Demo Device - thanks O2!!!

[Anonymous]

 
I urgently need some assistance in relation to having received a demo BlackBerry Q10 handset from an O2 store in Hove last November, which has always been faulty for the simple reason that it isn't a proper handset. Until very recently I was unaware that the device given to me was a demo!

I have been going around in circles since November with no viable solution from any so-called experts, and I have found that certain senior members of staff connected with the Hove store – namely an area manager called Ash and someone who initially appeared efficient called Omar – have been extremely unhelpful and blanked me.

My handset, which the BlackBerry technical team have informed me is built for demo purposes and therefore will develop faults, has been sent away for repair a number of times and the strange problem that no one can resolve is down to fact that it is a demo device.

The BlackBerry technical team have informed me to “demand” that the network that gave me the demo handset replace it. However, this is where the O2 store in Hove has been stalling for time and been deliberately unco-operative. I have never experienced such poor customer service overall when it is clearly a human error by Omar in November 2011 to have given me a demo handset that will never function properly.

I have been informed by BlackBerry that however many factory resets and repairs take place that this demo device will never function as it is meant to.

This bad experience with O2 has been shocking, and the fact that the O2 store in Hove, Omar and the area manager Ash are not prepared to do anything despite the fact that they gave me a demo handset is extremely disappointing.

I simply need a reliable and unlocked high-end device that can deal with around a hundred emails a day, with BlackBerry seemingly the perfect handset for that. However, I don't specifically need another Q10 BlackBerry to replace this demo device, and need to resolve this dilemma asap.

Any advice as to what can be resolved as being given a non-functioning demo device by O2 after four or five repairs, and then for the various O2 staff to then be so unhelpful despite their initial human error is not good enough.

[Toby]

Hi Journalist007,

I'm Toby, the community coordinator. Sorry to hear about this! Feel free to send me a private message and we can sort this out.

Cheers

[jonsie]

Glad to see @Toby getting involved. Hope you can sort this nightmare out for the OP.

[Toby]

Thanks jonsie, we'll see what can be done

[Anonymous]

Hi Toby.

This is a real nightmare being given the runaround by an O2 franchise and customer services over being given a demo device.

I've now contacted Ronan Dunne to try to get this matter resolved as I've had this demo device since November, which is unusable as it keeps breaking down.

I'm still waiting for a response from Mr Dunne, the CEO of O2, but I did only contact him yesterday.

The previously unhelpful area manager for O2 franchises was emailed about this ongoing problem, which I CC'd to Mr Dunne, so that has got a response that he will try to resolve this matter amicably. 

Someone somewhere has made a profit out of me by giving me a demo device and returning the faulty BB to the repair centre. 

I'm appalled by the franchise at Hove and their dismissive attitude.

If there is anything that can be sorted from your end I would really appreciate it. Even though my attitude towards O2 franchises is at an all-time low I'm not going to vent my frustration against O2 overall as the people I dealt with on the phone at O2 (from 1998) have generally been fabulous, as I result I have pushed hundreds of individuals and businesses towards O2 but warned them not to bother with the shops if they have problems!

[Anonymous]

Thankfully the O2 Area Manager has suddenly been in touch, but only after O2 CEO Ronan Dunne was CC'd in the email - amazing how people react!

Although he will investigate further and take around a week before letting me know what, if anything, can be sorted.

@Toby has kindly stepped in as well to see what can be sorted. I'm not relying on the Area Manager to resolve this matter so hopefully Mr Dunne or @Toby will be able to get something rolling asap. I am away on holiday as from Sunday for a week so unlikely to get anything sorted.

Bad experience but I won't be running down O2, just I shall NEVER use an O2 franchise store ever again!

[Anonymous]

The ball is rolling so to speak.

I'll keep my fingers crossed and we await hopefully a reasonable outcome for you.

[Anonymous]

Will be intrigued to see what happens first...

Ronan Dunne hopefully will kick butt.

Customer Complaints have been pitiful, offering me a 2010 model in exchange of a BB 8310 then withdrawing that offer because they don't have the current IMEI on record of the Q10 demo.

O2 Franchise Store in Hove could do a turnaround as they are obviously one phone up (they took my faulty BB to swap for this demo device).

The O2 Area Manager resolves the matter.

So frustrating ...

[Anonymous]

Tbh I doubt the CEO will see this.

More likely his PA Office will deal with it.

[jonsie]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Tbh I doubt the CEO will see this.

More likely his PA Office will deal with it.

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Even so, it will be passed to someone in authority to deal with and they will have to find an amicable solution or risk further legal action.

[Anonymous]

I don't doubt that @jonsie