EXCLUSIVE: Samsung invests in after-sales customer care

Samsung has announced the opening of a number of direct-to-customer after-sales customer service plazas (CSP) across Australia.

Lambro Skropidis, head of corporate marketing at Samsung Australia, told CRN that two centres have already opened in Melbourne and Darwin.

Perth and Brisbane were scheduled for opening by November, with Adelaide and two Sydney CSPs opening in early 2010.

"Each Samsung CSP will provide repair facilities and have been set up to specifically service Samsung products," he said.

"Samsung and our service partners have jointly invested in the setup of the plazas, however independent partners own and operate the centres."

Skropidis said repair jobs at the plazas would be booked and kept updated via the vendor's call centre.

As part of the CSP project, Samsung is contracting third party service providers in each location to conduct the servicing on its behalf.

Each provider has been offered support in the creation of the plazas as well as training facilities for its staff.

"The CSP means that our resellers can sell Samsung products with the confidence that it has an after sales service network around Australia," said Skropidis.

 "It won't be in competition with our resellers as the centres won't be selling any products. 

 "The CSP will also provide additional support to any resellers that service what they sell, for example printer OA/B2B dealers."

Ming Koh, co-director of independent retailer, PC Market said the centres would help resellers push Samsung products through to customers.

"Customers feel comfortable when they know a vendor can provide services in Australia," he said.

"At the end of the day any product that needs to be fixed will end up going back to the vendor.

"We aren't angry at this decision it will give us confidence in getting products under warranty fixed quickly."

Eric Kwon, founder of Newcastle based reseller, Tri-Benedict, was cautious about the decision.

"It will make it easier to increase the sale of Samsung printers, because people know they can get them fixed faster," he said.

"However I feel for the resellers that rely on after sales and out of warranty services. There's nothing stopping the vendor taking business away from resellers.

"At the end of the day Samsung needs partners to push their stuff so it needs to make sure it doesn't hurt partners."