Samsung Expands Next-Generation Care with AT&T and Introduces New AI-Powered Tools

Samsung products are an integral part of people’s lives — and when their devices aren’t working, our customers want quick and reliable fixes. We’ve always prioritized delivering customer-first Care experiences to help them get back on track swiftly when the unexpected happens.

Consumers today, especially younger generations, emphasize the need for a human interaction in customer care. While there is excitement about the efficiencies things like AI advancements will bring, 73% of consumers say companies are becoming too impersonal when it comes to connecting with their consumers indicating a strong desire for human connection, based on internal Samsung research in March 2024.

“We are listening to what our customers want and we’re investing significantly in new innovations to provide next-generation care options, speed up response times, and offer even more convenient access for product support,” said Mark Williams, Vice President of Customer Care for Samsung Electronics America. “Introducing new partnerships and using AI-powered tools to further enhance the capabilities of our agents, allows for more efficient and effective experiences, extending our commitment to exceptional Care.”

Expanding Care Options with AT&T

We’re making same-day, walk-in care more accessible for Galaxy users who choose AT&T as their mobile network carrier. We’re excited to announce our agreement with AT&T to bring Same Unit Repair (SUR) options to AT&T customers, providing them with more choices for mobile phone repair. Today, in lieu of requesting a device exchange, AT&T Call Center agents can schedule in-warranty, walk-in service repair appointments directly at nearly 700 Samsung retail or uBreakiFix by Asurion locations nationwide. By removing extra steps and streamlining the process, booking an in-warranty mobile phone repair is now easier, so AT&T customers can get back up and running quickly, often in the same day.

Knowing that devices are very personal, Samsung prioritizes SUR. Whereas others may simply swap a consumer’s device for a comparable new or refurbished unit, Samsung works hard to fix the consumer’s specific device and repair it to factory quality condition. For added peace of mind, every repair is backed by a 90-day limited warranty or the remaining period of the original warranty. Samsung Authorized Service Centers employ Samsung-certified technicians and use Samsung genuine parts to repair consumers’ devices. In addition, with SUR, typically no data backup and transfer is needed, so valuable time is not wasted setting up the phone all over again, as with a replacement phone. Plus, SUR is more sustainable by helping to reduce the amount of e-waste.

“At AT&T, we’re making access to Samsung device repairs even easier, so our customers can quickly get back to what matters most to them. By proactively streamlining the process, we’re minimizing downtime and maximizing convenience for our customers, who are central to everything we do,” said Amanda Cacheris, Vice President of Features, AT&T.

“By collaborating with AT&T, we were able to create a seamless system integration solution for better customer support,” stated Mario De Castro, Head of Mobile eXperience Customer Care at Samsung Electronics America. “Together, we strive to make device repairs simple, accessible, and result in the best possible outcome for our customers.”

Benefits of Walk-In Service:

• Same-Day Repairs: Available for most mobile phones, including Galaxy S21 models and newer, with appointments by 3 PM or earlier.
• One-on-One Consultation: Personalized service for a better customer experience.
• No Data Transfer Needed: Your device will be returned with the same settings, to get you back up and running immediately.

For those without a nearby Walk-in Service location, Samsung also offers Mail-In Service and ‘We Come To You’ options.

Explore more on An Inside Look into Your Mobile Device Repair Journey with Samsung Care.

Delivering Next-Generation Care with AI-Powered Tools

When it comes to customer service, the human element still matters – when a customer is in a pinch, 46% want product support via phone and 34% want to chat online with a person.¹ However, they are comfortable with the use of technology when it helps customer care agents handle their needs more accurately and efficiently. For this reason, this year we’ve introduced new tools using AI to better equip Samsung Care experts to answer questions and resolve issues even faster.

With Interactive Voice Response (IVR), AI helps our agents understand the customer’s reason for calling, referred to as “intent.” It identifies both the product and the specific issue, ensuring the customer is directed to the right agent and providing insights before the call is answered, streamlining the process. After IVR does the initial triage with the customer, AI analyzes the intent and passes info along to the Care agent to better address the need. IVR continuously learns and improves its accuracy over time, enabling our agents to support customers more quickly.

For example, IVR can text customers the two closest Walk-In service or Authorized Repair Service Center locations based on their zip code. Additionally, IVR allows customers to book a Walk-In Service appointment by sending a link to schedule it. Customers can also get repair ticket status updates through IVR, which can read the information based on a phone number lookup and send text message updates. IVR also offers the convenience of switching to SMS communication instead of continuing with a call. We’ve found that 1 in 7 customers who call choose to move to SMS.

And for faster on-the-go support, Samsung customers can access Samsung Care via SMS text messaging to 1-800-SAMSUNG. Since 2023, we’ve engaged in over 3.5 million text conversations, assisting more than 530,000 customers with their product needs. Customers can reach a live representative 24/7, reducing wait times and eliminating the need for multiple calls. Conversations can be paused and resumed at the customer’s convenience, with all information saved in the chat so it doesn’t need to be repeated each time. Watch more on Samsung Care support, including our Spanish language support using AI technology, via SMS text messaging.

Looking for more Care updates or need additional support from the Samsung Care Team? Visit the Samsung Care YouTube Channel, check out the Samsung Members App and Samsung Communities or text us any time by messaging 1-800-SAMSUNG to start a conversation with a Samsung Care Pro.

[1] Internal Samsung research, March 2024