Monster Gadget . . .A DISASTER in Post-Sale Customer Service

Last Saturday, May 31, 2014, I was at Trinoma attending to a meeting with a client.  After the said meeting, me and Kathy happen to pass by their kiosk which was on the same floor of our meeting place.  Kathy decided to buy some items for her us while I opt to browse thru their items.  Lo and behold, they have a powerbank!  Ever since I get to see the benefit of having one, I was planning to get one for my use.  What they have at that time was one for 1 charging and another for 2x charging with a 200Php difference.  I then decided to go for the one for 2x charging.  I then used what charge it has to fully depleat it and be ready for a full-charging session when I get home.


As soon as I got home, I decided to charged it using my desktop since it was a usb equipped gadget.  Come morning, the red light is now blue which means it is fully charged.  I remember what the sales person told me, "if the light is blue, it means it is fully charged and ready to be used".  This was now Sunday morning, June 1, 2014.

In the afternoon of the same day, which was Sunday, I then met up with my partner and a friend to watch a film in Glorietta.  While waiting for them, I noticed that my phone only has 50% battery life and decided to try my new gadget.  I was singing praises about it for it was able to charge my phone fast!  Logic would say that since it is good for 2-full charging, it still would have power for another charger later on. So I assumed.

Having the thought that it still has power for another charge, I decided to use it come Monday, June 2, 2014. To my dismay, there was no light, no power going to my phone unit, no energy at all.  I said to myself:  "WTH!  I have to go all the way to QC just to have this changed?".  Since they only offer a replacement if the item is defective within 7 days from purchase, I have no choice but to travel all the way from San Pedro Laguna to Trinoma in QC.  It started good, the staff (same people who was there last Saturday) was helpful and courteous enough to assist me in my situation.  They coordinated with another store within the general area and agreed that I can simply go back and get it later.  I took my item with me to assure my rights as a customer, hoping that they would have the replacement when I get back.  That was 15 minutes before 12 noon.  That was when it went downhill.

Instead of going back on the agreed time, which was 1:00pm, I decided to go back 2 hours later.  Finishing my lunch date with my partner for 9 months and counting and doing some blogger's work.  After that, going downhill is too kind to describe what happened.

3:10pm
I was there, back  into the kiosk of Gadget Monster in Trinoma which is located at the ground level along the area of Chowking and Mary Grace to pick up my replacement item.  I was ready to surrender the originally bought item for the new one and once that is done, I can now go home.  To my initial dismay that day, they informed me that the other store is not allowing them to get the replacement if they don't have the defective one plus they have an on-going audit at that time and cannot spare a person.  Fine, acceptable so far and so we went to the other location.  They offered for me to wait but I opted to go with her to make it faster, in my point of view.

3:35pm
We are now at the other location which was at SM North Annex division at the Cyberhall.  True to say that they were having an audit plus on going sales at the same time.  I was already pissed off at that time because of the distance plus the fact that my bag was heavy due to other gadgets with me.  What initially raised my blood pressure was the fact that the person managing the kiosk, who gave the directive not to release the item initially, was on break.  I have to tell one of the assistant to tell her to choose between her break or a customer complaint.

3:45pm
At this point I was already presented with the replacement unit but was not yet leaving the kiosk because I want an assurance that what problem I had will not occur again.  Knowing that the staff cannot give me that, I have to wait for whoever is able to give me that.

3:50pm
Here she comes, the shift manager.  After telling her the situation in a calm manner, she then started calling people so that she can give me the assurance that I wanted.  After a call or two, she came back giving me an option to change the unit but it is higher in value.  I told her: "I came from San Pedro Laguna.  I simply came here to have this changed.  If I am to compute all my expenses from fare to food and time wasted in having a resolution, I bet to God that it is more expensive than what the additional is.  All I need is an assurance.  I will not release a cent just to have this resolved. If I want a bigger charge, I would have gotten it in the first place."

At that point, Ms Amy - the auditor, was hearing my situation and even gave some points to resolve my scenario.  The auditor. Giving solution.  Not the sales personel.

4:30pm
The shift manager then went back to me giving me again the same solution of an upgrade which I still decline.  I told her to either give me a replacement with an assurance or a refund.  They informed me that they cannot give me a refund because it is against their business policy.  I told her that it is against Philippine Law not to give a refund to a disatisfied customer.  Would she put everybody's job in the line or give me what I need, which is simply an assurance or a refund.  By law, if a customer is not satisfied with the product or service, he can either go for a change of item with the same value or a refund.  She then decided to call people from management for help.  I even told her that I can talk to them if she wants.

4:45pm
She was able to reach someone, through her mobile phone, by the name of Ms. Judith, who I later find out as the Sales Manager.  I explained again the situation and still she gave me the same option that her people is giving me.  An assurance is all that I wanted!  Why can they not give me that?  Answer:  they don't know the quality of their items coming from a 3rd party!

Raising my pressure higher was the fact that she said my item is only good for 1 charging which is contrary to what their sales personel initially informed me when I was buying the unit last Saturday.  That alone is an outright LIE! A lie given to a buying custtomer!  When I started giving her my piece of mind, she also started talking which I responded with "Wait please.".  I have to repeat it and ask her what is not clear with the line "Wait please".  At this point, she acted as if she cannot hear me but I can clearly hear her.  Then the line was cut.  For a customer, I would say I was hanged-up.  Totally RUDE and UNPROFESSIONAL.  And that was an attitude coming from a person who manages the sales of their business.

5:30pm
I then decided to get the replacement and walk away from that store after giving them a piece of my mind.

When doing sales work, you need to do good customer relationship especially if you want them to patronize your item even if the source is from a 3rd party.  The people leading Gadget Monster thinks they can get away with simply sales without post-sales service because no one has returned an item yet.  There would always be a first time for everything. If you want them to patronize your sourced out items, then be ready for any post-sales situation.  That is part of business management.  Also, please be informed of the government's laws protecting consumers.

Gadget Monster, your items are good visually, pricing is right, staff is courteous BUT YOUR POST-CUSTOMER SERVICE SUCKS BIG TIME!.

This is an experience that doesn't go above, under nor beyond the rainbow.  It is simply under a some nimbus clouds, waiting for rain and/or hale to fall and lightning to strike.