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RobWoods
Joined: 29 Oct 2009
Posts: 15
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 Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 11:01 am Post subject: |
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| Bluespider wrote: | After all that shenanigans I would be demanding a good will offer of a free upgrade to win7 at least...
That should be a drop in the ocean for customer services. |
I'm hoping, if the offer of a replacement is genuine, I'll be getting one with Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate on - I've got a copy of 7 Pro on my desktop system and am finding it many times better than Vista. |
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RobWoods
Joined: 29 Oct 2009
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 3:15 pm Post subject: |
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A little update...
Predictably, I've not heard anything back from Acer Support in response to my message via their website on Thursday. I've just checked the status of the query and it's still showing as unresolved - despite the website stating that queries via the website should be resolved within 24 hours. I've also tried (twice) to get through to their call centre this afternoon and that appears to be closed or too busy and I found myself being directed to voicemail  |
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thedrumdoctor
Joined: 03 Sep 2009
Posts: 22
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:27 pm Post subject: |
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| I don't know if it'll do any good, but the number of the UK escalation team, yes, that's UK rather than India, is 0845 146 1900. This is the department that deals with stuff that the Indian support guys can't deal with. You might be told to refer to the normal support line but there's nowt to lose by trying. |
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RobWoods
Joined: 29 Oct 2009
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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| thedrumdoctor wrote: | | I don't know if it'll do any good, but the number of the UK escalation team, yes, that's UK rather than India, is 0845 146 1900. This is the department that deals with stuff that the Indian support guys can't deal with. You might be told to refer to the normal support line but there's nowt to lose by trying. |
Cheers  I'll give them a try tomorrow. |
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RobWoods
Joined: 29 Oct 2009
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:49 am Post subject: |
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A further update.
I spoke to someone at the Escalation Team at Acer UK this morning - and many thanks again to thedrumdoctor for the number. After being lectured about ringing when the case hadn't been escalated by India and my hinting any further hassles might lead to a formal complaint, I was grudgingly assisted and have now confirmed that my Travelmate 7520 has been written off, due to an inability to get hold of spare parts for it, and I'm to be given a replacement - which hasn't been specified as yet - within the next 10 working days. |
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thedrumdoctor
Joined: 03 Sep 2009
Posts: 22
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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| RobWoods wrote: | A further update.
After being lectured about ringing when the case hadn't been escalated by India and my hinting any further hassles might lead to a formal complaint, I was grudgingly assisted |
No doubt you would have eventually received assistance after the Indian helpdesk had escalated it between themselves. Customer-query-ping-pong is obviously an Olympic sport for Acer support, India.
All you did was cut out the middleman and save a lot of wasted time. When will these stupid companies realise that you can't scrimp on customer service by outsourcing to foreign countries unless the replacement solution is absolutely foolproof?
I've now had my 'soiled' laptop returned at Acer's expense and a new one twice the spec of my original is on its way.
Three things went wrong in my case scenario:
1.) There was a clerical error in the UK repairs dept.
2.) A dishonest Cow from Glossop knowingly accepted delivery of somebody elses property as her own.
3.) Acer's Indian support were not set up to handle UK clerical errors.
However, 10/10 to the UK escalation team as they sorted things out very quickly. No doubt Acer will treat this an an 'isolated incident' and plough on with their corporate driven project of outsourcing first-line customer support. It's obviously cheaper for them to send out compensation laptops than to put bums on seats in English call centres. |
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thedrumdoctor
Joined: 03 Sep 2009
Posts: 22
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 11:44 am Post subject: |
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Recieved a new Acer TravelMate Aspire 8371 yesterday. It currently costs £300 more than my original laptop as purchased from www.acerdirect.co.uk last year. It's a bit smaller than my original, but it's 64 bit hardware and is technically, a 'business' machine and comes with no DVD drive! So down to PC World I went to purchase an external DVD drive! Still, £40.00 is a small price to pay to have a mess on 64 bit hardware (I'm a 64 bit computing virgin).
It came with S*****a Business installed and downgrade image CD's for XP Pro. I've opted to reinstall XP Pro from scratch and not use their image CD's and it runs like the proverbial wet s**t off a shovel!
Not a multi-media machine, but great for when Her Indoors can't get on a PC (there's 3 in our house.)
Anyway, I'm a happy man now but I'm sure there's a few lessons to be learnt here on Acer's part. |
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RobWoods
Joined: 29 Oct 2009
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 6:12 pm Post subject: |
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| thedrumdoctor wrote: | Recieved a new Acer TravelMate Aspire 8371 yesterday. It currently costs £300 more than my original laptop as purchased from www.acerdirect.co.uk last year. It's a bit smaller than my original, but it's 64 bit hardware and is technically, a 'business' machine and comes with no DVD drive! So down to PC World I went to purchase an external DVD drive! Still, £40.00 is a small price to pay to have a mess on 64 bit hardware (I'm a 64 bit computing virgin).
It came with S*****a Business installed and downgrade image CD's for XP Pro. I've opted to reinstall XP Pro from scratch and not use their image CD's and it runs like the proverbial wet s**t off a shovel!
Not a multi-media machine, but great for when Her Indoors can't get on a PC (there's 3 in our house.) |
Excellent stuff. I'll see what Acer regard as a 'like for like' replacement, when I get it.
I switched to 64 bit on my main desktop system, when W7 came out and it works great 
| Quote: | | Anyway, I'm a happy man now but I'm sure there's a few lessons to be learnt here on Acer's part. |
Which I doubt they'll learn - unless someone gets mucked around enough to involve trading standards or Watchdog in their case. |
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thedrumdoctor
Joined: 03 Sep 2009
Posts: 22
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| Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:33 pm Post subject: |
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| It has to be only a matter of time before Ann Robinson gets involved.... |
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rikhughes68
Joined: 11 Nov 2009
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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I have read this with interest as it mirrors my experience.
It is a long story so I won’t bore you with the details but here's a synopsis of my sorry tale.
Back in August the optical dive on my Acer 5920g went wrong. It was still under warranty and was picked up and shipped off to an Acer repair centre. It is now 12 weeks later and it is still with them. I have phoned and e-mailed written and faxed everybody I can and am given the same response every time: we are still waiting for a part to fix your laptop. It’s been with the escalation team for a few weeks now and still no joy. I’ve lodged a formal complaint and written to Bobby Watkins. Still nothing. When I started the process the customer service department was in England. It’s now in India and my experience with the operators has been appalling. I have explained that I would like my lap top back and I will wait for the part to arrive and then send it back. They say they can’t do this. I’ve argued, calmly, spoken to supervisors, but got nowhere. I’ve asked them for contact details of the repair centre but told I can’t have them. I’ve asked to speak to someone regarding my complaint and have been told that someone will contact me and that they don’t have any contact details. I have been searching in vain for contact details for the escalation department. So a big thank you to drum doctor for providing these, I will be on the phone tomorrow to try and get some sort of resolution. |
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RobWoods
Joined: 29 Oct 2009
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:25 am Post subject: |
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| thedrumdoctor wrote: | | It has to be only a matter of time before Ann Robinson gets involved.... |
Have you had anything in response to your letter to Bob Watkins, drumdoctor? I've sent one too and I'm awaiting a response as well.
Today (10 working days from the 29th) is the latest date I should know what the replacement is and when I'm getting it. I'm not expecting to, in all honesty, and I'll be ringing the escalation team later on this afternoon, to give them 7 days to get the replacement out to me or I'll be sending copies of all my correspondence with Acer to Watchdog and letting them sort it out. |
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thedrumdoctor
Joined: 03 Sep 2009
Posts: 22
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 11:44 am Post subject: |
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Absolutely no response from Bobby Watkins - and my letter was recorded and signed for.
I'd love to see them on Watchdog and would happily take part in the show! It's not the UK 'ground force' that need the grilling, it's the management who need a reminder about why they receive their fat salaries. |
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thedrumdoctor
Joined: 03 Sep 2009
Posts: 22
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 11:52 am Post subject: |
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| rikhughes68 wrote: |
Back in August the optical dive on my Acer 5920g went wrong.....It is now 12 weeks later and it is still with them. |
What the bloody hell is this company playing at? If they can't get an optical drive after 12 weeks then something is seriously wrong here. For God's sake, everyone knows this stuff's manufactured in the far East, a lot from generic manufacturers and then rebranded.
I can only assume Dell & HP are marginally better on support and the reason why their kit is more expensive. |
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RobWoods
Joined: 29 Oct 2009
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 4:03 pm Post subject: |
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| thedrumdoctor wrote: | | Absolutely no response from Bobby Watkins - and my letter was recorded and signed for. |
I should be surprised by that, but given the how I've been treated so far by Acer I'm not...
| Quote: | | I'd love to see them on Watchdog and would happily take part in the show! It's not the UK 'ground force' that need the grilling, it's the management who need a reminder about why they receive their fat salaries. |
I went against my own better judgement and decided to give the Indian call centre one last try. The guy I spoke to was very pleasant - I could understand what he was saying perfectly (unlike previously) - but was still no help at all. I've been told my case is being elevated to a 'higher level' and to expect contact from them within 48 hours. I'm not expecting to hear from them - don't be surprised if I report I've had to phone the Escalation Team tomorrow or Monday. |
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RobWoods
Joined: 29 Oct 2009
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 4:12 pm Post subject: |
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| RobWoods wrote: | | thedrumdoctor wrote: | | Absolutely no response from Bobby Watkins - and my letter was recorded and signed for. |
I should be surprised by that, but given the how I've been treated so far by Acer I'm not...
| Quote: | | I'd love to see them on Watchdog and would happily take part in the show! It's not the UK 'ground force' that need the grilling, it's the management who need a reminder about why they receive their fat salaries. |
I went against my own better judgement and decided to give the Indian call centre one last try. The guy I spoke to was very pleasant - I could understand what he was saying perfectly (unlike previously) - but was still no help at all. I've been told my case is being elevated to a 'higher level' and to expect contact from them within 48 hours. I'm not expecting to hear from them - don't be surprised if I report I've had to phone the Escalation Team tomorrow or Monday. |
I called the Escalation team again this afternoon and was told that they wouldn't deal with the problem there and then - I had to wait until someone contacted me! I also made it clear what would happen if the replacement wasn't in my hands by next Friday. The response was I shouldn't be threatening them with going to Watchdog. Just to prove it was no threat, I've been onto the Watchdog website and filled out the contact form to start the ball rolling. If I hear back from them, I'll give them the address to this forum thread. |
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