Online And On-Lying

I have been working in my position as a support agent for my company’s Canadian customer for about a month. The company I represent released their first Smart TVs in Canada around 2010, and said TVs did not have a built-in web browser. They were “smart” in the sense that they had a pre-selected number of built-in applications, like Netflix. It is now 2016.

Customer: “How do I get online on my [TV model]?”

Me: “I can definitely help walk you through the Internet setup on your TV; do you use a wired or a wireless connection?”

Customer: “No, I already did the setup, but I can’t figure out how to get online.”

Me: “Oh, okay, I understand. I’m sorry for the confusion. Let’s go ahead and have you try launching one of the apps. Can you go ahead and hit the Netflix button on your remote?”

Customer: “Netflix works fine, and so do the apps. But how do I get online?”

Me: “I’m afraid I don’t understand. If the apps are working, then your TV is online.”

Customer: “No, I want to get on Google.”

Me: *Understanding* “Oh! I follow. I’m sorry, but this model TV doesn’t actually have a web browser. You can’t go to individual websites like you can on a computer; the built-in apps are the TV’s smart functions.”

Customer: “What? That’s stupid. I thought this was a smart TV! I can’t even get online?”

Me: “You are online, though, if you are using the TV’s built-in applications. The only difference is that the TV is unable to navigate the actual web to visit individual sites. If that’s what you want to do, I’d recommend connecting a computer to the TV through the HDMI or PC inputs and using the TV like a giant monitor.”

Customer: “I don’t want to do that. I want the TV to do it.”

Me: “I understand that that’s what you want; unfortunately, that’s not a function of this model TV.”

Customer: “I feel like you should upgrade me to a new TV, then, because I bought this TV under the impression it went online.”

Me: “It… does go online, via the apps. Also, we wouldn’t be able to replace your TV, as the TV is working as intended.”

Customer: “But I have a warranty.”

Me: “Yes, which covers manufacturer defects, which this is not. If I may ask, when did you buy this TV?”

Customer: “Oh, a few years ago. So it’s still in warranty.”

Me: “Ah, I see. The warranty on the TV is for one year from the date of purchase, and again, it covers manufacturing defects. This would not be a warranty issue.”

Customer: “Well, the salesman where we bought it said it went online and could go to websites.”

Me: “Unfortunately, I cannot speak for the salesperson, but it sounds like they were mistaken or misled you.”

Customer: “What? Why would they lie?”

Me: “Why… would a salesperson who likely works on commission lie?”

Probably not the best response, I admit, but I was really unsure how the customer didn’t see THAT as a good reason.

Customer: “Yeah! You guys need to replace your TV. There has to be some kind of exception for cases like this.”

Me: “There really isn’t. The TV works as intended, you’ve owned it for a few years by your own acknowledgment, and it sounds like this is an issue better taken up with the place you bought it from. Otherwise, the best way to get the TV to show websites is to hook up another device to it that does have a web browser.”

Customer: “I already told you that I don’t want to do that. I want an exception!”

Me: “I understand that; however, there are no exceptions to be had here.”

Customer: “Don’t you know we have a little thing called consumer protection laws here in Canada?”

Me: “It’s my understanding that the law applies in Quebec, to items bought in Quebec, and only guarantees the product will work for its intended purpose for a reasonable amount of time. From the information you’ve given me, you are not in Quebec; you are in Alberta.”

Customer: “Let me talk to your manager.”

I put the customer on hold and had my boss speak to them, and he reiterated exactly what I had told them already. They escalated past him, to HIS boss, and then past HER to our highest point of contact. The end result? The last notes on the file were that our highest contact point had reiterated exactly what all the previous people had told them and suggested they contact the store they bought it from.

What killed me was the last line in the notes. “Customer agrees this is a reasonable course.” All that time wasted…