Late last year I purchased a Dell Streak Tablet type mobile phone from an Optus Franchise Store located at Shop G24 Eastlands Shopping Centre Bligh Street, Rosney Park Tasmania. Having arrived home and endeavoring to charge the phone it was noticed that the charging connection was extremely tight fitting and difficult to couple to the phone and the fact that Dell had at this stage released a car charger for this model.
The charger worked and I got about a month's good service from the phone.
A month latter I went back to the same store and was told that no, Dell have yet to release a car charger for this phone, and a sales assistant wearing a name tag "Paul" endeavored to fit a similar car charger of another make to this phone, it would not fit and when reconnecting the wall charger to the phone it was observed that it was even more difficult to connect. The phone at this stage was fully charged. When the time came to recharge the phone the wall charger would not work and I again took the phone back to the same store and they then decided to send it away under warranty. I got the phone back Christmas Eve and a different sales person "Peter" advised me that the phone would not be repaired under warranty and I would have to file an insurance claim as it was alleged by the service personnel that the phone charging connection was damaged through misuse.
I agree, that yes it was damaged through misuse, as what kind of an incompetent person would try to force an incompatible charger to the phone?
The answer being the Optus Store sales assistant not familiar with the product, granted that this product had not been out very long and indeed he was unfamiliar with it as was I and that is why I returned to the place of purchase hoping for experienced assistance.
It is also interesting to note that PAUL is no longer employed by this store!
Having received notification from the insurance company that the phone would not be repaired and the excess I would have to pay, out of my own pocket would be $215.00 I rejected this outright as I did not damage the phone. The matter was referred to Optus customer service personnel through their 'magnificent' off shore call centers.
I was promised a call back two days ago and no one called. Yesterday the insurance company phoned me telling me to go to the store and they were to phone the insurance company in my presence and the store would replace the phone. Hooray I think, over a month now without my phone. More fool I for believing that it would be so simple.
Arriving at the store, the smart shop assistant "Peter" advises me NO they will not be replacing the phone and the matter has now been escalated to some other higher authority the reason being that their "Franchise owner" refuses to do so. Yes, before you ask I do have a witness of the origional sales assistant messing with the phone and the incompatible charger and yes that witness also upon arriving back at my office/home saw that the origional charger no longer worked when required.
My word of advise people would be Avoid Optus Products as it seems when not if, something goes wrong with their products, you will be treated like a table tennis ball being bounced backwards and forwards.
I wonder who's serve it will be next?
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