thefishingstore
03-26-2007, 07:09 AM
My brand new E50, purchased through SAM Stores in Chicago, broke after only 1 1/2 months. Nokia USA told me to ship the phone to Hong Kong, but Hong Kong refused to repair the phone, stating it had to be sent to Malaysia.
I am a simple consumer buying a Nokia phone in the USA. Who would have thought I would have to go through this do obtain warranty support.
Nokia President, Colin Giles, also refused to help me rectify this issue. The email correspondance it below.
USA buyers beware, there is now way of knowing if your Nokia product will get repaired under warranty. Nokia USA stated one thing to me, Nokia Hong Kong is stating another...
From: xxxxxx@nokia.com [mailto:xxxxxxx@nokia.com]
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 9:05 AM
To: XXXXXX
Cc: xxxxxxxx@nokia.com; xxxxxxxxx@nokia.com; xxxxxxxx@nokia.com
Subject: RE: Colin, can you please help me to get my phone returned to me?
Dear Mr. XXXXX,
Thank you very much for your email of 21st March, 2007.
We have reviewed your case over the last few days. We regret the limited warranty is only valid in Nokia's intended country (or areas) of sale of the product. Your E50 phone unfortunately was found in our records to be originally shipped in Malaysia and then possibly through Hong Kong. This "grey" market channel is not an authorised channel of Nokia.
I will instruct Hong Kong Care Team to return the un-repaired phone, as requested, to you today, by Registered Air Mail. Please understand we are doing this as gesture of goodwill and Nokia do not take any liability in the whole delivery process. Our Care Team will provide you the related registered number after the phone has been sent.
I would like to apologise for the mistake in time difference made by our Hong Kong Call Centre. Of course, they do not usually need to make calls to the US but this is no excuse. My apologies.
Regards
Colin Giles
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: ext XXXXX
Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 10:56 AM
To: Giles Colin (Nokia-CMO/Beijing)
Cc: XXXXX (Nokia-COM/HongKong); XXXXX HK (RES/HongKong)
Subject: Colin, can you please help me to get my phone returned to me?
Hi Colin,
I am sorry to bother you but I have a situation that I need your help to resolve.
I live outside of Boston, MA, USA. I purchased a Nokia E50 phone a couple months ago online from a retailer located in Chicago. Apparently they buy the phones from Hong Kong, so when I received the phone it arrived with an Invoice from their Hong Kong branch.
The phone was working great for about 1 ½ months. Then it stopped working, it would not power on (even after charging, etc.). I called the store I bought it from and they told me I had to call Nokia as it was covered under warranty. I called Nokia USA and they told me that since the phone is not on the market in the USA I had to return it to Hong Kong (as it originated from Hong Kong). They provided me with instructions and a mailing address.
I sent the phone, battery, copy of the Invoice and letter describing the issue, to Nokia Hong Kong. I received an email from a Cecilia XXXXX informing me that the phone was received and assigned a reference number (1105995). However, she stated that the phone was not in her database, so it was not covered under warranty in Hong Kong.
I then replied to her email explaining what Nokia USA told me to do. I received a follow-up email stating that Nokia Hong Kong could repair it, but it I would have to pay for it. I replied to this email again stating what Nokia USA told me to do, stating that the phone was brand new and should be covered under warranty as Nokia USA stated.
There were a few more emails messages that went back and forth between Cecilia and myself. The last email stated that Nokia Hong Kong would waive the inspection fee but I would still have to pay for the repairs. After this last email message I called Nokia Hong Kong directly to explain that the phone is brand new and Nokia USA told me that Nokia Hong Kong would cover is under warranty.
I spoke with several individuals, and have spent a couple hours on the phone doing so. After hearing the Nokia Hong Kong customer support staff repeatedly stating they will not repair the phone under warranty I asked that it be returned to me without any repairs. They stated they could not do so, as I would have to either have a friend in Hong Kong go to Nokia Hong Kong’s facility and pick it up, or have a courier go and pick it up.
As I live in the USA and do not travel to Hong Kong, I’m sorry to say I have no friends there. Not being in the transportation business, I have not clue how to contact a courier, let alone a courier in Hong Kong.
So now I am without my phone, broken or not, as Nokia Hong Kong refuses to return it to me.
Colin, I would like to point out that at the bottom of all the email correspondence I received from Cecelia is a statement regarding Nokia’s service. It states “Nokia aims to deliver the top-notch service to our loyal & valuable customers.” In reading this I ask you, is this typical service I should expect from Nokia when I have problems, or is it that I am not considered a valuable customer?
Please take a few minutes and look into this situation. I have always loved the quality of Nokia products compared to other brands. This is the first time I’ve had a problem with a phone and the first time I’ve had to deal with Nokia’s service department.
I have so far spoken with the following people in Nokia Hong Kong’s offices: Cecilia XXXXX (please ask her not to have the Hong Kong operator call my house at 3am in the morning anymore, I have kids and I wake early to work), Debbie (your general receptionist, who refuses to transfer me to your office) and a Ricky XX (who also refuses to send my phone back to me).
I did speak with American Express, the credit card company I purchased the phone with, and they were appalled to hear about the service I received (or lack of). Frankly, they loved the part about Nokia Hong Kong stating I had to send a friend to your facility to pick my phone up. They will investigate this case as well and they will refund my money when they verify that facts I presented to them (that is if you can’t resolve this issue first). American Express’ quality of service is outstanding. They will take a total loss on the purchase price of the phone without any hassle, and they aren’t even affiliated with Nokia. Maybe Nokia Hong Kong’s support staff can learn a thing or two from American Express.
Any help from you would be greatly appreciated. I am just a consumer following the instructions of Nokia USA. I have taken the time and paid the expense of sending the phone to Hong Kong. If you refuse to fix it under warranty, then all I ask it that you simply return it to me without repair.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. My contact information is below.
Thanks and regards,
XXXXX
I am a simple consumer buying a Nokia phone in the USA. Who would have thought I would have to go through this do obtain warranty support.
Nokia President, Colin Giles, also refused to help me rectify this issue. The email correspondance it below.
USA buyers beware, there is now way of knowing if your Nokia product will get repaired under warranty. Nokia USA stated one thing to me, Nokia Hong Kong is stating another...
From: xxxxxx@nokia.com [mailto:xxxxxxx@nokia.com]
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 9:05 AM
To: XXXXXX
Cc: xxxxxxxx@nokia.com; xxxxxxxxx@nokia.com; xxxxxxxx@nokia.com
Subject: RE: Colin, can you please help me to get my phone returned to me?
Dear Mr. XXXXX,
Thank you very much for your email of 21st March, 2007.
We have reviewed your case over the last few days. We regret the limited warranty is only valid in Nokia's intended country (or areas) of sale of the product. Your E50 phone unfortunately was found in our records to be originally shipped in Malaysia and then possibly through Hong Kong. This "grey" market channel is not an authorised channel of Nokia.
I will instruct Hong Kong Care Team to return the un-repaired phone, as requested, to you today, by Registered Air Mail. Please understand we are doing this as gesture of goodwill and Nokia do not take any liability in the whole delivery process. Our Care Team will provide you the related registered number after the phone has been sent.
I would like to apologise for the mistake in time difference made by our Hong Kong Call Centre. Of course, they do not usually need to make calls to the US but this is no excuse. My apologies.
Regards
Colin Giles
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: ext XXXXX
Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 10:56 AM
To: Giles Colin (Nokia-CMO/Beijing)
Cc: XXXXX (Nokia-COM/HongKong); XXXXX HK (RES/HongKong)
Subject: Colin, can you please help me to get my phone returned to me?
Hi Colin,
I am sorry to bother you but I have a situation that I need your help to resolve.
I live outside of Boston, MA, USA. I purchased a Nokia E50 phone a couple months ago online from a retailer located in Chicago. Apparently they buy the phones from Hong Kong, so when I received the phone it arrived with an Invoice from their Hong Kong branch.
The phone was working great for about 1 ½ months. Then it stopped working, it would not power on (even after charging, etc.). I called the store I bought it from and they told me I had to call Nokia as it was covered under warranty. I called Nokia USA and they told me that since the phone is not on the market in the USA I had to return it to Hong Kong (as it originated from Hong Kong). They provided me with instructions and a mailing address.
I sent the phone, battery, copy of the Invoice and letter describing the issue, to Nokia Hong Kong. I received an email from a Cecilia XXXXX informing me that the phone was received and assigned a reference number (1105995). However, she stated that the phone was not in her database, so it was not covered under warranty in Hong Kong.
I then replied to her email explaining what Nokia USA told me to do. I received a follow-up email stating that Nokia Hong Kong could repair it, but it I would have to pay for it. I replied to this email again stating what Nokia USA told me to do, stating that the phone was brand new and should be covered under warranty as Nokia USA stated.
There were a few more emails messages that went back and forth between Cecilia and myself. The last email stated that Nokia Hong Kong would waive the inspection fee but I would still have to pay for the repairs. After this last email message I called Nokia Hong Kong directly to explain that the phone is brand new and Nokia USA told me that Nokia Hong Kong would cover is under warranty.
I spoke with several individuals, and have spent a couple hours on the phone doing so. After hearing the Nokia Hong Kong customer support staff repeatedly stating they will not repair the phone under warranty I asked that it be returned to me without any repairs. They stated they could not do so, as I would have to either have a friend in Hong Kong go to Nokia Hong Kong’s facility and pick it up, or have a courier go and pick it up.
As I live in the USA and do not travel to Hong Kong, I’m sorry to say I have no friends there. Not being in the transportation business, I have not clue how to contact a courier, let alone a courier in Hong Kong.
So now I am without my phone, broken or not, as Nokia Hong Kong refuses to return it to me.
Colin, I would like to point out that at the bottom of all the email correspondence I received from Cecelia is a statement regarding Nokia’s service. It states “Nokia aims to deliver the top-notch service to our loyal & valuable customers.” In reading this I ask you, is this typical service I should expect from Nokia when I have problems, or is it that I am not considered a valuable customer?
Please take a few minutes and look into this situation. I have always loved the quality of Nokia products compared to other brands. This is the first time I’ve had a problem with a phone and the first time I’ve had to deal with Nokia’s service department.
I have so far spoken with the following people in Nokia Hong Kong’s offices: Cecilia XXXXX (please ask her not to have the Hong Kong operator call my house at 3am in the morning anymore, I have kids and I wake early to work), Debbie (your general receptionist, who refuses to transfer me to your office) and a Ricky XX (who also refuses to send my phone back to me).
I did speak with American Express, the credit card company I purchased the phone with, and they were appalled to hear about the service I received (or lack of). Frankly, they loved the part about Nokia Hong Kong stating I had to send a friend to your facility to pick my phone up. They will investigate this case as well and they will refund my money when they verify that facts I presented to them (that is if you can’t resolve this issue first). American Express’ quality of service is outstanding. They will take a total loss on the purchase price of the phone without any hassle, and they aren’t even affiliated with Nokia. Maybe Nokia Hong Kong’s support staff can learn a thing or two from American Express.
Any help from you would be greatly appreciated. I am just a consumer following the instructions of Nokia USA. I have taken the time and paid the expense of sending the phone to Hong Kong. If you refuse to fix it under warranty, then all I ask it that you simply return it to me without repair.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. My contact information is below.
Thanks and regards,
XXXXX