Samsung Galaxy Mini - Poor Customer Service from Vodafone‏

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striker77nz

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#104009 12-Jun-2012 20:28

I had purchased a Samsung Galaxy Mini on a 24 month term and received $100 off the price for being locked in.

The phone has been faulty from the start. It turns itself off, photos always come up with crosses etc etc.
Vodafone would not replace the phone but insisted on having it sent away to be fixed. OK fair enough, the Customer Guarantees Act gives them a chance to remedy the product. However the company policy was to send the phone away 3 times to be fixed before they would replace it. What a waste of my time as each time it still came back faulty.

OK a lot of time wasted and finally I have been through the annoyance of having it sent back 3 times for a repair. So now I have store credit to buy a new phone, but they inform me I am still locked into my 24 month contract. So no discount for a term contract, and If I decide to leave after this poor service I have to pay a cancellation fee. So I am now $100 worse off.

Come on Vodafone!!!

jeffnz

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#639898 12-Jun-2012 20:40

How long have you had the phone, so the credit is for what amount, the amount you paid with $100 off or full value.

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sbiddle

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#639900 12-Jun-2012 20:47

How can you be $100 worse off? Surely you've received credit to buy a replacement device for the value of the handset?

Plenty of people come on here with bad experiences with companies where they've been unable to receive a satisfactory outcome or struggle to get something replaced. Based upon what you've posted above it would seem that despite your frustrations that Vodafone have acknowledged the fault and given a credit for replacement of the device. IMHO this is a good outcome.

Ruphus

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#639911 12-Jun-2012 21:05

Under the CGA you are entitled to a full refund. Vodafone have had the opportunity to fix the problem but they haven't, you've given them three attempts.

I've just been through the same thing with my mum's laptop which was outside of the manufacturers warranty. Read the up on the CGA and know your rights.

The comcom were on fair go the other month advising about an issue that a woman had about her phone. HN send the phone away 4 times to get fixed. The comcom spokeswoman said if they can't fix it the first time, get a refund.

From the consumer website:

A service provider must fix the problem within a reasonable time.

If the problem cannot be fixed, or cannot be put right within a reasonable time, or is substantial, you can:

Reject the product and choose a replacement of the same type or similar value or a full refund of your purchase price.

A refund under the CGA means a refund, not a store credit.

http://www.consumer.org.nz/reports/consumer-guarantees-act/putting-it-right

networkn

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#639913 12-Jun-2012 21:10

Actually there is no way they can enforce fix it first time or money back, often times problems are intermittent, unable to be replicated or have multi factorial issues. 3 times is reasonable they have done the right thing by you and replaced the phone with a voucher for another, buy a replacement phone and move on.

sbiddle

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#639923 12-Jun-2012 21:29

Ruphus: A refund under the CGA means a refund, not a store credit.

http://www.consumer.org.nz/reports/consumer-guarantees-act/putting-it-right

In this case I would beg to differ.

We can only assume in this situation (since the poster hasn't given full details) that they would be worse off with a refund, as they have already recieved a handset subsidy and therefore won't get a refund of the full value of the handset. A store credit for a replacement handset should be for the full value of the handset, since it's a replacement.

Ruphus

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Ultimate Geek

#639936 12-Jun-2012 21:46

My interpretation of the OP is that VF have offered a store credit for the purchase price of the handset which $100 less than the outright purchase price of the handset so Striker now has to chip in an extra $100 to buy a replacement.

A replacement, means replacement. Not part credit towards a replacement.

I can understand problems with detecting intermittent faults but having to send the phone away three times probably with the obligatory 10 to 14 working day turn around?

johnr

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#639951 12-Jun-2012 22:13

Early versions of the handset software were a bit buggy,

striker77nz could advise what version of handset software is loaded now?

John