So how long does it REALLY take for replacement unit to arrive?

[tkmmusician]

Hi everyone,

So my Surface 2's OS got corrupted somehow (or so Support says, on a chat with a tech). They immediately offered to send me a new one via the Advance program, where they take your CC info and you essentially buy a new unit (they put a hold on the CC for the cost of the new unit), which they reverse when they receive your dead unit within 15 days.

I was told by the tech that turnaround time was 3-5 business days ...

Really?

Anyone have experience with this? I use my Surface daily, actually quite a bit, it's a part of my workflow and being without it is a pain in the ass.

I follow my case on myservice.surface.com and while the order posted the same day as the tech chat, it has not updated since then.

This should be an interesting situation for forum members to follow ...

All best

 

[CrippsCorner]

Wouldn't the first step be to restore Windows? It seems to fix most thing OS wise... anyway my advance replacement came in 3 days iirc, very good service imo.

 

[tarrant64]

What do you mean by corrupted OS? You can try to restore everything back to factory settings if things aren't working properly. Typically with surface software issues you don't need to send it back.

With that said, I have a cracked screen on mine. Doing advanced exchange as we'll. I called this in Tuesday night, processed yesterday, shipped this morning, arrives tomorrow (pending weather delays as I'm in the Midwest). So 3-5 days seems right. It's still faster than shipping yours first and and waiting for the turnaround.

You're only other option is to call the nearest Microsoft Store and see if they can help speed the process up, but I think their policy may be not to do in store exchanges, maybe that's only if you don't setup an appointment first. I believe I've read brat people get mixed results doing that.

Bottom line, crap happens, be patient and they will do right by you.

 

[markus]

Germany:
Friday, 3 p.m. service requested (advanced) via myservice.surface.com
Monday, 8 am, service is being processed
Monday, 6 pm, product under way
Tuesday, 2 pm - delivered!

That was fast, no complaints here. And the replacement was being sent from the netherlands...

Well, in the u.s. - ymmv

Cheers

 

[Garfield]

Germany:
Friday, 3 p.m. service requested (advanced) via myservice.surface.com
Monday, 8 am, service is being processed
Monday, 6 pm, product under way
Tuesday, 2 pm - delivered!

That was fast, no complaints here. And the replacement was being sent from the netherlands...

Well, in the u.s. - ymmv

Cheers

I've made the same experience in Germany. The replacement device was delivered within just a few days. After I received this device (from the Netherlands) I had 14 days to resend the defect one. Great service!

 

[tarrant64]

OP - any update? Also, any more explanation as to what "corrupt" OS means??

I have any update on my experience thus far (not a good one, unfortunately).

I received my replacement Surface Pro today (great start to Friday you know?). Opened it up, checked it out. Looked like a refurb but was in mint condition. Went to power it on, nothing. OK - no big deal, I'll just plug my charger in. Charger. Doesn't. Fit.

What?! Checked the pins, and they are aligned too far to the edge to be of any use. The charger has a pretty exact fit to the pins so if they pins aren't right, it doesn't fit at all. So now I have two broken units on my desk. Called support back and received excellent help from Jessie. I'm told to sit tight and my issue has been escalated and someone will contact me back to help resolve. It's a bad start to my weekend (planned on using Surface to present some stuff this weekend), but crap happens. Guess i'll have to use my iPad in the meantime.

It's at this point, I would probably complain about service. But up until this moment, I was pretty happy. I'll follow up later.

 

[jamesk]

How is the kickstand on your replacement unit? I just sent back my 2nd Advance Exchange because the kickstand is bent. There is a bulge in the middle instead of being flush with the case.

 

[tarrant64]

Kickstand was fine. Everything was actually solid about the unit. I checked it thoroughly and was happy with the replacement quality. I just wished they did their own quality checking before shipping it out.

 

[tarrant64]

OP - trying to follow up on this as I'm curious how you exchange turned out (yet another guy who signed up to complain only perhaps...)

 

[macmee]

HAH! I've got quite the story.

I was told 2-3 business days.

4 days later I call back and they tell me "it will be at your house in 2 days"

3 days I call back and they tell me "it hasn't shipped yet"

longer than 2 weeks later it arrives. Guess what? They sent be a refurbished unit with a serial number even older than my current device. The colours on the screen are wonky and the power button sticks.

Good product on paper, crappy company, too many bugs.

 

[TheCudder]

I received mine in 3 or 4 days

 

[tkmmusician]

OP - trying to follow up on this as I'm curious how you exchange turned out (yet another guy who signed up to complain only perhaps...)

Hi T64. We'll, it's February 11. I first chatted with a Microsoft tech and got the assurances about the Advance Exchange program on February 1. On the same day, I see my case number on the myservice.surface.com site, and it says that the order is in progress, so I thought that all was well.

On February 6, I had heard nothing, and no changes on my status on the website. I chatted with another Microsoft tech, this time here in France where I live, and she (Servane) cheerily promised me that she would take care of it personally! She was apologetic and reassured me that, while she couldn't give me a delivery date, she would turn this case over to a "specialized team" that would make things happen.

On February 10, nothing had happened. No change in status on the website. I chatted this time with a Microsoft tech named Kathleen (odd name for France, but whatever). She said ... can you guess? Right! She would personally take care of it! I told her, that's exactly what the last person said. She added that she would have a "specialized team" look into it and fix it pronto. She did send me an email just afterwards, saying that I could contact her via this email if things didn't work out. They also changed my case number.

So this morning, February 11, no change on the website. I sent Kathleen an email saying, should I be worried that there is no change in status on the website and the new case number doesn't even work? No answer.

So that's three techs (actually four, there were two on the first chat session), three promises, three failures, two case numbers, one angry and frustrated customer, and no Surface 2.

I hope someone at Microsoft Support reads this. Your division should really be ashamed of itself. You do not jerk otherwise loyal customers around like this if you want to maintain loyalty. I have stuck with MS through thick and thin, but this is really too much.

What I deserve is a new (not refurb) Surface 2, 32Gb like the one I had (though I wouldn't argue if they bent a bit and sent me one with 64Gb). I don't need more gigabytes on Skydrive, thank you, or minutes on Skype.

Really really upset about this.