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Alienated Over Onsite Support | 75 comments (75 topical) | Post A Comment
On Site Warranty Repair[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#4)
by cemkaner on Fri Jul 15, 2005 at 08:32:40 AM PDT

In your case, you are asking vendors to agree to a service contract, and they are refusing.

In my case, I shopped for a company that offered great service, found one, paid for it, but they won't live up to their promises.

That's a big difference.

Here are some of the things Alienware says (go to the Warranty Bundle section and click on the "Click here to learn more!" link):

"Demand no less than the ultimate in protection. With this plan, not only will you receive a specially discounted price, but you'll also enjoy ...
  • Peace of mind, knowing that you have an entire company at your disposal, equipped and ready to ensure that your computer is performing at the superior level you deserve.
  • No fees for parts, labor or shipping for any warranty repair, no matter what the cost.
  • Onsite Service. If at all possible, you won't have to come to us for your service needs - we'll come to you."
I bought the computer in reliance on that promise. I've been requiring (and taking the benefits of) onsite service contracts (as an individual and as a corporate buyer) on every computer I buy for many years. If a company makes promises about its products or services that it has no intention of keeping, that is fraud.

In your case, the vendors have declined your proposal. They are not accepting a deal and then failing to do their part. What they're doing is honest business.

By the way, my wife Becky was a school tech for several years before recently going back to university for her Ph.D. She managed a network of 300 computers--the District had many more. They got onsite support contracts and their (several) vendors honored them. Similarly, our vendors at Florida Tech provide and honor onsite service contracts. The problem might be in the specific wording of your proposal.

-- Cem Kaner

[ Parent | Reply to This ]



Extened support?[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#9)
by Anonymous User on Fri Jul 15, 2005 at 10:49:43 AM PDT

Just curious, since you are having all these problems with the computer and the fact it hasn't worked for many months, have you asked [or they offered] to extend your warrenty any?

[ Parent | Reply to This ]


Extended Support?[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#13)
by cemkaner on Fri Jul 15, 2005 at 04:54:57 PM PDT

Alienware did not offer to extend my warranty.

Because they were refusing to honor their onsite service promises, I didn't see any point in asking them to extend it.

Instead, after months of down time and arguing with their tech support folks, I finally gave up on Alienware, bought a Dell XPS Gen5 (I've had a few problems with Dell, but Dell, Toshiba, and Fujitsu are 3 examples of companies who really do provide onsite support if you pay for an onsite support contract, at least in my experience) and demanded a full refund from Alienware.

When I ordered a $5400 computer from Alienware, the goal was a high quality, fast system that I could count on for reliable video production.

You can see the video work that I'm doing at http://www.testingeducation.org/BBST.

Alienware wasn't willing or able to get the system working in a reasonable time. I gave them more time and more time and more time. Eventually, giving them even more time was just not on the list. -- cem kaner

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pasing[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#333)
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Anony[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#336)
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    • [ Parent | Reply to This ]


    Weasel words[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#16)
    by tcsbiz on Sat Jul 16, 2005 at 01:07:33 PM PDT

    I notice Alienware is using a phrase with weasel words that may get them out of onsite service. I point this out somewhat in jest, but, you never know!

    The sentence the phrase is in is:

    "Onsite Service. If at all possible, you won't have to come to us for your service needs - we'll come to you."

    The weasel words are "If at all possible". Imagine these excuses:

     * "A tech was not available within xxxx miles, so onsite support was not possible".
     * "Our revenue was down last quarter making onsite support not possible".
     * "We don't care, so onsite support is not possible".
     * "we are not obligated to provide onsite support because our promise includes the words 'If at all possible' and it is never possible, at all".

    Alienware just wants this to mean "Not at all possible".

    Tom.

    [ Parent | Reply to This ]



    Alienware site not accessible[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#26)
    by Anonymous User on Tue Jul 19, 2005 at 02:08:18 PM PDT

    Alienware's site must be getting hammered by Ed's faithful followers. I keep getting a server too busy error message when following the link you posted, Cem. :)

    [ Parent | Reply to This ]


    yes[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#337)
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    [ Parent | Reply to This ]


    On Site Warranty Repair[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#45)
    by techy on Thu Sep 22, 2005 at 02:29:37 PM PDT

    I agree that onsite should be sent when someone is incapable of installing parts for a computer only after they have tried to do it. I also think if you can't install parts into a computer you need to hang up your pocket protector.
    computer tech
    [ Parent | Reply to This ]


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