My Gateway and their (lack of) customer service
No pictures with this post. This is a rant, not a travelogue. If you're looking for wedding info or pictures, bypass this little bit of internet therapy. Also, the most recent problem with Gateway is in the next post, not this one. The next one is ongoing and I think might just be enough to scare anyone from ever buying a Gateway. They're good machines when they're working, but I have yet to ever have a smooth transaction with customer service. Worse, it's IMPOSSIBLE to talk with a supervisor. I have threatened legal action (did I mention I'm a lawyer?) and they refuse to allow me to speak with their legal department. So now, I'm collecting email after email as proof of their incompetence and unreasonableness. I admit there are times it has been so terrible that I've lost it, but I don't see how any reasonable person would do otherwise. But enough of that saga, back to this one...
As many of you know, I have two Gateway computers - a desktop and a laptop. I bought them mainly because I had heard that not only were they good computers, their customer service was excellent. Even before this latest incident, I've found Gateway customer service so terrible in the past that I've wondered how they remain in business. Something apparently changed with Gateway's corporate culture about the same time I bought my machines.
Last year when I had trouble with my laptop, it took two months to get authorization from tech support to send my nonworking computer in. Luckily, I lived in the U.S. at the time, and although they actually repaired part of the problem with scotch tape (I swear I'm not making this up), I got my computer back eventually, and it worked again.
After I moved here to The Netherlands, my laptop did not work. I'm not sure what the problem was, but someone bumped in to my luggage in Chicago and the laptop fell on the floor. I'm thinking the problem may have been related to that. As I watched it happen, I was glad I had bought the extended accident protection warranty along with the computer.
I started calling Gateway almost immediately after arriving. Then there was a string of over 20 emails, each from a different Gateway tech support person who obviously had not read the emails that had been sent prior to the one they were answering, although every prior email was attached to each new piece of email. All of them said they were so happy to help, but none of them did.
I called Gateway support offices all over the world - U.S., London, France and India in an attempt to get the problem resolved. Apparently, I'm the only customer in the world who has had trouble with a Gateway product outside of the U.S. - no one seemed to know what to do or where to refer me. (As an aside, we later found out that our phone company disconnected us from our long distance service without notice, so instead of the 1 cent a minute we thought we were paying for out of country calls, we were sent a bill for the equivalent of one dollar a minute. Another story for another time.) Gateway insisted my problem was probably a virus and, they were so sorry, but viruses weren't covered under my warranty. They were so sorry.
This, of course, infuriated me. The computer worked just fine in the US before it was dropped - and drops were covered under my insurance. Besides, viruses don't stop the computer from turning on. Still, Gateway was certain it was a virus and wouldn't budge.
London's Gateway repair center was more helpful. They said I could ship the computer there and they would fix it, but that Gateway no longer provided them with parts, so if it needed a new part, they wouldn't be able to help. I would, of course, have to pay for shipping both ways. I asked why Gateway no longer shipped them parts, if they were the Gateway reapair center. The representative said she didn't know but that they had just quit sending parts many months ago and they couldn't get any response from Gateway either. They were upset with Gateway, too. She provided a number in Texas I could call. So I did.
Texas said I would have to pay for shipping both ways, and they may or may not be able to help. Yes, they said, they saw I had an extended warranty for just this sort of thing, but they couldn't promise they could help, and couldn't promise it would be without cost to me.
So, because Gateway no longer has worldwide service, by the time I got the computer back (in 3-4 months) shipping alone would run close to $100.00. So, I decided to wait. My non-working laptop is still here. (An update - I FINALLY got authorization to send it in. I did. Now Gateway isn't sure what has happened to my computer. But I've had over 35 full print outs of pages of emails from various people telling me that if only I provide invformation I've already provided 15 times once more, they will happily help me. But back to the story I was telling...)
My desktop computer arrived last week! I used it to finally make contact with some of those whose addresses I didn't have.
I noticed, while setting the desktop computer up, that it and my monitor could run on 230 volt power - the local power here. I had been using my transformer to convert from the 110 we use in the US to the local 230. I only have one transformer, so I have been lugging it back and forth from the study, where the computers are, to the living room, where the stereo equipment is. Instead of just plugging the computer in, though, I wanted to make sure it would all work ok. Call me paranoid, but my trust in Gateway information is not what it once was. I knew the computer would be fine - there was a switch to convert the power. It was the monitor I worried most about. There was no switch that I could see.
So, I again started sending another round of emails to Gateway. It took seven emails (an exchange of one from me, one from them, for a total of 14 emails) to get the answer to this simple question: "May I plug in a monitor, which I've been using in the US, to Europe's 230 volt power or will that fry my monitor?"
The emails I got back answered questions I hadn't asked. They answered as though I were asking about the computer, as though I were moving from England to Europe, and as though I may have had a virus, and so, filled with sorrow, they wouldn't be able help. Finally someone wrote back, "Yes. You may do that." I wrote one last time for confirmation and received it.
Then, feeling very pleased that it only took the better part of two days to get that simple response, Ian and I went to dinner. (I'll write about that later - with pictures.)
We came home and I immediately plugged in the desktop computer. After a rather large explosion, two shorter ones and a puff of smoke, all of the electricity in the apartment went out.
For a split second I thought about cursing Gateway, then remembered that I had been so busy getting confirmation for the monitor that I had forgotten to slide the switch to convert the power for the computer.
What an idiot I am.
I don't know yet what will happen when I plug my monitor in, but the computer is fried. I don't know how serious it is, but for now I'm back to writing on Ian's laptop while he's at work.
And although I know that this time it's my fault, I still can't help feeling just a little resentment towards Gateway.
An update: I didn't even bother Gateway with this one. I replaced the power supply, made sure it was on 230 instead of 110, turned it on and it has worked fine. No shipping costs and the total cost to me was about 30 Euros. Much easier than trying to deal with Gateway.
MORE
As many of you know, I have two Gateway computers - a desktop and a laptop. I bought them mainly because I had heard that not only were they good computers, their customer service was excellent. Even before this latest incident, I've found Gateway customer service so terrible in the past that I've wondered how they remain in business. Something apparently changed with Gateway's corporate culture about the same time I bought my machines.
Last year when I had trouble with my laptop, it took two months to get authorization from tech support to send my nonworking computer in. Luckily, I lived in the U.S. at the time, and although they actually repaired part of the problem with scotch tape (I swear I'm not making this up), I got my computer back eventually, and it worked again.
After I moved here to The Netherlands, my laptop did not work. I'm not sure what the problem was, but someone bumped in to my luggage in Chicago and the laptop fell on the floor. I'm thinking the problem may have been related to that. As I watched it happen, I was glad I had bought the extended accident protection warranty along with the computer.
I started calling Gateway almost immediately after arriving. Then there was a string of over 20 emails, each from a different Gateway tech support person who obviously had not read the emails that had been sent prior to the one they were answering, although every prior email was attached to each new piece of email. All of them said they were so happy to help, but none of them did.
I called Gateway support offices all over the world - U.S., London, France and India in an attempt to get the problem resolved. Apparently, I'm the only customer in the world who has had trouble with a Gateway product outside of the U.S. - no one seemed to know what to do or where to refer me. (As an aside, we later found out that our phone company disconnected us from our long distance service without notice, so instead of the 1 cent a minute we thought we were paying for out of country calls, we were sent a bill for the equivalent of one dollar a minute. Another story for another time.) Gateway insisted my problem was probably a virus and, they were so sorry, but viruses weren't covered under my warranty. They were so sorry.
This, of course, infuriated me. The computer worked just fine in the US before it was dropped - and drops were covered under my insurance. Besides, viruses don't stop the computer from turning on. Still, Gateway was certain it was a virus and wouldn't budge.
London's Gateway repair center was more helpful. They said I could ship the computer there and they would fix it, but that Gateway no longer provided them with parts, so if it needed a new part, they wouldn't be able to help. I would, of course, have to pay for shipping both ways. I asked why Gateway no longer shipped them parts, if they were the Gateway reapair center. The representative said she didn't know but that they had just quit sending parts many months ago and they couldn't get any response from Gateway either. They were upset with Gateway, too. She provided a number in Texas I could call. So I did.
Texas said I would have to pay for shipping both ways, and they may or may not be able to help. Yes, they said, they saw I had an extended warranty for just this sort of thing, but they couldn't promise they could help, and couldn't promise it would be without cost to me.
So, because Gateway no longer has worldwide service, by the time I got the computer back (in 3-4 months) shipping alone would run close to $100.00. So, I decided to wait. My non-working laptop is still here. (An update - I FINALLY got authorization to send it in. I did. Now Gateway isn't sure what has happened to my computer. But I've had over 35 full print outs of pages of emails from various people telling me that if only I provide invformation I've already provided 15 times once more, they will happily help me. But back to the story I was telling...)
My desktop computer arrived last week! I used it to finally make contact with some of those whose addresses I didn't have.
I noticed, while setting the desktop computer up, that it and my monitor could run on 230 volt power - the local power here. I had been using my transformer to convert from the 110 we use in the US to the local 230. I only have one transformer, so I have been lugging it back and forth from the study, where the computers are, to the living room, where the stereo equipment is. Instead of just plugging the computer in, though, I wanted to make sure it would all work ok. Call me paranoid, but my trust in Gateway information is not what it once was. I knew the computer would be fine - there was a switch to convert the power. It was the monitor I worried most about. There was no switch that I could see.
So, I again started sending another round of emails to Gateway. It took seven emails (an exchange of one from me, one from them, for a total of 14 emails) to get the answer to this simple question: "May I plug in a monitor, which I've been using in the US, to Europe's 230 volt power or will that fry my monitor?"
The emails I got back answered questions I hadn't asked. They answered as though I were asking about the computer, as though I were moving from England to Europe, and as though I may have had a virus, and so, filled with sorrow, they wouldn't be able help. Finally someone wrote back, "Yes. You may do that." I wrote one last time for confirmation and received it.
Then, feeling very pleased that it only took the better part of two days to get that simple response, Ian and I went to dinner. (I'll write about that later - with pictures.)
We came home and I immediately plugged in the desktop computer. After a rather large explosion, two shorter ones and a puff of smoke, all of the electricity in the apartment went out.
For a split second I thought about cursing Gateway, then remembered that I had been so busy getting confirmation for the monitor that I had forgotten to slide the switch to convert the power for the computer.
What an idiot I am.
I don't know yet what will happen when I plug my monitor in, but the computer is fried. I don't know how serious it is, but for now I'm back to writing on Ian's laptop while he's at work.
And although I know that this time it's my fault, I still can't help feeling just a little resentment towards Gateway.
An update: I didn't even bother Gateway with this one. I replaced the power supply, made sure it was on 230 instead of 110, turned it on and it has worked fine. No shipping costs and the total cost to me was about 30 Euros. Much easier than trying to deal with Gateway.
MORE
posted by Scott at 8:41 AM
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