Experience by Peter Snow on October 15, 2009
On September 14th, 2009 I bought a new Nokia E71 from Nokia in Robinsons Galleria in Ortigas. The phone was exhibiting software bugs from the beginning (but apparently that is normal for Nokia phones), but then after 18 days in service the USB connection of the phone completely failed and no longer could the phone be synchronised with a computer or used as a thumb drive.
It was two days later on October 5, that I was able to schedule a visit to Nokia Care at Megamall, Ortigas. When I presented the phone, they informed me that they would make no attempt to backup my data and all would be lost. Including the programs I purchased and installed etc. They made me sign an agreement to this.
They told me that I could expect it back in 2 days and that I should call or text them first to be sure that it is ready. I did as they suggested and when I texted them, I received a text reply telling me that it’s still under repair and that I should follow up in one week!
Regardless I followed up every other day in the hope that someone might take pity on me but on the occasions that I got a reply it was just the same story.
On Wednesday 14th October they had had the phone for 9 days at this point and I had purchased the phone exactly one month ago! I texted again and received no reply. I continued texting at intervals throughout the day and even after 14 texts, had still received no reply from Nokia Care.
In addition, I tried calling their landline number advertised on my Acknowledgement Form from Nokia Care. I called it numerous times, but each time it was engaged. I suspect it had just been removed from the hook.
I even tried calling the supplied mobile number (0928 551-5408) but my phone reported “Call Rejected!”. How rude!
I continued texting an must have sent them another dozen or so texts, before my wife tried calling there mobile number from her phone which they don’t have the number of. They accepted the call and my wife handed the phone to me. The guy on the phone, who did not give his name informed me that he would contact me by 4pm with a status update of my phone.
At 5pm, having received no contact from Nokia Care (who obviously couldn’t care less), I texted them again requesting the promised update and again, and again, and again but still no reply.
The following day, (now 10 days with Nokia Care), I texted again and received the following reply:
Good morning!, just like to inform you, that your phone is still under major repair in our backroom. We apologize for the inconvenience that it has caused you. We’ve already advised for it to be in priority. And as per technician advised, we’ll be giving you the final status by tomorrow.
Thank you.
NOKIA CARE, MEGAMALL
I eventually received a call from Nokia Care to inform me that they had repaired my phone already but the repair failed, so now they are trying again!
Not wanting my P18,750 phone to be returned to me having been assembled and dissembled many times and repaired many times, I decided to try to contact Nokia in Robinsons Galleria to request a refund, where I bought the phone. I checked the receipt for a telephone number and there is none, but the receipt is issued by “Novacel Telecom Corp“. A quick search in Google reveled a reference to them on www.complaints.com at the top of the list. The complaint is from another dissatisfied customer in a similar situation to me.
In the above complaint found on complaints.com, there was contained a telephone number that I had not been furnished with so far. The number was for “Philippine Local Service” and was 02 886-1234.
I called the number and spoke to a call center agent (oh the joy!). She read her script perfectly, “Ok Mr Snow, I’m sorry for the inconvenience. Right after our call, I will escalate your complaint.” I asked what happens next and she informed me that someone would call me in the next 24 – 48 hours. I asked her to forgive me for raising this, but wasn’t I told when I deposited my phone at Nokia Care to follow-up in 24 – 48 hours? And hear I am nearly 11 days later, still waiting for my phone!
Apparently, Nokia Care has no facility for giving refunds and no way to accomplish this, since they don’t make sales here. Furthermore, they have no way to replace a defective unit. The technicians have to make a unit work at all costs. This means that your phone could be seriously depreciated due to having received repeated major servicing.
Imagine the look on my face now, knowing that if they ever manage to fix it, for my unit it will be as if it has been through a war by the time I get it back and I’ve only 17 days use out of it so far.
My advice to anyone considering buying a Nokia phone in the Philippines, is quite simply – DON’T! They don’t have adequate support infrastructure in place.
The phones for the Philippine market appear to be unreliable. Mine malfunctioned after 18 days. This is a high-end phone we are referring to! When you take it to Nokia, they exhibit a complete disregard for the customers data and inconvenience and the phone is kept by them indefinitely with the customer left hanging, wondering if or when they will ever see their phone again.
What should happen is like this:
If the phone has malfunctioned within 30 days of the original purchase, it should be immediately inspected on-site and the customer advised to return in one hour. If it has not been repaired by then it should immediately be replaced by the shop with no further hassle to the customer.
If the phone is more than 30 days old, the customer should take the phone to the Nokia Care center and be advised that the phone will be repaired or replaced and that the repaired or replacement unit will be available within 24 hours without exception.
This poor standard of Nokia service is probably due to them considering the Philippines as a third class country and not deserving of the standards available to their UK customers.