HTC Thailand scandal!

[Joe2050]

I would like to share with you the traumatic experience that I currently live with HTC Thailand…

A few months ago, we decided to buy HTC phones for my company here in Thailand. I myself have personally acquired a HTC ONE MAX paid THB 24'000.

Unfortunately, I recently had a technical problem, so I brought my smartphone to HTC Fortune Tower Service Center. First bad surprise was to learn that a small minor repair would take at least 2 weeks. When I asked why, the girl told me: “long queue because we have too many repairs to do”, which is not so really good for the quality image of HTC devices.

Well, last September 4th, I received a phone call from them saying that my phone has been repaired and would be returned to me within 3 days.

Having still not received my phone on September 12th (8 days later…), I called the Hotline to ask about it. I was told “we have a problem with the company supposed to make the deliveries, we will call you back”. Not any news from them, so I called again on September 15^th, same strange answer, the lady was not able to give me any reliable information, saying the same “we will call back tonight”. Of course no one has called me, so I called once again on September 16^th. For the first time I had someone who speaks English quite well, but he was visibly embarrassed, unable to tell me what's happening.

18 days (!) now I am waiting my smartphone, no one can give me professional information about:

1. Where is my phone?
2. When I will get it back?

I know Thailand, I know that nothing is simple, but in this case, it is my worst experience in terms of customer service… Problems can sometimes happen, I understand. What I do not understand is why no one in this company is able to explain clearly and honestly what the problem is and to find a solution to satisfy the customers? I even called a supposed manager, Khun Jate, same attitude, complete inability to give a coherent answer and to call back.

Personally I think all these phones have been stolen or lost. But then why not suggest an alternative?

Does someone has an idea of what to do next?

Thank you

Joe

[chris2004]

Buy a Samsung Note 3

[Joe2050]

Definitely, but I will certainly not give up without reacting... They must compensate aggrieved customers; I'm not the only one!

[arthurwait]

5......

[wilcopops]

Welcome to customer service, Thai-style.

This is not just an HTC thing, this is typically the way that ANY company in Thailand will deal with a mistake. If the phone is lost or stolen they will do ANYTHING rather than admit fault.

It seems ridiculous to me because far from "going away" the problem just gets bigger and bigger.

Any "normal" company elsewhere would quickly admit the phone was "accidentally put out of commission" and replace it with same or better model...you wouldn't even have to ask; but in Thailand once they have your money the prevailing culture is that "the customer is always wrong" - (I expect the next thing will be that you will be told you shouldn't have allowed the phone to be shipped by them!!)...or they'll repeated ask for more and more obscure documents relating to the purchase or your ID.

May I suggest you by-pass HTC Thailand and contact their suppliers (China?) and recount your story......i'm sure it's the last thing they want to hear and will jump into action.

HTC make really good phones but they haven't penetrated the Thai market.....one suspects this is not simply down to market forces, when one sees the MASSIVE predominance of Samsung here.

Due to water damage, I had to quickly replace an old HTC with the first available phone, which of course was a Samsung. I've owned the Samsung for over a year and am singularly unimpressed with the whole thing. My HTC has started working again and I use it now as a second phone as it has an older version of Android on it, but my efforts to get a mid-range HTC are usually met with blank faces by most phone dealers.

Edited September 23, 2014 by wilcopops

[KittenKong]

Servicing is often contracted out to third-party companies. I suggest you contact the HTC head office in Thailand and explain the problem to them.

[Toknarok]

I'd be very careful naming companies and individuals for bad service in this Country. The defamation laws are draconian.

[Joe2050]

Thank you for your comment. Nothing defamatory, just real facts. After having tried everything, called multiple times without receiving any satisfactory answer, I think I am entitled to share my opinion about this company. I could prosecute them for stealing my smartphone!

[ghworker2010]

I'd be very careful naming companies and individuals for bad service in this Country. The defamation laws are draconian.

daft comment. This is an anonymous forum. Who is HTC going to sue in court- an unknown member of a public forum ha ha

[zakk9]

I delivered a camera to Panasonic for repair a couple of years ago. It came back after 6 months, it worked and there was no bill. I believe it's a combination of Thai attitude and large corporations that would rather sell you a new one than repair anything that is more than a few hours old. Exception: Nokia. Their customer care centre at MBK provides great service. As for cameras, Nikon, Canon, Fuji and Olympus all have good service centres in Bangkok.

[Toknarok]

I'd be very careful naming companies and individuals for bad service in this Country. The defamation laws are draconian.

daft comment. This is an anonymous forum. Who is HTC going to sue in court- an unknown member of a public forum ha ha

Don't laugh. The offended party can under Thai law sue the owners of the forum, in this case Thai Visa. That is why the mods clamp down on 'name and shame' posts.

[KittenKong]

Nothing defamatory, just real facts.

In Thai law the accuracy of the claims is not relevant. Only the defamatory nature of the claims is relevant.

And those responsible for the place in which the defamation is published (book, newspaper, website) can be considered culpable, as well as the author.

As far as I know Thailand is unique in this respect.

[DisparateDan]

I think HTC and CTH must be the same, NO CTH is worse.

Edited September 23, 2014 by DisparateDan

[seajae]

mate, welcome to thai service and back up. We bought 8 tv's(top brand) for our units, 1 stopped working after a couple of hours(screen problems) so we took it back to the shop, 3 months later they phoned to say we could pick it up, this is what you get here as service, they dont really care what happens although with my samsung phone they have been very fast to return it, time to change brands and go over their heads to the head office for HTC, not the "thai who gives a damn" shop

[Felixthecat]

m8 seriously, i would stop asking for your phone back & ask FOR YOUR MONEY BACK!.......Maybe that might speed up process

[DisparateDan]

m8 seriously, i would stop asking for your phone back & ask FOR YOUR MONEY BACK!.......Maybe that might speed up process

Probably exactly the opposite.

[wow64]

mai pen rai... buy the new iphone.

[geronimo]

One could waste a lot of mental energy on demanding this and that or ..... one could buy a different phone and move on. I am sure you will get it back eventually.

[DaddyWarbucks]

Thank you for your comment. Nothing defamatory, just real facts. After having tried everything, called multiple times without receiving any satisfactory answer, I think I am entitled to share my opinion about this company. I could prosecute them for stealing my smartphone!

No you couldn't...

Settle your grievances privately.

If you persist in public defamation, the Thai legal system will teach you a lesson you won't forget anytime soon.

[jimmybkk]

I took an ipod to get repaired a few years back. I had tried a few places including an Apple shop (who sent it away to BKK and then called me a couple of weeks later to say they couldn't fix it and sent it back) and finally a branch of Amorn in Pattaya reckoned they could fix it. They sent it to Bangkok and it was subsequently returned and they also said they couldn't fix it, but thankfully they said they could retrieve all my songs and if I gave them an external hard drive they would transfer all the music for me. I eagerly agreed and paid 400 Baht and came back to days later to receive my ipod in a couple of pieces in a ziploc bag and my external hard drive full of my music...

When I got home and plugged in the hard drive it was full of soft rock and country and western songs. Then took a closer look at the ipod and realized it wasn't mine... Lol. Didn't even bother going back to complain. The moral of the story however is that it's not a bad idea to make a note of the serial number of your device and have it confirmed by the staff at wherever you take it to get it fixed.

[irishsmile]

I know a Thai guy who is selling a Pantech Vega Iron on the cheap .... No questions asked, lol

[wilcopops]

If you have a complaint, GO FOR IT! HTC are not a Thai company and won't be happy if their affairs and reputation are being mis-handled in Thailand.....contact them and let them know!

[xen]

mai pen rai... buy the new iphone.

Why would he do that ?. He has enough problems already .

[The Deerhunter]

HTC - what is this, 2008?

and stop typing in all caps....good lord.

Who is typing in all caps??? Where ??? HTC??? that is a product name

[metisdead]

Nonsense posts have been removed.

[Joe2050]

Magically people at HTC Thailand have started to wake up! While I expect a solution for weeks, yesterday I received three calls from HTC people apologizing. I have been talking about my problem on Internet, write letter to the Thailand manager, contact a person at HTC Taiwan, threatening them with legal action, so finally they decided to act! Still no explanation of what happened and where my smartphone was gone, but I was told that I would receive a new phone within this week...

So much effort required to put pressure on them, so that ultimately they fulfill their responsibilities. This proves that in Thailand, you must make noise to be heard!

Still the damage is done. Never HTC again...

[wilcopops]

Magically people at HTC Thailand have started to wake up! While I expect a solution for weeks, yesterday I received three calls from HTC people apologizing. I have been talking about my problem on Internet, write letter to the Thailand manager, contact a person at HTC Taiwan, threatening them with legal action, so finally they decided to act! Still no explanation of what happened and where my smartphone was gone, but I was told that I would receive a new phone within this week...

So much effort required to put pressure on them, so that ultimately they fulfill their responsibilities. This proves that in Thailand, you must make noise to be heard!

Still the damage is done. Never HTC again...

Well done! I get about $2000 a year through complaining and I find that Thai companies or subsidiaries are particularly moved by bad publicity on the net.....maybe because they don't really know how to gauge it.

however who irks me is the continuing attitude of the "customer is always wrong" and "ignore it and it will go away".

Why this prevails I can't understand as they would avoid so much hassle if they just IMMEDIATELY replaced faulty goods rather than argue the toss every time.

[GymShoe]

I have had a similar but different terrible experience with HTC over the last two months. After 6 days the screen on my HTC Desire 820 went black. I called Hong Kong customer service and got someone extremely helpful. Unfortunately as soon as he heard I was in Thailand he turned me to over to the local customer service company and they are disgrace to the words customer service. After two weeks they were able to get me a new phone having lost all the data I had just gotten transferred. At least what I could because the phone will not sync to Outlook with their Sync Manager software. The replacement phone has worked for two weeks but no I get an internal error report on the email which won't work. I took it to Fortune Town on my recent trip to Bangkok to find out in person they are completely incompetent and unashamed of their ineptitude.

I believe the phone is lemon and I should have known from the price. I will throw it in a drawer and learn my lesson. NO ONE SHOULD EVER BUY AN HTC PHONE IN THAILAND. HTC should be ashamed.

[dddave]

I had similar problems with the LENOVO service contractor at Pantip Plaza.

Took a personal visit to Lenovo Thailand corporate headquarters to start the process of sorting things out..