Letters to the Editor sent to Times of India, The - Bad customer service by Nokia by Deepti

Dear Editor:

Hi 
 
This is Deepti, This is a mail to all those concerned with Nokia. in this particular correspondence I want to bring about the problems encountered at each level of customer service. 
Most of my friends who are currently using Nokia cell phones are completely dissatisfied with the service provided to them at the SO CALLED Nokia care centers. 
Still me as a person did not believe them, giving a logical reason saying why would a world class brand of cellular phones would do this, unless I found myself in the same trap that they were in once upon a time.
 
To begin with:
 
On 11th July 2008 : A purchase of cellular phone was made by me from the nearest Mall called Hypercity Goregaon Mumbai. The model is 6500s serial number # 9327. 
 
Over a period of usage for 1 week, I realized that 
The sliding mechanism of the cell phone was not properly aligned 
Flickers on the screen while surfing through the phone 
A BIG gap in the back panel (Battery cover)
Of course looking at all these conditions, it was quite disheartening to know that in 1 weeks time the cell phone without any reason had the above mentioned faults. 
 
19th July 2008: The phone was taken to Hypercity, the main dealer from where the purchase was made. 
At the point of purchase I was told that the dealer cant do anything as he is not authorized to do so  
After looking at the cell phone, the sales guys tell me that "Yeah to aisa hi hai" - meaning "It is made this way only" - Now the impression that I get from them is Nokia manufactures cell phones which have improper fittings and at the same time goes ahead to build a strong brand in the minds of consumers. I guess that's a strong discrepancy. This was where my liking and my attachment towards the brand started to shatter 
After a long standing conversation with the Nokia sales guy (Dressed in the Nokia uniform) and the Hypercity sales team (in Uniform again) try to tell me that I need to take away as the phone since its the correct make 
After an hour long haggling over the issue the Nokia Sales person pulls out the piece of paper which had a couple of Nokia care centers with name, addresses and phone number, on trying to call the numbers I in my wildest imaginations figure out that the Phone numbers are incorrect and I get a reply saying "yeah number mojud nahi hai"  meaning "This number doesn't exist. With this I can make one thing very clear in my mind that " Nokia doesn't really have any kind of after sales customer service at the point of purchase" 
Since I was still fighting and wanting to reach a solution, looking at this the Nokia Sales person gives me a hotline number 30303838. (That's after an hour of haggling with the sales guy, that's an immense waste of time and money) 
On calling the helpline number I get a reply from some customer service ex that "I cant see your phone and I cant comment on the same, please got to the nearest service center of Nokia - OK!! great !!! I can do that which I did on Monday.
Monday 21st July 2008:
10.30 sharp I reported with the cell phone to Nokia Cellular world. The Manager of the outlet examined my phone and also compared the my handset with the same handset in his office. He agreed to the fact that the cellular phone had major faults and issues with make and that I should get a replacement done. But Mr. Deepak didn't have proper information with respect to the replacement policies and hence made me call the Nokia helpline 30303838, where we happened to speak to a lady called Maria. Miss Maria with her half Knowledge of all the policies instructed me to take a job sheet from Nokia Care - Cellular world (Mr. Deepak) and go the dealer asking for replacement. As per Miss Maria the replacement will be done by the dealer himself, incase done from the company it will take a maximum of 45 days for the replacement. At this Miss Maria didn't tell me about the DOA letter which was suppose to arise from the Nokia the manufacturer (which I learnt it later). With the job sheet I proceeded to Hypercity for replacement. On reaching there I am told about the DOA letter, the hypercity staff tells me that the Nokia Care center will give me a DOA, where as the Nokia Care center - Cellular world (Mr Deepak) tells me that they don't have the authority to give a DOA. I was then made to call the customer helpline for DOA, from where I come to know that I wont be able to get a DOA for the faulty piece that I had, because I didn't report the complaint about the piece just after opening the box (which I regard as utter crap and bullshit). The customer support executives were rude enough in telling me that we don't have a right to ask for what we deserve to. After paying around 14000/- rupees for a cell phone that looks so shabby, I am told that I will not be getting a replacement without DOA, even when there is a visible defect. I am sorry about the state that Nokia is in. It sure doesn't understand the customers mind at all. and I would rank least on a rating scale if somebody asked about Nokia's after sale customer service. or may be I will never even rank looking at the kind of solutions that your guys have provided. 
After haggling over with the customer support executives and Hypercity staff, I had to go all the way to Lower Parel office for solution, where the guys in the service center told us that you will be getting a repair done for the handset. 
Why on earth a manufacturing defect be repaired. In the first place if the phone is mal aligned and not mechanically in correct the first thing anybody would ask for is a replacement and not a repair of my brand new phone. 
Today I am here with a very bad picture of Nokia in my Mind and has completely shattered the image that I had of Nokia 
The sight in the Nokia service centers is worth mentioning where people are not attended properly, and even the executives were screaming on the customers instead of giving them a proper solution. 
The referral of Nokia service center as a 3rd party person gives me an impression that "I (Nokia) am not responsible" and whatever happens to your cell phone we (Nokia) are not concerned about it" 
What I can see from the entire experience 
There is no clear cut policies that are chalked out by Nokia 
There is no clear cut role of Dealer, what is he suppose to do in such a case 
What kind of authorities are there with Dealer at the POP and at Nokia care centers 
In such cases of mal - functioning and mal - alignment of cell phone what are dealers and very importantly what are consumers supposed to do about it and how can they get there instrument without being repaired and un - damaged 
In the end today Nokia has created an impression of being a very Rude and a unfriendly brand. There is a breach of trust with Nokia as a brand. All I would like to tell you guys is to either replace the instrument (6500s) or just refund the money back in which case I will be more happy and satisfied rather that reusing the same instrument.
 
I hope the point is made clear and I hope that people working in Nokia take an account of the same.
 
last thing that I want to bring out is "why should I get to see the handset only after the money is paid.  Which is a sad part because after the money is paid the handset becomes a sold property no matter how bad the handset is" - why would anybody invest so much of money on a faulty piece. I have no Idea whether I will be getting the handset that I have purchased back without any faults.
 
Deepti Kamble
Project Manager
Synovate India
2nd Floor, AML Centre 1, 
8 Mahal Industrial Estate, 
Off. Mahakali Caves Road,
Andheri (East),
Mumbai ? 400 093
Read Letters to the Editor sent to Times of India, The - Bad customer service by Nokia by Deepti
