A sordid tale of customer service woe and fraud

[PAlexC]

Right, so this is going to be a bit convoluted:

Last night I upgraded my Netflix account from el-cheapo plan to one with unlimited streaming and support for streaming devices, because a friend got me addicted to Doctor Who and Torchwood, even though I hate sci-fi.

Even though I've ranted extensively in the past about the BS of paying for an Xbox Gold account just to use Netflix, I decided to pony up for a 3 month subscription just to see how well it worked, and to watch it on my TV instead of my monitor, until I decided on a less power-hungry and noisy home media solution. (Roku box, Mac Mini, etc.) Stupid me, should've seen karma brewing.

I get up from my desk, where I've just upgraded my Xbox account, walk into the living room, and turn on my 360, which rarely gets any use anymore, and BAM! 3 Red Rings. I go through the support and trouble shooting sites, and resolve myself to the fact that it's f*cked. Fortunately, the console is still covered under warranty for this particular issue. Unfortunately, I've now sunk $20 into a service I can't use for at least a month and a half while this thing gets repaired, and probably won't want to use by the time I get it back.

Step 1: Call MS to confirm it's under warranty, even though the site says it isn't. They spend more time telling me they want to ensure I have a pleasant experience and am getting the service satisfaction I need than it takes to just answer the question. I also get a reference number.

Step 2: Call MS to ask for a refund for my Live subscription. Oh no! The system won't let the poor phone jockey do it! Whatever shall we do? Well, here's a reference number sir, but I'm afraid my manager will not be allowed to do anything either. Have I provided you with satisfactory customer service?

Step 3: Speak to the manage: Hello sir, but I'm sorry, the system won't let me refund your account. Here is a reference number. (I have 3 reference numbers.) Have I provided you with excellent customer service? No, but Amex will when I tell them to deny you the charges. I'm sorry to hear that you're sorry to hear that that is my prerogative, but I appreciate you telling me it is my decision to do so. I didn't realize I needed your permission from halfway across the world to have my credit card company tell you to f*ck yourself over $20. I've already wasted $20 of MS's time and reference numbers on this call, when you could've just refunded the money.

But wait, there's more!

A co-worker tells me to call the credit card I used to purchase the Xbox with a few years ago, they may offer a refund or warranty. Worth a shot. I haven't used that card in over a year, zero balance, zero transactions, except for late last week when I had no cash and couldn't use Amex. I call them to ask about the warranty, and they tell me about a buck-and-change charge to NY Times Digital, the same day my lone purchase in months was processed. Hmmm...thanks, but no, that wasn't me, I'll be reporting the card as stolen right about now... (turns out I didn't even use this card to buy the Xbox), but what a stroke of dumb luck.

And now that I think about it, when I did use said fradulated card...the register girl punched in the number instead of swiping it.

And, yet still, I can't watch Doctor Who streaming on my TV.

[yasunobu13]

EECB - http://consumerist.com/354297/execut...box-complaints

[Frets]

Dude that's roughed up.

[Adobemedia]

Yep, Microsoft doesn't exactly have a reputation for top of the line customer service.

Did you find out what the RROD was being caused by?

A friend of mine's 360 recently decided to die...two days after the warranty went out.

[silverx2]

more reasons why i still have not given serious thought to a higher end gaming console.

[hanratty21]

The lesson to be learned here is that Doctor Who sucks.

*ducks and dodges the rocks and garbage about to be thrown my way*

[Loyal Rogue]

The lesson to be learned here is that Doctor Who sucks.

Damn! Didn't see that one coming.

Coffee and brandy up the nose burns...

[creativeinsomnia]

I absolutely love my XBOX 360 and it gets played almost daily, but I'm on my third one already and the customer service is indeed a joke.

I dont know what it is exactly, but my PS3 has been a great DVD/Blu-ray player and my Wii can collect some mean dust.

[Adobemedia]

Actually, Microsoft is fairly good about repairing or sending a new one, as long as you are in warranty. My first one died, (it was a first generation 360) and they replaced it fairly quickly. Its only once your warranty goes out that it gets to be a piss off.

[Genesis F5]

You might want to consider repairing it yourself. I've heard reports of people getting their console back only to have it RROD right out of the box. It's a very easy fix, too. When I fixed mine, I discovered Microsoft's manufacturer must have run out of thermal compound that day because there was hardly any on either the GPU or CPU. What little was on there was a pain to get off, but some good paste and a quick run without the fan plugged in to "reflow" the connections had it running again in no time. Just don't go for those x-clamp replacement kits. I think the x-clamp is better in that it pushes in from the underside so the board can't sag when it heats up.

The lame thing about Netflix through the 360 is that you have to set your choices through the PC. On the XB side, you can't browse their selection, just the ten you have on your queue.

[Adobemedia]

....I discovered Microsoft's manufacturer must have run out of thermal compound that day...

More like that year. Lack of thermal paste on the GPU and the CPU caused most of the RRODs, amazing M$ thought they could get away with it.

[PAlexC]

*smacks Hanratty*

Admittedly, I'm not a sci-fi person, but Dr. Who got me hooked.

Yeah, I saw some articles about fixing it yourself, that it's typically just loose connections, but by that time I had filed a warranty claim. If it wasn't covered, I would've cracked it open myself.

The thing is just so noisy and power hungry, it sucks for media center usage. That brick of a PSU annoys the crap out of me.

I figured, I'll get it repaired, then sell it, and get a Roku or something. Wouldn't get anything for it if it wasn't working or had been cracked open.

I just think it's BS, when they know they have high failure rates and extend the warranty, that they don't compensate you for prorated time on XBL. They don't have to, but if you want to make your customers happy, you do the small things like that, that make them feel like you give a crap about them. It wouldn't cost them anything to prorate 3-4 weeks of usage.

[Adobemedia]

I know what you mean about the noise. I have a 3rd party cooling fan for mine, and it is quite loud. Very annoying too.

I wish you luck with MS though.