[Resolved]  Nokia India / E61i / Product No. [protected] — Terrible Customer Care

Sir,

I have been using Nokia cell phones for the last 6 years. I started using Nokia phones when my brother gifted me one Nokia 3315 handset after I completed my graduation in the year 2002. I have been quite satisfied using Nokia phones. I was given one Nokia phone when I joined Levi’s. It is the trust in the brand that these companies and people like me go for the products of this brand. I have made a lot of my friends go for a Nokia handset for the simple reason that I believe and have experienced it myself that Nokia is the better brand than others in the market. Last year I bought one Nokia E61i phone (Date of purchase- 4/4/2008 from Hotspot Community Centre, New Friends Colony, New Delhi) for myself and one Nokia N70 for my brother. I was quite satisfied with the product. I am an Architect by profession and I have worked for brands like PUMA, Levi’s, Barista, Arvind Brands (Lee/ Excalibur). There are three kinds of ways a company treats its customers.

1- Delighting the customer- When the company delights its loyal customers by doing things more than the customer expects. By doing that these companies make a huge impression on those customers. It is this approach that makes these companies excel in their business.
2- Giving exactly and only what the customer expects- the company give the customer what it promises- nothing more, nothing less.
3- Terrible Customer care- the company shatters the customer’s loyalty and trust in the brand. The customer feels cheated and frustrated and feels that his hard earned money is being robbed.

I am really proud to have worked for brands like Levi’s where our motto is to delight the customers. I can give you a lot of examples of the things we do to satisfy our loyal customers. We go the extra mile to satisfy our customers.

Let me now tell you about the kind of customer care Nokia has. It gives me pain and only pain to tell you that going by my experiences, Nokia’s customer care falls into the third category. I feel I have been robbed. I am hugely disappointed by the way your customer care executives have treated me.

I am a very honest man. The problem started last year in the first week of August when I dropped my cell phone from my bed because of which its display was gone. I had to fly to Bombay for professional reasons. Since I had to take my flight, I couldn’t go to any of the customer care centers in Delhi. I went to Nokia Care at Nokia Brightpoint India Pvt. Ltd. Phoenix Mills Compound, 3rd Floor, 'C' Wing, 462, Senapati bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai - 400 013. I wasn’t having much time because of my tight schedule but still since in today’s times you are dead if your mobile is dead, I had to extract some time out of my busy schedule. And so I went there and gave the phone to the customer care executive- a lady. Back then it was under the warranty period. But I was told that I’ll have to get it fixed from some other local mobile repairing stores and not from any of the Nokia service Centers. I couldn’t understand. I asked again why should I go to a third party when I am here in a Nokia Service Centre. I even asked should I go and check in the Nokia service centers in Delhi. And I was told no matter where I go I’ll get the same reply. I was hugely disappointed but I was told that they can’t help me. To my understanding it’s not the fault of their employee ‘coz they follow orders. They do what they are told to do. So I am assuming that its all the company’s fault. I even said that I am not telling you any lie; it’s my mistake that I dropped it from the bed. I just need to know what is the way out now. I was shown a sorry face. I was hugely disappointed.

I was about to buy a new handset when a friend suggested me to go to some Nokia Care in Delhi. So I went to Nokia Care in Kalkaji (B-30, Ground Floor). I gave them my handset and much to my surprise your customer care executive this time gave me an estimate of Rs. 4000 (Job Sheet No.[protected]/090620/22). This time I wasn’t told that it can’t be fixed. I don’t understand this at all. I am hugely disappointed because of the pathetic customer care. Nine months back in Bombay I was shown the door and now Nokia is telling me that my mobile can be fixed. I need an explanation. Because of their mistake I have been suffering for the past 9months carrying this damaged handset. I expect a proper explanation.

For the past 9months I have been carrying this damaged handset. I can easily buy a new handset but I wanted to remind myself again and again about my mistake. I could have gone to some unauthorized mobile repairing shop but I didn’t do that for the simple reason that I believe that I should get what I deserve and from the right place. My handset has been repaired as conveyed to me on phone by the Nokia Care, Kalkaji, New Delhi. I have told them that I am not going to collect my handset unless and until I get a proper explanation and some appropriate action from their end. I am expecting some adequate action from their end.

I am a man of principles. It’s my hard earned money and I need a proper explanation and some adequate action. I have been a very loyal customer and I deserve to know the reason behind such a terrible treatment from the company's end. It’s not just about money. I can easily afford to buy a cell phone in the same range. But as I said I am a man of principles and I fight for what I deserve. So I am writing this letter showing my disappointment and my angst.

I hope you’ll do the needful by taking appropriate steps.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Asif Hayat Siddiqui
Architect
New Delhi
Mobile no. [protected]
B-31, Third floor
Johri Farm, Okhla
New Delhi-25