NEVER buy samsung products - No follow up after extended delay of mobile phone servicing

To the in-charge:
I sent my phone for servicing at the Plaza Singapura service centre on 24 Oct 2008, S/N 17480. Was adviced that my phone will be delivered to my home within 3-5 working days. At that time, I requested for a replacement phone but was told that there was none available. It was extremely inconvenient for me, as I am in the sales line, and need a good working phone to manage my business. However, I bore with the inconvenience, hoping that Samsung could fix my phone soonest.

On 3 Nov 2008, the 5th working day since I sent my phone for repair, I called 1800-SAMSUNG to enquire about the status of my phone. Was adviced that the phone is still under service but the officer had no idea what was the exact status of my phone, and would request for the department-in-charge to ring and update me on the status. I requested that I be given an update on that day or the next, at the very least.

On 6 Nov, the 8th working day since I sent my phone for repair, still had no news from Samsung. This was 2 days without any news from Samsung, when I specifically requested for a status update. After waiting on the phone for some time, was finally adviced that the service centre needed another 2 days to service my phone but could not explain what was the cause of the delay.

This has already resulted in an impact on my business and it was totally unacceptable. My phone was sent for servicing due to a manufacturing defect caused by Samsung, as it is still under a year of usage, and this has resulted in a loss of revenue that I had to suffer, plus the incovenience that I had to go through with regards to my line of work and way of life. Yet I could not even be given a status update on my phone.

I needed a clearer explanation and was adviced that a manager would ring me. When a customer service manager rang me a few hours later, I asked her if she knew what was going on. She told me she knew nothing except that I sent my phone for servicing on 30 Oct 2008. As a customer service centre, do you not keep the trail of your customers' queries/complaints so that you can do a follow up? I sent my phone on 24 Oct 2008 and this simple fact was not even captured on your system? As a result, I had to explain the entire situation again, for the 3rd time, and she promised me that she would follow up and ask the customer service at Plaza Singapura to update me either on that day itself or latest by 7 Oct 2008.

It is 8 Oct 2008 and I have yet to hear anything from Samsung. I believed in this brand name but sadly, I have given this brand 3 chances and it has disappointed me greatly. The customer service number closes at 1230pm on Saturdays and the alternative numbers for the service centres reflected on Samsung websites all direct to a fax machine when I called at 7pm on a Saturday, when shops are still supposed to be open. How does Samsung service its customers after office hours? In this modern age, does Samsung still expect customers to physically travel to its stores to enquire about their items?

Hope to hear a favorable explanation from Samsung soonest. In addition, a favorable compensation due to my loss in revenue for 9 working days as of today (and counting), an additional 4 working days from the 3 - 5 working days wait that was promised to me.