How can I raise a complaint, how can i escalate it and who is the ombudsman?

[Biggalloot]

I ordered an S24+ at the start of December, there was no problem with getting the item, it arrived the next day. 

As part of this order there was a promo for a free pair of Bud 3 Pros giving that I write a review about the new phone. About 14 days later I got the email for the review, clicked the link, wrote the review and done everything on my part. 

I got an email from the trade in team - they got my old S21. 

Thats where things went very very wrong. 

I contacted Samsung post Christmas to query where the Buds were - I was told 14 working days for delivery. 

I got an email from trade in team - the package was empty. Despite tracking showing Samsung received the package via Royal Mail, the box was "empty". 

Luckily I found the Royal Mail receipt which luckily showed the weight of the item (If you are doing a trade in, keep this!!). This proved that when i sent it, there was a clear weight in the package. If I didnt have this, i'd be liable for the trade in cost. 

I then got an email from samsung saying that the matter regarding the trade in was closed - no apology, no nothing despite the stress of it all. 

I then got an email from Samsung and DPD regarding my Buds, they were going to be delivered. They never did. 

I contacted DPD who said they had an issue with deliveries and would get it sent in 7 days. After this I contacted them and they said they couldnt find the package. I asked for an explanation and investigation - they said to contact Samsung to raise and investigation. 

So I did, at the start of January. 

5 webchats, countless miscommunication and ignored requests to raise a complaint. I'm still waiting. 

The latest update was they would refund me my order - they don't get it that this is part of a promotion - I have spent nothing on these buds. 

What can I do to get it into their thick heads that this is not good enough. 

[Aklima]

Hey,
I am sorry to hear about this, have you tried connecting someone over the phone to see if they can resolve the issue? Also, you can visit the store and have it sorted.

[Piper123]

Hey there and welcome to the Samsung UK and EU Community Customer to Customer Forum

Sorry to hear of your issues. There are several parts to this...

1. Trade in - Samsung use a 3rd party for trade in (MTM) but if the package arrived to them empty, you need to raise a claim with the parcel company. Nothing Samsung or MTM can do here as the parcel arrived incomplete.

2. Buds. Promotion T&C's normally state delivery up to 45 days after claim approval and the 45 days starts after the minimum 14 days return window has closed.

3. Buds delivery - if DPD have lost the package, they need to investigate and then inform Samsung so a new set can be sent. If you have a note of the consignment number, reach out to DPD directly. If you don't, tech out to Samsung

To make a complaint, assuming you bought from samsung.com then you need to contact the online shop team (contact numbers on Samsung.com)

[smiley]

It really disturbs me when I read stories like this and I am very sorry to read the issues you have had.

I am glad you finally managed to resolve the trade in issues. One thing I ALWAYS do now is to take pictures and videos when I pack up a return or a trade in.

It is a 'sorry world' we live in where there is such a lot of courier theft and dishonesty that occurs... but it is the world we live in now, and everyone need to do extra diligence.

In terms of the buds, again this seems to be someone in the distribution chain that has been dishonest and some form of theft along the way somewhere. As this is a free promotional item then I see this being awkward to resolve and as you have reported.

The thing about this is that none of this seems to be Samsung at the root cause end or having done any wrong doing. However it is how Samsung deals with these matters that needs some improvement.

I really hope you can resolve this issue with your promo buds, but I don't really have any advice other than to contact Samsung customer service again and try and resolve. Some operators can be better and more knowledgeable than others.

Smiley

[Caswallawn]

Generally if Samsung sent the buds by DPD they are the service buyer in the eyes of DPD so they would have to raise the claim not the person receiving the item.

The problem with the likes of web chats is most now run on AI so they lead to the wrong answers, you normally need to either phone to get to a person or try to escalate the claim to get beyond the AI system. I've had this issue with several firms now.

[ChrisB_]

Hi there, @Biggalloot. I'm really sorry to see you've been having an issue with trading in your S21 and receiving your Buds3 Pro. In this instance, I would definitely recommend going down the path suggested by @Piper123 and raising a complaint with our colleagues in the Online Shop team, as this is something they will be able to investigate for you. 

If you are located inside the UK you can contact them on 0333 000 0333, and their lines are open 8am to 8pm Mon-Fri, 9am to 6pm Sat-Sun. If you are outside the UK, you can find the details of your local Samsung Support team via clicking this link. 

[Biggalloot]

So I followed the advice and called Samsung this afternoon, not once but twice. And guess what, I am no further forward. 

1st call I speak to Joanna. I clearly and calmly articulate my complaint detailing each date and corroborating the facts with communications I had received from Samsung and from DPD. I am placed on hold whilst Joanna "raises the complaint". During the 15 min hold I get 2 emails from Joanna - 1st was to reply to the email (shop.uk@email.support.samsung.com) with my complaint details - see here -> "Kindly reply to this email with your formal complaint in line with the service that you have experience with us"

2nd email shortly after this advises there is a technical issue with the line and I couldnt reconnect with Joanna - no call back offered. See here -> 

I am still on the line right now but unable to hear your response 
there is something TECHNICAL issues in our system
My sincerest apologies (MY Name)it seems like your unable to hear Me on the 
other line (MY NAME)                                                                                                                                                                       Here is the link to complete the purchase 

I call Samsung again, this time I speak to James and again I explain everything, every fact, every facet of this saga. I am placed on hold again. Once James returns I am told to send the complaint email again and that this matter was still under investigation. This time I press for the opportunity to speak to a manager or a complaints team member or anyone that can actually give me better information and resolve this. James places me on hold but responds stating the same information. Out of frustration I end the call. 

I have drafted and sent the complaints email. I hold no hope whatsoever that something will be done with this. I feel completely and utterly let down by Samsung, I now wish I could go back on that order and ordered a different product elsewhere. I have loads of products with Samsung - watch, tv, tablet, buds, phones going all the way back. I was on the verge of getting a samsung washing machine. 

This service is appaling and regardless of who is to blame, someone needs to take ownership and fix this problem instead of passing it off. It's almost two months since my original order, I feel this will go on much longer. 

[RAINMAKERactual]

HERE IS EVERY POSSIBLE COMPLAINTS AVENUE - feel free to post this to every other thread asking about complaints. I feel your pain.

Samsung (UK) complaints contacts
Visit  Customer Services

Call Customer Services on  

Call Customer Services on  Customer Services (alternative) or  0330 726 1010

Email Customer Support on  uk . technical @ samsung . com

Email Sang Ho Jo (CEO) on  s . jo @ samsung . com

Twitter (X)  Samsung (UK) Customer Services

Twitter (X)  Samsung (UK)

LINKS TO ALL UK AND IRELAND OMBUDSMAN SERVICES https :// www . ombudsmanassociation . org / find-ombudsman (most complaints on this forum would be dealt with by Telecommunications or Retail Ombudsman, for contracts and bank related issues it would be the Financial Ombudsman most probably)

Note the spaces need to be removed from the weblinks and email addresses as the forum does not allow HTML links

Good Luck and help others by pasting this link on all the other posts regarding complaints so when someone searches the community this information comes up.

[Biggalloot]

Just to drop an update

I have called customer services again as no update received in the past week, no responses, no acknowledgements, nothing. 

This time the outsourced colleague quickly recognised that I wanted to raise a complaint but could see no record of my previous complaints, either by phone, email or webchat. 

Again I was asked to "endorse" my complaint by responding to an email sent from the agent - I quickly done this and asked the agent to stay on the phone to confirm receipt of this. Funnily enough though, the agent provided me with a new reference number this time. 

I am still in a state of flux here. The agent said I should receive a response but couldn't give a timescale.

As for previous suggestions I have found

 uk . technical @ samsung . com - this email goes to a Samsung Parts Admin team with a 3-5 working days response time. 

s . jo @ samsung . com - this doesn't work, I received a Address not found email response. 

Ombudsman - looking at the ombudsman services I couldn't find one that would link to this. That may just be me being unable to find one though. 

[Biggalloot]

Last update, they have finally arrived today, completely unexpected no prior warning. 

Not that I'm complaining. Well it would still have been nice to have received some form of communique to advise or at least acknowledge my complaint. 

Still, small victories, got to celebrate them. I've read the horror stories that some people are still without resolution. 

FWIW, the quality of the buds3 pros v Buds is huge, very impressed.