For the average Apple customer, part of the company’s allure is its ability to deliver a relatively simple top down experience from purchase to customer service. Partially due to its enormous retail presence, Apple customer can feel safe knowing that if something breaks or crashes, they can head over to their local retail outlet and get it taken care off.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the Windows side of retail. Often Windows PCs and phones are purchased at electronic retail chain outlets that typically have no formal training or direct liability for the products they peddle. Over the past couple of years, Microsoft has put into motion a retail plan to help rectify part of that problem by opening up several Microsoft Stores throughout North America and turning former Nokia retail kiosk into officially sanctioned Microsoft outlets.
Now, it seems as though Microsoft may at least be dipping it toes further into the service and support waters of mobile devices, however late the solution may come. Recently, news surfacing from a Polish site, wpworld.pl, which points toward a shift in Microsoft policies regarding its service and support for smartphone and mobile devices in Europe, is shedding some light on Microsoft’s attempts to better support its devices. For customers living in the European region, their Lumia device can now be shipped to iQor Hungary for repairs.
Further details include:
Warranty for the entire European market will be carried out in the European Service Centre iQor Hungary. Delivery of equipment for repair to the European Service Centre will be carried out through the so-called, Consolidation Hub. This role will include central services so far supports Microsoft on the Polish market – e.g., Regenersis (Warsaw). This means that Regenersis will be responsible for receiving devices targeted for warranty service from operators, shops and individual clients and transferring them to repair directly to iQor Hungary. The transition to a new way of handling will be carried out gradually — the first devices already found their way to repair the iQor Hungary. According to the plan, the entire volume of warranty repairs will be addressed to the European Service Centre by the end of March 2016.”
While not exactly Apple’s approach of direct retail support, at least in Europe, where Lumia smartphones teeter on double digit usage, Microsoft’s new repair policy may be of some use. Hopefully, as the company ‘retrenches’ its efforts in mobile (whenever that comes to fruition), Microsoft will also work out a more encompassing support and repair policy or process. Until then, European Lumia owners have this.
Thanks Lukasz for the tip!
