PC World, TechGuys (PC Service Call), Parceline – One of them screwed up.
The fianceé’s laptop died on a Thursday. It would POST, but it would simply restart itself before Windows started loading.
It’s a Vista machine so I tried to use its self-repair options, but to no avail.
I took it to work to see if my colleague the IT support guy had any further ideas but alas.
It was less than a year old so I was able to take it to PC World (where it was bought originally).
So I take it to the shop after work.
The guy at the desk clearly can’t be bothered trying to help and insists that I have to call a support number to get a code before they’ll take it from me.
Can I use their phone? “No, that only makes internal calls.” (*cough*bollocks*cough*).
I give in, take it home and call from there. I’m taken through the same repair process that I’d already attempted multiple times by a friendly but non-technical call centre employee. At the end of the call I explain that I’d like to complain that I couldn’t make the call in the shop. He’s surprised I’ve been told this since he has himself taken calls from PC World employees.
I arrange a collection and am given a code.
Monday morning it’s collected by Parceline, and am told that they usually don’t take very long to return.
Next morning I get a call from the post room saying that they’ve got a laptop for me. That was quick.
Talking to the courier we agree that it’s probably a mistake. Unfortunately, he can’t take it back since he doesn’t have the correct paperwork. Fair enough, insurance etc.
I call the TechGuys and explain the situation, that I’m irked and that I’d like some kind of express service to compensate.
The call centre kid appears to take it personally and puts me on hold for about five minutes before the call gets disconnected.
I call again and am told that I will have to wait for more than 24 hours before it gets picked up. I have no choice so I agree.
It’s collected on the Wednesday morning as arranged, and returned fixed on the following Monday (10 days after I first reported the problem).
‘Fixed’ I called it. Actually, all they did was replace the hard-drive, something I could easily have done myself.
Fortunately they installed the correct version of Windows.
What of the files? All gone.
What of the broken hard-drive itself? Not returned to me. (I may have wanted to send it to a hard-drive recovery centre.)
Communication from any of the parties involved? None, apart from the ripped proforma which accompanied the fixed laptop, with 5 ticks and the scribble regarding the replaced hard-drive.
I’m glad I’m not having to try and get any money back.