Compaq Technical Support Problems - Update

[Luciano U. Werner]

Maybe that's because you never had HARDWARE problems?

[David Horn]

Perhaps if you read my posts more carefully you will see that there is a real need to talk to Compaq on the phone, not that it does much good.

In my experience emails to large companies are rarely answered within two-three weeks and usually come back with utterly useless information.

Right now I don't think I'm going to get my iPAQ back without a long fight. I sent it in to have a perectly reasonable problem fixed and now all I am getting from Compaq is hassle.

The warranty expires on my iPAQ tonight at midnight, which isn't going to make anything any easier. Although it shouldn't affect the problem I'm having I know Compaq will find a way to throw it in somehow, even if it only takes another ten minutes of explaining to them on the phone what's happening.

Right now I'm just thoughly upset that Compaq could do this to someone who sent something in in good faith and has literally had it stolen from them.

I don't think I'm going to get my iPAQ back within a month, probably more if I have to take them to court over this. Suppose I lose my case? Compaq are either an iPAQ or £250 to the better. In Small Claims Courts you cannot appeal against the Judge's decision.

If I don't get my iPAQ back (I can't pay the £250, you see, I'm only a student) I'll just have to get used to life without a Pocket PC.

I'm completely and utterly depressed and so I really don't need people coming in with stories that are completely off topic - (not you, NY) and can easily be found on a FAQ on Compaq's web site, or for that matter, instantly on this brilliant forum.

[Luciano U. Werner]

If you sue and loose, would you have to pay fees or something? If not, what do you have to loose? Sue their pants off.

[David Horn]

If I sue and lose, I definitly won't get my iPAQ back. I may also have to pay ALL of Compaq's legal fees, (naturally, they put all 20 of their best lawyers on the case). Sueing the pants off someone is more difficult than it might appear and just not worth it.

I just don't think it's worth it. If I had the transport I'd go down to their head office on Monday and refuse to leave until I had a new iPAQ and compensation.

But I can't. I'm can't take any time out of school at the moment and I just, quite plainly, feel about ready to strangly someone over this. I don't think I'm going to get my iPAQ back. Compaq will come up with a way to win somehow. It's just one little person taking on a huge corporate multi-billion dollar corporation.

The iPAQ is in Holland. I'm in England. It'll all escalate and the iPAQ will end up falling somewhere in the middle of the North Sea.

No one else has had a problem like this. I have already run up a fair phone bill, calling National Rates and staying on the line for twenty minutes at a time. Tech Support refuse or don't bother to call back.

I give up.

[Luciano U. Werner]

Well, all I can say is shit. If you really think you have to leave it at this, try making some noise. Be as loud mouth as you can, call newspapers and such and spill the beans to them. Maybe someone with leverage gets interested in your case and can help you out. Who knows?
Anyway, I'm sorry to hear this.

[Fish]

I think it's because of Prince Charles, nobody takes the british seriously anymore.

[T¹]

Seeing as you're living in the UK, try this:

Magazines like Computer Buyer & PC Pro have a buyer 'watchdog' section dedicated to these matters. PC Pro's section is particularly good at dealing with these matters: I recall reading about a similar thing hapenning to a reader who had tried to get his IBM Thinkpad repaired under warranty. They contacted the company, spoke to the Head of European Operations, reported it to the Office of Fair Trading, etc and the guy eventually got a brand new, improved-spec laptop! Any of the major magazines (who actually have these sections) should be able to do the trick for you. I'd recommend writing to them all, just in case one doesn't take on your case. Also try getting a list together of reports of similar cases of bad support from Compaq (shouldn't be hard!) and submitting that as well. Trust me, magazines would defintely take notice of that!

Good Luck!

[TechMage]

Hey David, if you never get your Ipaq back, then maybe us here at PM can do something. Maybe Chris can put more adds on the site for a while, and we could have a place on the site with your story and a link to paypal for people to donate extra cash to help you get a new PPC. I think your story would generate alot of sympathy.

[Matt Keys]

im happy to help, just let me know how.

[David Horn]

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all that youve done for me.

Let's see how things go on Monday with this email that's supposed to be coming from Customer Support, giving me a breakdown of the charges.

Apparently, it's the Repair Centre that makes the decisions about warranty and I have the suspicion that their say is pretty much final. If all Customer Relations can do is get the cost knocked down a little bit then I will have to write to PC Pro and othe magazines.

It's really the time scale that upsets me most of all - if something is sent in under a warranty it SHOULD BE DEALT WITH FREE OF CHARGE, and within a reasonable amount of time. I could be looking at months before I get my iPAQ back, if I get it back.(Well, in my opinion anyway.)

I just don't think Compaq should do this for the faults I had. I was told on the phone that the repairs would be under warranty: hardly so. This is a list of the problems I had.

1) Dust under the screen
2) Problem with the headphone jack - painfully loud on lowest setting.
3) Battery charged up to 100% and then dropped to 60% and below almost immediately, triggering a battery warning.

Do you think that these are reasonable problems?

I also think that the repair charge of £235 is a bit steep, when a brand new iPAQ is only £250 boxed with all the accesories.

Again, thanks again for your help, and I'll let you know how Monday goes. If this goes on much longer I'll have been able to pay the repair charges with my phone bill. 0870 numbers are national rates.

[Jaybot]

um.. yeah, give me a paypal link too... uh.. my @migo was stolen! so everyone give me money to buy a new one out of sympathy as well!

funny, I've never had to send my Casio anywhere.. and never talked to one of those damn customer service Trogs either (thank God).

[gartogg708]

[chriva404]

[David Horn]

[chriva404]