Reader George is having serious trouble with Geek Squad. It started when he bought a laptop from Best Buy a few years ago. He sent it in to get a loose AC jack replaced. They replace it. Two months later, it’s loose again. It’s replaced again, but this time, when his picks it up, the door to the DVD/CD drive is warped and won’t open. George’s in a hurry, so he asked the Geek to make a note about the damage, and he’ll bring it back for repair. From here on out, nothing goes right. First they can’t find his account, then they can’t find the note, then they can’t find his computer, then they can’t work their own computers. His full story, inside.
computers
Dell Is "Too Cheap To Realize That I Have A Defective Laptop"
By 3.14.08
Reader Jake says he just opened his 45 day old laptop and the LCD cracked for no reason. Now Dell doesn’t believe his story and won’t cover it under his warranty. That sucks.
Dell Won't Stop Sending Me Catalogs So I'm Burning Them
By 3.13.08
Even though I have asked them several times and waited several months, Dell won’t stop sending me catalogs, so I’m burning them. Every other company that sends me catalogs that I’ve requested to be removed from their mailing list has done it. I have called customer service on two different occasions and requested to be removed. I have gone to the special website on the back of the catalogs and requested to be removed. I have done this for both the sets of names and addresses they have on file for me. They don’t care. I tried to be nice but obviously that doesn’t work. So burn, baby, burn. It may not stop the mailings, but I felt better afterwards. Another image of Dell catalog immolation, inside…
Apple Replaces Lemon Laptop As Promised
By 3.13.08
Our intern Alex’s lemony MacBook Pro finally went out with a spectacular graphical display of what it looks like when a robot’s brain dissolves. Fortunately, Apple made good on the promise they gave him last month when he asked about their replacement policy, and a new replacement MacBook Pro is on its way to him. They’re also refunding a portion of his AppleCare. Is this just typical Apple follow-through or above and beyond treatment because Alex’s story was posted on Consumerist?
Man Haggles With Dell Over Laptop Since 2005
By 3.11.08
There have been several business article written about how Dell is changing its bad customer service ways, but after you read Anthony’s horrible tale, you will know that Dell hell is very alive and very real:
In April of 2005, I purchased a Dell Inspiron 9300 laptop computer. Approximately a year later, I was given a replacement for ongoing issues with the computer, and that replacement served me fine for approximately another year before it too had ongoing issues and was replaced under warranty. However, this is where the problems began…
Ridiculous Tech Support Calls
By 3.7.08
In his Circuits column this week, David Pogue shares some of the most absurd calls he listened to when he toured a tech support center.
I learned that when they say, “Your call may be recorded for quality assurance purposes,” that’s only partly true. They also record your calls so they can pass around recordings of the funniest ones.
HP Announces Big Fat Tech Support Investment
By 3.3.08
HP customer service has a bad rep and it seems they finally got around to noticing it. Here’s a press release announcing the completion of what they call, “the most substantial investment in consumer technical support in its history.” Highlights:
Scammy Computer Seller BlueHippo Settles With FTC For $5 Million
By 2.26.08
BlueHippo, the scammy “no credit check” computer seller accused in several states of taking money from customers without providing the computers and other electronics it supposedly sells, has settled with the FTC for $5 million. They did not admit wrongdoing.
Call Center Call Customer "Little Girl" For Not Buying Computer
By 2.15.08
In this supposedly real call leaked from a Panamanian call center, a call center rep mocks a customer when he decides not to buy a new computer because it doesn’t come with speakers, calling him a “little girl” and a “little pussy girl.” Whether it’s real or not, it doesn’t really matter, it’s funny. Transcript inside…
7 Lies You'll Hear From Salesmen At Electronics Stores
By 2.13.08
Future Shop is a Canadian consumer electronics retail chain. Charlie used to work there, and has now passed along the 7 most common lies he heard salesmen use on unsuspecting customers. Whether you have a Future Shop in your area or not, you’ll find these lies familiar.
Apple's Semi-Official Computer Replacement Policy
By 2.12.08
Yesterday we noted that our intern Alex Chasick was told by an Apple Genius that Apple will not automatically replace a defective laptop after the third hardware failure. Alex followed our advice and called Apple’s Executive Customer Service line for some official answers. Here’s what he found out.
Best Buy Hikes Price On Popular Budget Laptop, Gets Caught
By 2.12.08
If you were eyeing the “budget-priced” Gateway P-6831FX and thought about picking one up at your local Best Buy, you’ll want to wait until this Sunday, February 17th, when Best Buy says it will lower the price again.
Even Microsoft Execs Hated On "Vista Capable" Labeling
By 2.11.08
Microsoft’s “Vista Capable” program was so misleading that even Microsoft executives complained about it according to emails revealed last week in court. The emails were read aloud at a hearing to determine class-action status for a related lawsuit against the company. One corporate vice president wrote, “”I PERSONALLY got burnt. … Are we seeing this from a lot of customers? … I now have a $2,100 e-mail machine.” The co-president of another division wrote, “We really botched this. … You guys have to do a better job with our customers.”
Computer Techs Caught Overcharging, Lying, And Snooping Through Your Personal Files
By 2.1.08
KNBC did an undercover investigation into tech repair services and found that, yep, they routinely overcharge customers, charge for services not rendered, make shit up, and look through your personal videos and pictures. They tested Circuit City, Fry’s, some local repair places, and Best Buy. Surprisingly enough, Best Buy is the only place that correctly diagnosed the problem and didn’t peek through their pictures (Probably because bossman Robert Stephens had vowed to fry peepers with the giant laser he has hidden on top of the Geek Squad HQ if any more techs got caught).
TigerDirect Will Take Over 16 CompUSA Stores
By 2.1.08
TigerDirect has gone through with its plan to purchase CompUSA, including its website, inventory, and “16 of the best CompUSA retail stores,” according to an email sent by CEO Gilbert Fiorentino to TigerDirect employees. The tipster writes, “This also includes Tiger absorbing a fair amount of their stock, though most of what’s in the stores IS going to get cleared out.”
10 Confessions Of A Circuit City FireDog Technician
By 2.1.08
A FireDog Technician writes in with the following confessions.
