Secrets of the correct address to the service center. Caution: how they deceive in service centers
If the thing is under warranty, it is wrong to pay for its repair. But people are characterized by large and small vices, among which the thirst for profit is one of the most tenacious and widespread. How can an ordinary user prevent self-serving servicemen from "divorcing" themselves into paid repairs? As you know, the more oak technique, the more reliable it is. And any portable device is a technically very complex and fragile thing. Fortunately, there is a warranty, but the average user changes the device for a new one before it runs out of warranty.
So if you are one of those lucky ones who have not yet had the need to go to repair, then you may naively believe that in which case you just come to the workshop with a faulty device, they smile sweetly at you, and it will immediately turn into in good condition. Ideally, this is how it should happen, but, unfortunately, in practice it often happens differently.
There are quite a few "pitfalls" that we want to warn you about.
When does it make sense to contact the service
“When it breaks,” an inexperienced user will say. But breakdowns are different. For example, in the presence of physical damage -
let's say if you dropped the device out of the window or drowned it, a dog gnawed it, and then you decided to charge it directly
having tucked two wires from a 220-volt outlet - it is better to say goodbye to the phone right away and not to carry it to the warranty service:
they will look at you there as if you are crazy, and remind you that a product with visible external damage is not guaranteed.
distributed by.
But if the device “bugs” for no apparent reason, freezes, its microphone or vibration alert does not work, or maybe the battery is holding
only half an hour or some option in the menu does not turn on (or, for example, the camera lens does not move out) - you have everything
chances of getting repaired for free. Most often, such warranty failures are caused by problems in the software.
software, that is, in the firmware, "brains", so it is enough to replace it with a more recent one. By the way, so as not to waste
spend time going to the service, you can first find out which version of the firmware you have installed, and what is the latest
- if you have the most recent and have, the service will hardly help you. You can learn everything about firmware on unofficial forums,
dedicated to a particular brand of devices. In some cases (if the manufacturer has documented such a possibility), it is possible to
update the firmware on your own - using a data cable or even over the air. However, it is important to understand what is
"documented" - roughly speaking, this means that the firmware is on the official website of the manufacturer. If for updating
The software must be downloaded from different corners Internet with a dozen service programs, and the firmware itself can be obtained from the links on the forums,
you take a very big risk: in which case, the warranty repair of the device in which your playful hands were tinkered, you do not
will accept. However, do not be upset - firstly, everything can go with a bang and unnoticed by the service, and secondly, even if
you will not succeed - there will be a reason to properly delve into the device device and explore all its capabilities, after which
safely restore, because programmatically completely kill, say, a phone, it is almost impossible.
But what you should not do in any case, even if you are a great guru, is to open the body of a junk unit. Yes,
the malfunction may also be hardware, but what can you do in this case, except to see what the device has
inside? Even if you determine which module does not work - where will you look for a new one? You still have to collect everything
back and carry to the service, and you will be met there with open arms, because they will have every reason to refuse you
warranty repairs will be refused (traces of self-opening are unlikely to be covered).
Choosing a service center
So, you are still going to the service. At knowing person the question immediately arises: “Which one?”. Let's see
to our warranty card. In the worst case, this coupon obliges you to contact your own
service center of the dealer company where you purchased your mobile device. Alas, this most often means only that
for some reason, the original warranty for your device does not apply - for example, it was imported into Russia under the "gray"
channels. And don't be confused by the SSE and PCT stickers, they are often glued right in the store before being sold. Official
simply do not buy with a coupon. Although in some cases a branded “guarantee” may not be available, then they will write out “your own”, but
devices of one brand or another, but most importantly, the service is paid directly by the manufacturer of the repaired
devices, so the master in any case will receive money for his work. But the dealer service has a different interest: for repairs
the dealer pays out of his own pocket, so repair your damaged device for free, fulfilling warranty obligations,
he is not at all interested. So going to such a service, alas, can turn out to be a waste of money and nerves for you: you
will be wonderfully divorced for paid repairs, while any means can be used, up to the meanest (about this
a little lower).
However, even if you have a branded warranty card, do not rush to go to the first center you come across. Read reviews first
questions with the aim of "dissolving") and feel free to go there, even if there is not a word about this service in your "guarantee". The fact,
that if the device is covered by the manufacturer's warranty, then they will gladly accept it in any service and tell you
thank you for this - after all, this is their income.
So, the service is selected. How to prepare for a hike? What to bring?
First of all, it is necessary (unless, of course, your device is still turning on and at least somehow working) to carry out a backup procedure
copy all the data it contains. The fact is that in services during software manipulations with the device, usually
completely reset all user data, which is even warned by a special announcement at the entrance. Don't run away
you back home to do a backup?
Also (this applies primarily to lovers of software experiments), if possible, return the original factory
firmware and remove all patches and other "decorations" by which the serviceman can suspect something is wrong and convict you of
interference with the device. And it doesn’t matter at all that you only changed screen fonts and turned on the engineering menu, and in
service is due to a broken microphone - they will convincingly prove to you that you ruined the microphone yourself. So cover your tracks
sure - you will always have time to “inherit” again after the repair.
Climb before going to the service under the closet, so that there, in the age-old dust, try to find the branded box from under the device and
the wires attached to it are not at all necessary. It is enough to take the non-working device itself and the warranty card, although in
in some cases, it is not needed either - in the service they “punch” the product by its serial number. Of course, if the error
is connected precisely with some accessories (for example, the device is not charging), then you need to carry both it and charging. And be
By the way, we are ready for the fact that the battery will most likely be given back to you - usually the warranty does not cover it.
What to say
So, you are in service. When showing the device to the master, try to describe the malfunction and events as clearly and fully as possible,
which preceded it ("I'm sitting, watching TV, picking a nail in my ear, all of a sudden - the sound is gone!"). At the same time, sprinkle
in technical terms to give him the impression of an advanced user (well, you are not a “teapot”, we are not
we doubt) it’s not necessary - they don’t like very smart people in services, but, of course, you can show some awareness - so that you
they didn’t take him for a fool and didn’t try to breed from scratch (“The liquid from the microcircuits leaked out and closed the contacts
battery, so let's put it back in and patch up the hole"). At the same time, you should immediately say what you want -
for example, repairs or the issuance of an expert opinion for a subsequent refund (what can and cannot be demanded from
service, see below).
How to answer questions
In the service, not only you will speak - perhaps you will be interrogated with passion in order to catch on to something. Most
a simple option: “Has it really never fallen with you?”. God forbid you agree - you will immediately be deprived of the guarantee and offered a paid
repair, if you answer a firm “No”, a long careful examination of the scratches on the case will follow in order to see
them traces of a fall. Another favorite way is to show the client the contacts of the system connector (and on them over time
traces of rust and oxides appear) and report that it is sure sign"drowned", which means that he will not see a guarantee, as
their ears. Inadvertently, you may be asked if you have any power surges at home. The main thing in this situation is not
succumb to persuasion and stubbornly bend your line - “it broke by itself”, even if you really dropped the device, wet it and
etc. However, even in this case, a dishonest serviceman has a chance - having disassembled your device, he may suddenly find “traces of
getting moisture”, “microcracks on the board”, “unauthorized repair attempts”, or even some kind of nest of ants.
This is already completely ugly on his part, since you can’t prove that there were no cracks and ants inside.
you can. And here you need to act decisively - promise to complain wherever possible, make a scandal, call
representation of the vendor - in general, to show that you are a "hemorrhoid" client. Then, perhaps, the case will end with a maxim:
“Despite the microcrack, after updating the firmware, it worked for you.”
What can and cannot be requested in the service
What can you expect from the service? First of all, of course, for free warranty repairs. By the way, by
law (and the brochure “Law of the Russian Federation of February 7, 1992 N 2300-I “On Protection of Consumer Rights” (as amended on June 2, 1993, 9
January 1996, December 17, 1999, December 30, 2001, August 22, November 2, December 21, 2004, July 27, October 16, 25
November 2006)" from the moment you broke something should become your reference book), you can
show enough. Namely, as paragraph 1 of Article 18 says: “A consumer to whom goods of inadequate quality are sold,
if it has not been agreed by the seller, he has the right, at his choice, to demand:
- gratuitous elimination of product defects or reimbursement of expenses for their correction by the consumer or a third party;
- a proportional reduction in the purchase price;
- replacement for a product of a similar brand (model, article);
- replacement for the same product of another brand (model, article) with a corresponding recalculation of the purchase price.
Instead of presenting these claims, the consumer has the right to refuse to fulfill the contract of sale and demand a return
the amount paid for the goods. At the request of the seller and at his expense, the consumer must return the goods with defects.
In this case, the consumer has the right to demand also full compensation for losses caused to him as a result of the sale of goods
inadequate quality. Losses are reimbursed within the time limits established by this Law to meet the relevant
consumer requirements".
True, if you don’t want to repair your “dead” device, then, having seen a legally savvy person in your face, you
most likely they will try to quote their favorite phrase from the same paragraph of the law: “With regard to technically complex and
expensive goods, the consumer's requirements to replace them with goods of a similar brand (model, article), as well as to replace them with
the same goods of a different brand (model, article) with a corresponding recalculation of the purchase price are subject to satisfaction in the event of
discovery of significant defects in goods. The list of technically complex goods is approved by the Government of the Russian
Federation". Naturally, this list will not be shown to you - “they say, you understand that the phone / camera / player (the necessary
emphasize) is a high-tech device, your breakdown is insignificant, so wait - we
we’ll fix it” ... However, it’s still good to have an idea of \u200b\u200bwhat kind of list this is. "The list of technically complex goods, in relation to
which the requirements of the consumer for their replacement are subject to satisfaction in the event of significant defects in the goods"
(approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of May 13, 1997 N 575) includes vehicles and numbered units
to them, motorcycles, scooters, snowmobiles, boats, yachts, outboard motors, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines,
personal computers with basic peripherals, tractors, walk-behind tractors and motor cultivators. As you can see, there are no
mobile devices (except, perhaps, laptops) are not on this list, which means do not fall for provocations. Second Favorite
sellers list for "suckers" - "technically complex household goods, for which warranty periods are established
(household metal-cutting and woodworking machines; household electrical machines and appliances; household radio-electronic equipment;
household computing and copying equipment; photo and film equipment; telephone sets and facsimile equipment;
electromusical instruments; electronic toys, household gas equipment and devices). However, this is just
a list of non-food products of good quality that are not subject to return or exchange for a similar product of other
size, shape, size, style, color or configuration. We are talking about the fact that you will not be able to return this kind of device,
if you suddenly don't like its color.
The right to exchange goods or return money (conclusion of the service)
So, how does a buggy device return with an exchange for money or a less buggy one? Who should do it?
Shop or service center? The scheme is actually simple: you go to a service center and get an expert opinion there
that the device has really deteriorated on its own, and not with your help. With him you go to the store, where you make
mutually beneficial exchange. However, the problem here lies in the fact that service centers are not at all eager to give you expert
conclusions: it is more profitable for them to take a broken device for warranty repair and, as we remember, receive money for it from
manufacturer (or maybe from you and the manufacturer together), so it is likely that you will be looked at as
idiot, and pretend that the word "conclusion" is being heard for the first time. In this case, it is necessary to recall the existence of paragraph 5 of Art. eighteen,
which says that "the seller (manufacturer), an authorized organization or an authorized individual entrepreneur,
the importer is obliged to accept the goods of inadequate quality from the consumer and, if necessary, conduct a quality check
want to change a damaged device, a “check” can show catastrophic damage, and then something will be proven
very difficult.
Right to a replacement device
It is important to remember that for the period of repair, you are obliged by the same law to provide you with a replacement device with
similar functionality. However, in practice it may turn out that they will not give you anything, citing the lack of a replacement
fund, or they will give, for example, a Nokia 3310 phone instead of a sophisticated communicator, citing the fact that “the main function
phone - call, and he calls. Say thank you, because usually they don't give anything. However, the law is on your side here too:
Clause 1 of Art. 23 states that for violation of the terms provided for in Articles 20, 21 and 22 of this Law, as well as for failure to comply
(delay in fulfillment) of the consumer's demand to provide him for the period of repair (replacement) of a similar product, the seller
(manufacturer, authorized organization or authorized individual entrepreneur, importer) who has allowed such
violation, pays the consumer for each day of delay a penalty (penalty) in the amount of one percent of the price of the goods. Wherein,
By the way, you are required to carry out the delivery of replacement goods at your own expense, and you do not have to travel back and forth. Perhaps no one
wants to do this - then you have a direct road to court: the case is guaranteed to win, and if you also calculate the moral damage
- the amount will accumulate impressive.
If repairs are delayed
How long can a product be in repair? The law says that “if the term for the elimination of defects in the goods is not defined in
written form by agreement of the parties, these shortcomings must be eliminated by the manufacturer (seller, authorized
organization or authorized individual entrepreneur, importer) immediately.” That is, if the manufacturer
On the warranty card, he himself planted a pig, writing, say, about “14 days”, which means that he will have to do it in two weeks. After
this starts to drip a penalty in the form of 1% per day, and after a little over three months, the device becomes free for you. If a
but we are talking about "immediate repair", options are possible - no one stipulates, for example, the delivery time for spare parts.
However, if you were not given a replacement within three days, after 3 months the device, again, will become free for you. Truth
problems with spare parts, the delivery and customs clearance of which the manufacturer himself cannot provide, the service center cannot
you hit the money
What to do if your case is out of warranty? It's a shame, of course, but it happens. In this case, the repair must be
paid, but remember that you must be asked for consent to such repairs! If you came for your own phone, and you
they say: “Repair is paid, you have three bags of money”, you can safely refuse to pay and start swearing about the imposition
paid services - however, according to the law, you may still be required to reimburse the cost of examination and storage of your goods.
However, usually they still ask “to repair or not to repair” - it is better to answer “do not repair” and pick up the faulty device from the service,
then to take it to another - where the same repair will be done cheaper. It's like with cars: you need a warranty
drive to an official dealer - and not under warranty, there are a lot of unauthorized, but qualified car services. In general, of course,
we wish you that our advice will never be useful to you - so that all equipment works properly and pleases you for many years.
Well, or at least months - until it becomes obsolete morally.
Not all modern household appliances are reliable. What to do if the purchase refused to work from the first weeks, the malfunctions were discovered much later, and the faulty product cannot be returned / exchanged, since it is included in the list No. 575, or the seller company no longer exists? In these cases, specialists of service centers (SC) come to the rescue.
choose me
Service centers are ordinary and authorized (ASC). The ASC may conclude an agreement with the manufacturer or its representative in Russia, which pays the repair work to the ASC. If the warranty period of the broken equipment has not yet expired - a direct road to the ASC.
In an authorized service center, your equipment with a valid manufacturer's warranty should be repaired free of charge, using only branded spare parts and accessories, if the defect is not your fault. However, repairs are often delayed here.
Delivery of parts, as a rule, is carried out from abroad - few manufacturers have spare parts warehouses in Russia. Add time for various diagnostics and examinations necessary to recognize the case as warranty. So it turns out that the equipment given for troubleshooting in the ASC can stay there for a long time. longer term established for this by law.
Remember that if you violate a written deadline, you have the right to claim your equipment in its current (faulty) condition and file a claim with the seller for a refund, because. the deficiency in this case becomes significant, which cannot be eliminated without disproportionate costs or time.
It is much easier to build work in ordinary unauthorized service centers. Here, any malfunction will be fixed as quickly as possible, but only for money. The disadvantages include the frequent lack of original spare parts and the use of repair methods that run counter to the manufacturer's service bulletins.
There is also a third category of service centers - these are SCs, which are also not authorized by manufacturers of goods, but can perform free warranty service for equipment under contracts with sellers. For example, service centers at some online stores or retail outlets that install their own guarantee on the goods sold. As a rule, this approach is applied to equipment illegally imported into the territory of the Russian Federation, and it is not covered by the manufacturer's warranty, but it also costs a little cheaper than officially supplied.
Attention! Warranty card
The most important document for household appliances is the warranty card. It indicates the period of validity of the warranty for the product, established by the manufacturer. Sometimes stores can set their own warranty period in the absence of a manufacturer's warranty. Remember, according to the Consumer Rights Protection Law, it cannot be less than that set by the manufacturer!
The warranty card is filled in the store after the buyer has inspected the goods.
It must be correct and clear. 
indicated: model, serial number of the product, date of sale, stamp of the seller, signature of the buyer. The coupon must be kept throughout the warranty period. After all, only upon presentation of it, your equipment can count on free repairs.
Quite often, it is in the warranty card that the addresses and telephone numbers of authorized service centers are indicated, to which the manufacturer has entrusted the right to carry out warranty service for the goods produced by him. Or you can find this information directly in the store.
Written to believe
Making out the equipment for repair, be on the lookout! At the ASC, you will be required to present a warranty card and a cash receipt for the purchase of goods. You should also carefully read the documents that you sign in the process of communicating with a representative of the service center. They should contain: the malfunctions you claimed, a description appearance goods, as well as the timing of the work.
By law, repairs must be carried out within the minimum time objectively necessary to eliminate them, taking into account the method usually used. However, service centers, depending on the possibilities, set their own time. If it is not defined in writing, your technique can “lay on sick leave” for an arbitrarily long time.
In addition, according to paragraph 3 of Article 20 of the Consumer Rights Protection Law, “In case of elimination of defects in the product, the warranty period for it is extended for the period during which the product was not used. The specified period is calculated from the date of the consumer's request to eliminate the defects of the goods until the day of its issuance at the end of the repair. When picking up equipment from repair, do not forget about the receipt, which should indicate which spare parts were used for repair and the terms of acceptance and issue from the SC. It happened that the craftsmen did not even bother to indicate the model of the goods, after which the equipment was deprived of the warranty on terms.
The stipulated period has expired
What to do if the repair period has come to an end, and service center not in a hurry to issue the goods from the repair? The Consumer Protection Act offers two ways out of the situation. The first one is, in accordance with Article 23 of the RFZPP, to submit a claim for payment of a penalty for violation of the deadline for eliminating defects in the goods, agreed in writing - 1% of the cost of the goods per day, starting from the day the claim was submitted until the day the repaired goods were returned.
However, as mentioned above, the ASC may not necessarily conclude an agreement with the manufacturer, and then, based on the preamble of the RFP, it is not an authorized organization and cannot be responsible under Art. 23. The second is to pick up the equipment and demand that a certificate be issued on the terms of its stay in the service. In this case, the seller is obliged to return the money for the defective goods, but at the same time he retains the right to conduct his own examination.
They insulted and at the same time ripped off money from you and your laptop or computer is still inoperative. And as a result of all this, a spoiled mood and unjustified expenses.
In this article, we will consider in detail the question of what to do if you have been deceived at a service center.
What to do if you are still deceived in the service center?
Having brought home, your computer or laptop, but does not work, worked for only a few days, or the repair work was not completed in full.
Do not panic and grieve about wasted money, seeks to scandal in the service center and similar unconsidered actions that will not lead to good anyway.
To get started, look for an agreement and a check from this service center, which provided you with repair work. Agreement, if any. Going to the service center, make a written claim to the service center, on the fact that the repair work to eliminate problems and defects was not completed in full, or as a result of this repair, new defects and similar problems appeared.
Take a girlfriend or friend with you, as you know, some representatives of service centers can produce psychological pressure or rudeness towards customers, and there are two or three of you, in case there will be a witness of a bad attitude towards you. Arriving at the service center, in no case be nervous, do not shout or stomp, in this state it is easier to disorganize and mislead you, calm voice Explain the reason for your dissatisfaction with the person who took your order. Be more confident in your words.
If after all the claims you were denied. Demand a written refusal from them, with a warning, contact the consumer protection committee and the department of economic crimes, because you have every right to do so!
Having figured out what to do if you were deceived at the service center, you will already be prepared for such a situation, knowing what and how to do.
If this article was helpful to you, then share it with your friends in in social networks. To do this, simply click on the social buttons. networks below. If you have any questions and suggestions, then write them in the comments to this article below. You can also go to
12/06/2012, Thu, 15:12, Moscow time
The relationship between service centers and customers is far from a simple "bring it in for repair - take it back" scheme. Most often, problems arise during the delivery and registration of equipment that is under warranty. Sometimes they are associated with well-known tricks and tricks that customers try to use to get free repairs.
pages: 1 | | | next
The client most often carries faulty equipment to where he bought it - to the store or supplier. But if u trade organization there is no own authorized service center, it would be more correct to immediately send the device to the manufacturer's service center - anyway, the store will do the same, only it may be longer. Saving time is especially important for small companies that maintain their own fleet of computer and office equipment and often do not have sufficient replacement stock for the duration of the repair.
The performance of the device and the elimination of factory defects are guaranteed by the manufacturer, and not by the store, supplier company or authorized service center. In terms of warranty repairs, sales organizations and service centers are guided by the instructions received from the vendor or the main service provider.
Double standarts
Usually the warranty period for technical products ranges from 6 months to 3 years, depending on the type of device and the specific manufacturer. Interestingly, the term rarely depends on the reliability, technical complexity and size of the device. For example, a computer system unit may have only a year of warranty, and a small navigator - two. Often this turns out to be a marketing ploy by the manufacturer in order to attract buyers.
The warranty period rarely depends on the reliability, technical complexity and size of the device.
Already at the stage of establishing the warranty period, various tricks begin. Trade organizations can “play” with them, providing themselves with more favorable working conditions. For example, a product may have a 2-year warranty, but the seller announces only 1 year. This can be a sin for small shops and points of sale that do not want to deal with after-sales service.
Why is this happening? Service center employees know that there are two warranty periods: one - from the date of sale - is set for the buyer, the second - from the date of production - for the trade organization. Due to the fact that devices pass quite long haul from the factory to the cash desk (transportation, customs clearance, warehousing), the second warranty period is longer. For example, with a warranty of 3 years from the date of sale, the maximum warranty period from the date of manufacture is 3 years 6 months.
As soon as the established period from the date of production expires, the manufacturer declines responsibility for warranty repairs. And, if there is a guarantee on the coupon, but in reality it has ended, this only means that the product has not been sold for too long. Claims should be presented not to the manufacturer or service center, but to the store. Therefore, when buying, you need to pay attention also to the date of manufacture of the device.
Insuring themselves against such cases, stores independently reduce the warranty period for some types of goods. Especially the discrepancy between the terms of the warranty applies to computer components.
How to hand over the goods
There is a popular belief that service centers do their best to refuse warranty repairs to customers. This is usually not the case. Although the authorized service center does not charge for warranty repairs, this work is paid for by the manufacturer or central service provider. That is, even on warranty repairs, the SC earns money. Therefore, it makes no sense for him to evade repairs or "kick back" the client for various reasons.
However, there certain rules acceptance of equipment and conditions of warranty service. Accordingly, the employees of the service center have certain instructions for receiving warranty equipment. To recognize a breakdown as a "warranty case", both certain documents and the compliance of the state of the equipment with certain criteria are required. And here situations may arise when the SC is released from obligations for warranty repairs.
The client must have a receipt or delivery note with the date of sale of the goods and a completed warranty card. However, by law, the absence of a warranty card is not a reason for denial of warranty. In theory, the main thing for the SC is to identify the product. Its employees can do this by the serial number and find out if the product with this number was produced at all, when it was manufactured and whether the warranty period has expired. This is what many companies do.
An additional advantage of checking by serial number is the ability to filter out "gray" devices. The SC will not repair free of charge goods that are imported unofficially and, accordingly, do not have a guarantee. Sometimes information is received that, for example, among scanners of a certain brand, only 10% of all those sold by retail were officially delivered. Accordingly, only a small part of all sold goods is subject to warranty service and special attention is paid to this model during testing. Most of the equipment will be denied warranty repair with the wording: "Due to the absence of this serial number in the database of devices officially supplied to Russia."
Loading...
