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Coulda, woulda, shoulda... bought the service plan.

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  • Coulda, woulda, shoulda... bought the service plan.

    I come in for OT yesterday and again I'm a TV repair dispatcher. I really hate TVs where the brand begins with an S.

    Old man called in with an issue on his TV. The volume controls didn't work. He tried two remotes, and I had him try the TV's front panel buttons. Oh, those same remotes worked on other TV's when he took them to the store. Clearly a hardware issue with the set.

    Only one problem: He was 1 month out of warranty, and he had no service plan. When a TV is out of warranty the initial diagnostic and trip fee is $150 and is NOT absorbed into the final parts and labor. Stupid I know, but I don't set the prices or policies.

    Brand will be referred to as "S".

    Me: Okay, because this set is now out of warranty and you have no service plan, the diagnostic and trip fee is $150. *gives terms*

    SC: This is ridiculous, it's a brand new S! Why can't you just fudge the dates on the ticket?

    Me: I understand how you feel, but I can't try and put this TV under the factory warranty as it no longer is valid.

    SC: I'm not paying to get a 13 month old TV fixed.

    Me: *Thinking: well then you should have bought the service plan.* I'm sorry sir but as this TV is now out of warranty the service call will have to be COD.

    SC: Get me your manager. Nothing against you as you're doing your job but I don't believe I should sink money on a TV that's basically brand new.

    Me: Sure, please hold....

    I get really cool sup, who agrees that this man has no case, but takes the call anyway....

    SC: Yes, your tech SLD told me that I have to pay to get my TV fixed. I'm not paying to fix a TV that I am still paying off.

    Sup: I'm sorry but because you're out of warranty and have no service plan, as my tech told you if we send out a service call it will be COD.

    SC: Personally, I think I got a lemon. One month after the warranty expires?!

    Sup: As with any mass-produced electronics, there is always a chance of hardware failure as in the case here.

    SC: Well I think that this TV should last more than 13 months!

    Sup: If you don't mind me asking, when you bought this TV why didn't you get the service plan?

    SC: Because it would have made a $1,200 TV a $1,500 TV. That, and buying a service plan is against my principals, you're buying one because you think the product may not last, I thought S made a good TV!

    Sup: *rolls eyes* Sir, I'm sorry about all this, if you feel you got a lemon, it might be best to contact S.

    *I give sup the phone # to S.*

    SC: Thanks, I think I'll call them. Remember this has nothing against you....

    *click.*

    Me, to sup: I've work retail since 2000 and here since 2004, the biggest complainers refuse to buy service plans then pitch a fit that they'll have to pay for repairs.

    Sup: That is so true.

    SLD's note: We also dispatch service calls for a TV manufacturer beginning with "P." The amount of service calls with have to send out for S vs P is something like 20 to 2. It's all manufacturing. S stopped making their TV's in Japan and switched 100% to either Mexico or China with apparently no regard to quality control. P makes the panels and supporting electronics in Japan then the final assembly is done in Mexico but at least they have an idea about quality control....

  • #2
    Glad I bought my "S" 2 years ago

    Has never given me a problem.
    I will never go to school!

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    • #3
      Service plans are generally a ripoff, so I don't blame him that much.

      Comment


      • #4
        Um...there are more than one S brands of tvs, I'm not sure which to avoid. Or are all of the brands starting with S bad?

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        • #5
          Is this the the S that paired up with Cher or the S that paired up with Frodo?

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          • #6
            It ends with a ''Y."

            Let's just say I won't even buy a pair of their headphones after dealing with this crap.

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            • #7
              Sadly I knew exactly what "S" company was being talked about right from the main post. Sad lol.
              New England Patirots... FIVE TIME SUPER BOWL CHAMPS!
              New England Revolution... Will win MLS Cup one day.

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              • #8
                Quoth Demolition Man View Post
                Sadly I knew exactly what "S" company was being talked about right from the main post. Sad lol.
                Me as well, i won't go near any of their products.

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                • #9
                  And this is a good reason for people to put major purchases on their credit cards. Some of mine double the manufacturer's warranties right off the bat. Others will allow me to return the item to the manufacturer and have the charge either prorated or refunded completely, so long as it's a problem with the item itself, not just "I changed my mind." Even if you have the cash to buy it outright, charge it and pay off the charge on your credit card rather than pay cash.
                  Sorry, my cow died so I don't need your bull

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                  • #10
                    Quoth sld72382 View Post

                    SC: Get me your manager. Nothing against you as you're doing your job but...
                    Am I the only one that actually really hates when customers use this line? "I'm not blaming you for something that's clearly my fault and a result of my lack of planning but in reality I am."

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                    • #11
                      Quoth Nashida View Post
                      Am I the only one that actually really hates when customers use this line? "I'm not blaming you for something that's clearly my fault and a result of my lack of planning but in reality I am."
                      It's even more annoying when it's something that, given the choice, you'd do anyhow. Or something that you are doing by choice. I was helping with the entrance exam for my programme when I was in grade 11, and a parent wanted to wait at the top of the stairs. I had the authority to tell him that he wasn't allowed to do it, and so I did. He pulled that line on me, and it ticked me off even more, because it implied that I was stupid enough to think that letting him do what he wanted would be a good idea.

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                      • #12
                        Eh, I don't buy service plans either. I read some stuff...

                        Still, if the service plan cost $300 and he only paid $150 for the repair, I'd say his gamble paid off. He saved $150. Hooray. Time to move on with life and enjoy your working telly.

                        --Love, Who?

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                        • #13
                          Well this man was sent a survey to his email after the call. He gave me good marks, but gave the rest of the survey bad marks. Why?

                          According to him, he called "S" and they had him reset the TV to factory settings and it worked. Great for him, but of course he had to get back at us.

                          In case you're wondering....

                          1. We're only allowed to instruct customers to reset a TV to factory settings if they are still within the factory warranty and/or a service plan. This is due to liability, if the factory reset damages the TV (rare but it could happen) and it's out of warranty we have to provide a repair for free and eat the cost. So I was only following policy by not having him do that.
                          2. I didn't tell him to call "S" (my sup was the first to tell him to do so) because "S" has a history of cutting off their association with the customer once their factory warranty runs out: Once the TV's warranty expires "S" doesn't want to have anything to do with you. Obviously the customer got lucky and got an agent that broke the rules.

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                          • #14
                            Quoth sld72382 View Post
                            Well this man was sent a survey to his email after the call. He gave me good marks, but gave the rest of the survey bad marks. Why?

                            According to him, he called "S" and they had him reset the TV to factory settings and it worked. Great for him, but of course he had to get back at us.

                            In case you're wondering....

                            1. We're only allowed to instruct customers to reset a TV to factory settings if they are still within the factory warranty and/or a service plan. This is due to liability, if the factory reset damages the TV (rare but it could happen) and it's out of warranty we have to provide a repair for free and eat the cost. So I was only following policy by not having him do that.
                            2. I didn't tell him to call "S" (my sup was the first to tell him to do so) because "S" has a history of cutting off their association with the customer once their factory warranty runs out: Once the TV's warranty expires "S" doesn't want to have anything to do with you. Obviously the customer got lucky and got an agent that broke the rules.
                            Sounds like he was at least not a complete SC like he could have been and had the understanding that you were just doing your job but figured if he bitched to the right person he could get something done.... I use this tactic because well I have seen that is how things work since I entered the customer service field. My level goes from pleasant to suck the hire up the ladder I climb, because well that is what managers in my opnion get paid to deal with and I also know the hire up you go the more power they have. Things I have been told I'm in no circumstance able to do my DM can do just because he feels bored.

                            But yeah, I guess he should have bought the service plan, I know generally they are a waste but for certain things I have let myself fall victim. Like my PS3 and my brothers plasma TV, knowing that well at the cost of what we were spending on the TV, that extra $150 was worth the piece of mind for the year, especially with some of the random things it would cover. But for the most part those plans are a damn ripoff which is another thread all together.
                            I'm sorry reading is not a new concept it has been widely taught in our nation for at least the past 100 years. Please, learn to do it CORRECTLY before you become contagious.

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