Apple Changes Its Repair Policy Based On The Korean Fair Trade Commission’s Recommendations
The Fair Trade Commission of South Korea recommended a few changes on Apple's repair policy after considering some of the clauses antitrust. The tech company has been providing repairs for iPhones based on the revised policy since September, reported Korea JoongAng Daily Oct. 7.
Korea Times noted on Sept. 20 that Apple Korea's General Manger Richard Yoon refused earlier to change its policy.
"Although we acknowledge that Korean customers are feeling burdened by the refurbished goods-based policy, Apple believes it is right to remain this way regarding the after-sales service in the long run in order to raise customer satisfaction," Yoon firmly said during a parliamentary inspection.
With the previous policy, Apple had the freedom to perform whatever repairs they deem necessary on a customer's smartphone and subject them to pay for the services they rendered before returning the smartphones back to them.
Representative of the ruling Saenuri Party Bae Deok Kwang noted that this forces customers to pay excessively to have their smartphones repaired.
Bae said, "This also makes them overpay. Many domestic customers are complaining about such a policy."
The same issues were brought up against Apple Korea five years ago but Yoon was firm on his stand that their policy was made to give the best quality of service to users even if it they might not be accustomed to such practice.
As part of the new policy, Apple service centers now provide customers with information on the details and cost of necessary repairs prior to making any changes. Customers may choose to push through with the repair without paying in advance or get their smartphones back if they are not amenable to the cost.
"Most of the recommendations that we have made have been reflected," said FTC's spokesperson at the customers' clause review department Min Hae Young. "We plan to make additional reviews if the new clauses have other problems."
