My S7 Sparked, Smoked, and Stopped Taking a Charge

[Freeny]

Hello,

I am a new Telus customer who is also part of the Telus family indirectly.  I have been a loyal Samsung customer since the S3 and love their phones. (Except the new update...)

I became a Telus customer 4 months ago, when I received a new S7.  About 2 weeks ago I plugged the phone into the charger when a little spark flew out followed by smoke.  The phone was hot and stopped charging all together.  Upon further inspection I noticed the charger was distorted.

We called tech support for mobility, they noted what happened and told us to take the phone into a Telus location.  We took it in and were told that the phone would have to be sent for repair - I asked why I wouldn't just be given a new phone, to which I was told that that was the process.

One week later my husband went to pick up the phone, repaired and updated with the new software upgrade (grrr), without my glass screen protector which I had purchased from Telus, and without a new charge cable.  I didn't originally see the distortion on the charge cable so I didn't think to take it into the store so they said for me to come back to the store with the cable and they would replace it.  This is not ideal as it's not convenient but I suppose it is what it is.

Why am I writing?  The customer service that I received was deplorable - there was none.  We spoke with Telus agents in the store and multiple times with loyalty and what was evident to me is that because I happen to be part of the Telus family we were treated differently.  I am not an employee, however my husband is, and he got to hear multiple times "well you should know the process".  My husband loves working for Telus, he prides himself in giving the best customer experience possible - I know this because I hear his passion everyday.  He has walked away from this feeling dejected.

Me?  I'm pissed.  My brand new phone, that I take care of, sparked and smoked.  This is the phone that my two year old son watches videos on and plays games on.  This is the phone that sits on my night table beside me when I sleep.  This is the phone that could have caused damage to my home. Needless to say I am uncomfortable with this phone.  So instead of an apology, we'll take the phone back and issue you a new one so that you can have peace of mind was instead repaired and in the process we were given sub-par customer service and made to feel as if we were lying about what happened.  On top of it all, I have yet to be compensated for the time I did not use my phone, I am out the $40 that I spent on a glass screen protector because your Telus agent did not note it on his work order, and I no longer have the receipt so I can't provide proof.  (and my newly repaired phone has the newest update which I loathe and have been avoiding since it came out - this is mine to deal with and I will but thought you should know).

What do I want?  I want you to understand the severity of what we have gone through, and what could have been.  I want to talk to someone, a manager, and I want you to tell me why we were treated the way we were and what you will do to make me feel better about this entire situation.

[NFtoBC · Accepted solution]

Sorry to learn of your dissatisfaction. Once you are past the 15 day return period, you are subject to the manufacturer’s warranty, not Telus exchange. The phone would be sent back to Samsung’s nearest repair facility, and either repaired or replaced, at the manufacturer’s sole option. You should have been directed to remove the case before the phone being sent in, as the repair facility takes no responsibility for any additional hardware sent with the phone, nor any software installed on it.

While it is unfortunate that Telus is unable to replace malfunctioning devices, we all have policies to follow in our jobs, and can only work within those. Most folks try the best they can, but can only do so much.

You have a repaired or replaced phone, and have been offered a fresh cable to replace the damaged one. That is more than your warranty provides for.  I’m not sure there is anything more this Neighbourhood of customer volunteers can offer.

[Lola]

I also have Telus employees in my immediate family, and high up the chain now too.  Two of my family members have worked for the company since 1977. I never mention connections while dealing with Telus, but given it's your husband, it was hard to not have that known. But I don't understand how you were treated differently from any other customer, except being told your husband should know the process.

[johnevansab]

Once you are past the 15 day return period, you are subject to the manufacturer’s warranty.  Telus actually did you a service by sending it away for you.  You could have sent it away yourself - or worse they could have made you do that.  Just an FYI - I purchased a Samsung S7 brand new from the Samsung store - and they did the exact same thing with me.  I even had the extended warranty from the store.

I have a Google Pixel phone - better manufacturers warranty.  My wife swears by her iPhone because of the service from apple.  I now stay away from Samsung.

Just a note with the Samsung phones - even when they are purchased from a Samsung store unlocked, they lock to the first carrier they connect to.  Unlike the iPhone or Pixel.