arkon

As some of you know we have been having a ding dong with Samsung Australia over a refund for a broken out of the box mp3 player. We bought the device in April for $454 and took it back within a week because it didn't work. Anyway a month went by heard nothing so contacted them to be told they had no idea who I was as the service center hadn't put me on the system. I then called the SC and they faxed what Samsung needed to Samsung. Another month passes. Called Samsung who still have no idea who I am but hang on they will have a look on the girls desk! Voila they find the fax and apologize because I've not been entered on the system but its all done now. She then gave me a unique customer ID number so I could track the refund quicker. Another month passes so I call again this time gave my ID number and they knew who I was and the problem straight away. Was told the refund had been approved and the cheque would be in the post by the end of that week. A month passes, Call Samsung again to be told the girl is on holiday and it will be sent today. A month passes, I now phone every week religiously to be told another lie and excuse each time I'm told the cheque is written and will be sent that day or by the end of the week.

Anyway got right up to this Sunday just gone when my patience finally gave up on me and I contacted the Australia office of fair trading by email. I get a call yesterday from the OFT to be told the cheque got sent on the 19th September to the repair center. We told the OFT that that would be a lie and could they contact the repair center and find out. Well we get another call from the OFT saying the repair center got the cheque today (yesterday). I know the post is crap out here but it was next day delivery that supposedly took over a month to get there.

Went to the repair center today and they gave me the cheque!!!!!!!! 4 days after contacting the OFT.

Moral of the story is two fold first go to the OFT straight away as they clearly make people quake out here, we didn’t because we have had so many bad episodes of dealing with beurocrats out here that we didn’t want to get involved in an ‘official’ dispute. And secondly what I have described here just about sums up ALL the service I have had here in Australia. A nice big smile, very friendly but totally incompetent at their jobs, and never tell they never tell the truth.

So on a happy ending I finally got the money for a device that went back for refund over 7 months ago.

Timber Floor Au

WELL DONE !!!

id have been spitting feathers !!

Please post the link to OFT

arkon

Good idea, here it is http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/

It can all be done on line and I give them 10/10 first piece of good service I've had since arriving.

Wol

Welcome to OzBusiness!

So many of the businesses we have had dealing with are as above: it's not "laid back" - it's incompetence and total disinterest.

For all of those coming out to Oz - if you work hard and take a professional interest in giving your customers good, fair service - you'll make a fortune!

Thanks Arkon for the link - it's in my bookmarks!

Bhoywonder

Bit of useless information.

Did you know that Samsung translates to

3 star

Sam = 3 & Sung = Star in Korean.

I know you will use this as trivia in the future.

Wol

I think a lot of the problems that occur with the big multinational in Oz, customer-service-wise, is that they open an operation here, appoint Australian management and almost let them get on with it, assuming that their operation is being handled as it would be in Germany, Japan, or whatever,

All too often the local customer service is third world, and nothing like what is acceptable in the rest of their operating area. The pity is, it is seen as normal, and I don't think that "head office" have much idea how their products are being let down.

Siren & Brian

Not that you should have had to, but why wait a month and then a week each time?

herrchook

Glad to hear it's finally sorted out, but it's not just in Oz this happens - we've been waiting 11 months to get our alarm system fully installed - just this Tuesday, the alarm guy promised me a call that afternoon - it's Friday now and I'm still waiting - and gettign angrier by the minute!! Boy he's going to get it when I get a hold of him!!!

Siren & Brian

Why wait. Hold them accountable. If he said he was going to call and doesnt, call them, and say" oh you are ok, I thought you must have been in a terrible accident and unable to use the telephone cos YOU said you were going to call me today/yesterday" and wait for the dribble to come out of their mouths.

cadman

Well done mate!

Just waiting for someone to tell you that it's not their fault, it's because they have a lower population density so their customer services CAN'T be as good as elsewhere in the world!

Cadman

arkon

Because it was SO frustrating I had basically given up any hope of getting my money back. Then a month or so passes and I go through a more militant phase and decide to do something about it. I make the call and they lie so convincingly that you think you achieved a result. I allowed a week at a time towards the end because the post is so poor here it can take a week to get the letter, and each time they said it was being posted out.

arkon

LOL. If only that worked out here. I was waiting 3 months for a guy to come and spray my fragmiti weeds, in the end I went and bought my own sprayer and chemicals and did it myself. No amount of phoning could actually get him to turn up, each call was:- yeh mate I'll be there friday don't worry.

Then there was the Aircon I needed serviced. Once again a multiple no show, did it again myself in the end. Same with the pool man for the duff pump. The floor man with the sander. The council for the floodgates. The lawnmower man for the service. The termite company never showing then when you call its something like:- oh sorry your not in our area, They could have phoned to say they wern't coming. I could go on and on. Basically they never show. Its like they don't actually want to earn any money!

I don't see how you can hold them accountable out here. Each time you ring someone they are really nice and tell you big fat lies or misinformation, so you come off the phone thinking its all sorted. For the first 3 months or so on the farm the money was just burning a hole in my pocket and no amount of anything could get anyone to turn up.

NedKelly

But Arkon, you are not allowed to do these things yourself. You need to employ a licensed contractor. You know, one who has done all the courses, got the qualifications, certificates to hang on the wall, got insurances up to his eyeballs.

Timber Floor Au

mate NAIL and HEAD, your so right....

Just had my truck serviced back at main dealers, and when we bought it, salesman said you will get a survey thru post, fill it in BE KIND and send it back.... so i did 2 months ago

Other day, after paying for service, i thought ooo ill go and get my reward for the survey, a car cleaning kit, bucket squeegee chamois etc etc etc etc which was reward for doing the survey..

Kill 2 birds so to speak..

This was Zupps Mt Gravatt

I went into reception, explained to receptionist, who went n got sales manager, a fat faced chinaman

He came over , and said Its not here...

I said sorry what isnt here, ???

Your cleaning kit , he said...

Oh i said, how dya know, I can see a pile of them over there...

He said cos we havent got yours here..

I pondered and wittily replied to this ULTRASLICK greasemonkey !!!

May I ask you 3 questions ??

Sure he said

Ok

1. do you open all Zupps Post ??

NO he said

2. whats my name ??

Sorry sir i dont know your name

3. pointing to my triton, which now has privat plates, WHATS the original rego for my truck ??

Sorry sir i dont know...

Ok i said then, HOW THE FOOK DO YOU KNOW ONE OF THOSE CLEANIN KITS AINT MINE YA TWAT !!!

He pondered, and said, perhaps its best you leave sir

I said FPMSL mat you are one piece of work. I stared at his rigt nostril, grimaced and walked off..

As i walked to door, in the plate glass windows i could see him fiddling with his nose...

Oldest trick in book btw to bring someone down a peg or 2

Ive since posted and emailed Zupps General Manager.

FGS the buckets only worth 20 bucks lol, but its the principle and indicative of after sales care

Steve

arkon