Faulty Samsung S7 Edge and the worst service ever

<p>To whom this may concern,</p> <p> </p> <p>Close to the end of August, I opened up a Telkom contract with a Samsung S7 Edge device at Telkom Kenilworth Centre store. In addition to this contract, I also have 5 other cell phone contracts, coupled with another 2 home Wifi contracts. My total payment to Telkom adds up to approximately R7000 per month!</p> <p> </p> <p>Ever since receiving this Samsung device, 2 weeks later the saga began. The phone started heating up and would automatically reboot. At this stage the problem was still minimal, until I gave it another 3 months hoping the situation would improve. But to my frustration, this wasn’t the case. So, finally at the beginning of December, I went into Telkom KC store informing them of my problem. They then gave me the option to either have it sent to Samsung Head office/Customer care themselves, but advised me instead to take the device directly to Samsung Head office/customer care to swiftly expedite the process. With this device, I was to attach the proof of purchase for reference. </p> <p> </p> <p>Upon arrival, an agent assesed my phone and my proof of purchase and confirmed that because of it being within term of my contract and still under warranty, it would take 2 weeks and will be free of charge.</p> <p>With this information, I then surrendered my device and waited.</p> <p> </p> <p>So 2 weeks later I called them up for information on the progress of the device.</p> <p>Their response was that they were still waiting for the Main Board to arrive from Joburg. They have concluded that it was the Main board that was faulty and needed to be replaced.</p> <p> </p> <p>With it being December and Festive season, I fully understood short staff or whatever the case may be. January came and I decided to physically go back to Samsung in Century City to further the status of my case.</p> <p>Now at this point I was heating up with frustration, as now I was indebted to pay R2800 for the Main Board and they were still waiting and it was still being couriered. They asked me to pay this amount upfront while I wait for the Main board to arrive from Joburg. This information was not furnished to me in the first instance as I was told it would be free of charge because I was still under warranty.</p> <p> </p> <p>And as far as it is common sense, a device with a factory/mechanical fault should not be on the onus of the customer.</p> <p>At this point, I took the phone back and went back to Telkom KC, who again advised that it should have been free of charge because, again, it was still under warranty.</p> <p>Telkom KC then took the device and took it upon themselves to restore the matter and deal with Samsung directly.</p> <p> </p> <p>2 weeks later, I recived and sms from Telkom stating that my “device has been deemed out of warranty and has been quoted for R9455.21 incl Vat. Payment to Telkom repairs valid for 7 Days. A consultant will be in contact with you shortly.”</p> <p> </p> <p>In addition to this a consultant contacted me telephonically confirming this information that was sent. I then explained to her about my device still being under warranty and I shouldn’t be held responsible for any payment. The phonecall was obviously unsuccessful as she was unable to help me with any finance queries and she was ‘just doing her job’.</p> <p>Now I was getting furious as this matter was running in circles with no resolution in sight.</p> <p> </p> <p>Another week passed, on the 3 February I received an sms stating “your device quote has been rejected, and is awaiting a payment of R188.10, assessment fee.”</p> <p> </p> <p>I still have no idea as to where, what and why this is the case with my device, and in addition I also have no idea as to where the device is located and what the status of the solution is.</p> <p> </p> <p>I am absolutely appaled by the horific service of Telkom and Samsung. Ive heard so many bad reviews with this specific Samsung 7 Edge and so many factory/ technical errors. This was obviously a trial and error model that wasn’t perfected and now the problem has been shifted to the customer.</p> <p> </p> <p>I am at wits end with finding a solution and have no other alternative to resort to social media complaints, the Customer Protection Act and the OBF ‘Out of box Failure’.</p> <p> </p> <p>From a loyal, disgusted customer.</p> <p> </p> <p>Mogamat Rezaan Fortune</p> <p>Ref number: TRL036158</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p>