Samsung Electronics Expands Dedicated Repair Centers in Southeastern Europe... 'Good Service Anywhere'

Established 6 Locations in Southeastern Europe from 2016 to Last Year... Opening in Sarajevo, Bosnia in July This Year
Improving Inconsistent Repair Quality of Multi Repair Shops through Dedicated Repair Centers
Swift Response Shining Amid COVID-19... Providing Region-Specific Special Services
Plans to Open Additional Stores in North Macedonia and Albania by 2021

Samsung Electronics Bosnia Dedicated Repair Center

[Photo by Samsung Electronics Newsroom]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] "Can we ensure that our products receive the same high-quality service anywhere?" With this question in mind, Samsung Electronics, which has been establishing dedicated service centers in the Southeastern Europe region for several years, is receiving positive feedback from local consumers.

According to Samsung Electronics Newsroom on the 10th, Samsung Electronics built six dedicated service centers in Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, and other countries from 2016 to last year. In July this year, it opened its first dedicated service center in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia.

Southeastern Europe is a region where Asia and Europe meet, characterized by diverse cultures, religions, and languages coexisting. Although it was once considered a powder keg due to past wars, it has recently stabilized and laid the groundwork for growth. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the UK-based economic analysis institution EIU, Bosnia, in particular, recorded an economic growth rate of 2.6% last year, performing well. As production levels rise and consumption increases, demand for electronic products and services is also growing.

However, countries along the Adriatic coast, including Bosnia, had no concept of dedicated service centers. Therefore, repairs of electronic products were handled by multi-brand repair shops scattered across regions. Since a small number of engineers had to handle products from many brands, service quality was inconsistent.

Inconsistent Repair Quality at Multi-Brand Shops → Improved Through Dedicated Service Centers

The SEAD (Samsung Electronics Adriatic) corporation, responsible for the Adriatic coastal countries, sought ways to provide uniformly high-quality service. First, it improved the work efficiency of multi-brand repair shops to raise overall service quality. Then, it established 'dedicated service centers' exclusively for Samsung Electronics products to provide fast and accurate service.

SEAD opened a total of six dedicated service centers in key markets within the region?Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia?from 2016 to 2019. SEAD explained that these dedicated centers have received much positive feedback from customers because they can reliably provide differentiated services. At these centers, SEAD implemented services such as ▲‘1hr (1-hour) service’ and ‘Door to Door’ delivery service for quick responses tailored to customer situations ▲‘Sign language service’ for the hearing impaired ▲‘Ultraviolet (UV) sterilization service’ to return products clean after repair, thereby increasing customer satisfaction. They also offer opportunities to experience new products in advance and purchase products and accessories.

Samsung Electronics Croatia Zagreb Dedicated Store (left) and UV Sterilization Service Certification Sticker

[Photo by Samsung Electronics Newsroom]

Swift Response Shines Amid COVID-19... Providing Regionally Customized Special Services

During the global COVID-19 crisis, Samsung Electronics’ dedicated service centers stood out with their swift response, prioritizing the safety and hygiene of customers and employees. Beyond basic measures such as providing disinfectants and temperature checks, protective screens were additionally installed at repair reception desks. After repairs, devices were sterilized with UV light and delivered to customers with certification stickers attached. The centers also actively promoted the #Stayhome campaign, helping to improve societal awareness.

Following key markets, from this year, dedicated service centers are expanding to regions with high growth potential, starting with Bosnia. In Bosnia, where diverse ethnicities and religions converge compared to neighboring countries, dedicated service centers are regarded as a new challenge.

Special care services, developed through deep consideration of the region’s religious and cultural characteristics, greatly contributed to the successful smooth launch of the dedicated centers. During the Islamic festival of Bayram, visiting customers receive thank-you cards and chocolates. A customer who used the dedicated center on that day expressed surprise, saying, “I never expected to receive such special care at a dedicated service center,” SEAD reported. The Bosnia dedicated service center also plans to prepare customized events for various religious holidays and national days.

Jin-gyu Jeon, head of SEAD, said, “In an era where customer experience and its dissemination are important trends, we are expanding differentiated service centers that can listen to voices from the field. We will do our best to ensure that customers in Adriatic coastal countries who use Samsung Electronics products can enjoy the best brand experience from purchase to service.”

Operating on a solid foundation, the dedicated centers plan to open additional locations in North Macedonia and Albania by 2021. Samsung Electronics’ services for customers worldwide will continue to be upgraded in the future.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.