So today then...
Went down to my local Samsung Experience store, everything went fine in there. The rep took my phone out back and came back acknowledging a fault. She then explained that as its the S9+ Hybrid, they can't exchange in store. This can only be done by contacting customer services. The rep plugged the phone in to their system, ran diagnostics and created a support ticket for me to reference when calling.
So I dialled the UK based customer services. Explained the whole thing to them. They had issues pulling up the support ticket however took my details and went through the process, had been on the phone a good 20 minutes now already. The guy then told me I had to be put through to the online shop which is based in Manilla. Took about 5 minutes to get put through. The line was terrible, and it was a struggle communicating. Had to go through the whole lot again, another 15-20 minutes to be then told I had to be put through to their technical support! So I get put on hold and then...
*hung up tone* line went silent.
I was fuming. So had to start over. Back on to the UK number, quickly rushed through the whole thing again. She said that she would speak to Manilla herself first to explain, as for an exchange, I shouldn't be getting put through to technical support. Another 5 minutes of waiting for Manilla to pick up and I'm through again. Once again, rattled through the whole issue. End result:
I have to send back my device, which can take 3-5 working days to arrive. They then have to assess the device which will take another 3-5 days before they will send out the replacement.
I was not happy about this, as I've sent my old phone off to them as part of the pre-order deal already and I'll be without a phone for the duration. I also questioned why it has to be assessed when it's already been assessed in store. She just kept repeating the "procedure" over and over. I was getting frustrated and asked to speak to a manager as I felt that it was poor customer service. A manager came on but he repeated the same. They couldn't even explain to me, why I couldn't walk in to a Samsung store and get an exchange there and then. There was zero sympathy for a customer who'd spent nearly a grand on a phone, been a Samsung customer for years.
I've little choice now. I'm just annoyed that a huge company like Samsung won't go that extra mile for a customer. My phone is my business phone as well, I can't afford to be without it for up to 14 days. Spent over an hour on call to them as well. For a simple exchange. One whole hour for them to say, "stick the return label on, take it to DPD, we'll send you a replacement in 14 days".
Have been discussing this on Android Central as well,where there is a longer discussion with a lot of people experiencing the same issue. Whats irritated me is that one person there spoke to Samsung today and they're sending him out a replacement BEFORE he has to send his faulty one back. How is it different for two customers, yet same problem!?
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