Samsung is one the best TV brands in the world. Reliance Digital is one of the best digital retailers too. So, when you deal with both of these, you would assume that you would have a best customer experience while buying a flagship TV. Well think again!
Here is the overall experience and what happened so far.
Experience Summary:
Even after paying full payment, working and waiting for almost 4 months with Reliance and Samsung, as a customer, I still don't have a working TV at my home.Since the TV with Dirty Screen Effect (DSE) was delivered, I'm struggling for months to get the product replaced. The bad panel TV in my living room makes a very painful experience.
My buying experience extended for 2 months and service experience is going on for more than 2 months. Read on to know more...
Event log of what happened:
BUYING EXPERIENCE
[30th April 2021]
When Samsung TV was first sold for during pre-booking launch offer, I booked the 55" QN90A QLED TV through Reliance Digital. This was done on April 30th. As per the pre-book offer the TV was supposed to get delivered by May end and by June first week the installation should have happened.
Based on this promise, I pre-booked the TV by paying the amount that Reliance Digital Ambattur sales team told me. Well, this was also because the Reliance Digital sales guy was really professional in getting the deal sealed in time.
[14th June 2021]
During lockdown things got delayed which was understandable. Then one day I got a call from Reliance Digital Ambattur sales guy and it was mentioned that if I make the full payment I will get the TV delivered in 10 days.
[21st June 2021]
I paid the full amount under the committed assumption that it will be able to get that TV delivered in 10 days. This payment also included the resQ plan from Reliance Digital, which is about getting extended warrant on the product.
You can see that the pre-booking amount is also reflected in the bill.
[29th June 2021]
My occasional check with Reliance Digital Ambattur was not getting me any positive indications about WHEN the product was getting delivered. So, I contacted Samsung through their WhatsApp chat support and through email support. Both gave me the same answer that, "Since the purchase was done through retailer, contact them". So, I was stuck.
So, at this point, as a customer, I was stuck after making the full payment for a flagship costing lakhs of rupees and was not able to get a proper update of the delivery status. I even tried contacting the manager or accounts department section of the Reliance Digital. But the numbers that they haven't sent in their website and even on the just since seem to connect for multiple weeks so you're stuck with the salesman who don't know when the delivery is going to happen. I sent an email too reporting this.
The whole experience, which started from April month is now still prolonging even after all these days, with no sign of when the product will be delivered. I would have never ever assumed that dealing with a big company likes Samsung and Reliance Digital will run for multiple months. I am hoping that within few days I will get either the TV or a full reimbursement of the payment that I have made. Finger's crossed. I will keep you posted.
FINALLY, the TV gets delivered on 7-July-2021
PRODUCT/SERVICE EXPERIENCE
[7th June 2021]
SAD to see that we have a product problem now. The TV panel has some dark spots on the screen. This was found during the installation itself. Installation guy mentioned that Samsung technician will come and check.
[8th June 2021]
Samsung technician visited on 8-June-2021, thanks to a local manager, this tech visit was arranged quickly.
He immediately confirmed the problem and ask for videos and images. Here is one of the video that I shared.
It's very hard to capture the problem on the camera, since camera adjusts the brightness based on TV. The problem is clearly visible to naked eye, when you are watching the TV, especially plain colors like Sky, someone's face etc.
Several others also have reported panel problems in this TV.
https://www.reddit.com/r/4kTV/comments/obtqzu/brand_new_samsung_qn90a_black_spot_in_center_of/
https://www.reddit.com/r/4kTV/comments/p0z6e7/problems_with_my_unit_samsung_qn95a/
(QN95A is equivalent of QN90A in some other countries)
Local support and replacement team fiasco.
[9th June 2021]
Local team says that replacement team from national team will call for decision that we i need replacement or Samsung coupon. As customer, i have to pick the call and conclude my decision, if not they will cancel.
The call never comes in. I will get calls from everywhere. But, these guys always cancels the ticket saying "Customer not available". Local support team will call and they will say we have to pick. We get local support team's calls all the time. NO problem there. I gave both my number and my spouse number. Same problem. I sent email to customer support saying that I need replacement only. Samsung won't consider that. We have to answer a call that never comes. I went crazy.
WEEKS went by. One day, I received a call from national team. The customer support provided me the options. Then, before I conveyed my decision, she disconnected the call mentioning that she will call back. That call never came and my case got closed once again.
As a summary, so far I have sent multiple emails to Samsung customer support, made and received multiple calls to Reliance sales team and Samsung Delivery Manager. So, far no one has provided a resolution to this problem.
[29th July 2021]
Reliance sales guy called me and said that Samsung has passed over the resolution to Reliance and Reliance will deliver the replacement.
[29th July 2021 - 10-Aug-2021]
Several emails/calls/WhatsApp messages between me and Reliance sales guy and Samsung customer support teams. Getting nowhere.
[13th August 2021]
Received a call again today saying Samsung will provide coupon. When i asked how the coupon works and how much is the value of coupon, the Samsung support executive didn't had a clue. Then, I mentioned that i need a replacement, not coupon. He said OK and disconnected the call.
The journey continues...
[As of today - 14-Aug-2021]
Almost every day, one way or other, I will check with Samsung and Reliance. so far I don't have a working TV in home, even though I paid in full for a flagship product from Samsung and I bought it from one of the India's largest retailer Reliance.
Thought that, as a customer, you should know...
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