Complaint Review: Samsung Electronics America - Ridgefield Park New Jersey

We ordered our Samsung 61" DLP - Model # HLR-6167W from Butterfly Photo (www.Butterfly Photo.com) on July 26, 2005. We received the TV on August 11, 2005 and the TV would not power up. We called Butterfly Photo and they told us that since we have already accepted shipment of the TV and this was a manufacturer problem/defect we needed to deal directly with the manufacturer and they could not do anything to help us.

Samsung Claim Numbers: 4000606223, 3000088872, 4000623065

8/15/05: Samsung's Authorized Service Center (USACO - 866-531-0845 - contact is Philip) technician came out and couldn't repair the TV because he didn't have the part.

8/19/05: Samsung's Authorized Service Center came back out with the part and couldn't repair the TV and sent a report to Samsung requesting replacement because the TV was inoperable.

During the week of 8/19/05: Samsung's Western RSE, Nelson Diaz overrulled USACO and said that the TV could be fixed and scheduled another sevice call.

8/26/05: Nelson and the technician from USACO came out and could not repair the TV and Mr. Diaz requested an exchange with an ETA of about 2 weeks.

8/26/05: Left a voice mail with Mark Francisco at Samsung, that was never returned. Sent Letter via fax number 201-229-4029 to Samsung Electronics America, Inc., Mr. Dong-Jin Oh, President & CEO Samsung Electronics America, Inc.to Jung Soo Shin President and GM Samsung Electronics America, Inc., Peter Weedfald, Senior VP Sales and Marketing, Mark Francisco, Service Department, Samsung Electronics America, Inc., regarding our case with no response from anyone.

8/29/05: Still can not get a determination of what is happening with our claim and or case, despite several calls to USACO, Nelson Diaz, Samsung Customer Service - 800-726-7864, and Carolyn or Grace of Samsung's executive customer relations. Sent a letter via fax number 201-229-4029 to Samsung Electronics America, Inc., Mr. Dong-Jin Oh, President & CEO Samsung Electronics America, Inc.to Jung Soo Shin President and GM Samsung Electronics America, Inc., Peter Weedfald, Senior VP Sales and Marketing, Mark Francisco, Service Department, Samsung Electronics America, Inc., regarding our case with no response from anyone.

8/30/05: Still no status on our claim, so sent a letter via fax number 201-229-4029 to Samsung Electronics America, Inc., Mr. Dong-Jin Oh, President & CEO Samsung Electronics America, Inc.to Jung Soo Shin President and GM Samsung Electronics America, Inc., Peter Weedfald, Senior VP Sales and Marketing, Mark Francisco, Service Department, Samsung Electronics America, Inc., Nelson Diaz, via fax number 310-537-1566, regarding our case with no response from anyone.

8/31/05: Finally someone at Samsung's headquarters transfer's me to Steve Panosian, Director of Marketing - Digital TV Products and DLP TV (201-229-4013 phone, , who is on vacation, so I call his cell phone and get him. He asks me to send him an e-mail (to [email protected] and to put "DLP DLP DLP" in the subject line, because he has an e-mail filter) with all the information and says that he will forward this to the appropriate parties and someone will get right back to me.

Further he says that "We will also review the processes involved for new products. Service parts are sometimes harder to get at the very early launch of the product. The other issus is that the dealer "butterfly photo.com" is not an authorized dealer. An authorized delaer has direct accessto Samsung's sales and service reps to better address a product exchange, etc.

9/1/05: We have not heard from the VP or Director of Field Engineering as suggested by Steve Panosian, but the Manager at the National Sales Center - Tracy at 800-747-5618 calls and requests a copy of our invoice, which I e-mail over and says that the replacement is in process and it will take 10~14 days to process and the TV will come out of New Jersey, etc. and I inform her that Samsung has a distribution site in California and why couldn't it come from there and she says that she will request it and she will call us back with an update.

9/6/05: Days go by and we can not hear from anyone or get an update. I send an e-mail to Tracy ([email protected]) and copy Steve Panosian, requesting an update. My husband also calls and leaves a voice mail for Steve and Steve responds via e-mail, "I've asked the VP and/or director of the Field Engineering team follow up here. I also forwarded your husband John's voice mail for the team to better understand why we need to have someone call you".

My husband also talks to Tracy, who can't give us any answers except the usual script, 10~14 business days (instead of 10~14 days)and on and on. After Tracy gets the e-mail that I sent, above, a miracle happens and she reponds with, "Dear Mrs. Virgin -

As follow up / confirmation of my conversation with Mr. Virgin this evening. Your exchange order has been placed as you and I discussed Wed. 08/31 @ 5:15 PM. The order has been requested of our CA warehouse, also - as we discuss, to reduce the normal exchange turnaround time of 10~14 business days.

I hope to have tracking and carrier information Wed / Thursday this week. And as soon as the tracking information has been entered I will update you with the information. Would you prefer e:mail or voice.....?

Thank you.

Tracy"

I then send an e-mail to Steve and Tracy asking for and update and clarification on "The remaining question that we have not received an answer to, is when did the 10~14 business days start? Was it on 19th of August, when USACO declared the TV inoperable, or the 26th, when your WRSE, Nelson, came out and declared an exchange, with an ETA of 2 weeks, or when?"

09/08/05: We still haven't heard anything. I send an email to Steve and Tracy which I have not received a reponse on and I fax a copy of the e-mail that was sent to Steve to: Jung Soo Shin President and GM SEA, Inc., Peter Weedfald, Senior VP Sales and Marketing, SEA, Inc., Mark Francisco, Service Department, SEA, Inc., James M. Sanduski, VP Market, Visual Display Products SEA, Inc., Sukwoo Hong, Senior Vice President Marketing, SENA, Sam Akkapeddi, Vice President Retail Sales Digital Information, SEA, Inc., with no response from anyone.

9/9/05: Wednesday and Thursday pass by, I send an e-mail requesting an update and or response from my 9/8/05 e-mail.

I then call NVC logistics center myself (since I can not get a reponse from Tracy) and "They inform me that they just received the order this morning and do not have the product as of yet. When they do receive the product they have up to 12 business days to complete the order and will be calling me to set up the delivery time, when everything has been completed on their end.".

So it has been over 30 days with this defective TV and it appears that we will have it for another 12 to 15 days, more, if Samsung gives NVC the TV in the near future. So approximately 45 days to replace a 61" TV that is defective, retails for $3,500. and no compensation, accomodation, upgrade or even expedited service from Samsung. As of 12:30 on the 9th, still no response from Samsung as of this complaint.

Carol

Newbury Park, California
U.S.A.

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