manufacturers.
The salesman was wearing a shirt promoting Zeiss, but ironically the words he spoke did not support the brand.
He told me of story after story where Zeiss warranty was slow and petty. Zeiss warranty was slow and they look for any excuse not to support the warranty.
Swarovski was just the opposite and had a reputation for going above and beyond just fixing the reported problem. Swarovski repairs were without hassle and were done quickly and better than expected.
Additionally my wife is the office manager for one of the busiest ophthalmologists in the country. She has come home with all sorts of complaints of frustration over their customer service and billing practices regarding Zeiss lenses for cataract surgery. It got to the point that the doctor no longer offers Zeiss to patients.
While Zeiss does make a nice product, their customer service obviously sucks and I would not recommend the brand on this basis alone.
I'm not saying you need to spend Swaro bucks for the best of breed support, but Zeiss is clearly the bottom of the barrel. Pretty much all other brands will fall somewhere in between
