Nokia Care Centre Doesn't Care

I visited the Nokia Care Centre at Century Square recently on 19th August. I was served by Senior Service Executive Eric. I informed him that my phone had blacked out when I was streaming video from the Net, and had subsequently been unable to power on my phone despite repeated tries. Eric had been trying to power on my mobile when I was talking (Note: not listening!) and informed me after that that it was a software issue, and proceeded to return me my phone battery and back cover. I enquired whether he would require the battery as I was not sure that it was definitely a software issue, and he dismissed my concern airily. I do not think that the conversation between me and him lasted 2 minutes. The rest of the time he spent keying in my service report and checking my phone for scratches. To him, it was more important whether there was any scratches on my phone rather than listening to me. I thought to myself then: well, he's the professional, so I'd guess I'd listen to him.

On 20 August in the morning around 7:50AM I checked online using my service report number and it was reflected there that my phone was ready for collection. I received a call when I was on my way down to collect the phone that it was ready.

I obtained my phone in less than 30min after I reached the care centre. I was informed that a software upgrade had been done to my phone and the problem had been resolved. The phone was powered on in my presence using my battery by the service exec and appeared to be working. However, after i left the place I made a call out using my phone and midway through the conversation, the same blackout issue occured again. I had to make my way off the public transport and back to the service centre again, less than 30min after leaving the service centre.

I was served by Duty Manager Jeanne Lee at the queue number counter. I explained my situation to her and asked for an explanation. She then took my phone to the back where the staff are servicing the phones and returned in 2 minutes. She told me that it was a matter of a loose battery contact point and that she had rectified the issue. She had not bothered to test the phone after that to make sure that the phone was completely in service. When I asked her why, she was unable to answer me, while she agreed with me that their centre does have such requirements for phones which are sent in for servicing. I told her adamantly that I do not want to return again to the service centre for the same issue and that I found the way she handled the matter friviolous.

She then asked me to take a seat while she issued a manual Self Registration Form (Acknowledgement) Serial No. CSCSQ 000162 to me. After she scribbled down my particulars and filled in the fields, she asked me to take back the battery cover. I told her I do not wish to as I was previously advised by Eric to take back my battery and cover and then returned only to be given an answer that my phone problems were caused by a loose battery contact point. I asked her if she did not take the battery could I rest assured that I would not return and encounter the same issue, only to be told that the issue was caused by a loose battery cover. She then took in the battery cover into the list.

When I was asked to sign, I requested that she indicate on the form that I would not have to return to the service centre again for the same issue upon the completion of servicing of my phone. She informed me that Nokia does not have such practices. After reasoning with her, I was referred to the Floor Manager Joayne Tay Wan Ling.

Ms Tay proceeded to repeat to me what Ms Lee had already informed me with Ms Lee standing beside her. I told her that I had already been told all these by Ms Lee, and that I do not see the purpose of her repeating the same old thing to me. Ms Tay also informed me when I asked about Eric's handling of my issue that she did not want to comment about Eric. I was very shocked by her high-handedness; she treated me as though I had to take orders from her. I was reluctant to speak with her further and told her that since Nokia does not have such practices to give a black and white to promise the customer that they would not have to return to the care centre for the same issue for a period of time (I told her a matter of days or a week should be reasonable), would she not at least give me a verbal guarantee. I was rejected point blank. I was also told that the Nokia Warranty Card is not a gurarantee for the products repeatedly. When I asked Ms Tay that does it mean that I have to come back repeatedly for the same issue and it is not their concern, Ms Tay refused to comment.

Ms Tay handed me back to Ms Lee later on without explaning to her what had transversed between us as Ms Lee had left midway during the conversation. I was left to explain to her the situation. Now if that is not both bad customer service and staff management, I do not know what it is. While Ms Lee may have lacked the technical knowhow, at least she was polite and willing to listen to the customer. Ms Tay was obviously not bothered by my situation and all too happy to throw back an unhappy customer to her subordinates. I find this most unprofessional and disappointing. Ms Tay had also made me feel that the Nokia Limited Warranty Card is nothing but a farce. We closed the matter with Ms Lee promising me to carry the phone around until 23rd August to ensure that the phone could be used.

I had expected nothing but professionalism from Nokia Care Centres. However, I have been sorely disappointed. On 22nd August around 7pm I received a call from Ms Lee informing me that she had been using my phone personally for the past few days as promised and the phone was functioning properly. I was advised that I could collect the phone the day after. When I asked her whether she had checked the video streaming issue, she told me no. I then insisted that she test my phone for this issue, and she promised to get back to me on 23rd Aug.

On 23rd Aug around 7.40pm I received a call from Ms Tay informing that she was calling on behalf of Ms Lee who had been ill, and that she had tested the phone for a little while and affirmed that the issue of the phone blacking out during video streaming and unable to power on after that was still present. She asked for permission to send my phone for upper level servicing.

My question to her then was that why did I have to push for them to test an issue that I had already brought up to 3 different Nokia Care Centre personnel, only to be given such a reply after 5 working days! She skirted around without giving me an answer. I was then told that my phone would be ready after another estimated 7 working days. I told her I found this unacceptable and I would feedback to the Nokia HQ.

The seething irony is that if I had not doubted the professionalism of the managers and pressed on further, there would be no doubt another ugly scene at the care centre had I collected my phone on 23rd August. Now an issue that could have been rectified immediately if the service personnel at the first rung had bothered to listen to me and not made friviolous assumptions, drags on for 2 weeks. At the managerial level, if Ms Lee had tested the video streaming function on the first day she had taken over, the issue would have been highlighted fairly quickly, as even Ms Tay herself told me that the issue had re-occured fairly quickly when she tested it.

It dawned on me why they had refused to even give me a verbal guarantee. I have had to reject collecting my phone against the advice of these professionals just for my phone to be diagnosed properly. I have also been told by the same professionals to trust them. Now, how am I supposed to trust them, when their judgement fails time and again?

I hope that Nokia Singapore HQ can give me a fair answer and redress my concerns. I am going to be without my N82 for 2 weeks (might have been even longer had I not persisted in my demands). Who knows how long this is going to drag?