Today is #MarketFriday, a project initiated by @dswigle, and this post is my contribution to this project for this week.
To learn more about this project and participate, visit today's post by @dswigle.
Last week I told you about my phone that fell and how the whole screen got shattered.
Well, since then, there were times of frustration and uncertainty, but at least I have better news this week...
As mentioned last week, I handed my phone in at the Huawei Dealer in the Cornubia Mall for repairs last week Thursday.
At that stage, they were just supposed to create a report for the insurance company, stating whether the phone could be repaired or whether it had to be replaced.
If the phone had to be replaced, we were looking at an amount in excess of R5000.00+.
At the time of writing this post, the exchange rate was R18.75 for $1.00. That means that if my phone had to be replaced, it would be at an amount in excess of $266.66+ in dollar value.
At first, he said that I might only receive the report on Friday or even Saturday.
I mentioned to the guy that I need my phone back urgently (but I suppose everybody tells him that ...lol).
Nonetheless, he then promised me that he would do his best to get back to me as soon as he can...maybe even by Thursday afternoon.
Well, Thursday afternoon has come and gone...so did Friday...and Saturday.
All this time, I kept checking my emails, making sure I didn't miss anything.
On Monday morning, I decided to first check my email again and if still nothing, I would make contact with the Huawei Dealer to follow up and find out what is happening.
Instead of finding an email from the cell phone company, I found two log-in notifications of someone trying to log in to my bank account. Two attempts in less than an hour.
Long story short, my bank account was fine and I started chasing after the cell phone company. Calling the phone number on their website, gave a message that the number "doesn't exist". After eventually getting hold of the cell phone company via their head office, the guy insisted that he did send me the report via email on Thursday afternoon already...
Now for some irony...
After returning from the cell phone company on Thursday morning, I sent an email to the insurance company to update them on the progress I am making in getting the report for them. They replied, thanking me for the update, and said they would stay in contact with me to follow up on the progress. This was the only email I saw that had anything to do with my cell phone.
Then on Monday morning, while sorting out my bank account and chasing after the cell phone company, I saw another email coming through from my insurance company. They were just following up and wanted to know if I'm coping and if any progress was made. They said if they didn't hear anything from me, they would reach out to me again by Wednesday before the end of the day.
I did appreciate the insurance company's involvement and how they showed interest! What amazed me was that I saw every email that I received from them, but I could not see that email from the cell phone company that this guy claims to have sent...
What I found even more confusing, is that the insurance company is the company that would have to pay money out, while the cell phone company stands to get the business and make money in the process...
Now okay... let's give them the benefit of the doubt here... Let's say somehow the email got lost... Maybe, it got sent to the wrong email address or something...
Well, in all honesty, I've also been on a marketing course or two in my life, and one of the first things they teach you is that, whenever you send any information to a potential customer, you follow up to find out if the person at least received the information.
It was now Monday afternoon, and this was the first communication I had with them since Thursday morning. And that after I had to go on a goose hunt, finding a way to establish contact with them.
As a matter of fact, seeing that I was limited to communicating through the Whatsapp app on my computer due to the fact that I didn't have a phone with me, it was my youngest daughter who managed to get hold of them first.
I have no idea what was said in that conversation, but suddenly things started happening at the speed of light...lol! I was given a number where I could make contact with them via a Whatsapp call and I only needed to speak to the store manager going forward.
Within minutes, I had the report/quotation in my possession and I was able to forward it to the insurance company, Virseker.
According to the report, my phone could be repaired at a cost of R700.00 ($37.33).
Less than an hour after I forwarded the report to the insurance company, I received a reply from them (Virseker) via email that the quote was accepted and my claim was approved. Virseker would pay out the full R700.00. I had no excess payment and my monthly premium wouldn't be affected either.
They informed me that I would have the money in my bank account within the next 1 to 3 business days.
That was Monday afternoon. The following morning (yes, Tuesday morning), the money was in my bank account.
Okay, remember last week the guy at the cell phone company told me that if the phone is to be repaired, they would need 3 to 5 business days.
I saw on the report from the cell phone company that they would require full payment in their bank account before they start any work (I suppose they have been taken for a ride before). So I went ahead and did an EFT payment into their bank account.
I contacted the cell phone company and (still only communicating with the store manager) gave them the "go-ahead" to repair my phone. I asked him by when I could expect to get my phone back...
He told me he will get the job going and should be able to collect my phone later that same afternoon! At the latest, by the following morning.
Yes, from 3 to 5 working days...I could now get my phone back that same afternoon! What happened?
At 3 pm, Tuesday afternoon, the manager contacted me and informed me that my phone was ready to be collected! What?
Okay...so I wasn't able to get out on Tuesday afternoon so I told him I would be collecting my phone on Wednesday morning.
Yes, on Wednesday morning, first thing, I collected my phone and all is done is dusted!
So, for the insurance company, Virseker, I only have praise! They were professional, efficient, and fast. Their service was outstanding!
The Huawei Cell Phone Dealer in Cornubia... Well, at first I got frustrated and I was about to explode! But since I started talking to the manager on Monday, everything started happening really fast there too. Oh...and by Tuesday morning their phone number was working too...lol.
Since Monday afternoon, from getting the damage report, it took less than 24 hours to get the claim submitted, approved, paid in full, and for the phone to be fully repaired and ready to be collected.
I've got my phone back and so far it is as good as new!
So after all, there was a happy ending to the whole story.
Thank you for reading my post! I do appreciate it!