BBC Watchdog goes undercover to investigate iPhone insurance misinformation
It’s rather unfair that the iPhone has become caught up in the latest controversy to hit the Carphone Warehouse, but, after complaints from a number of customers, investigators from the BBC’s Watchdog programme have gone undercover to find out whether sales staff have been giving false information about insurance and contracts.
Customers had told the programme that staff at the Carphone Warehouse had told them that, if they lost their iPhone, they’d have to take out another 18 month contract. Some were also told that O2’s insurance was inferior to the Carphone Warehouse’s.
Undercover investigators from Watchdog said that they’d been given the wrong information by staff in three out of the five stores they visited.
The Carphone Warehouse responded by saying that it was possible there had been “some element of confusion among an isolated number of sales consultants” due to the unique nature of the iPhone, but that they were investigating and retraining staff to ensure that this didn’t happen again.
Full statement after the jump.
Here’s the full, official statement from the Carphone Warehouse:
Providing customers with expert and clear advice has always been core to The Carphone Warehouse’s principles. Because of the unique nature of the iPhone and its replacement process there could, despite detailed training be some element of confusion among an isolated number of sales consultants. We do not believe however that the small number of complaints received by Watchdog is a fair reflection of the experience of thousands of iPhone customers who have received insurance advice in our stores.
The Carphone Warehouse is authorised by the FSA to sell insurance products and therefore we constantly review sales processes to ensure customers are treated fairly. We will of course be investigating any further cases we receive as a priority. In the meantime we have contacted all our sales consultants to reiterate the correct advice around iPhone replacement and insurance.
(Via iPhonic)
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