6610
Service

09.08.08

Nokia

Customer Care

India

Dear Sirs,

Sub; Nokia handset Servicing- Job Sheet No.080808/8 Nokia Care Center, Gariahat, Kolkata

Yesterday I visited the above service center. After waiting for nearly one hour I was attended and my hand set was taken for servicing for an estimate of Rs. 169/-. I was informed to check on a telephone connection by 3 PM for the exact cost of service and reach the center before 4 PM for delivery. I could not get through to the connection in spite of several trials and hence I reached the center by 4 PM. I had to wait for a long time and when my turn came the set did not function for more than a few seconds and the screen went off. The person at the center remarked that the set requires cleaning of the key pad as water has gone inside and there is rust. I was then told that actual charges are Rs 450/-. I had around Rs. 350/- and hence I could not take delivery.

Today morning I went to the center and the set again failed. The person at the counter asked me to connect to the charger. The set again failed. However, after it was charged for some time, the set started working.

I was then given a bill (scanned copy enclosed). The service charges was Rs. 100/ and service tax at 12.36% was Rs 69/ and Rs 281/ was charged as “components”. On enquiry I was told it is not customary to list the components in the bill. Then I insisted that the list should be recorded in the job card or they have to show the service register. This was refused and the items were listed in the Bill. I was asked to give a confirmation that the set is working satisfactorily on the job card. I registered my observation about the failure of the set and put my signature,

On reaching home I observed that the bill furnished is not of Nokia but of an agency. I then recalled that there is no evidence of the existence of the Agency neither in the Name board outside the center nor a formal display of the arrangement between Nokia and the agency running the center.

I went to the center assuming that it is Nokia’s operation. It is now apparent that Nokia is allowing an agency to exploit the customers.

1. Will Nokia explain why such a set up is allowed to operate in their name?

2. Why the operations are not transparent? Why there is no display of the arrangement between Nokia and the agency and the Agency is allowed to operate in the name of Nokia. This becomes apparent only when someone scrutinizes the bill.

3. Why the agency refuses to show the records of the defects found, list of parts replaced etc which will ensure the interest of the customer.

During 21/2 to 3 hours I spent at the center there were at least one dozen customers who were bitterly complaining. One person was following up since April for free replacement of defective head set and had visited the center on number of occasions. The staff simply says that the parts are not in stock and no date is furnished for the possible delivery. They do not make an entry in the job sheet about the customers visit enquiring about their issues A lady was complaining that her set has not been serviced for 17 days and each time she has to wait for a long time to be told that the set is not ready. She made a scene bitterly complaining and after some time the security complained that the child accompanying the lady had broken something in the reception area. With that a number of office staff joined together and started to exchange harsh words. At one point one of them used derogatory words and then I intervened and told a senior looking staff that this is not acceptable at all. Under no provocation can an organization’s staff can behave badly with a customer.

I can go on but what is important is that you are allowing your goodwill to be misused. I also suspect that the customers are being short changed and if you make an enquiry very little is in record, It is a sad state that Nokia’s reputation and customers’ interest are at the hands of an agency who apparently seem not answerable to any one.

Coming back to the bill story the staff simply changed the service charges from Rs. 100 to Rs 150 and the tax from Rs 69 to Rs 19.

I retuned back home with a feeling of possibly having been taken for a ride.

This is not intended to be a complaint about the Agency but the state of affairs Nokia has allowed their customers to be exposed. What a shame???

Sincerely yours,

(V.Krishnan)