Faulty earphones. NO ASSISTANCE, NO SERVICE. Pushed from pillar to post.

Good day, I have a pair of Huawei Freebud earphones which I received as a free gift when I purchased my Mate 20 Lite a few years ago. It has been sealed in the box and I only opened them about 2 weeks ago. Just to find that they are not working. Since then, it has been a back-and-forth trying to get the issue resolved. I troubleshooted with someone last week or the week before over the ‘chat’ service available on your website. From resetting the earphones to factory settings to even installing the AI Life app to try and update the firmware. Noting helped as the earphones would connect and then almost immediately just simply disconnect.

We tried connecting with several different phones to the Freebuds, no luck with any. The model is Huawei CM-H1 Freebuds. So, the item is new and unused as it never worked. I only opened it 2 weeks ago even though I received it more than 2 years ago.

After not winning over chat with the agent who assisted me on the web, he referred me to take the earphones to my nearest Huawei repair centre which is at Canal Walk. To my disappointment, after driving all the way there I was not helped at all. I do understand there is protocol and processes in place, but what I am now left to do. I spoke to a gentleman by the name of Imtiyaas at the repair centre who tried to explain. Another lady whom in the store 1st listened to my story was rather unhelpful and spoke back to me in Afrikaans whilst I was speaking to her in English all along – how disrespectful. Can she then not speak English? And did not even ask if it was okay to speak in Afrikaans. Just rambled on assuming I could understand. They told me at the store there was nothing they could do. It is an accessory and they don’t repair earphones. Bear in mind that these earphones are brand new and unused. I advised them why should it be repaired. It is supposed to be working. Is it not possible from a ‘bad batch” of earphones which were manufactured? I picked up that many users online on the various forums advised that there were some issues with the first freebuds. Be that as it may, they did not test, did not book in the earphones, did nothing but tell me that I am now stuck with a DUD (glorified paperweight). I am very disappointed at this stance and that I now went out of my way making contact with you people over your website chat, called the call centre, who was useless too and driven out my fuel all the way over 30kms to simply not be helped.

They said at the store that they usually just swap out accessories as they do not repair them. And usually it is in a 6-month warranty. And as I received these more than 6 months ago, I am now stuck with it. If they book it in for repairs I will probably be quoted to pay for a new pair they said. Why?! I never used or broke the earphones. It came from Huawei, not working. They were not even clued up nor willing to check what previous batches of the Freebud earphones who faulty and whether my pair is one of them that could possibly have been recalled….Service was just pathetic and unhelpful!!

I would really like this matter addressed and not be sent from pillar to post again!!! Do not tell me to go back to the repair centre as they are completely unhelpful, and I will just be driving out my fuel unnecessarily. Where is the Customer Care???!!! From what the people at the store told me I may as well throw these away or give it to my kids as toys because it does not work. It does not get repaired, it is new and unused yet was received too long ago for them to assist me. Please can a technical person assist? Please may this be expedited to a manager then?! Who has the knowhow. Surely you people have data records and history of the past faulty ones to cross reference and assist me as the customer?!

Regards Abdul ***