in retrospect

As some of you are aware, my Sony Ericsson W580i died after a month of use. Non- excessive use, mind you. i.e.: I did not overwork it like I did my K700, which by the way lasted longer than the W580i, but that’s not the point now.

Anyway, I sent the W580i for servicing at the Wismas Atria service center in October. Reason being, I couldn’t stand the temperament of the phone, which I figured had most things to do with a faulty switchboard/ unstable software:

1. everytime I spoke on the phone, it would cancel my calls by throwing a fit. First, its face would turn black (screen went black), then powered off completely.

2. refused to read my 3G sim card, although its much older friend, a 3 year old Nokia could read it- and ALL MY OTHER SIM CARDS!

3. threw fits as and when it pleased by hanging

What the service center did was to change the switchboard. However, when i went to collect the phone, the same problem was still existent. 

Despite my repeated requests to see the manager of the service center, was turned away after a heated conversation with the rude service staff who blamed my SIM card for being faulty and actually mishandled my phone whilst trying to test sing the service center’s SIM card (which the phone was unable to read also). 

 So I decided to call the service hotline and was told that a handset would be arranged as replacement. The store manager at the service center, Jason, even bothered to call me to inform me that they would do the replacement soonest possible.
 
Since then, it was communicated that W580i is experiencing a global shortage and hence I would not be able to get a new handset until stock is available. None of the staff whom I’ve spoken to regarding this matter have any idea when stock would be made available. However, checking the Sony Ericsson website a new color of the phone is already available.
 
In addition, the staff have constantly stressed that it is the company’s policy to: A. Not replace a mobile phone with another model should stock become unavailable, and B. that replacement would not be a full replacement, and just a replacement of the handset with an extension in the warranty period. This is unlike other brands who make full replacements ( i.e.: sealed new boxset).
 
What is the point of buying a phone expecting it to work, only to find it faulty- with service staff who rather than focus on providing solutions, blame the consumer for the problem? What is the point of going to a service center/ calling the service hotline only to find out that there really is no resolution to the situation? It’s time people reflect on their service standards and examine the company policy- which defends the company against helpless consumers despite providing lackluster products and services.

Or rather, at the end of this story.. much as the designs from Sony Ericsson is damn nice sometimes, think before you buy one because as they saying, vanity doesn’t last forever. And in my case, not even past the 5th week of the start of its warranty.

EDIT! as at 11.30AM, 28 Dec 2007:

I called the service hotline to find out the availability of W580i phones and they tell me that it’s not available. Since the ‘Global Shortage’ is over, why have I not been informed for a replacement since the staff stressed their ‘commitment to replace me a handset’?

Because this is now classified as a verbal agreement between Jason the store manager and me and thus not in the system.

Boycott!