My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

to think shouting "It's all on YOUR head!" is not the right response from Samsung Repair Customer Service?

20 replies

TheNorthRemembers · 13/01/2017 19:27

I have sent my phone away for repair just after the new year, but it was irrepairable. They have sent me a new one. Although I am very grateful, but I do not want a new one, I want the old one with my photos on.

As they would not respond to my email queries, I have called them today. The first three agents gently and gradually told me that the photos of my child (not all just last year's were on it) were immediately "flashed" due to data protection and they were very sorry. I was really sobbing by then and profusely apologising for crying. I said I wanted to make an official complaint, because I would not have sent away my phone if I knew this.

I have ended up by a customer service agent who told me that he checked the webchat and the agent in it advised me that I should perhaps back up my data. Then he proceeded aggressively repeating "It is all on YOUR head!" to me. I felt quite intimidated, cried more, said good-bye and hung up.

  1. Advising someone that they should consider backing up their data is not equivalent to we are wiping all your data straight away.
  2. Unlike other service providers Samsung does not send you the transcript of the webchats, so I have to take their word for it that the warning was in it.
  3. Treating an already distressed crying woman like that is not acceptable.


Samsung, I love your phones, but you have lost a client.
OP posts:
Report
harderandharder2breathe · 13/01/2017 19:35

Yanbu, even if it's factually correct, he should have been more sympathetic.

I'm not saying this is the case here, but I know (I work in a call centre) how annoying it can be to have to deal with people who didn't listen to the info they were given on their previous call (because I am 100% confident they weren't told they'd have their money instantly).

However, he could see you were given only vague advice, knew you were upset and the nature of what had been deleted. So he should have been more sympathetic, acknowledged that it should have been made clear what would happen, and raised your complaint.

Report
Chloe84 · 13/01/2017 19:38

YABU. Why do you think they advised you to back up your data?

It's done, I'm not sure what you expect them to do? Give you compensation?

Report
BarryTheKestrel · 13/01/2017 19:40

That's appalling service. However it is standard for data to be wiped during a repair which is why they have to suggest you back up your data. There is always a possibility they won't be able to repair it or its a bigger repair than first thought meaning the data is lost.

However, he should not have spoken to you like that. Did you have Google photos or similar? I thought I'd lost all my photos when my phone died, then realised about a month later they were all auto backed up to Google photos without me realising. It's worth a look at all potential cloud options.

Report
TheNorthRemembers · 13/01/2017 19:42

I wanted to include in the follow-up email what they send to customers (I checked and it is not) that their data will be wiped, but I was not able to say my piece.

I do not want their money, and I said even to the rude person that I realise it is in now way his fault personally.

OP posts:
Report
TheNorthRemembers · 13/01/2017 19:43

Thank you Barry. It is very hit and miss what they backed up and last year's photos are not included.

OP posts:
Report
VivienneWestwoodsKnickers · 13/01/2017 19:44

I'm afraid you were warned and failed to act on the warning. It is not the fault of the company.

Every phone and repair company I know of gives the same instruction.

Report
SisterMoonshine · 13/01/2017 19:52

I just couldn't send my phone away without backing up the photos first. It seems very blasé to do that regardless of the warning to back up your data.

Report
TheNorthRemembers · 13/01/2017 20:01

Well, they say they have warned me, but I have no access to the webchat. All they have written down to me was:
"Thank you for contacting Samsung, and we're sorry to hear you're having trouble with your device. We'll try our very best to get your device 'back up and running' and returned to you as quickly as possible. Once a device is received at the Samsung Support Centre we aim to return the device to you within 5 business days* (Subject to parts availability)."

I know I am stupid, but it did not occur to me that they would not return my phone.

OP posts:
Report
lilyb84 · 13/01/2017 20:07

I would never send a phone for repair with personal things saved on it. I'd back up and delete anything personal from the phone before sending it in. Your stuff could get wiped during the repair process so even if they returned it, it might be reset to factory settings and you'd have lost everything anyway.

But then I don't trust technology as far as I can throw it so am naturally cautious. I think you've been a bit naive here op - not stupid - but it's a shame you've lost your photos and the customer service you received sounds worth complaining about. I wouldn't over-egg the fact you've lost your photos though as they did advise you to back-up and probably won't be overly sympathetic.

Report
Bringmewineandcake · 13/01/2017 20:14

Can you do a data subject access request? It means they have to provide you with a copy of all their correspondence with you, including phone call transcripts. There's a £10 fee and it can take up to 8 weeks to get a copy of your file, but it would put your mind at rest as to what you were and weren't told.
You have my sympathies, OP. I recently broke my phone and thought my photos had gone forever. When I got my new phone though they all reappeared. They'd been sort of hidden in a back up. You might find the same.
Good luck Flowers

Report
Paraskevidekatriaphobia · 13/01/2017 20:16

I agree the guy could have been more sympathetic but Yabu if you did not back up your data. Same with computers, tablets etc - the advice us always back up if sending in for repair. They could have returned your phone! sure, but it still might have had the data wiped in the repair process so you still wouldn't have your precious photos. Took mine to have a faulty battery replaced last week, the guy in the store asked me if I'd backed up, I had per the appointment email. While I was waiting, I heard them ask other customers the same thing. One customer hadn't so they backed it up to the cloud for her.

Report
TheNorthRemembers · 13/01/2017 20:17

Thank you Bringme I shall ask for a transcript.

Well, I have learnt my lesson.

OP posts:
Report
Blink1982 · 13/01/2017 20:27

All my photos taken on my phone automatically save to google photos aswell, which saves them on a cloud. Have you turned on the new phone and signed into your Google account? All may not yet be lost.

Report
melj1213 · 13/01/2017 20:35

YANBU to be upset by how rude the CS agent was when speaking to you as that attitude was not acceptable.

I work in a supermarket on customer services and although I have, on occasion, wanted to say to customers "Actually it is your fault that this has happened because you didn't do X/Y/Z as we told you to, so now it's not working it's your problem" I never have, because it's rude and uneccarily aggressive and gets us nowhere. More often than not, I will get that message across in the conversation we have, but I always take care to be as polite, non confrontational and apologetic as possible, so that my attitude doesn't escalate the situation further.

YABU to blame them for your data being lost. It's common sense and standard praqctice to back up your digital information regularly anyway, and especially before you send your phone off for repair. Even if they weren't explicit by saying "BACK UP ALL YOUR STUFF NOW", by saying "OK, if you're going to send it in for repair, I would back up all your stuff just in case" they have covered themselves as you were given advice, you chose to ignore.

It is very unlikely that your data was wiped "straight away" nor is it done as standard. If the phone only needs to be repaired, they will do their best to save your data wherever possible, but it may be lost if they have to do a factory reset ... but if, as it appears to be in your case, it is deemed irrepairable you will be offered a replacement and your old handset will then be destroyed/scrapped/harvested for parts (depending on the fault) inhouse and as part of that process all data will be wiped as part of the Data Protection rules. You were never going to get that handset back unless it was repaired. As soon as it is deemed irrepairable there is a process it will have to go through and it must be accounted for and so they can't be sending it back.

Report
froomeonthebroom · 13/01/2017 20:38

My photos (on my samsung phone) back up to my Google account. Is there any chance you have this set up?

Report
NotStoppedAllDay · 13/01/2017 20:42

Jesus, don't people take personal responsibility anymore? Why didn't you back it up? Keep the sim?

Comments n sense really

Also, your comment about 'crying woman' is pathetic and an insult to women..... like, we are weak, I am a woman therefore I'm special and need extra consideration as I'm now crying!

Report
Oysterbabe · 13/01/2017 20:45

As pp say, I have a Samsung and all photos autosave to my Google account. I'd be surprised if a modern phone didn't store them to a cloud.

Report
followTheyellowbrickRoad · 13/01/2017 20:54

I've sent more than one phone away to be repaired and I've been told that they are wiped as standard practice. They have all come back completely reset.

I would make a compliant about how the agent spoke to you. And also about the return process and you not being informed that you would lose everything on the phone.

Report
drivingmisspotty · 13/01/2017 20:56

I think you are getting a hard time here. You made a mistake, which you have admitted, but you were understandably upset about it. You just wanted to give feedback that it could be handy for others in your position to be reminded in the confirmation email to back up data including photos (I wouldn't automatically think data= photos but maybe I am dim!)

The person you spoke to was horribly rude to shout and to blame you. That's just a terrible way to treat someone and a bit nuts in terms of customer service too. Surely it is normal to just accept the feedback and say you will record it and pass it on and that you are sorry to hear the customer is upset? How odd of him.

I would be tempted to email in a complaint about him but also maybe best for your own sanity just to walk away now.

I misread your title actually and thought he was saying 'it's IN your head'. Well it is. All those lovely moments with your DC are there in your head and you will make many many more. Flowers

Report
TheNorthRemembers · 13/01/2017 21:19

Thank you for all your comments.

OP posts:
Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.