So…. I decided to purchase Samsung care+ after purchasing a new S21 Ultra 5G. Last week I decided to make one of my two allowed swaps, since my screen had been damaged. Even though I had registered my device with Samsung, which included lodging a copy of my receipt etc I was told that I should have ‘registered’ my phone with Samsung Care+. To do so I had to present my ‘subscription number’, which was never sent to me by email as was supposed to happen. Then as an alternative I can give them the IMEI, but that’s not possible if the screen isn’t working so it was not an option either. I called Samsung customer service for my IMEI who advised me they can’t help me and I need to call Asurion who handle the Care+ side. Something that was never advised to me when I made the purchase…. And Since they only operate during weekday, ‘business hours’ I had to wait a few days until I had the free time to call. They told me there was an issue with their system and they I have to re-register on their system and the process would take one to two days at the most and I would be contacted when it’s been sorted. 5 days later I had no contact from them so I tried to lodge the swap request again and it worked. The work had been completed but nobody has called me, as promised. So I sent through the receipt again and was automatically advised that no stock was available. But the $149 fee will not be charged until they have stock. Also when as to know is available I will be contacted to work out the details. Then Yesterday I received an email stating that they are reviewing my claim and I need to send them the receipt AGAIN. I did this and later I noticed the fee had been withdrawn from my bank so I called Asurion this morning to see what was happening with the phone, thinking that they were sending me a phone, but as per their previous behaviour, I was not contacted. They advised me that there’s still no stock. They don’t know when it will happen and It could be weeks before I get a phone. I asked what happens if I have to wait weeks for a phone because I need a swap as soon as possible? They told me that sometimes they will offer me a commensurate or comparable phone if the process takes too long but nothing could be done right now. However the person I spoke to couldn’t even give me firm details of exactly what time period is deemed as ‘too long’. So basically they’ve taken my money but don’t really have any way of offering me anything at all at this time. I would like to see what happens if I went to the Samsung store and told them “I’ll take this top of the range, expensive mobile phone from you for now, but I’ll pay you the money when ever”. Something tells me I may not be leaving the store without a police escort that day, if I tried it.
The Samsung care+ service was sold to me through the marketing I read as a fast and easy way to get a swapped phone, should the need arise. I don’t think that it would be difficult to assume that when that ‘need’ does arise it would often be because the phone is currently inoperable, leaving a customer without a vital means of communication. Which in this case is even more important since I also care for another person that requires me to have constant access to possible medical services in an emergency. Asurion advised they don’t have stock because of postage issues due to the current Covid 19 situation. But for a company of this magnitude if they haven’t found ways to work around the covid problems that have existed for EVERYONE for over 18 months now, then serious questions need to be asked of them. So as far as I’m concerned it appears more like they’re just hiding behind covid as an excuse for a sub-par program that takes your money without any intention of offering the kind of service they claim you’ll get at the point of sale.
So basically I was wondering if anyone else was having these kinds of issues? Has Asurion also been difficult for others to make claims with?
