Returning iPhone that is not working to Vodafone

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › Returning iPhone that is not working to Vodafone

nzuser

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#62712 13-Jun-2010 13:16

I've been having some trouble with my iPhone (3g not working without the phone being switched off and on, the phone losing all its media and having to be re-synced, things like that).

During the week I decided to take it into vodafone to get it fixed/replaced. I tried taking it into the phone service centre at greenlane - no luck there, apparently if i want them to do anything I have to give them a non-refundable "bond" and they'll send it away - fair enough I guess, they're not technically Vodafone, just a contractor to Vodafone.

So I tried taking it into a Vodafone store instead. They say sure, we can take it off you. we'll send it to somewhere (albany?) who'll then check it in, send it to greenlane where I just was, they'll replace it and send it back and I'll be able to come pick it up in a month. Untill then, i guess I'm expected to keep paying vodafone ~$40 a month and not have a phone for work to contact me....

So my question is probably to Paul: How do i get Vodafone to meet its obligations under the Consumer Gurantees Act and 'repair, refund or replace within a reasonable timeframe'? (I'm pretty sure nobody would consider 30 days without even a loan phone reasonable.)

patatrat

261 posts

Ultimate Geek

#341202 13-Jun-2010 13:47

I've had various phones die on me before (about three times in my 6 or so years of being a vodafone customer). Each time, they have sent the phone in and given me a replacement phone until mine is fixed or replaced. I don't remember even having to ask for a loan phone.

The phone they gave me was crap, and I quickly learnt to always back my contacts up on my sim, but it kept me going until mine was dealt with.

I assumed this was standard operating procedure for someone on a contract with vodafone.

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

Uber Geek

#341239 13-Jun-2010 15:21

did you ask for a loan phone?

30 days does sound like a long time though

johnr

19282 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#341243 13-Jun-2010 15:54

How can it be 30 days I took my nephews phone to a Vodafone store in Albany and it was back 3 days later for picking up.

nzuser

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#341248 13-Jun-2010 16:23

Yea I tried asking for a loan phone, they said they didn't have any (apparently Vodafone gives them a very small number of loan phones and so most of the time they're all out)

John - to be fair I doubt it would ever actually take 30 days - 30 days was the wording on the paper, that'll probably be an a$$ covering thing to cover the longest possible time so they don't get in trouble for failing to return phones in the promised timeframe. The guy in store said his best guess would be ~15 days. I guess if they were sending them out to Albany, you may have skipped a step by taking it to Albany?

nzuser

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#341250 13-Jun-2010 16:28

patatrat: I've had various phones die on me before (about three times in my 6 or so years of being a vodafone customer). Each time, they have sent the phone in and given me a replacement phone until mine is fixed or replaced. I don't remember even having to ask for a loan phone.

The phone they gave me was crap, and I quickly learnt to always back my contacts up on my sim, but it kept me going until mine was dealt with.

I assumed this was standard operating procedure for someone on a contract with vodafone.

I've had problems with a phone once before, and have just been told to take it directly into the service centre in greenlane, which is a little out of the way but resulted in them being able to test it and have a replacement phone within like two hours, which was what I was expecting to happen again this time. Unfortunatly looks like this doesn't happen anymore.....

VFNZPaulBrislen

970 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#342066 15-Jun-2010 19:45

Phones need to be sent away for assessment. This is for several reasons:

1: The staff in store are not trained technicians.
2: The company that makes the phones doesn't necessarily want someone just saying "oh yes, it's a warranty fault here have another one" as that costs them a lot of money.
3: Customers can say "Oh it's a warranty fault" forgetting of course that they dropped it off a cliff on a couple of days before. Whoopsie.

So phones are sent away for assessment. If it's a warranty issue repair, they can be fixed or replaced. If it's an out of warranty repair (eg water damage, impact damage, etc) then they can also be repaired (typically) but at the user's cost.

The bond is charged because a lot of people were handing in their phone for assessment, claiming it as a warranty repair up front, when word came back that it wasn't a warranty repair and would cost more to repair than the phone was worth they would then walk away from the phone and refuse to pay for the assessment. This means the assessor is out of pocket (although they have lots of broken phones).

The Consumer Guarantee Act does indeed say the device must be repaired or replaced but seeing as it's sent to another country as part of that process I don't believe a 30-day turn around is unreasonable. It's usually far less than that. As JohnR says, it took only three days for that particular case.

Paul

Paul Brislen
Head of Corporate Communications
Vodafone

http://forum.vodafone.co.nz

marmel

1924 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#342077 15-Jun-2010 20:05

The Consumer Guarantee Act does indeed say the device must be repaired or replaced but seeing as it's sent to another country as part of that process I don't believe a 30-day turn around is unreasonable. It's usually far less than that. As JohnR says, it took only three days for that particular case.

30 days not unreasonable??????????

30 days is completely unreasonable in my view. Cell phones are no longer a novelty item or just a second phone, for some they are an indespensible part of their day to day routine.

I am amazed that a company that is selling high end phones for $1000 plus would expect a customer to wait up to 30 days to have it repaired.

I am also convinced that if this was tested in the disputes tribunal VF would be left with their trousers down.

Don't blame the "process", it's not the customers fault you are sending the phones to another country. If YOU sell the phone, then YOU should have systems in place to remedy any faults in a reasonable timeframe.

If YOU are the retailer, the buck stops with you in my opinion. If the phone was purchaed via apple or elsewhere then likewise they should sort the issue.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

nzuser

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#342613 17-Jun-2010 11:19

PaulBrislen:

The bond is charged because a lot of people were handing in their phone for assessment, claiming it as a warranty repair up front, when word came back that it wasn't a warranty repair and would cost more to repair than the phone was worth they would then walk away from the phone and refuse to pay for the assessment. This means the assessor is out of pocket (although they have lots of broken phones).

Paul

Cafreful Paul - I understand if you have problems in this area, but the fact remains that if you supply a faulty product, under the CGA you are legally obligated to repair/refund/replace it at no cost (regardless whether you call it a "non-refunable bond" or a fee, its still a fee), and any attempt to contract out of the CGA or mislead consumers about their rights under the act is an offence punishable by a $200,000 fine....

But whatever, thats not really the issue for me - I just want to get my phone fixed/replaced in a reasonable amount of time. As the guy above said there's no way you can really believe 30 days is a reasonable amount of time. Imagine being without your phone for 4 weeks Paul - how much business would you lose? The reasonableness test here is objective -its not a case of "considering how complicated our system for dealing with these returns is, 30 days is amazing!" but rather what would seem reasonable to an objective observer. Which would indicate that certainly if you can provide a loan phone temporarly and get the phone repaired within 3 days like John's experience, certainly thats reasonable. If you can't supply a loan phone, and your process to repair takes 30 days then your obligation becomes to refund or replace the phone.

savag3

188 posts

Master Geek

#342647 17-Jun-2010 13:01

The CGA allows you to make a claim for consequential loss (CGA s18(4)). So in theory you could hire a phone to use while yours is being replaced and make Vodafone pay for it.

Byrned

455 posts

Ultimate Geek

#342648 17-Jun-2010 13:02

What is a reasonable amount of time to affect a repair is debatable. I've seen cases going before the disputes tribunal TV had been away for 8 weeks, but because the part was coming from outside of New Zealand, it was deemed to be reasonable. I would think within a calender month would be perfectly fine. Would I be happy with it. No. But then the CGA gives us lots of other things that we should be happy about which are silly, but thats for another conversation!

I guess it comes down to why you say it is unreasonable. As a consumer and not a business user it would be hard to prove it is a necessity and not just an inconvenience. I'm sure if you had an issue where say "it's my elderly grandmothers only contact with the world because she can't get a landline, and she sometimes falls down" then that might then become a necessity. But I'm sure if that were the case a loan phone would mysteriously appear!

Byrned

455 posts

Ultimate Geek

#342649 17-Jun-2010 13:05

savag3: The CGA allows you to make a claim for consequential loss. So in theory you could hire a phone to use while yours is being replaced and make Vodafone pay for it.

In this case you would need to prove an absolute need. Best example I've seen of this is a uni student whose laptop died, but had to get an assignment in the following week.