Why not to buy a Surface! ...a little rant!

[lparsons21]

I bought a SP1 back when the SP2 came out, and over these past holidays bought a SP3. Gave my sister the SP1 and ended up taking the SP3 back as it didn't quite meet my needs, especially considering the price paid. Very premium price, very premium gear!

All was good up to that point. But I had bought Microsoft Complete for the SP3 since these things are essentially non-repairable. Bought the coverage on 1/2/2015. But I've returned the SP3 to the seller and went to cancel the MS Complete coverage according to their terms.

That's where the trouble began. I have the receipt, gave them the contract number, but they needed the transaction number. That isn't on the receipt. They said it would have been in the email when I purchased. Problem is there isn't such an email. Not with the MS Complete for the SP3 nor with the one I bought for the SP1.

So basically I was told in nice terms to go punt!

So punt I did! Reversed at the CC company, now we'll see what happens next.

Here's the rant. For a highly premium product like the SP's, the support structure should be every bit as good as the equipment. That just is not the case with MS. Offshore support of a poor quality is the norm unfortunately. I won't be buying any more MS branded hardware going forward.

The other premium product out there is Apple. And support with AppleCare is head and shoulders so far ahead of MS that it isn't fair to speak their name in the same sentence!

 

[daniielrp]

The other premium product out there is Apple. And support with AppleCare is head and shoulders so far ahead of MS that it isn't fair to speak their name in the same sentence!

And you have personal experience with the glorious AppleCare? My last experience with them was so abysmal we had to go to the store 3 times, and the last one even commented on how atrocious the first store was! Needless to say complaints were made and they ended up giving me a voucher and a personal apology from the store.

Obviously everyone will have good and bad experiences, but don't think for a minute there some evangelical company out there who is a perfect 10.

Also, where did you buy the MS complete? And you took your surface back before you had the problem, so where exactly is the reason to not get one if you had already taken it back?

 

[lparsons21]

And you have personal experience with the glorious AppleCare? My last experience with them was so abysmal we had to go to the store 3 times, and the last one even commented on how atrocious the first store was! Needless to say complaints were made and they ended up giving me a voucher and a personal apology from the store.

Obviously everyone will have good and bad experiences, but don't think for a minute there some evangelical company out there who is a perfect 10.

Also, where did you buy the MS complete? And you took your surface back before you had the problem, so where exactly is the reason to not get one if you had already taken it back?

I have had a few interactions with AppleCare over the years. Always talked to someone who was easy to understand on the phone, and they always went the extra mile to help. I won't say perfect, just head and shoulders above the 3 incidents with MS support I've had. Note that 2 of the incidents were handled quite well but were difficult to communicate.

I bought MS Complete from the online MS store when I still had the Surface Pro 3. I later returned the SP3 because it just didn't meet my needs as well as the Yoga 2 Pro does. Then I called MS store support, gave them the info off the receipt. They kept insisting for a transaction number, but the receipt they sent doesn't have one. Just S/N of the SP3 and the contract number. They claimed they couldn't find any record. Yet I had no problem finding where/when they took the money.

Of course this was after 3 transfers and 2 disconnects.

Since then I've reversed it at my cc and have made it a policy to never buy another piece of MS hardware again. Not because the gear was bad, it was excellent. But 2nd rate support from off shored support centers on a premium product is just a poor business decision imo.

And just to make it clear, I bought the Complete while I still had the SP3.

 

[leeshor]

Since AppleCare was brought up, I have a customer who called me one day and couldn't stop raving about how great they were, and that the support person would have spent 24 hours on the phone with him if needed, and spoke plainly/clearly, understood the problem, and his praise went on and on, (probably 10 minutes and that's being conservative) . However, the problem was that the messaging app wouldn't work, (It was a MacBook Pro). The solution was to totally reinstall the OS. There is another long followup to the story but the bottom line is that he hasn't used his MacBook since.

 

[lparsons21]

I've used Macs and Windows boxes for many, many years and have only been taken to completely reinstall the OS once in all that time. And it didn't fix the issue. That's about all I remember about the incident it was too long ago to remember all the details.

I still used lots of tech even though I have no actual needs for much.

My rant was not and is not at all about the Surface Pro 3. Even though it didn't quite fit what I wanted, I still think it is one of the very best boxes out there these days and compares well to the MacBook Air and pretty darned well to a MacBook Pro too imo.

It is all about terrible customer support.

Here's the exact scenario. The SP3 shows the extended time of the warranty on the site. I have the receipt from the Microsoft Store online, and the terms of the sale allow for cancellation within 30 days for any reason whatsoever.

The problem is that no one can find any info about it at MS. They can't find the bill, the receipt, the contract agreement. So basically they took $149, sent me a receipt, made some computer entry to show the extended warranty on the right box and then apparently threw everything else away.

And MS policy is to not let you past their entry level support personnel on the phone.

So I could just chalk up the $149 and be done with it, but I won't do that. Currently it is on dispute with my CC company and that may very well end up being the end of it if I so choose. But something tells me I'll be doing what I usually do when I see something awry that shouldn't be, and that is to followup the chain of command at MS. But being the kind of guy I am, I start at the top not the bottom.

And since I'm retired and it is too cold and cruddy to go play golf, I have plenty of time to do it.

 

[Liam2349]

Apple Care is quite funny, because in the UK we get put through to American call centres - it's the way they string sentences together, it's unheard of over here. Words like "Ma'am" just aren't a part of the English vocabulary.

 

[lparsons21]

Accents and use of words sure can be funny, well... Except when they are frustrating!!

In general I can deal with most accents just fine because when I was in the Navy I went to many countries and often visited areas in those countries where English was far from the 1st language and often not even the 2nd! In person I found that if two people wanted to communicate, they would find a way.

On the phone it is different since body language isn't visible and that alone oft times makes communicating a bit more difficult.

In the case with MS, policy is an issue. The 1st line support people swore they could not forward nor connect me to a supervisor. So I complained at answers.microsoft.com(?) a public forum. One of the moderators there did a PM with me, passed the info along and I got a call from Microsoft corporate. The cancellation was done and the refund was made.

In that call, we got into a discussion about how tech/sales support at MS for the Surface line should be as premium as the product being sold, but that it isn't. He took some notes and said he would pass it along. IMO, at minimum if MS sells you the Microsoft Complete or other service product, then that should kick in a higher level of support automagically. It doesn't at the moment.

Again note, I'm not complaining about the Surface Pro 3 as it is a very fine piece of machinery, only about the level of support that is behind it.

 

[TeknoBlast]

The only support I had with MS is when my XB360 got the red ring of death. When I got the ring, I called support and paid $150 to get it repaired. That very same day, that's when MS announced the three year warranty period. So I called support right back so I can get a refund. At first, they didnt know what I was talking about because it was just announced that hour. Dont remember how long I was on the phone, but after support spoke with a manager, I was refunded the $150. I had my console repaired for free and when I got it back, the DVD drive broke. So I called right back and requested a repair. Box came in a couple of days later and got mine back fixed within two weeks. I was a happy camper.

Another experience was with Best Buy. I bought the Sony Playstation 3D display. Right before the return period was over, the display wouldnt display any video. So I took it back and they gave me a new one. When I got the second one, I went ahead and purchased the extra coverage just in case. Well, the display broke again, same issue. Best Buy took it back and gave me a third one. So far, the third one has lasted and still have about a year left on the coverage. I was surprised that Best Buy was very accommodating.

Another with Best Buy. I bought a Samsung ultrabook. Pretty slick device. It ran like crap....no, not because of Windows 8. So I returned it before the period was over and exchanged it for the higher model ultrabook. The second one was a snail too, so I took matters in my own hands. I swapped out the HD for a SSD drive and BAM, now the ultrabook ran like a beast.

I'm just happy that these two companies upheld their fantastic customer service....well at least for me they did and I'll continue purchasing items from these two stores....as long as the price is right.

 

[daniielrp]

Apple Care is quite funny, because in the UK we get put through to American call centres - it's the way they string sentences together, it's unheard of over here. Words like "Ma'am" just aren't a part of the English vocabulary.

Pretty sure James Bond says ma'am all the time.

Edit: Also I think we're supposed to call the Queen by ma'am too.

 

[Liam2349]

Pretty sure James Bond says ma'am all the time.

Edit: Also I think we're supposed to call the Queen by ma'am too.

Ok fair enough, however the way he says it makes it sound like an entirely different word.