Samsung has taken out full-page advertisements in major US newspapers in an attempt to apologize to its customers for the recent Galaxy Note 7 explosions that led to a global product recall.
The ads, which appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Washington Post, state the company is “truly sorry” for falling short on delivering “best-in-class safety and quality.”
According to the Korean Herald, the company has promised a full investigation into what caused the Note 7 battery explosions, stating it would “re-examine every aspect of the device, including hardware, software, manufacturing and the overall battery structure. We will move as quickly as possible, but will take the time needed to get the right answers.“
Mending burnt bridges
When it was first released back in August, reports began to surface of devices overheating and exploding due to a fault with their lithium-ion batteries. Following a recall of millions of units in September, Samsung decided to permanently discontinue the line when its replacement phones suffered the same faults.
Despite repeatedly warning customers that the phone isn’t safe, not all customers have returned them, though Samsung says around 85% have now been returned or exchanged.
It’s been a difficult period for the company, which has resulted in its third quarter profits taking a significant hit. Its reputation with consumers hasn’t been helped by another embarrassing recall, this time for 34 models of its washing machines, which it also acknowledges in the ads.
So far the company has recalled 2.8 million units in the US after it was discovered that the tops of the washing machines could come loose and fly off while in use.
Samsung has received more than 700 reports so far and nine people have been injured according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.
It’s clear that Samsung is making an effort to do some damage control and reassure its consumers, with the ad concluding “safety remains our top priority [...] We are grateful for your ongoing support and again, we are truly sorry.“
Whether a pricey apology will rebuild trust will be down to the public though.
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