TNX to Customer "Care," no more Nokia/MM or WP!

[Paul Verizzo]

I'm breathing deeply. Envisioning a beautiful sunset on the bayou. Oh, wait, that's outside. Xanax in reserve.

Twelve years of Customer "Care" experience allows me to announce, I absolutely HATE Nokia Customer "Care!" And I will never own another Nokia/MM phone again. There is no communications, everything is one way and behind walls. I have had ONE satisfactory, no hassle repair in seven submissions over the years. They don't update, despite promises, the email one is to receive after submitting the form only comes half the time, the chat is worthless, the Asian "support" is less that worthless, if that's possible.

After having a 925 in the Texas facility14 calendar days including two to ship back to me, I'm told that the phone is not under warranty because of corrosion damage due to liquids or "excessively moist air." Welcome to Florida, evasive morons! And they've moved my IMEI to "Out of Warranty!"

They tried to run this scam on me way back about 2002 on a Nokia 9290. (And I lived in dry Denver then!) Back then, at least, you could respond to the service center and they eventually caved in and fixed it w/o charge. The problem, as I figured out later with a repeat of the problem, now out of warranty, is just corrosion on the GOLD plated antenna connections. Cleaned, fixed.

This was the fifth submission of two 925's I have. Same issue, every time. Poor connectivity, poor wifi. "No service" for seconds to minutes at a time. I have written letters the last three times trying to be constructive, giving detailed information. It's like talking to a brick wall. No one calls or emails for clarification.

I now have two 925's with the same problem. Guess I'll sell them on eBay as is, keep my 810 and E73, and never buy another Nokia/MM phone or Windows phone again in my life. This has been one long, aggravating, expensive journey. I have wasted hundreds of hours on these P.O.S's. Too bad, love everything else about them. The 925 esthetics, the WP 8.1.

I love Windows Phone. But between the lack of good options with T-Mobile - and no, I'm not changing carriers - I'm forced to reconsider Android. Even if TM came out with a worthwhile phone right now, I couldn't afford it and would have to wait a year or two to buy used.

If anyone knows some contacts in MM that might actually give a damn, I'd love to know one. This is no way to run a business. It takes real talent to turn a 15 year loyal customer away, doesn't it? And they wonder why they have such a tiny market share?

 

[Paul Verizzo]

I guess I'm the only Nokia/MM customer in America with a long track record of being treated like herpes by them, eh? And getting two, count 'em, two 925's with poor connectivity. Actually four if you count the new IMEI's they sent to replace what I sent them.

 

[aximtreo]

Sorry for your problems. Have you contacted Microsoft directly regarding your problems?

This is the number direct to Microsoft support: 800) 642 7676 Give them a call and see what can be done. Hopefully others here will have some help or options to help you out.

 

[Paul Verizzo]

Sorry for your problems. Have you contacted Microsoft directly regarding your problems?

This is the number direct to Microsoft support: 800) 642 7676 Give them a call and see what can be done. Hopefully others here will have some help or options to help you out.

Sympathy always appreciated! I might try that number when I feel less angry and abused. I hope they don't switch me over to their worthless "Customer Don't Care" people. Thanks.

 

[Dusan Randj]

After having a 925 in the Texas facility14 calendar days including two to ship back to me, I'm told that the phone is not under warranty because of corrosion damage due to liquids or "excessively moist air." Welcome to Florida, evasive morons! And they've moved my IMEI to "Out of Warranty!"

Corrosion on electronics never happen without good reason, it is always result of water and metal contact, may it be humid envoirment or just water spill on phone. Not anywhere on the world, any electronic device, is considered under warranty if it had contact with water. Except if it isn't marketed as such.
Not talking about other cases you written about, just this one, if there is corrosion, they have right to move out of warranty. It would be just their good will to not do that.

Source: Worked at phone repairman few years ago..

 

[psiu_glen]

They could also be using a little "corrosion" (read: dirt) in headphone jack to deny a claim, or maybe there is a network/firmware issue. Did they say WHERE this amazing corrosion was?

 

[Paul Verizzo]

Corrosion on electronics never happen without good reason, it is always result of water and metal contact, may it be humid envoirment or just water spill on phone. Not anywhere on the world, any electronic device, is considered under warranty if it had contact with water. Except if it isn't marketed as such.
Not talking about other cases you written about, just this one, if there is corrosion, they have right to move out of warranty. It would be just their good will to not do that.

Source: Worked at phone repairman few years ago..

Of course I know that! The point is that the phone was never abused, was never in water, never in rain, etc. Claiming there is corrosion was just a way for Nokia to tell me to stuff it.

 

[Paul Verizzo]

They could also be using a little "corrosion" (read: dirt) in headphone jack to deny a claim, or maybe there is a network/firmware issue. Did they say WHERE this amazing corrosion was?

What, you think they would actually personalize any communications? Hell, no. I doubt if they even opened it.

 

[psiu_glen]

What, you think they would actually personalize any communications? Hell, no. I doubt if they even opened it.

Yeah, I know.

I actually just had a few run-ins with some customer service lately.

I had purchased some stuff as a gift for my wife from an online store. One of the items (the MAIN item) was defective, but could be fixed easily and cheaply. I basically spelled out the easy solution in my initial email...first response was the canned "send it back" one. Fine, I will, you turkeys, and then they ignored that and spent the next week giving me the run around...only to end up trying to tell me "the product is fine and you can fix it out of pocket if you would like". So the whole order went back. I will make sure anyone I know doesn't order from there (Exposures Online, fwiw) and they just lost at least a few hundred dollars worth of business from me every year.

Then there is Amazon. Had two issues, and both times they were fixed up within a few minutes on chat. Heck, the second time, I got distracted during the chat and wandered away and the guy took care of everything anyway. I mean, what the hell...I tried ordering from someone else, I really did. But jeeeeez.

**** happens. It's how a company responds to it that is really the critical part.

 

[Paul Verizzo]

There used to be an old adage in sales that went on the lines of an unhappy customer can wreak more havoc than in trying to get ten new customers. While there have always been companies with better or worse CS, I think the trend is towards worse. No one cares about their jobs, they know that changes with the next MBA in the door will put them on the street. With emphasis on quarterly results, no one cares about a year or three down the road.

Besides the final result, what really galls me is the absolute opaqueness of the "relationship." No one can do anything, no one can tell me anything, no one emails me to ask further questions. It's a black cyber-hole.

I may experience similar CS issues with my next phone, whatever it may be, but at least I will not have given Nokia/MM any more of my money. Complete idiots.

Now, every time I used my 810, I know my days are numbered with this beautiful interface and system. No, HTC is not presently in the running; too expensive and no Glance. Believe it or not, it is what makes my phone heart swoon. I have my next four calendar events showing, so now I never, ever miss one. It's my clock in my bedroom, dim yet readable.

Maybe HTC or Samsung will copy it.

 

[psiu_glen]

There used to be an old adage in sales that went on the lines of an unhappy customer can wreak more havoc than in trying to get ten new customers. While there have always been companies with better or worse CS, I think the trend is towards worse. No one cares about their jobs, they know that changes with the next MBA in the door will put them on the street. With emphasis on quarterly results, no one cares about a year or three down the road.

Besides the final result, what really galls me is the absolute opaqueness of the "relationship." No one can do anything, no one can tell me anything, no one emails me to ask further questions. It's a black cyber-hole.

I saw something recently (during the customer "servicing" debacle with my wife's gift while I passed around from one non-caring CS rep after another) about that. The customer complaint "iceberg". A survey done way back in 99 (so before all of our social media and easy communication of today) showed for every complaint management hears about, there were 25 others they didn't. On average the first level tells 10 people each, and they all tell 5 people second hand. So for every complaint they know about...1560 people heard about problems.

I had an absolutely terrible time dealing with MS online store earlier this year. The reps were all friendly and earnest but they have no power, and no one can figure anything out. Took nearly a month to get a simple order done, and that also included reaching out on Twitter and escalating the issue to someone outside the normal food chain. I personally might try another order from them...maybe. In person, perhaps. But I would definitely not recommend the online store, especially to any of my friends and family, you know?

I'm a pretty loyal consumer too -- treat me okay and I will probably stick with you, I don't need to go casting high and low and chancing things to save $3 on any one order either. Buuuuuuut I'm a pretty vengeful one if I decide to be You would think more companies would learn to just stick with it for the long haul...