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Last week we learnt that LG is now offering a Second Year Promise Program, to extend the warranty of its LG G6
flagship from one year to two for new and existing customers. As well
as ensuring that buyers can have confidence in the lifespan of their
expensive new flagship purchase, LG’s extended warranty also appears to
be a gesture aimed at repairing some of damage done to the company’s
resolution over the bootloop issues that have affected a number of its
devices over the years.
In case you missed the kerfuffle, a notable number of LG G4
customers, along with more limited cases affecting the V10, V20 and
Nexus 5X, were seeing their handsets stuck in a bootloop due to faulty
hardware. It took LG a long time to officially acknowledge the issue,
with customers being told that certain models weren’t eligible for
repairs. The long delay in diagnosing the problem left many consumers
outside of their usual warranty repair time frame, and it wasn’t until
January 2016 that LG addressed the problem fully.
See also:
What’s going on with LG and those bootloops?
December 15, 2016
Obviously, this left many LG customers with a sour taste in their
mouth and the fallout dented the brand’s reputation not just among its
existing fanbase. You’ll still see references to the issue
throughout comments sections in various LG articles all over the web.
A two year warranty is a reassuring message all around and one that was certainly needed to start rebuilding consumer trust after the boot-loop saga.
When it comes to the bootloop issue, this improved warranty is of
little consolation for those who went through the channels trying to
obtain a replacement for an older model. Although I should point out
that LG has already promised to repair G4s affected by bootloop issues in a bid to restore some faith too.
With this new warranty, those who have had trouble with LG
handsets in the past can be more assured that support will be more
forthcoming if they chose to upgrade to a new LG G6. Furthermore, those
who weren’t affected but may have been put off based on the stories and
rumored should have less to worry about now. It’s a reassuring message
all around and one that was certainly needed to start rebuilding
consumer trust.
While it would be unrealistic for the company to extend
warranties for older handsets or promise broad sweeping replacement
options for aging models, there are some limitations to the extend of
this warranty even for G6 owners. For starters, it’s only available for
US customers, leaving a big portion of LG’s consumer base without the
extra cover.
The bootloop problem wasn’t reserved for US models and the
regional nature of this promotion will certainly leave some feeling left
out. It should be noted that LG already offers a two-year warranty to
European customers due to regional regulations, so the US is caught up
in this regard. However, there’s still India, East Asia, and many other
consumers that deserve the same offers of protection too. If LG wanted
to go a step further to secure consumer trust, the company should
consider going above and beyond basic warranties too.
If LG wanted to go a step further to secure consumer trust, the company should consider going above and beyond basic warranties. See HTC's Uh Oh or Samsung's Premium Care programs.
The likes of HTC’s Uh Oh program,
which was an optional 12-month warranty upgrade for its flagship
smartphones, offered to replace handsets even if they broke due to the
user’s fault. Although this type of protection is more expensive, it’s a
useful extra to offer consumers who are looking for extensive coverage
of their expensive flagship purchase.
Alternatively, see Samsung’s similar Premium Care option – a $12
monthly subscription which extends the default warranty for your Galaxy
smartphone for as long as you pay the premium. The program also offers
faster access to support and video chat options. Speaking of Samsung, LG
might also consider an upgrade program in the vein of Apple and
Samsung, which allows consumers to upgrade their handsets more regularly
and also includes a longer 24-month warranty option. Building this
brand loyalty and rewarding dedicated customers is a great way to build
trust and a strong consumer relationship.
Samsung’s Premium Care package offers extra peace of mind for those willing to spend extra on device protection.
Interestingly, LG identified a trend during the announcements of
its Second Year Promise Program, observing that customers are “are now
using their phones for 24 months,” suggesting that users are keeping
their phones for longer than before. Another way LG could garner some
extra good graces would be too start supporting its handsets longer with
software updates over more years. LG is already supporting its
flagships with two years worth of software updates, but quicker updates
or better support for mid-tier handsets would certainly go down well
with consumers too.
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