IPhone 6 - horrendous customer services

[Anonymous]

Hi all

I've been a loyal O2 customer for a number of years, as have my wife and daughter.  I'm on my 3rd iphone contract, as is my wife and my daughter on her 2nd.

But unfortunately these will be the last.

On pre-order day, I ordered two iphone 6's via the O2 website to upgrade my and daughters 4s's. I arranged for the phones to be delivered to my local store (Stafford) and happily picked them up on 19th September.

On Saturday the 20th the phone was working fine but occassionally the screen would go blank for no reason and then come back on.  This continued on occassion until the following Saturday.

27th September, whilst I was out shopping the phone screen went blank and did not come back on at all.  The phone still seemed to be active as Siri was responding and blutooth was still active but the screen was dead.  I took the phone to the Stafford store and was told that the phone needed to be sent off to be repaired.  Not being aware of O2's 14 day replacement policy at the time I agreed and handed the phone over.

Over the next two weeks I monitored the status of the repair but all I saw was a message saying "locked - Find my iphone active". No one contacted me about sorting this out so I eventually went back into the store and asked what was going on.  Thankfully the guru I spoke with sorted it, turned find my phone off via icloud and contacted the repairers to tell them it should be clear. I again chased things up in store on the 10th October and was told the phone should be back with them on Monday 13th October.  I duly picked the phone up on the 13th and took it home to set it all back up again (I now know it was returned "fault not found" even though the staff in store clearly saw it was broken). 

On the morning of the 14th, the screen went blank again and refused to do anything.  I went straight to the Stafford store and was told "sorry sir, we have to send it off for repair again....if you want it replaced you have to go to Apple in B'ham".  I was slightly stunned to be honest, but went away planning a trip to the nearest Apple store (which I now wish I'd actually done!).

It was then that I had a look on the O2 website and found the 14 day exchange details, so went back to the store to take them to task over fobbing me off with the offer of repairs.

I explained everything to one of the senior staff who in turn said I needed to speak with Customer Services as I'd ordered it on line and not from in store.  He made the call, I confirmed my details on the phone to Customer Services and then the staff member took over and explained the situation, that the store made the mistake of sending it for a repair on the 27th September and that I should be entitled to a replacement.  Customer Services agreed and I was told they would send a new phone to the store for me to exchange for the broken one and they'd contact me to advise of when it would be available.

Roll forward 3 weeks and on the evening of the 5th November I rang Customer Service direct to try and find out what the heck was going on as I'd heard nothing.  I was told by the Customer Services rep that the notes on my file said nothing about them ordering me a new phone and that the manager of the Stafford Store was supposed to be requesting one.  I was directed to go back to the store to see what was going on.

So on the 6th November, I went to the Stafford store and spoke at length to the staff there - I even spoke to the chap who originally negotiated with customer services and he confirmed his understanding of the conversation in that Customer Services were supposed to be sorting it. The store again rang Customer Services and eventually were told that I would be getting a new phone and that they would "phone me" to arrange a day for me to exchange my broken phone. The store were then cut off.

Two things - I have no idea how O2 intend to get in touch as I have no mobile phone and no other phone number that they may have.  And not suprisingly, almost 36 hours after the conversation, I have not heard anything either by phone or e-mail.

So, to recap:

19/9 took delivery of iphone 6

27/9 handed broken phone over for repair (should have been offered a straight replacement there and then)

13/10 took deliver of "repaired" phone

14/10 phone broke again - Stafford store negotiated a replacement to be sent to them for me to pick up

5/11 called customer services to be told Store needs to order new phone

6/11 visited store who confirm original arrangement, but am now told I will get a new one

7/11 still no contact

That's over 5 weeks without a phone.  5 weeks where I have been paying for a phone service which I have not been able to access.  5 weeks of simply being passed from one part of O2 to another.

I have no idea what to do now - do I go back to the store and make a scene (when its not really their fault) or do I ring customer services and demand a replacement (but have little/no faith in their ability to deliver)?

i do know one thing though - I will not be renewing my contract with O2 when it runs out, either for my phone or the other two in the house.

Sorry for the long post and would welcome your advice/comments.

Cheers

Rich

[MI5]

Hi Rich.
In all honesty I would just go directly to Apple and get an on the spot replacement.
That is the one thing I do rate Apple for as they won't quibble anything if they can see that it is faulty.
I would also put together details of your fiasco in writing to complaints as you may fine you will get a gesture of goodwill in the form of an account credit or tariff reduction http://www.o2.co.uk/how-to-complain
Whatever you decide to do, good luck and let us know how you get on please.

[Anonymous]

Hi and thanks for the swift reply. 

If the phone was completely broken, I'd have no issue going direct to Apple, but given that the issue seems to be coming and going (3 members of staff at the Stafford store have seen the phone in its broken state, yet it comes back from being repaired with "no fault found") I'm rather reluctant to go to Apple as I could get to the store and find its working perfectly!! 

I'm going to give customer services a ring tomorrow and ask to speak to a manager and see what's what, but I'm am most certainly going to make a formal complaint regardless. 

Cheers 

Rich

[Anonymous]

Hi @Anonymous and Welcome to the community forum.

Apple will replace an iPhone if it shows up a fault from a diagnostic even if it was not bought through them.

Typically a Genius Bar appointment is required but they will also see you if the Genius Bar is not busy.

The point also here is that you've bern let down at various different levels / depts by O2.

Making a complaint via the form is usually replied to in 28 days. I'd ring them on 202 and see if they'll give you a goodwill gesture for the trouble and effort you've made to chase things up.

O2 should as you're aware also be replacing the iPhone.

I would assume O2 have your email address which they could use to contact you.

Good luck with this.

Usually when an iPhone glitches a reset via holding the sleep / wake button and home button until the apple logo appears and then let go resolves most issues.

[MI5]

Check your diagnostic log for any PANIC.PLIST entries?

[Anonymous]

Hi Rich - Doesn't surprise me@ all to read of your "experience"!! Their CS are total crap and they couldn't care less; I'd go into the store because it sounds like you'll get more joy there& they don't like ppl making a fuss, but after all, its your money they're taking and they're in breach of contract - first of all because they didn't inform you of their 14-day returns policy and they should have, secondly, you're paying for a "service" you're not getting and I would also inform them you're contacting Trading Standards & The Office of Fair Trading (and I WOULD, anyway!) and I find this usually gets results - it's gross unprofessional, but that's how O2 roll, sadly! 😣
Failing that, I'd go to apple and they're brilliant - helpful& knowledgeable and when I've had problems of non-working phones, they swap them over there and then; after all, you have their 1-year warranty. Hope U have some success & I'd be interested to know

[MI5]

Quite strong words there Yvonne and we usually find 99% of problems can be sorted by following the correct complaints route, when required.
The only error made by the store, so far, is to miss the fact that the phone was within 14 days, but as it wasn't purchased from that store they may not know that anyway.
Finally you mention "paying for a service you are not getting" which isn't actually true as the "service" provided by O2 is a network connection - A phone fault is not part of the service.
Thanks for joining in the discussion though and hope to see you around some more

[Cleoriff]

What a horrendous experience! Takes all the joy out of having a new phone in my opinion.

It does seem the way to go, is as suggested, via an Apple store. If you try the O2 stores you will probably end up being fobbed off again and still no phone.

Frustrating certainly..... I wish you the very best of luck

[Anonymous]

A quick (positive) update, I rang the complaints number this morning and I seem to have finally made some progress.

O2 acknowledged the conversation with the store staff on the 6th November and that it had been escalated to a manager at that time to action, but it appears yet again nothing had happened beyond that.

So very apologetic and grovelling, took all the details down (again!) in order to make a good will claim for the line rental etc whilst I've been phoneless and also liaised with the repairs team to get a new phone ordered.  I then had a call back literally within minutes to speak with the repair team and confirm all the details for an exchange and hopefully I should have a replacement within the next few days.....fingers crossed!!

Thanks again for your comments folks, very much appreciated.  

Cheers

Rich

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your update.

A good reasonable outcome (eventually).

I hope you get your new phone swiftly and you can get back to enjoying the phone and network services.