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Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Why You Should Not Buy A Samsung Mobile Product, FINDING Samsung A Bad Choice

For a brand awarded a Malaysian award for excellence (Putra Brand Awards 2015), surely that has to bear some weight in the manner of how Samsung operates as a reputable brand. Anything less and it belittles the Malaysia standard for excellence.

Reputable brands firmly believe in and deliver on their brand promise. They guarantee the quality of each sold product and personally warrant it against defects.

For your information, Finding Nemo (both the fictional Captain and Clownfish) would have been easier! Samsung is simply not consumer complaint friendly. [Add: Master of deception and Evasion]

I wasn't prepared and did not know how much future stress plus the accompanying heartache would follow when I purchased a Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 early this year in March 2016 from The Hello Station (M) S/B, a Samsung retailer located in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

Not even my past bad experiences with 3 Samsung smartphones and 1 Samsung Air conditioner stopped me. Prior to my current predicament, I had a Samsung Galaxy SIII which automatically kept on rebooting until the battery died or when it was removed. Even at that time, the process of returning it to Sen Heng Electric and getting it back took so long and the staff there were not happy to deal with product issues (the motherboard was replaced and that fortunately fixed the problem).

Now back to present...

I have been to SEMS Services S/B a few times already. Since it takes one visit to send the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 in for "repair" and another to collect it back, it is cumbersome when it continued to be problematic. Apparently, SEMS is an authorized Samsung Service Partner which would would explain why they are more keen to replace parts.

Unfortunately for me, this Samsung model has to be pried open for access to any failed parts and that causes scratches to it. So far, the charging port part has been replaced twice, once in April 2016 and once in August 2016. That's already one time more than acceptable. 

And now, just barely a week after collecting it from it's 2nd "repair", the device remained stuck in Safe Mode (and nope, multiple restarts did not solve the problem) and the volume was stuck down as well.

I have,
  1. Informed SEMS prior to it's 2nd "repair" that, if they did indeed check and confirmed  the same part as faulty -- to kindly not repair it, but to send it back to Samsung Malaysia Electronics in exchange for a brand new problem-free unit.
  2. Listened to SEMS's explanation that they only do repairs and not replacements. Hence, they "repaired" the device instead of following my request to return it to Samsung Malaysia Electronics.
  3. Attempted to escalate the defective product complaint to the dear Samsung people in Korea. A 100% impossible task as they practice a global customer feedback system that is strictly online thru their website www.samsung.com and the only replies by email from them cannot be replied AND the same details in the online feedback filled in again before subsequent "feedback" can be submitted. Note: Other channels mentioned on the website such as Twitter is equally disappointing.
  4. Failed to contact Dr. Oh-Hyun Kwon the Samsung CEO, obviously.
  5. Listened to a Mr. Seow from Samsung Careline Malaysia (+603 77137477) telling me today that he will try to help but no promises that I will get what I want, but "will at least get something". What that is, I really don't know.
  6. Been informed by the same Mr. Seow that although Samsung Careline is under it's parent company Samsung Malaysia Electronics, he is unaware where the company is located or of it's contact details, and also that it is company policy not to share such information with customers. What's with the cloak and dagger routine? Certainly very dubious and lacking in sincerity for a branded company!

For the record,

  • The quality of the product is questionable and not acceptable as the same problem occurred twice, while another just right after it's 2nd service.
  • It is also unfair practice on part of Samsung to sell a defective product and allow the warranty period to "run" while attempts to repair are made; instead of replacing it when the same problem recurs.
  • It cannot be expected of the consumer to return on a continuous basis to a Samsung Service Partner. Problems with the product must neither be repetitive nor excessive. When they are, the product is defective. Defective products should be exchanged immediately without delay.
  • It is also unlikely that scratches will occur when reasonable care and skill is applied during repair. There are already visible scratches on this device.
Summary:

As far as the NCCC (National Consumer Complaints Centre) and TCCM (Tribunal for Consumer Claims Malaysia) are concerned, it's hard for them to act when the very people behind the brand are not open with their contact details -- in Samsung's case there's only a Careline number and a one-sided online feedback form...

So why is Samsung making it hard for even the genuine product complaints to be addressed?

IF Samsung is even a little bit concerned about it's product quality, it should proactively resolve valid negative product feedback immediately. Giving the consumer the runaround is not what a reputable brand will do.

Factual: People buy branded products to avoid poor quality issues that encourage visits from repairmen and to service centers.

IT is highly probable that Samsung constructively weaves a process that makes it hard for bad product feedback -- to minimize poor publicity -- in order to maintain it's product popularity -- by letting consumers think a Samsung product must be of good quality since complaints are few.

I'm giving Samsung Electronics Malaysia time to own up and do the right thing by and before the end of August 2016 with a replacement new unit (with full warranty). Failing which, it's straight to the TCCM!  




Sunday, July 3, 2016

Might Be The Only 2 Quick Tips You Need to Answer 'Why Should I Hire/Keep You?'

Come back to this whenever you need to be interviewed or are being appraised.

1. Work out what they want - Your first step, as always is to do your
research. Start by reading your job description. If that doesn't help,
google for a list of examples on what a person in your job is expected
to offer (and do). This should give you a clearer understanding of the
job's expectations and allow you to either verbally or write them out.
Next, provide examples of how you have/can perform and deliver.

2. It's all about quality, not just quantity - The key things you
want them to know are your experience/training (what you've done),
education/skills (what you know to get things done), accomplishments
(what you have successfully done), and culture fit (what you are that
is similar or in line to the company's direction and a team player).
Be concise, this means not going overboard with more than 3-4
examples; otherwise you risk boring them. You can keep the extra for
later discussion (just in case).

Footnote: Understanding comes from thought. A complete understanding will let you know what's expected of you, it's either you perform to those expectations OR bye-bye. When you know what you are qualified to offer, you perform better - naturally.

Might Be The Only 2 Quick Tips You Need to Answer 'Why Should I Hire/Keep You?'

Come back to this whenever you need to be interviewed or are being appraised.

1. Work out what they want - Your first step, as always is to do your
research. Start by reading your job description. If that doesn't help,
google for a list of examples on what a person in your job is expected
to offer (and do). This should give you a clearer understanding of the
job's expectations and allow you to either verbally or write them out.
Next, provide examples of how you have/can perform and deliver.

2. It's all about quality, not just quantity - The key things you
want them to know are your experience/training (what you've done),
education/skills (what you know to get things done), accomplishments
(what you have successfully done), and culture fit (what you are that
is similar or in line to the company's direction and a team player).
Be concise, this means not going overboard with more than 3-4
examples; otherwise you risk boring them. You can keep the extra for
later discussion (just in case).

Footnote: Understanding comes from thought. A complete understanding
will let you know what's expected of you, it's either you perform to those expectations OR bye-bye. When you know what you are qualified to offer, you perform better - naturally.

Might Be The Only 2 Quick Tips You Need to Answer 'Why Should I Hire/Keep You?'

Come back to this whenever you need to be interviewed or are being appraised.

1. Work out what they want - Your first step, as always is to do your
research. Start by reading your job description. If that doesn't help,
google for a list of examples on what a person in your job is expected
to offer (and do). This should give you a clearer understanding of the
job's expectations and allow you to either verbally or write them out.
Next, provide examples of how you have/can perform and deliver.

2. It's all about quality, not just quantity - The key things you
want them to know are your experience/training (what you've done),
education/skills (what you know to get things done), accomplishments
(what you have successfully done), and culture fit (what you are that
is similar or in line to the company's direction and a team player).
Be concise, this means not going overboard with more than 3-4
examples; otherwise you risk boring them. You can keep the extra for
later discussion (just in case).

Footnote: Understanding comes from thought. A complete understanding
will let you know what's expected of you, it's either you perform to
those expectations OR bye-bye. When you know what you are qualified to
offer, you perform better - naturally.