If you want to hear a worst case scenario with verizon employees and new hardware defects, here you go. Kudos if you read the whole thing, I don't expect most people to...unless you're one of those people with a faulty battery/camera flash/screen/speaker. Then, enjoy and beware.
What follows is a true story.
Thursday 10/30/2014 12pm – Purchase Droid Turbo #1
– Went to Verizon Store and worked with sales associate John to purchase my new droid turbo. I traded in my OG droid razr maxx for $100 rebate, and then John tried to “sell” me a wireless charger for the device by saying he could waive my upgrade fee to apply towards the product. Having already read about the promotion for waived upgrade fees, and knowing it is not only applicable towards products in store (as John was insinuating) I declined, feeling decidedly like John was trying to take advantage of me and the lack of knowledge I may have about current Verizon promotions.
Friday 10/31/2014 –Full Day with Droid Turbo #1
Used Turbo Unit 1 for 24 hrs, after charging to full. My battery drained unusually fast, so that I was getting less than 20 hours on the battery. I took screenshots of my battery reports during two full discharges to demonstrate to reps that the battery was in fact underperforming, knowing that evidence would be useful because it is hard to just look at a phone and tell it has a battery issues.
Saturday 11/1/2014 – Return Turbo #1 for Turbo #2
11am- Returned to Verizon store. I worked with sales associate “Ross” and brought my concerns to his attention. He also frequently made furtive trips to have whispered discussions with Andre, who I assume is his manager, throughout our conversation about my wanting a replacement unit. They did a “test” on my phone in which they just opened up a call and let it sit for 15 minutes, then said “oh it looks like it drained normally.” As if they know, on a phone that is literally 2 days old. I could tell they were bullsh*tting me, they had no interest in looking at the battery data I had saved on the phone demonstrating the VERY fast discharge, and when I expressed my displeasure, Ross again went and had another whispered conversation with Andre, and he came back and said “we want to help you out….” He proceeded to tell me that they would replace the unit for me. He then went into the back and came out with a box in one hand and another Droid Turbo unit in his other hand—I never saw him take it out of the box. He switched my sim card into the unit he brought from the back, and said I had to keep my current box/etc and did not give me the matching box with the unit. Here is the first time I have a unit that doesn’t match my box/IMEI number information. This is despite me requesting the box to keep the serial numbers consistent.
Saturday 11/1/2014 – Later that Day with Turbo #2
When I get Droid Turbo #2 home and start using it that evening in low light conditions, I see that there is a noticeable change in color from the top left to the bottom right of the screen. It was evident in multiple apps, and although subtle, is very apparent when you utilize a graphic designed to test color and brightness consistency on a display. (I used Display Test app, “viewing angle graphic” which demonstrated clearly the screen was not uniform.) I make plans to go in on Sunday and have it exchanged for a unit with consistent color reproduction.
Sunday 11/2/2014 – 11am. – Returning Turbo #2 for Turbo #3
I return to Verizon for the 3rd time in 4 days. At this point, I am feeling decidedly emotionally raw from my previous experiences in which I felt that employees had ZERO interest in what I had to say or show them. I explain that I’m here to have my device replaced because the screen color is not uniform. They immediately get General manager Steven S. to deal with me, and after taking a cursory glance at my unit underneath glaring overhead can lights at the front desk (where you can hardly see the screen anyways) tells me “He doesn’t see a problem.” I am detecting barely contained hostility at this point—I feel that the employees have labeled me as a “problem” to be dealt with. Another employee, Matthew, hovers nearby the entire time I’m dealing with Steven, making me feel even more ganged up on and adding non-helpful comments from time to time. At this point they have made no effort to get any information from me. I needed to tell them that the flaw is visible in dim light, when the screen brightness is turned down lower, and how you can see it in certain apps, etc, but they took a defensive posture from the beginning as though they had already decided I was wrong.
After nearly 90 minutes standing at the counter arguing in front of MANY CUSTOMERS IN THE STORE, that there was a flaw that CAN BE PERCEIVED, I plead for them to just LOOK more closely at what I’m trying to show them. I am at my wit’s end at this point, ready to cancel my contract.
Steven S. finally goes to get a magnifying instrument resembling a jeweler’s loupe, and looks at the test graphic that clearly shows the non-uniform screen through it. HE AGREES THAT HE CAN SEE THAT THERE IS A NON-UNIFORMITY IN THE COLOR REPRODUCTION ON THE SCREEN!!! This is an important point, because later on I am told that “there was no defect found on the units I returned” by Solutions manager Jeff.
Steve S. agrees to replace the unit as defective and tells me Matthew will get my replacement. Matthew then goes into the back and does not emerge for nearly ten minutes. Just to get my unit from the shelf? When he comes out of the back, again, he is holding another turbo unit in one hand, and the box it may or may not have come out of in the other. Like Ross did for my last replacement, Matthew swaps my sim card into the other unit, but does not give me the new box despite my asking to exchange, again, to keep serial numbers consistent.
At this point they could have given me back the unit I had returned the day before and I would not be any wiser. I’m feeling more and more uncomfortable about the lack of transparency in this process, and the way employees at this store are handling my complaints and concerns in general.
I leave the store, vowing never to return and completely emotionally traumatized and exhausted from the process.
When I get home that evening…
…and start to use my Droid Turbo #3….the flash starts to malfunction. At first it just misses timing on a photo every third or so, making photos oddly red and dark. Then, it’s giving an odd “half flash” instead of a fully bright flash occasionally. Solutions Manager Jeff G, sent me text message following up on my customer experience. I responded:
(Mon, 11:31 AM) “the camera flash has been wonky on two occasions, like it isn’t timed right with the shutter..I’ll wait and see how it works out.” He does not respond.
Sunday 11/3 and Monday 11/4 – Turbo #3 Flash Not working at all, periodically.
As I’m testing the camera over Sunday night and Monday morning, the flash stops working completely on three different occasions. Even when set to “always on” the flash has just stopped turning on. It gives a weak “half flash” the first time you try after it’s been sitting a while, then just never turns on again. This happens on and off as I test the camera in various lighting situations. Clearly a malfunction, by any definition.
Again, I text Solutions manager Jeff G:
(Mon 6:49pm) “Hahah crud. My flash no longer works at all. Apparently it wasn’t going to be ok.”
Jeff G responds:
(Mon 7:06pm) “At this point, any manufacture defects needs to go through Motorola directly. We have exchanged 2 devices already for this line we will not be able to exchange out a 3rd device for the same model. If you are still unhappy with this device we can exchange it for a different model phone and we will waive the $35 restocking fee, however, if you feel this is just a manufacture defect you can reach out to Motorola at 800.734.5870 or motorola . com
So according to the Solutions manager , there is a 3 unit limit per customer on models of the same device, despite experiencing manufacturers defects that employees admitted were in fact manufacturer defects?
I respond:
(Mon 7:06pm) “ I didn’t realize there was a limit on manufacturer defects! What would you recommend? Is a non working flash on a phone that has taken less than 50 pictures a manufacturer defect or a feature of the droid turbo? Because I’d love to have your answer on record.”
Jeff G responds:
(Mon 7:13pm) “After reviewing the devices exchanged the manufacture defects that were reported are not currently listed as defects by Motorola as a result the devices exchanged were done as a courtesy as a Verizon customer. Future defects should be reported to Motorola. Again if you are unhappy with this phone we are willing to make a final exception to waive the restocking fee to exchange the device for a different model.”
So, at this point I am insulted and offended. First of all, the devices I returned were not exchanged as a “courtesy”—I had demonstrated and provided evidence, BEYOND WHAT SHOULD EVER HAVE BEEN NECESSARY OF A CUSTOMER YOU WANT TO BE COURTIOUS TO, that each of the devices I exchanged were not performing as advertised. Secondly, he is flat our refusing to honor Motorola’s manufacturer’s warranty, despite the fact that I have had the unit for less than 24 hours and it is in PRISTINE condition.
Can a Verizon employee (Jeff) arbitrarily and retroactively change the terms of your exchange of a defective device? Verizon is contractually obligated to provide you with a device that functions as described, but instead Jeff is saying “basically, we took care of you because you whined about it hard enough.” This is despite the verbal attestation of multiple employees at the location that the defects were indeed noted at my time of exchange.
Tuesdsay, 11/4/2014 – I call Motorola. (Case # XXX-XXXXX)
I take Jeff’s advice and call Motorola- I still want a functioning Droid Turbo. Talk to Tech support about flash issue, they agree to send a replacement unit no problem. They ask me for the IMEI number. This is where the problems created by the employees at the Verizon Store Maple Village come to the surface.
I give Motorola my IMEI on the box (XXXXXXXXXXXXX) —but it doesn’t match my device info in their computers. (Remember how they would not give me the matching boxes with my exchanged devices?)
So we investigate further. Motorola tech has me dial a number that gives me Droid Turbo #3’s internal number. (IMEI: XXXXXXXXXXXXX) I get put on hold…and apparently escalated to Tier 2 tech support because the number I gave them isn’t matching the numbers they should have in their system. Fraud alarm bells have gone off, something about what he saw in the info attached to the IMEE# of my device.
Motorola tells me that the Verizon employees have done something wrong, and perhaps even illegal, in processing my exchanges. He says that I need to return to the store and request a replacement unit, with the matching box, serial numbers, parts, etc. This effects my warranty, and apparently could be related to illegal practices behind the scenes at this particular Verizon store? He’s vague about the details, but says they need to escalate it. He gives me a case number and says I’ll be contacted within 48 hours during the investigation.
In Summary:
I don’t know what to say at this point. I demand as many replacement Droid Turbo models as is necessary until I receive a unit that functions as designed and advertised, without defect or flaw, and not as a “courtesy as a Verizon customer,” but as a “fulfilment of the contractual obligation Verizon has to its customers.” This does not seem to be an unreasonable request, given that I am paying for a product and service.
Update at time of publishing: My camera flash has not malfunctioned in 24 hrs, I don't know if it was just working out the kinks, was software related, or new battery, who knows. I don't. What I do know is I have 0% expectation that I will get a replacement unit, so I'm probably just dropping the turbo instead of risking having an unwarranty-able device with no Verizon support and a potential faulty flash.
Try to get the district manager's contact info - they will be able to help you out.
That sucks man. I do have a couple things to say (I know you're mad and I don't blame you for being mad but just some insight on the phone issues not Verizon I won't back them up) I got the Turbo as well and as far as the battery goes.....the first day it's going to suck. Smartphones aren't going to be perfect out of the box because they haven't experienced real world scenarios yet. Phone's batteries can take up to 2 days sometimes more to become for lack of a better term calibrated. My battery was the same but I let it do it's thing and now I get over 24hrs if not close to 40. Yes I'm concious about how I use it but it performs really well. Also your IMEI# is under setting>about phone>status. You don't need the box. One final thing and I'm not assuming anything but....there was an update that came basically the same day this phone went on sale. Now I don't know exactly what the update was for but it may or may not have fixed some of the problems you were having.
As far as Verizon....yeah they didn't treat you right. I'm sorry they did that to you and the reason for this post was again to help you. I noticed you joined xda just this month so I'll say this. This site does a really good job at helping people with issues/questions with their phones. Sometimes it's better to look around on the site or other sites to see what if any other kind of problems other users are having. I am here everyday to read up on things that I may have missed. I mean I spent $600 on the phone, I want to know as much as I can about how to fix or take care of it. No it's not on us as users to fix the problem of a company's mistakes. But sometimes it can produce better results. Feel free to pm me if you have any questions or just to let me know what you think.
Can you just return the phone since you are still in the 14 day return period and get something else?
I dont want to sound like an *** because I have sympathy in wanting a "perfect" phone... but none of the issues you are describing sound like 'manufacturer's defects' to me.
A manufacturer defect is something like: the phone doesnt hold any charge, or half the screen is white, or there is no speakerphone.
"unusually fast drain" of the battery is totally subjective. the screen color issues have already been noted as simply being the result of the quality of the screens in general.
Again, I get you're not happy with the phones, but it may just be that your expectations are too high. the whole sim card swap and holding onto the box thing is wierd though.
rajuabju said:
I dont want to sound like an *** because I have sympathy in wanting a "perfect" phone... but none of the issues you are describing sound like 'manufacturer's defects' to me.
A manufacturer defect is something like: the phone doesnt hold any charge, or half the screen is white, or there is no speakerphone.
"unusually fast drain" of the battery is totally subjective. the screen color issues have already been noted as simply being the result of the quality of the screens in general.
Again, I get you're not happy with the phones, but it may just be that your expectations are too high. the whole sim card swap and holding onto the box thing is wierd though.
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I agree, knowing what I know now about battery new battery cycles, I may not have ever even taken that first one back. In fact, I wish to god I hadn't, because the flash and screen on that one were functioning and consistent (and up to my high standards )
Honestly I am just looking at changing to another model...I just don't think there's another one I want right now, I waited 3 years for the Droid Turbo and I want a good one damnit.
I had some MAJOR issues with Verizon over the past week, spent over 12 hours on the phone with them, spoken with 7 different Reps, until I had enough. I called their Corporate Office......Ezekiel took care of my issues in ONE phone call, AND I was credited for my inconvenience. I've been a Verizon Customer for 8 years, have 7 lines with them, spend, on average, $5500 a year on Service, more if I buy devices (I've bought 4 tablets from them over the past two years my latest being the Note Pro 12.2) and I regularly upgrade my phones out of contract. IF you're having issues again, I'd recommend giving this guy a call, or call their Executive Offices in New York.
I've removed the personalized message and Case Number, but this is the Contact Info for him directly.
If you have additional concerns, please contact me at (770)-521-5633. My office hours are 8:00am– 4:00pm EST Monday through Friday.
Regards,
Ezekiel Fields
Executive Relations
Im perplexed that you didnt just return the phone. There is nothing wrong with our droid turbos but im starting to hate them and i expect to just return them. I dont mind restock fees to get rid of something i dislike
Don't take this too harshly bro but, your being a **** about all of this. If you don't like the Turbo, take their offer to get something else. Otherwise, STFU. They could tell you to piss off but, they are trying to make you happy and you are refusing. They could ignore your emails and calls and tell you you are delusional and let you be stuck with what you have. Here they are though, eating cash hand over fist exchanging phones for you and you persist. If Motorola tells Verizon that your problem isn't a problem, Verizon eats the phone. At $700 a pop, no matter how loyal a customer you are, there is going to come a time when it's just more profitable to let you walk.
Verizon swapping out the phones without visibly removing them from a brand new box, or at least providing you with the original retail packaging, is where I feel Verizon has really screwed up. As a customer, without the original packaging and paper trail, you have no way of supporting any proof of purchase or warranty claims (as you have unfortunately discovered). You also have no way of knowing whether or not those devices are actually new devices. Honestly, given the bull**** runaround they have given you on each occasion, I would seriously not be surprised if each of those "new" phones are actually units other customers have purchased and returned, likely for the same reasons you did. They are probably trying to reduce RMA chargebacks for non-defective units so are betting that either customers perceive faults where there are none, or that some poor schlub will get it and not know any better.
I'd definitely try and get in contact with someone in customer relations, maybe post something on their twitter account, that store is dicking you around.
Otherwise, did you have to pay anything for the phone, or did you use Edge? If you paid something for it, if you did so on a credit card, you may want to contact the card company and see what options you can pursue through them.
Honestly I would just return the phone but not getting a matching imei box after stating your defect is ridiculous. Another thing is that they give you two different ones from the back, what is this? A McDonalds and you exchanging a burger because you didn't ask for pickles. That store is ridiculous and I would take my business elsewhere. I've had a couple instances where I see a problem and they don't believe me and they ask coworkers and they agree because they're buddy buddy and have to be a team. It makes you feel uncomfortable, its not their devices, why do they think returning a phone is a problem. Its not coming out of their pockets, its not their 2 year agreement.
Sent from my DROID TURBO 64 GB
xkape said:
Don't take this too harshly bro but, your being a **** about all of this. If you don't like the Turbo, take their offer to get something else. Otherwise, STFU. They could tell you to piss off but, they are trying to make you happy and you are refusing. They could ignore your emails and calls and tell you you are delusional and let you be stuck with what you have. Here they are though, eating cash hand over fist exchanging phones for you and you persist. If Motorola tells Verizon that your problem isn't a problem, Verizon eats the phone. At $700 a pop, no matter how loyal a customer you are, there is going to come a time when it's just more profitable to let you walk.
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You sound like the employees at the Verizon store I have been visiting--trolly. (Troll-y?) Sorry bub, I'm not going to be intimidated into shutting up about real issues with a product I pay money for, not by you, or the managers at my verizon store.
And here I go breaking my rule about not feeding your kind.
zachtheowl said:
You sound like the employees at the Verizon store I have been visiting--trolly. (Troll-y?) Sorry bub, I'm not going to be intimidated into shutting up about real issues with a product I pay money for, not by you, or the managers at my verizon store.
And here I go breaking my rule about not feeding your kind.
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ok
I work for Verizon on the indirect side (non corporate) in Jersey. They totally violated their own return exchange policy. The reason they did what they did..if my logic is correct..is simply give you a different phone without actually processing an exchange because it will make their internal numbers look bad because of how hard VZW Corp is pushing this phone. I got mine day 1 (also from corporate) and my battery also was not perfect day one..but has gotten better. I know the rep I dealt with personally and know he won't try to screw me. I would recommend going to another Corporate store and explaining the situation to them. Be calm and don't be afraid to turn on the poor mes. Don't be angry as anger is simply reciprocated and doesn't force intimidation like everyone thinks..all it does is make people less likely to help you. Avoid that other store like the plague..now and in the future. Any questions..don't be afraid to PM me.
Sent from my XT1254 using XDA Free mobile app
dano1282 said:
I work for Verizon on the indirect side (non corporate) in Jersey. They totally violated their own return exchange policy. The reason they did what they did..if my logic is correct..is simply give you a different phone without actually processing an exchange because it will make their internal numbers look bad because of how hard VZW Corp is pushing this phone. I got mine day 1 (also from corporate) and my battery also was not perfect day one..but has gotten better. I know the rep I dealt with personally and know he won't try to screw me. I would recommend going to another Corporate store and explaining the situation to them. Be calm and don't be afraid to turn on the poor mes. Don't be angry as anger is simply reciprocated and doesn't force intimidation like everyone thinks..all it does is make people less likely to help you. Avoid that other store like the plague..now and in the future. Any questions..don't be afraid to PM me.
Sent from my XT1254 using XDA Free mobile app
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Thank you for the helpful advice. I hear what you are saying about the anger! Unfortunately it tends to be the only emotion left behind after being so thoroughly run around. That at bitterness
I shared my post with the Michigan district managers via e-mail. I'm hoping that they'll care enough about the fraudulent employee practices to get involved.
I'm with the others here that have said you are being a douche about this. Sorry to hear your third and final exchange from Verizon has an actual defect. The battery, as you already admitted was a mistake to exchange for. The screen was also dumb. If you can only detect a problem with a screen in low light with the brightness turned down there is no problem. That is a "perfect" screen by manufacturer standards. The flash sounds like a real problem and I wouldn't be happy with the phone you have now either, but the problem is that you have already returned tm2 phones which testing showed to be "perfect" and now those phones will have to be refurbished and sold as such at a loss for Verizon. They have to make the call to stop exchanging for the same device at some point because not only are you costing them money, you are depleting the stock in that store meaning they may lose customers because the phone they want is no longer in stock.
As far as them walking out of the back with the phone out of the box, I would interperate that as them pulling out the phone and powering it on before bringing it out to you to make sure that it is functioning properly. I'm not sure why they wouldn't give you the boxes, but as someone else pointed out, there's no reason you needed them. As far as Motorola saying they did something "illegal", I'm calling BS. That isn't information they would share with a customer. They would simply tell you to go back to the store or they would exchange/repair your device.
To the guy who works at an indirect store, I worked at one for quite a while too and I would like to share with everyone else that indirect employees are not told anything about internal exchange practices. I don't know for sure that pulling a phone out of the box before bringing it to the counter is or isn't against policy, but I do know for sure that that isn't something an indirect employee would know.
My Turbos should be here tomorrow and I hope they're only as "defective" as the OP's first 2...
Everyone is entitled to their own opinions.
I wish i was b.s'ing about Motos fraud investigation--my replacement would be on its way now if it wasn't for this. Tech supp tried to process exchange, ran into "unusual information" associated with my ohones ImEI #, elevated my call to a manager, who asked me more questions, told me verizon employees at the store "really did not take care of me," and that they have to open an investigation into the store's practices, putting my replacement on hold--he said the words suspected fraud. *shrug*
rhouse1983 said:
That sucks man. I do have a couple things to say (I know you're mad and I don't blame you for being mad but just some insight on the phone issues not Verizon I won't back them up) I got the Turbo as well and as far as the battery goes.....the first day it's going to suck. Smartphones aren't going to be perfect out of the box because they haven't experienced real world scenarios yet. Phone's batteries can take up to 2 days sometimes more to become for lack of a better term calibrated. My battery was the same but I let it do it's thing and now I get over 24hrs if not close to 40. Yes I'm concious about how I use it but it performs really well. Also your IMEI# is under setting>about phone>status. You don't need the box. One final thing and I'm not assuming anything but....there was an update that came basically the same day this phone went on sale. Now I don't know exactly what the update was for but it may or may not have fixed some of the problems you were having.
As far as Verizon....yeah they didn't treat you right. I'm sorry they did that to you and the reason for this post was again to help you. I noticed you joined xda just this month so I'll say this. This site does a really good job at helping people with issues/questions with their phones. Sometimes it's better to look around on the site or other sites to see what if any other kind of problems other users are having. I am here everyday to read up on things that I may have missed. I mean I spent $600 on the phone, I want to know as much as I can about how to fix or take care of it. No it's not on us as users to fix the problem of a company's mistakes. But sometimes it can produce better results. Feel free to pm me if you have any questions or just to let me know what you think.
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These are the types of guys that make XDA awesome
I really appreciate the kind words sir. I've always felt this is a place where users are supposed to help each other. And as I have been a person (lurker really) who has used this site since my droid x days I felt the new guy needed some assistance. Again thanks. As far as my on topic point, Verizon didn't help the situation and that sucks but again I feel as users sometimes it's better to try to figure out the problem yourself cuz when you add more people to the mix it can get sloppy. XDA is the place you can always go for guidance.
cstone1991 said:
I'm not sure why they wouldn't give you the boxes, but as someone else pointed out, there's no reason you needed them..
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Stop being stupid. When purchasing a new product, you expect it to come with an original retail manufacturing box. That box and internals should match the product purchased, period. Otherwise there would be no point in manufacturers investing time and money into labeling each box with specific serial numbers, model numbers, etc.
Has for the OP -
I had to exchange my Droid Turbo 32GB BN due to a defect as well, though my Verizon experience was much different than the OP during exchange. When exchanging my unit, I was very professional & civil about my complaint, it can make all the difference in the world.
The Exchange:
I was approached immediately upon entering my local Verizon store and greeted by an employee named Jason. I informed Jason to accompany me to the location of the demo display units and personally began explaining to him the differences between devices.
Jason was very hesitant at first, but I quickly produced alternative examples with more detailed information and replicated the issue in real time. Jason at this point was in agreement with me but not fully committed to exchange the device as he had to get manager approval. This transaction took a total of about 5 minutes, from the minute I stepped into the store.
The manager, Jeff, approached the sales counter at this point and spoke briefly with Jason. Immediately the manager began asking the same questions Jason did before hand. In which case I explained to Jeff the same information provided previously with Jason. This transaction took roughly 4 minutes.
Manager gives the go ahead, but before I let him walk away I immediately ask him if they had the 64GB in stock as they did not have it previously. Manager confirms stock, in which I inform him I am willing to pay the difference minus the restocking fee. Manager agrees, Jason retrieves the new Turbo 64GB in an unopened box and begins activation. I quickly ask to see the device and inspect it before he proceeds to make sure it does not have the same issues/defects. Everything looked fine, I give the go ahead. This transaction took 6 minutes.
At this point, while waiting for the activation process, I strike up a nice conversation with a couple of the employees around the counter (as it was slow for them at the time). I bring up the question of how many Turbo units they had sold in the past couple days. The numbers were surprising, around 23 units locally in two days (not including online). They even went so far as to inform me about the limited edition employee version with red metal trim to match Verizon branding and two of the four employees present were actually using Turbos personally.
Activation goes through, I am handed the retail box that matches the unit sold and a receipt with the cost difference. No restock fee applied, only the upgraded capacity valued. They put my exchanged unit in a box, but I inform them to take it out and reset as I did not perform that. They hand me the phone, letting me take care of the reset. I finish reset and complete our exchange.
I thank Jason for his time, we shake hands. I locate and approach the manager Jeff, thank him for his time and shake hands. I do this, so that at this point I establish a connection. Chances are they don't care and I'm immediately forgotten the minute I leave and that is fine. The point is if I have to come back again, I more likely made a bigger positive impact than running in flipping tables
At this point the total time spent from the moment I enter to exiting the store was roughly 28 minutes, chalk it up to 30 give or take.
Sorry you had a bad experience all around, but a little generosity and professionalism can go a long way. (Not aimed at you specifically, don't get defensive)
TL;DR: They did not treat you properly and you have a right to complain.
Related
I called customer service today to see about getting the battery replaced on my G1. I explained that I am only getting a few hours use before having to recharge and that I have turned off all unnecessary services and dimmed the screen and set the timeout to a minute. The first rep determined that I needed a new battery, he placed me on hold got their hold music for about 2 minutes then got cut off - no callback from the rep. I called back into customer service, got a new rep he played 20 questions with me and determined that I needed a new battery. At this time he checked the warranty on my phone, obviously still in warranty, but the battery is classified as an accessory and the warranty on it expired on January 19. He told me I would have to speak to the accessory department and buy a new battery. I told him that I should not have to pay for a new battery since it is an essential part of what makes the phone function and without it, the phone does not work. He kept insisting that I have to talk to accessories to get a replacement, I kept telling him that I should not have to pay for equipment that was part of a phone that is covered by a 1 year warranty. He placed me on hold to check with a supervisor to see if there was anything else they could do for me. The supervisor offered to have T-Mobile pay for half of the battery, I found this completely unacceptable, telling the rep that I still don't understand why I should have to pay for a piece of equipment that is essential in making my phone work. All of this went on for about 20 minutes, and finally offered to transfer me to HTC to see what they could do, I asked him to warm transfer me and explain the issue so I wouldn't have to explain it for a 3rd time, he agreed. He brought the HTC rep on the line, she told me they could replace the battery but I would have to buy a new one and then return the old one and get a refund stating this was their way of guaranteeing that they get the defective battery back. I asked why they couldn't just hold my CC number and charge me if I didn't return the battery, she told me that isn't how they do things. I refused to buy a new battery and we said goodbye.
At this point I was pretty pissed off, fortunately I know some people at a couple of the T-Mobile stores, I went down and talked to a salesman there that I haven't actually worked with, but he knew who I was. I explained the situation, he told me to wait a minute and disappeared into the back room for a couple minutes, when he came out, he handed me a battrey from a returned G1 and said keep both batteries.
Moral of the story, if you have had your G1 less than 3 months call T-Mobile and get the battery warrantied.
did you have insurance on the phone??
yes i have insurance on the phone
Odd, I just finished speaking with a rep and they say no such [extended] battery replacement program exists at the moment. T-Mobile is well aware of the battery issues with this phone, and have known even before the release (a previous rep informed me that during field testing, the phone only lasted 3 hours. )
dont know anything about an extended battery replacement, I called about the standard battery.
Warning: Take this with a grain of salt. I got this info from a sales rep at a corporate t-mobile store.
So I went to a t-mobile store over the weekend, I had a issue with my back cover, and asked about any new batteries. The guy gave me a new back cover and a 2nd battery (free) to hold me over until the new ones came out. He told me starting next week, the new G1s will be shipping with a better extended battery, and should be starting a replacement program for current g1 owners. I just hope its true.
TimSykes said:
Warning: Take this with a grain of salt. I got this info from a sales rep at a corporate t-mobile store.
So I went to a t-mobile store over the weekend, I had a issue with my back cover, and asked about any new batteries. The guy gave me a new back cover and a 2nd battery (free) to hold me over until the new ones came out. He told me starting next week, the new G1s will be shipping with a better extended battery, and should be starting a replacement program for current g1 owners. I just hope its true.
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Please refer to:
haykuro said:
Odd, I just finished speaking with a rep and they say no such [extended] battery replacement program exists at the moment. T-Mobile is well aware of the battery issues with this phone, and have known even before the release (a previous rep informed me that during field testing, the phone only lasted 3 hours. )
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yeah I know, I read that, and I am giving posting info I was told about. thats why I said take it with a grain of salt. One of the reps are wrong. The one I spoke with, or the one you did. But I have heard from more then one rep at different locations they are working on a replacement program.
FYI.
HTC give 12 months on batteries and 24 months on device. If you get issues with T-Mobile just go direct.
Just to clear the air...
Hey, Just to clear the air on warranty issues for cell phone accessories. I work for T-Mobile, and no they do not honor warranty on any accessories after 90 days. The handset itself has a 1 year warranty, and all accessories included in the box, i.e. home chargers, wired earpieces, and yes batteries, only have a 90 day warranty. Just being honest here, but seriously, people are hard on their phones. Some phones do have battery issues. Then again, some people just never stop talking, text messaging, or web browsing on their phones. I wonder why their batteries don't last??? Not to mention, the one's who I ask a customer, "When you're on MySpace, or FaceBook for like 3 hours at a time, does the back of your phone get hot?" 9 times outta 10, I hear "Yeah!!!" as the reply... Hmmm... now here's a hint HEAT AND ELECTRONICS DON'T MAKE A GOOD PAIR!!! The other scenario is they talk on the phone while it's on the house/car charger, again that causes the phone to get hot... See previous hint. I'm not saying that all claims are BS, but 99% come from idiots who abuse their phone, and only about 1% come from people who really get a defective unit... No offense to you ranger. I'm just stating the facts here. Oh, and don't put in a claim for insurance... Just go to Ebay, and search for your phone models battery, and include OEM in the search. I've gotten batteries with a new battery door cover for $1 plus shipping, and it's the official battery, not an aftermarket. Save time and money that way. Hope my rant was useful.
Bmore_Shag said:
Hope my rant was useful.
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Not really when you consider that you're calling the majority of your customer base idiots.
I just got t-mobile to send me a replacement battery for my G1 (via free ground shipping), which 1. I got my G1 from ebay, and 2. my plan is a month to month that has only been activated for 1 month.
The first time i called I was told i had to contact HTC. I called HTC and they wanted me to pay for the battery unitll i sent my faulty one back. After askin the HTC rep plenty of qestions, It turns out they pretty much gives t-mo just the phone, so all "acessories" are handlede by tmobile. HTC told me they would recieve the battery then just end up sending it to t-mo. Once i heard that, I respectfully declined that offer from HTC. (HTC reps are very very nice people)
I then called Tmo back and asked why i would have to send the battery to HTC, when it was just going to be sent right back to t-mo in the end. I was put on hold for a couple minutes, transferred to another department who offered to send me the new batt (and told me i dont need to send the old one back). They offered to ship it for free via ups ground, or fed ex 3 day for an extra fee. I took the free shipping.
I still give a thumbs up to t-mobile tech support as everyone was very nice and willing to listen. Something tells me a part of it was how polite i try to be when dealing with people like this.
I have to agree with Uberingram.
I have been in wireless for 5 years and this is one of the worst PDA phone batteries I have ever used. This battery capacity was far underestimated for this type of device.
How can you begin to get angry at a customer for using there phone to its fullest capacity? You say, " Then again, some people just never stop talking, text messaging, or web browsing on their phones ", well, that's what they did pay for, correct? T-Mobile should provide a handset that is able to meet the expectations set fourth.
Yet, I understand your point of view, it is annoying when I have a customer who is addicted to posting there status on Myspace every 2 minutes, and they come in barking about battery life. Yet, I have no grounds to defend the phone on with this devices battery.
jimmy8301 said:
I have to agree with Uberingram.
I have been in wireless for 5 years and this is one of the worst PDA phone batteries I have ever used. This battery capacity was far underestimated for this type of device.
How can you begin to get angry at a customer for using there phone to its fullest capacity? You say, " Then again, some people just never stop talking, text messaging, or web browsing on their phones ", well, that's what they did pay for, correct? T-Mobile should provide a handset that is able to meet the expectations set fourth.
Yet, I understand your point of view, it is annoying when I have a customer who is addicted to posting there status on Myspace every 2 minutes, and they come in barking about battery life. Yet, I have no grounds to defend the phone on with this devices battery.
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Well said however I don't believe that T-Mobile will ever ante up to our better battery demands. That being said I think we should all be content with what we have, make do or go a different route (either with a different battery or a different phone all together). It's the price we pay for basically being Google/Tmo's unpaid beta testers.
For all those that want to *****, piss and moan: Have a blast. Life isn't fair but I'll call you when it is.
Bmore_Shag, I would watch what you call your customers. It would probably best that you call us all a bunch of idiots and not be a T-Mobile employee at the same time. I fire employees that play that card on forums where I work. Just food for thought.
uberingram said:
Well said however I don't believe that T-Mobile will ever ante up to our better battery demands. That being said I think we should all be content with what we have, make do or go a different route (either with a different battery or a different phone all together). It's the price we pay for basically being Google/Tmo's unpaid beta testers.
For all those that want to *****, piss and moan: Have a blast. Life isn't fair but I'll call you when it is.
Bmore_Shag, I would watch what you call your customers. It would probably best that you call us all a bunch of idiots and not be a T-Mobile employee at the same time. I fire employees that play that card on forums where I work. Just food for thought.
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Just to let you know if you really want to complain to anyone at T-Mobile, and this goes for everyone, PM me and I will tell you how.
If enough of you flood the box with battery issues I am sure it will be solved soon LOL and remember to threaten them with a cancellation, tell them you will cancel your contract and sue if they charge you an EFT.
Bmore_Shag said:
Just being honest here, but seriously, people are hard on their phones. Some phones do have battery issues. Then again, some people just never stop talking, text messaging, or web browsing on their phones. I wonder why their batteries don't last??? Not to mention, the one's who I ask a customer, "When you're on MySpace, or FaceBook for like 3 hours at a time, does the back of your phone get hot?" 9 times outta 10, I hear "Yeah!!!" as the reply... Hmmm... now here's a hint HEAT AND ELECTRONICS DON'T MAKE A GOOD PAIR!!! The other scenario is they talk on the phone while it's on the house/car charger, again that causes the phone to get hot... See previous hint. I'm not saying that all claims are BS, but 99% come from idiots who abuse their phone, and only about 1% come from people who really get a defective unit... No offense to you ranger. I'm just stating the facts here. Oh, and don't put in a claim for insurance... Just go to Ebay, and search for your phone models battery, and include OEM in the search. I've gotten batteries with a new battery door cover for $1 plus shipping, and it's the official battery, not an aftermarket. Save time and money that way. Hope my rant was useful.
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Its really a shame you jump on here slamming your customers when you dont even know what the facts are. I do not live on my phone, I do use it for texting and occasional web browsing. I rarely use myspace or facebook on my phone. I do not talk on my phone when it is connected to a charger. There has been no abuse concerning this phone. I have owned 4 PDA phones prior to this with similar usage habits and this phone does not even compare to the life I got out the prior phones. I agree with UBER his statements are valid. You have no facts to state and until you do keep your opinions to yourself especially when it comes to your customers.
neoobs said:
Just to let you know if you really want to complain to anyone at T-Mobile, and this goes for everyone, use the email [email protected].
If enough of you flood the box with battery issues I am sure it will be solved soon LOL and remember to threaten them with a cancellation, tell them you will cancel your contract and sue if they charge you an EFT.
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I appreciate the route for complaints but the problem is that I don't really believe in it. I've been with T-Mobile for going on a decade, they've addressed EVERY SINGLE concern that I've had regarding bills and general customer service minus this one. Plus I really don't see this as a TMo caused problem. Granted it's a TMo branded phone but HTC really dropped the ball on this one. On the flip side, HTC is basically off the hook now that G1's are in use by the thousands and the buck has been passed to TMo. I've come to grips with the fact that the provided battery sucks arse and fully expect TMo *AND* HTC to do nothing about it. I've done what I can to extend the battery's life and realize it's the price I pay for early adopting cutting edge technology before it matures. It isn't the first time I've been burned by it and it certainly wont be the last. We're geeks and we deal with it. In fact I've dealt with it enough that I'm satisfied with how I use my phone and it's longevity plus I'll stick with TMobile longer than I'll stick with Android. Thankfully, employees like Bmore_Shag are few and far between.
Edit: I would just like to add that the battery's 1150mAh rating was known WAY before customers started getting their hands on them. We KNEW what we were getting into. At least, you SHOULD HAVE known if would like to call yourself an informed customer.
uberingram said:
I appreciate the route for complaints but the problem is that I don't really believe in it. I've been with T-Mobile for going on a decade, they've addressed EVERY SINGLE concern that I've had regarding bills and general customer service minus this one. Plus I really don't see this as a TMo caused problem. Granted it's a TMo branded phone but HTC really dropped the ball on this one. On the flip side, HTC is basically off the hook now that G1's are in use by the thousands and the buck has been passed to TMo. I've come to grips with the fact that the provided battery sucks arse and fully expect TMo *AND* HTC to do nothing about it. I've done what I can to extend the battery's life and realize it's the price I pay for early adopting cutting edge technology before it matures. It isn't the first time I've been burned by it and it certainly wont be the last. We're geeks and we deal with it.
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You are correct it isn't directly TMo's problem. But at the same time they are the ones that have to push HTC to do something about it. I mean honestly TMo is the one that will distribute them, just like they did for the Wing. Now granted I know the Wing was because of safety issues but nevertheless the same principles apply. HTC didn't mail the batteries to TMo customers, they aren't privvy to our personal details, if they are even privvy to any of our details. TMo needs to be the one fighting just like customers need to stand up also if they are fed up. It is like a chain of command one must complain to the other which in turn complains to another and so forth and so forth till the problem is rectified.
neoobs said:
You are correct it isn't directly TMo's problem. But at the same time they are the ones that have to push HTC to do something about it. I mean honestly TMo is the one that will distribute them, just like they did for the Wing. Now granted I know the Wing was because of safety issues but nevertheless the same principles apply. HTC didn't mail the batteries to TMo customers, they aren't privvy to our personal details, if they are even privvy to any of our details. TMo needs to be the one fighting just like customers need to stand up also if they are fed up. It is like a chain of command one must complain to the other which in turn complains to another and so forth and so forth till the problem is rectified.
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In a perfect world the problem would be rectified by HTC and TMo working together to better customer satisfaction and in the end customer retention but like I said before: life isn't fair.
Because my Nexus one had a dead/stuck pixel, I called H.T.C. and requested a repair. I sent it to them, and a few days later they said that they had examined it and determined that I needed to pay for the repair. I asked them why, and they replied that it was scratched and cracked.
Well, when I sent it to them, I had an invisible shield (a full body one, mind you) on it, and there nary a blemish on the screen. I told them this, and after a few days (and a couple more telephone calls), one of their managers had a technician examine it, found that it was fine, and said that they would fix it for free.
I received it on Monday, but didn't touch it until Wednesday because I was busy at work and waiting for the new invisible shield that I had ordered. When I used it, I noticed that they had removed the invisible shield, which I expected, but they hadn't fixed the stuck pixel! (Besides this, I had returned it to them with the original box, which they didn't send back to me)
So I called them last night and requested another repair. The representative asked me if they had charged my account for the shipping, and I answered truthfully that no, they had not charged me at all. I suppose that I am fortunate that they didn't, considering the other things they did. So now I am sending my Nexus One back two weeks after I returned it to them the first time, hoping that they will fix it properly, and without any argument.
HTC never charges you for return shipping. You only have to pay to ship it to them.
I am sorry you are having these troubles!
I successfully swapped my Nexus One due to a dead pixel within 3 days! I made a call on Day one at 11pm and by Day 3 at 8 am I had my replacement phone.
uansari1 said:
HTC never charges you for return shipping. You only have to pay to ship it to them.
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That's a bit crap, in the UK they email you a pre-paid shipping label.
I live in the U.S.A., and they sent me a prepaid shipping label. I'm just ticked off because I sent it to them, argued with them for four days, and they didn't even fix it, and two weeks later I need to send it right back. Plus it cost me another Invisible Shield.
Swap method is always better, faster, and easier. Plus, you get a new phone. Who doesn't love that?
They said that they couldn't swap it because it was too far (a few weeks) the purchase date. Maybe the person I spoke to didn't know what she was talking about. That's sort of my impression of the support division of the company, though I know I'm probably having an unrepresentative bad experience.
keet said:
They said that they couldn't swap it because it was too far (a few weeks) the purchase date. .
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I think this is BS from HTC. I swapped my N1 after almost two months. They will put a hold on your credit card; if you can live with that the replacement is much faster than the repair.
I'll consider that if they don't fix it properly this time. I didn't want to swap it because of my engraving and the full-body invisible shield that I put on it, but if they don't fix it this time, I probably won't be willing to trust their repair department again.
I had much better customer service from Apple when I had my iPhone ..I'm getting really annoyed with HTC ...especialy with that multitouch issue..
I have a question. Did they release $28 after you got your 'repaired' phone?
bobdude5 said:
I had much better customer service from Apple when I had my iPhone ..I'm getting really annoyed with HTC ...especialy with that multitouch issue..
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I had a dead easy time with apple and my wife's 3G and her 3GS ... you walk in with the broken phone, they demand £150 (ish) for the repair which is always your fault. They then do an estimate and if its expensive (ie > £150) they turn round and say it's BER (beyond economical repair) and offer to sell you a new one. If it's a cheap fix (ie cracked glass) they repair it and pocket the £150.
Now that is customer service!
Other issues such as the 3G problem on the iPhone where it cascades from 3G to Edge to GRPS to No Service and the only way to get it back is to either power off or switch to airplane mode and back. Took it into two phone shops and then the Apple store in London and their solution? Turn off 3G.
Although their best to date is a macbook which I hardly ever use stopped charging. Rang up and they said bring it in to the Genius Bar in 2 weeks. I did, they then said it's warranty expired yesterday (13 days after I reported the fault) and refused to touch it. Demanded to see the manager said they would do me a favour and look at it for free as it was only 1 day outside warranty. They checked the battery and it had been charged 37 times in a year. The guy said this was quite heavy use and was a years worth and I would have to buy a new battery! Queue one massive kick off in the Apple store, resulting in them begrudgingly fitted a new battery!
Or the iMac 24" ATI I bought that crashed all the time, they gave me 3 units before I read on the internet that it was a software issue. I started running XP and voila ... sorted. Apple rolled out a fix quietly without telling anyone a month or so later.
Yes Apple support rocks!
All modern companies support sucks in some cases ... get used to it. Sell a million units and if you get 99% satisfaction you will get 10000 unhappy customers. Give them a platform to shout on and voila!
I bet not everyone gets Apple support like I do, some people probably can't believe how good they are.
Anyway, enough ranting, I wish google would fix the screen calibration issue although I only need to dab the power button and unlock it to fix mine.
keet said:
They said that they couldn't swap it because it was too far (a few weeks) the purchase date. Maybe the person I spoke to didn't know what she was talking about. That's sort of my impression of the support division of the company, though I know I'm probably having an unrepresentative bad experience.
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Having worked in multiple call centers let me be the first to tell you that it's hard to find intelligence or common sense in them. I work in a call center for AT&T right now and I do work for the Vice President and Assistant Vice President because nobody else knows what they're doing. As soon as they realized that I had common sense and knowledge of technology they took me off of the phone, gave me a raise and converted me from Contractor to Employee. I asked my Director "Why do you let the managers hire people who are so ignorant" His reply was "I'm paying them $17/hr, I don't expect them to think. We have the information and tools set in place to think for them. If I wanted them to think then I would hire people with a higher intelligence and I would pay them more. Instead, I have people like you come up with tools and other things to think for them"
So this is why I hate when people say "I called T-Mobile and they said..." because that means nothing. You can get a different answer every time because most of them don't know the answer because your questions are above their level of intelligence. Now, I'm in no way saying that every person who works in a call center is an idiot. I'm saying that a large percentage of them do not understand anything about what they're troubleshooting.
I was reading a survey in P.C. Magazine about customers' ratings of the service and product quality from companies such as Apple, Toshiba, and Hewlett-Packard. They rated things such as the frequency with which hardware was found to be faulty soon after purchase, how easy it was to have it replaced, and other such topics. Apple did rank first overall, and Toshiba ranked second. This doesn't surprise me, since I have a ten year old Toshiba Tecra 8100 that still runs fine, though I've fixed the screen hinges.
H.T.C. was not in their listing, and I had never dealt with their support before. I replaced my X51v's screen myself after having it for three years and getting some water damage (I also replaced the backup battery later), and that's working fine now. I'm kind of nervous now -- I half expect my Nexus One to come back with real scratches on the screen, or more dead pixels, or some other problem that it didn't have before. After they already accused me of damaging it last time, I sort of wonder what they might damage to do with it this time -- something worse than sending it back unfixed.
jin1207 said:
I have a question. Did they release $28 after you got your 'repaired' phone?
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Yes, they did; they didn't charge me any money.
dumbestcrayon said:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Having worked in multiple call centers let me be the first to tell you that it's hard to find intelligence or common sense in them. I work in a call center for AT&T right now and I do work for the Vice President and Assistant Vice President because nobody else knows what they're doing. As soon as they realized that I had common sense and knowledge of technology they took me off of the phone, gave me a raise and converted me from Contractor to Employee. I asked my Director "Why do you let the managers hire people who are so ignorant" His reply was "I'm paying them $17/hr, I don't expect them to think. We have the information and tools set in place to think for them. If I wanted them to think then I would hire people with a higher intelligence and I would pay them more. Instead, I have people like you come up with tools and other things to think for them"
So this is why I hate when people say "I called T-Mobile and they said..." because that means nothing. You can get a different answer every time because most of them don't know the answer because your questions are above their level of intelligence. Now, I'm in no way saying that every person who works in a call center is an idiot. I'm saying that a large percentage of them do not understand anything about what they're troubleshooting.
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dwl, classic!! Are you also saying any one with great talking skills can get the job as customer rep too?
keet said:
Yes, they did; they didn't charge me any money.
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Thanks, buddy. I can let mine go to repairing.
Hope you get what you expect
I sent it back to them last Thursday, of course, and received a message on Monday saying that they had received it. Today, I received another message saying that they had completed their diagnostics, and guess what my option was? Pay for repair, just like last time! I sent a response asking why and called them, but all the morons in their customer service department could do was 'escalate' it, so I just sent a complaint to the Better Business Bureau.
bobdude5 said:
I had much better customer service from Apple when I had my iPhone ..I'm getting really annoyed with HTC ...especialy with that multitouch issue..
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I would be careful saying anything pro apple on this forum, lol.
I have been pretty lucky with both of my htc products so far. My N1 is great and so was my G1.
keet said:
I sent it back to them last Thursday, of course, and received a message on Monday saying that they had received it. Today, I received another message saying that they had completed their diagnostics, and guess what my option was? Pay for repair, just like last time! I sent a response asking why and called them, but all the morons in their customer service department could do was 'escalate' it, so I just sent a complaint to the Better Business Bureau.
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By chance did they answer your question? or at least tell you the results of the diagnostics and how much they charging?
Despite the fact that several of us have been in contact with Dell for months about the freezing problem we have been all but ignored. Yet for some reason Dell decides to respond to this user directly and offer him a solution, while the rest of us have to deal with daily crashes. http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/mobile-devices/f/3824/t/19374737.aspx. This is just another FU from Dell to those who were conned into buying a broken device.
efjay said:
Despite the fact that several of us have been in contact with Dell for months about the freezing problem we have been all but ignored. Yet for some reason Dell decides to respond to this user directly and offer him a solution, while the rest of us have to deal with daily crashes. http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/mobile-devices/f/3824/t/19374737.aspx. This is just another FU from Dell to those who were conned into buying a broken device.
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Yep.. he's right. Apparently it is Russian Roullette over who gets the special treatment by their team to make sure they get 1 of the 10 working units.
To make matters worse, when I pointed out to their support team over the phone, that swapping the memory cards has fixed the great majority of people's problems, they threatened to cancel my warranty even though I had not done it. I was also told that it was being noted on my account that I did mention the tactic.
So this guy gets to swap his card, and gets special treatment all the while keeping his warranty, but I even mention it and get threatened with the warranty ban-hammer? This is complete crap, the way they are running this dog-and-pony show.
Everyone that still (and that is most of us) has a non-working unit and/or has swapped their card out, needs to go to this post and lay into these idiots. Everyone should be allowed to swap the cards if they are making an acception for this one guy. It's everyone or no-one. This isn't "I like you, you get to swap your card" ---- "nope, not you, I don't like your user name". This is complete being run like the mob.
I am in total support of the outcry and fully understand everyones frustrations. I have had 6 phones all 16gig and all would lock up over any and all wifi connections within munutes. This last one has been decent until T-Mobile upgraded the network in my area to 3G. After the update to 3G I have had a horrible experience with this phone. I reset my device 7 times in a 30 minute span trying to access a webpage the other day. I have been on the phone with Dell Mobility every single day with only one or two exceptions since the start of April. Every call was the same thing... wait until the 18th.
Every customer service rep I spoke to would openly suggest that the update would be pushed to all devices on or by the 18th of the month. I was so fed up on the 16th with freezing issues that I called at 2 in the morning and was told if I didn't receive the update by the 18th to call again. Well the day came and went and I called back around 10 pm that night and was told to wait again. I was however told that I would receive a call back about the SD card and warranty voiding question that I had been bugging them about. They never called.
I called the next day and was specifically told that Dell Mobility reps do not have the authorization to refund or replace my device. They suggested I "escalate" to Dell Support by filing a claim online. I called Dell support and was transfered to another part of Dell Support with a message kindly stating that they were currently closed. I called back and was told to call when a supervisor would be available. I told the rep that if there is nothing that they can do why have I been given the run around for the past 4 months. I called them a few things and got the rep to push through an email to his supervisor and asked what time he would be back in the office. I called and spoke with his supervisor the next day and was told that I he would have to push it to his supervisor and he would call the next morning between 10 and noon my time. He actually called back yesterday and said that I would be receiving a new phone with the update preinstalled. Not keeping my hopes up too high but atleast he supposedly has done something although I have yet to receive an email notification about the replacement.
I am sorry for the rant above but it has been so frustrating dealing with this device lately. This device has such high potential but there has been nothing done to help resolve the issues. I can't blame Dell Mobility because they have generally been pretty good to deal with. I am sure they are just as frustrated dealing with us as we are dealing with them. I just wish they would stop leading us on. If they can't fully resolve the issues then either let the user fix them and honor the warranty with regards to separate issues or do a recall and offer refunds to customers who want them. So much potential, so little patience.
Hopefully more bad publicity for Dell will make them get their act together: http://wmpoweruser.com/dell-venue-pro-owners-still-complaining-about-bugs-unfair-treatment/
Saw that article, glad the issue is still making the news. I don't cross my fingers for any resolution though. With the poor customer service, terrible camera and all around terrible process of actually getting a working phone I've sworn off ever buying a Dell mobility product ever again. If I wasn't developing for WP7 right now, I'd have sold off the device long before now.
Very much looking forward to the next gen of Nokia WP7 phones, and moving on to a proper Smartphone made by people who actually know what they are doing in the mobile business.
It is good that the issues are still being brought up in the media but a small specialty news source will not bring enough bad press to get any action from Dell considering how long they have ignored it for. I will probably jump ship to the next T-Mobile compatible hardware from Nokia if it is a high end device from them. A low end set wouldn't be worth the extra investment though. Actually any high end set from the other manufactures would have me interested. Hopefully the next replacement will actually be stable over a 3G connection. I have given up on WiFi stability.
I made a deal with TMO and got a G2X for a cool over-subsidized price. Still WP7 is my primary device and OS. G2X will be my backup in places where DVP sucks. Interestingly, my G2X holds to 4G with 3 bars inside my house, while the DVP swings between Edge and 3G with bars fluctuating. OS wise i prefer WP7.
jessej said:
It is good that the issues are still being brought up in the media but a small specialty news source will not bring enough bad press to get any action from Dell considering how long they have ignored it for. I will probably jump ship to the next T-Mobile compatible hardware from Nokia if it is a high end device from them. A low end set wouldn't be worth the extra investment though. Actually any high end set from the other manufactures would have me interested. Hopefully the next replacement will actually be stable over a 3G connection. I have given up on WiFi stability.
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Even a "low end" Nokia will be better than the Dell. Nokia is known for their solid radios, good cameras and high quality hardware. Lets not forget how the dvp top and bottom halves dont line up exactly. Its this kind of shoddy workmanship using the cheapest chinese labour that will be a distant nightmare with practically any other OEM, but a Nokia, with so much riding on it for them would likely be like paradise compared to the dell.
Found this article while trying to figure out how to reach Asus support chat.....
—>An Asus technician has stepped forward out the shadows to give us the 10 insider tips for getting through and getting better and faster tech support from the computer and computer parts maker. Some things just can't be fixed though, but it's at least to know the soul-crushing math they're using to destroy the customer experience. Considering how bad their tech support is, you're definitely going to need these tips...
Our tipster writes:
If you aren't aware, Asus makes an estimated 1 in 3 computer main boards sold globally and in addition to their own brand of products also provide system boards to a number of major OEM builders such as HP/Compaq and Dell. In January, AsusTek split into three separate entities; Asus, which deals primarily with Asus-branded PCs and laptops including the wildly popular EEE PC, Pegatron, which handles the motherboard business (though we keep the Asus brand name on them), and Unihan, which handles many of the other non-PC related Asus product line. As a result, each entity was suddenly responsible for its own profitability. No biggie, right? Well, as most of your readers know, customer service and support play a key role in the buyer experience. Given that so many products are similar in specification and performance these days, often it's the after-the-sale support that can mean the difference in long term repeat business and losing a customer.
Not long after the company split, management began obsessing over numbers, and how to make what is normally an accepted expense (customer support) profitable. It was determined that the new company, Pegatron, would charge the parent company (Asus) for each technical support phone call, email, or live chat session that was received and responded to. While I cannot attest to the actual dollar amount charged for each call, I do know that phone calls generate the most income, followed by live chats, then emails. Ok, you say, no big deal, how does that affect me? Well, that's what I'm about to show you, with 10 steps anyone can take in an attempt to get the best possible support by circumnavigating the games played with customers to generate revenue.
1. If you need technical support for any Asus product CALL.
Do NOT send an email, and use the live support feature at your own risk. A single phone call generates more revenue for the company than a couple of Live Support sessions, and more revenue than half a dozen email responses. As a result, nearly ZERO emphasis is placed on answering them, and emails are often replied to with canned "cut and paste" responses which may not be relevant to your case.
2. Best Times For Calling With Low Hold Time
When calling, there are times that give you the best chances to get through with a minimal hold time. Since the support center is based in the Eastern Time Zone, and the best time to call is before 12 noon EST. The very best days to call are Tuesday through Thursday. From Noon-6pm hold times can be somewhat lengthy, as by that time working hours are in play nationwide. At any given time there are only 8-10 staff to take phone calls (yes, we're grossly understaffed), email queries and answer Live chats. The U.S. office supports all of North America including Canada as well as Western Europe. That translates into a very heavy call volume for a small amount of people.
3. We're stressed, don't take it personally
If the representative you speak to seems curt, ill tempered, or rude, it's not on purpose, nor personally directed toward you. All support representatives are instructed to strive for taking 70 calls per day. When you factor in a lunch hour and 2 fifteen minute breaks it leaves 450 minutes in a day. For us to reach our goal, we must be off the phone with you in 6.42 minutes. We aren't supposed to care that it's the tenth time you've called us (which isn't toll free), or that you can't stay on long enough to accurately even describe your issue.
4. Can I take a message?
We have recently adopted messaging in order to achieve an objective from management that all incoming calls be answered in 60 seconds or less. To that end, we have hired a few people from temp services to answer calls, and when we experience a heavy load, they take your name and number with the promise of a return call. While calls are returned, it may take hours, if not days to get a return call. This serves three hidden purposes. If we message your call, we get paid for taking it even though no support was rendered. When we call you back, we get paid again for making a call. And currently, management has contests running offering cash rewards for most calls handled by a person during the month. Guess what? If we take a message, call you back once or twice, or you yourself call back out of frustration, we may get paid 2 or 3 times before you can speak with someone, all in the name of bonus money.
5. Don't get through? Call back in 10 minutes
If you do get messaged, you're better off calling back in 10 or 15 minutes if you have the time. While messages should be returned within 2 hours, it's often not the case, and generally messaging is done only long enough to clear the incoming call queue, so it's unlikely you'd be messaged twice in that amount of time. (unless someone is intentionally messaging you, then calling back to generate more revenue and a chance at a nice cash bonus)
6. Write down your case number. Really.
When you FINALLY reach someone, you will likely be assigned a case number. This is a good thing, as it will document the nature of the call and enable someone qualified (hopefully, more on that later) to answer your questions. If you already have a case number, please state it when you first begin your conversation, it will give the technician more time to troubleshoot your problem.
7. It's just like in a game, except not fun
There are 3 levels of tech support. Level 1 technicians primarily answer the phones and generate case numbers. There isn't much point in trying to go into detail about your problem, as most will have a better grasp of basket weaving than solving PC issues. They will most likely transfer you to our level 2 support, where the fun begins. Many of our representatives are competent enough to handle your questions, but if you EVER question the accuracy of the advice you are getting, you can request to be connected to the top tier of support (Level 3) at ANY time.
8. We have the long-term memory of a snail
The reason you may wish to ask for Level 2 or 3 support immediately is this: Pegatron/Asus offers zero informational training about Asus products past, present, or future. Typically we are not aware that a new motherboard/router/PDA has hit the street until we start getting calls about it. There is no informational meeting, no product info cheat sheets, or anything of the sort offered to the support team. Normally, the more senior members are tech-oriented, and stay up to date from home, so your chances improve greatly of getting the help you need by asking for a higher tier. Sadly, even some Level 2 agents are lacking basic skills and cannot help you with BIOS settings, RAID setup, installation of an operating system and so forth, nor will they know offhand the specs of the latest and greatest boards.
9. There is no such thing as a known issue.
Every company that has every produced a physical product has occasionally put out a junk product. We are under direct orders not to confirm ANY problem as a known issue, EVER. It doesn't matter if every single model X PDA plays Jingle Bells every time you turn it on, it's not a known issue and we will not admit to one. If you happen into one of these products that turns out to have known issues, calling tech support won't get you anywhere. We will offer to exchange it for an identical product only, which is just as likely to have the same nonexistent issue. Since Asus does not sell direct to the public, you won't be getting a refund either. Sad, but true, so you may wish to browse a few forums and seek outside input before considering any purchase.
10. Merchant refunds and returns are your special friend
If you do have a problem with a new Asus product and are within the return or exchange window offered by your reseller (often 14 to 30 days), dont waste your time calling us. Simply return the defective product for an exchange or refund. Generally speaking, returning a product to Asus (motherboards in particular), can mean a 2-3 week wait before you see your board returned to you. In addition, it's likely a refurbished motherboard which likely underwent no extensive testing before being dropped into a Fed Ex box and sent back to you. There is a separate department on the repair floor to handle 2nd and 3rd time returns, and once you've reached that level, your chances of getting a tested board improve marginally. However, these boards won't be cleaned, and may have thermal paste, grease, smudges, fingerprints, etc on them. It�s no fun to invest $300 in a new top of the line board, only to have an issue with it and get one back that looks like Timmy kicked it down the street for half a mile before putting it in your box. Not fun.
11. BONUS!!!!!
If you do weave your way through the Asus maze and find a helpful soul on the other end of the phone, don't bank on he or she being there if you need them in the future. We have experienced close to 100% turnover in the past year, and those who remain are constantly threatened, both verbally and via email (proof available upon request, Ben) that they will lose their jobs for failure to make objectives. Sad, yes, but painfully true.
this makes kittens cry
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Son of a b.....
I pray i never have to call them if this is true. Not sure how reliable this is, but damnit, doesnt sound pretty.
Wasnt there someine on this board, two people actually, that were in contact with asus reps? They would pm each other about issues. I recall the poster saying theyre were very helpful....contrary to
Number 11
that guy is a marketting guy working for asus...it seems like this thread is about a contracted third-party hired by asus.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
finalhit said:
that guy is a marketting guy working for asus...it seems like this thread is about a contracted third-party hired by asus.
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How do you figure that?
The article starts with:
"An Asus technician has stepped forward out the shadows to give us the 10 insider tips for getting through and getting better and faster tech support...."
Welcome to the brave new world where Customer Service is just another profit center.
Only a select few technology companies (Apple is one) place customer loyalty and service at the forefront. I am currently in the middle of trying to RMA a defective $300 Asus motherboard (getting nowhere in a swirl of not-actual-support) and a Transformer tablet and dock (seems to be a good deal easier).
Sounds like my experience with a "top of the line" ASUS router I bought a few months ago. I had to return it because I couldn't get any level of support for it. Multiple calls (6) were never returned, I got lucky once and got through to a level two or three rep, and the guy was a clueless asshole. It's a shame because ASUS does come out with some cutting edge products with great features, but customer support is less than good. That being said, I was happy with the support I got today when I tried to RMA my dock for my transformer (knock on wood). I hope this becomes a trend.
judging by the horror stories we've been hearing about with people trying to RMA their TF's I definitely believe this article to be true... It's a shame. After buying the TF, I was hoping to be able and continue purchasing Asus products, but after reading this I highly doubt I ever will again.
I'm an android guy all the way, but EVER android manufacturer (Asus, htc, samsung, motorola(tis hope for this one now) and the rest of them) really need to take a hint from Apple...
As for right now we have to choices, buy an android product and get sht customer service or buy an extremely overprices apple product and get great customer service.
Why can't we just have our cake and eat it to?
This is a story for all tech support in general, even Apple has their... well bad apples. I have found that if you can get through and moved up to tier 3, most of the time you can explain enough of the problem to get a replacement unit. If you ask they may even send you the new part before you ship back the old one.
I had no problems with Asus support when I called them to RMA my dock, but I have not completed the process yet (have to ship it out). So the jury is still out. Customer Service is a cost center, they typically do not make money (unless they charge the customer for support <cough>MS), and I think that the 3 'companies' spoken of in the article are actually divisions or child companies of Asus, in which case they are just playing funny money anyway.
Just my 2 cents.
I just want to share my sad story with you. I've been on xda for 7-8 years but I didn't want to use my other account. Hope you understand.
Mobicity, The Silence of the Lambs
original article by Mislav Bušić, via mob.hr
Last year, soon after the launch of Nexus 6, I ordered this device from a highly reliable British webshop called mobicity.co.uk.
At the time, they were taking preorders, and due to certain discounts, I managed to buy it at a considerably lower price than in any other store.
I had to wait for almost four months to receive the device I had ordered. To put it mildly,
I was impatient and angry – both at Motorola and at mobicity – mostly because of the lack of information I was getting from them.
However, I had no other choice but to wait patiently.
Finally, I got hold of Nexus and I immediately started a detailed inspection of the device. I ran an out-of-the-ordinary unboxing,
compared it to its main rivals, Note 4 and iPhone 6 Plus, and I wrote my review. My dear editor was so pleased with everything that he,
at the very least, wished for his own copy of the device.
In the meantime, we tested various other devices, and I used the Nexus 6 along with my Note 4. At the end of May,
there was a period of three weeks during which I completely stopped using Nexus. Due to circumstances at the time,
I was travelling a lot, so I placed the Nexus back into its original packaging, because Note 4, with its far better camera and battery life,
was simply a better choice when going on a trip.
Since I wasn’t using the Nexus, I decided to pass it along to my editor. Who doesn’t love “the smell of a new smartphone in the morning”?
Since I do backup of all my smartphones almost on a daily basis, I took the box and went straight to the post office.
At the counter, in the post office, I decided to double-check if everything was in place. What followed was utter shock and disbelief.
The battery of Nexus 6 was inflated like a pack of the cheapest crisps. The cover/lid came off and there was no point in sending the device at all.
In the pre-cardiac condition, I called Krešo, my editor, to explain the whole situation. I don’t know who was in a greater state of shock, him or me.
He, because he wasn’t getting his new toy, or I, because I had it and was now left without it.
Since unfortunately, Motorola doesn’t have a representative in Croatia at all, and mobicity offers no European guarantee,
I had no other choice, but to contact more-or-less all domestic service centres in the hope of finding someone who could repair my Nexus.
I decided to log on to mobicity’s webpage to contact their customer service, and I was again confronted with another unpleasant surprise.
My account, which I had used to buy dozens of other devices, had been deleted because it had been a couple of months since my last log-in and/or purchase.
At this point I was furious. I managed to get their customer service email address and I finally managed to explain my problem to them.
What followed was a dozen of emails during the next fortnight in which I tried to explain that the device was kept in a box, in a room, at room temperature,
away from the sunlight, turned off, with no contact to moisture or cosmic dust. In a nutshell, the conditions were more than perfect.
Finally we reached the conclusion that it wasn’t my fault that the battery got inflated.
During the following fortnight we exchanged yet another dozen of emails in which mobicity very politely explained that it would be best if I could find a service centre in Zagreb that would fix my device.
The biggest problem was the non-existence of a telephone contact with the personnel at mobicity so that I could explain the situation more efficiently and quickly.
Unfortunately, their support service is as prompt and effective as the Croatian judiciary system, so you have to wait for a reply sometimes even for a week.
Weeks went by and mobicity kept on insisting on issuing a €50 voucher which would, according to them,
make up for the mental pain and the cost of battery replacement as well as possible broken motherboard or whatever.
No matter how much I insisted on sending my Nexus directly to them to have it serviced, they persistently refused to accept it.
The main excuse was the somewhat strange ban on sending inflated batteries by plane across the European Union.
This sounds logical – the battery might explode and take down the entire plane.
After a few more emails, I came to understand that this ban applies to all types of postal services, not just air mail.
After I had realised that we cannot come to an understanding, I directed mobicity’s customer service to mob.hr, the web portal I work for.
mob.hr actually attracts 200,000 unique visits a month and we cover an area of around 20 million people and, in fact,
we are the highest rated daily blog on mobile telecommunications in ExYu.
Mobicity took this as a threat and almost refused any further cooperation.
Then I politely explained that a threat would mean writing an article in English about their customer treatment and sharing this article on all leading world web portals,
including those in the USA as well as those in the UK, featuring a whole lot of pictures, attached emails and a video in English ready to be uploaded on our YouTube.
Eventually we reached an understanding. They apologized and decided to accept my Nexus 6 and service it if I agree to remove the battery before sending the phone.
That is exactly what happened. I managed to remove the battery (which meant taking the whole device apart), and I sent the device to Great Britain.
I was patiently checking the tracking number and I saw that the package had been delivered on July, 23.
I thought that maybe they would contact me upon receiving the package, and since this didn’t happen, I decided to contact them.
It turns out that if I hadn’t contacted them, my Nexus would remain there for weeks without them knowing about the whole situation.
Didn’t worry about this too much as they assured me that the device would be serviced in a few weeks’ time, so I decided to wait patiently.
Days went by and the only contact I had with the service centre was the “well-organized” customer service. I kept reminding them and sending them emails once or twice a week.
Weeks went by, and so did the first month since they received my device, and mobiycity’s customer service still had absolutely no information about the status of my device – what’s its status,
are they still waiting for parts, did they notice some other misfunctions apart from the missing battery… as if they hadn’t received the device at all.
I kept sending them emails on a weekly basis until they finally responded. Six weeks after they had received my phone,
they replied that the device was being inspected by their technicians – which actually means that they were staring at it wondering where the battery was.
I was furious, but I managed to calm myself down and I contacted the European Consumer Centre (ECC). They informed me that, since the English are involved,
I can do nothing but wait. They were kind enough to offer help and they contacted some of their colleagues in London who might call mobicity and ask them to speed thing up.
In case mobicity turned them down, the story would end here since, legally, there is no time constraint regarding the servicing of the device!
After two weeks I was informed that the battery had been replaced and that the device was being further tested.
In translation, the servicer’s son got hold of it for free for another couple of weeks or even months to play games, and,
in case the battery doesn’t get inflated again after the kid tries all possible games on Android, I will be given my device back.
After 4 (!) months, I received absolutely no news about my Nexus. Dozens of emails, complaints and status requests went by practically unnoticed.
Mobicity sent me generic emails such as “soon”, “we still don’t know”, “we’re waiting for our repair centre to reply” and so on.
At this moment I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to get my device back or if it had been given to someone else as a wonderful Christmas present.
If someone did something like this in Croatia, we would be accused of being backward, uncivilised and incompetent. Since all of this took place in the UK,
the cradle of civilisation, it is perfectly clear that there are plenty of incompetent, uneducated and lazy people outside Croatia. Maybe if I hadn’t been cheap,
and if I had offered that PR person at the other side of the email some £10 bribe, maybe he would have checked where my Nexus was and would have told his colleagues to fix my phone.
At least, that’s how it works in Croatia, where you need bribe even to get your driving licence.
About 3 weeks ago, I threatened mobicity with negative feedback article, and gave them deadline till friday to repair my Nexus. Within 24 hours,
they said my device is repaired and waiting to be shipped. Guess what? They still haven’t manage to ship it!
So, to sum up, having a warranty is a wonderful thing without which you shouldn’t buy a device because you could easily have an accident as I did, no matter how careful you are.
Be careful where you buy your device and what kind of warranty it comes with. Well-known webshops are sometimes considerably cheaper than the local retail,
but they come with certain risks involved which you have to be prepared for. Your device will most likely be taken to be serviced,
but be prepared wait for it for a couple of months or even to lose it altogether. All things considered, we do not recommend buying from the mobicity.
This is the risk you run with all sites like this.
Also Admitting to having more then one account is an easy way to have both accounts banned.
Thread closed.