Just can’t cut a break…
September 17th, 2008 Posted in PersonalOK, so things haven’t gone as planned. In fact, it could be said that things have gone awry. But that is a silly word and I’ll have none of it. Anyway, what has occurred has been a comedy of errors, but none of the laughs have been in my favour. Dammit.
To start, let’s go to the beginning, which is a good place to start because it’s where it all began… Ahem.
I bought my Acer at the start of August. After about 2 weeks, it died in the ass, so I called Acer and requested repair under warranty (as opposed to replacement as DOA), thinking it wouldn’t take to long, and I wouldn’t lose my data. Well, I guess I was wrong on both parts (if I had listened to the recorded message while waiting in the queue for technical support, I would have known that you lose all data for hardware repairs).
I guess I was thinking about my experience with Microsoft in Japan when my Xbox 360 red ringed. Within 3 days, my 360 was returned, and has worked perfectly ever since. I even had the repairs refunded back to me when Microsoft admitted they originally released a crappy machine. Wait, not crappy, I love my Xbox — faulty.
Anyway, Acer picked it up the next day, and delivered it to their repair centre in Sydney the next day. I thought this was a good thing. Three days later, I requested an update, and was told the motherboard was set to be replaced, and it would be back with me soon… and so started the circle of crap. Every time I requested an update over the next two weeks, I got the same response — “I have no update at the moment and will get back to you as soon as I do.” For two weeks. So I complained. Still nothing. I complained considerably more, and after three weeks my case was “escalated”. And I never heard from anyone. At all. Some escalation.
So, working where I do, I complained to my Acer contact, and he sent word up the track. Soon enough, I was granted a DOA. Awesome, I thought — Acer has my machine, they will send out a new machine today or tomorrow. Sweet…
Never happened. They told me they would send the machine back to me — still not having finished repairs — and I would have to return it to where I got it from in order for it to be replaced or credited. It took another week before they returned it to me (I actually don’t have it yet, probably not until Friday). And it will probably take another week before I receive credit (because I cracked it and have decided that I will not be getting another Acer in replacement).
To put it simply, it’s been terrible. I had the computer for two weeks, it died, and I got no love from Acer. Now, even though they will replace or credit me, I got little more than an apology. Absolutely disgusting service, and I refuse to buy another Acer, even if I’m told it’s the best machine in the world. I’ve decided to go from super awesome wicked top-of-the-line notebook, to ordinary run-of-the-mill notebook AND a netbook… for the same price. Two for the price of one. Both HP, I think, because the one I’m using now is HP, it’s about 10 years old, and it’s still cracking along nicely (although it dies once a week, then pulls a Lazarus, which is pretty annoying)… Once we get the new ones, this one will go into retirement…
What’s more? Now I have to deal with the reseller that I bought it off. I won’t mention their name, because at this point I am still satisfied with their service, etc. Depends on how they handle this… I asked them to get the DOA number two days ago, and haven’t heard back from them yet. They did tell me they were under-staffed and under the pump, so I can accept a little slowness on their part, but I also sent them the email telling them I was asking for a full refund yesterday, and if I was them I would be pretty pissed — they did nothing, but they lose their profit from the sale. That’s life, I guess, and if they do me right, I’ll suggest people go buy from them. If they don’t… Well?
Died in the where? Cor blimey!