[General Topics] kedolf:
Hi there guys,

I feel compelled to share with you my communication exercise with the ZTE Customer

Service. May it be a guideline for some on how to deal with them or a plain warning

for others how not to tread too deeply into the murky waters of China Sea. As many of

you probably know ZTE displayed their then flagship handset Grand X In at the IFA

trade show in Berlin last year. The phone's specs read among other things 16 GB

storage memory, FM Radio and NFC. Subsequent and numerous reportings from the

event proved it to be true and in accordance with ZTE's own web page. However

when the handset shipped to Europe it turned out that there is only other release

available - one with 4 GB mem, no radio, no NFC. And this is the edition I bought

from T-Mobile Poland at the end of last year. Although the phone was running stock

ICS 4.0.4 I loved it and wanted to buy another one, this time with 16 GB mem etc. So I

wrote ZTE asking as to where to get it. Then followed the exchange I make you privy

to.

The second question I asked them was the prospective availability of Jelly Bean

upgrade. It was known that Intel ported JB to x86 platform as early as last September

and that their employees were having it on their own handsets since then. So the JB

suited for Atom powered smartphones was in existence and doing fine. I naturally

mentioned this fact to ZTE while asking about their own plans to give us JB. As it

turns out ZTE condition the JB release upon a carrier or a dealer making specific

request for it and that means demand for a upgrade is based on particular sales. And

that means there will be no JB for Grand X In and other Intel based handsets in the

foreseeable future unless some devs take the matter to the heart and mind. What is

frustrating the most is some cloak of secrecy and not giving customers straight facts

from the beginning. Many of us would have thought twice about the purchase had we

known from day one we'd be dumped and support for our phone abandoned before

the year was over. I'll let you be the judge and jury. Below is the copied email

exchange in the original form. I've only removed instances of my email address and

ZTE's web page being readable (10 posts rule).

--- On Thu, 4/4/13, ZTE email <ZTE email> wrote:

From: ZTE email <ZTE email>

Subject: Re: ZTE Grand X IN

To: "my name" <my email>

Date: Thursday, April 4, 2013, 6:34 PM

Dear Valued ZTE Customer,,

Thanks for contacting ZTE.

If you want to purchase a single unit please contact nearest dealer or any network

provider.

ZTE is not selling any product to the customer or in the market directly.

And we cannot provide you any dealer details.

End-users are advised not to upgrade their phone versions until the software is

released formally.

Regarding your inquiry, we would recommend that you'd better contact your

network operator or dealer from where you have purchased to consult.

Because the android updated is based on the demand of your local network

operator or dealer,

ZTE is not selling any device to the end user or in the market directly.

ZTE is manufacturing the handset as per the requirement of network provide and

dealers.

So it depend on the network provider or dealer that, what Android version they

need in there device.

If we want to release the new version of android we need a request from the

network provider.

Because for us they are the customer who as purchased the device from us and we

can release the new version only if we receive the request for them.

Should you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us!

Best Regards

my name <my email>

04/04/2013 07:06 AM

To

ZTE email

cc

Subject

Re: ZTE Grand X IN

Dear Sirs,

On January 23 I asked you two questions:

- where can I buy or order the ZTE Grand X IN with 16 GB storage memory?

- when will you deliver Jelly Bean for Grand X IN?

Two simple questions of where and when pertaining not to some rocket science

problem but to the very smartphone you manufacture yourself.

On February 19 you let me know that my "email has been forwarded to the relevant

colleagues for their appropriate handling" and that you "will respond as soon as

relevant information is available".

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I assume that these "relevant colleagues" are the

ZTE employees and that you pay them monthly salaries for their "work", do you not?

So let me sum it up for you:

- ZTE is the manufacturer of the Grand X IN

- relevant ZTE employees, paid and employed by the ZTE, for two months and a

half cannot find any information where I can purchase a product manufactured by

their own company! This is ridiculous, this is pathetic! Well then, maybe they

shouldn't be working for the ZTE but for some Chinese grocery store on some street

corner in ShenZhen. And you dare to call it a customer service - this is a sad joke. A

very sad joke, a mockery and total disrespect for your own customers. And mind you I

asked you two questions, the Jelly Bean question as well. In my country all it would

take is one phone call lasting two minutes and another two to write an email to the

customer. You have a long way ahead of you...

Regards

my initials

--- On Tue, 2/19/13, ZTE email <ZTE email> wrote:

From: ZTE email <ZTE email>

Subject: Re: ZTE Grand X IN

To: "my name" <my email>

Date: Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 8:16 PM

Dear Valued ZTE Customer

Thank you for contacting ZTE and your prompt reply.

Your email has been forwarded to the relevant colleagues for their appropriate

handling.

We will respond as soon as relevant information is available.

Best Regards

my name <my email>

02/19/2013 06:40 PM

To

ZTE email

cc

Subject

ZTE Grand X IN

Dear Sirs,

On 23 January I have sent you a e-mail included below. To this very date I have not

received any answer from you. I'm wondering if the mail delivery system is to blame

for no reply or was it your lack of willingness to answer me. If the latter is the case

then be kind enough to let me know about it. I do not know about customer relations

policy in your country but in mine customer's inquiries are always most warmly

welcomed and are answered promptly, kindly and to the point.

Best regards,

my name

--- On Wed, 1/23/13, my name <my email> wrote:

From: my name <my email>

Subject: ZTE Grand X IN

To: ZTE email

Date: Wednesday, January 23, 2013, 9:15 AM

Dear Sirs,

I am proud and happy owner of ZTE Grand X IN, the best smartphone in its class

the world over. I bought it a month ago from T-Mobile Poland. It has the original T-

Mobile stock 4.0.4 and 4 GB storage. I would like very much to buy another one but

this time the version with 16 GB storage. Could you please tell me if it is available in

Europe and if not then where I can get it. It is such a fine phone and I love it so much

that I am prepared to go to the end of the world to have it. I would like to thank you all

for providing us, customers with such a magnificent product. Last but not least could

you please tell me if you are preparing an upgrade for ZTE Grand X IN to Jelly Bean

4.1.2. Currently it has only ICS 4.0.4 and it is a rather old stock. I know that Intel

people in Santa Clara already have the JB on their Atom phones since last September

and it is working. When will we get it here in Europe and in Poland in particular?

Best regards to all of you,

my name,

my job,

my work, Warsaw, Poland

my email

or

my email

+48 xxx xxx xxx

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