Repeated Quality Problems. Review on Samsung Duo

I relocated to a new city to pursue MBA from IIM, and purchased a Samsung Duo phone with Tata indicom bundle offer through internet( http://www.ichoose.in). At IIMs you have very little time to go out of campus for shopping. The phone was delivered to my hostel room with a tata indicom postpaid connection in 4-5 days.(5 May 2009)

The moment I inserted my new CDMA card the phone got locked. Upon contacting Samsung service I was told to visit the service centre to get it unlocked.(Day 2 of purchasing the phone). Since they offered no alternate resolution, so I had no option except for visiting the service centre of Samsung. The problem was corrected in 2 Hrs.  I contacted Tata indicom customer complaint centre but of no avail.

Bottomline:- You may purchase a phone online but if it develops a fault you have to move out of your comfort zone.

After 2 months of usage the phone developed Voice Clarity problem, i.e. people on the other end started complaining that my voice was not audible. I wrote to Samsung Customer care, there was no response except that "we will get back to you". I threatened them of approaching consumer forum still nothing happened. I wrote to their Senior Management but didnt get any reply. Since I had comittments towards studies so I was forced to live with the problem.

In July, I happend to visit my home in Delhi(for 4 days), where I approached Moti Nagar Service centre. After waiting in queue for 3 Hrs the gentleman opened up the phone and found out that they needed to replace some component which at that moment was not available with them. They asked me to leave the phone with them for maximum 7 days so that the problem can be corrected.

They expressed to inability to provide a "Temporary Replacement set" in lieu of my phone citing the reason that " This policy does not exist for CDMA phones". Upon asking for contacts of senior people in Samsung, the Gentleman Left his Gentleness and demonstrated what can be appropriately called as "Rudeness". As a byproduct the so called problem diagnosis by opening of phone imparted some minor damages to its aesthetics. So the phone got left without "Treatment".

Bottomline:- I purchased "Poor Quality, Waiting in queues, Impoliteness & damage to my property".

Through my contacts, I managed to get contact number of very senior service person(hereafter referred as NMH) in Samsung whom I contacted for resolution of problem. He suggested me to approach the same service centre for resolution. Around August 16, I went to the same service centre, waited in queue for registration(1.5 hrs), called up the NMH for his support in getting some priority so that my set can be attended fast, and got my set repaired. Total time taken in this process was 2.5Hrs. Phew!

To my astonishment, the same problem repeated after a month of rectification. I contacted NMH again and he suggested me to bring the set to Head Repair Centre in Delhi. At that time I had to go for a project in Chennai so I asked NMH for his assistance in getting the set repaired at a Chennai Service Centre( considering my buzy schedule).

Incidentally, while coming to chennai my baggage was damaged by Indian Airlines, I asked them for replacement and told that I would not be able to come to their office. Indian Airlines came to my doorstep and got the bag replaced. Samsung did not do anything like Indian Airlines.

Finally I got adjusted with the defective set and carried my communication using hands free for over 3 months. Getting some wisdom from my earlier encounter with Samsung & its Employees, I silently went to Samsung service centre in Calcutta in November and submitted my phone to them. They took 6 days, but repaired my set. Meanwhile I borrowed a spare phone(LG Make, 1200 Rs.worth)  from my friend and continued my communication.

Now, in December my phone has again developed the same fault. I am in a Fix what to do! . This is my experience from May to December. I was able to manage with defective phone as I get and take limited calls on my phone(mostly from my family members). However I feel a person with business comittments will never be able to manage in such condition for even a day.

Thanks & Regards

Manan Gupta

Updated on 14 January 2010:-

On 8 January 2010, I was browsing through settings of this phone, suddenly it asked me that it needs to restart. Upon saying yes, the phone went in infinite loop of restarting and shutdown. That day I had to take up a flight to go to another city where all my contacts were in my phone. Surprisingly my both sim cards also didnt work in any other Samsung Phone. So I had to borrow an LG Phone from my colleague and managed to proceed for my journey. The phone was subsequently repaired at Moti Nagar Service Centre in Delhi. There seems to be no end to the problems in this phone. I wonder what will happen once warranty is over.

Manan Gupta