Warranty Support: BB vs Compaq(HP)

[jsneetch]

I am about ready to order the new Compaq Presario x1000 and don't know whether to order through BB or direct from Compaq. (I am ordering because I want a different configuration than the standard one BB has.)

The main issue in my mind is whether am I likely to receive better warranty responses with the extended warranty offered by BB or Compaq. A BB salesman said that under their service plan if a screen had a few bad pixels, BB would replace the screen or laptop, but manufacturers typically argue that the problem isn’t bad enough to be eligible for warranty service. This morning a Compaq salesman said they would fix a screen if it had a few bad pixels. When I asked him to email me that promise, he said he would, but it would take up to 24 hours to get cleared by higher-ups and I should have the email tomorrow. We’ll see.

Has anyone had recent warranty experiences with either company?

I am new here and really enjoyed reading the posts about the Presario x1000. Thanks to the contributors.

[jasunshine78]

Hi there!

I actually work at at Best Buy as a PC tech, though, of course, I'm speaking as a private individual and NOT for the company :)

Offically, BBY goes by the manufacturer's guidelines when it comes to dead pixels on an LCD. Unfortunately, most manufacturers are not too clear themselves on what their policy is regarding coverage on this issue :

http://www4.tomshardware.com/display/20030319/index.html

Therein lies a possible benefit of purchasing at Best Buy (or any local store) instead of through the manufacturer. When you bring in your unit for service you will speak to a tech (me) who will make sure your laptop gets fixed. If it's not fixed to your satisfaction, you can come right back to the tech (me) and my bosses and we can (hopefully) arrive at a solution that is cool for all parties. Never underestimate the power of being able to speak to a live human being in the flesh with the malfunctioning product in your hand!

Long story short:
1. READ the SERVICE BROCHURE! It's the only thing you and your vendor can fall back on in the case of a disagreement.
2. Demand good service. If you don't get it, ask to speak with someone else. Conversley, be a good customer. Firm but polite goes much further than a tantrum.
3. Don't tolerate a "mostly" working machine. Repairing electronics these days is a complex/tricky enterprise, but in the end a unit should work like it did originally or it should be replaced. If you're paying someone to guarantee performance, you should be getting it.

Good luck either way. Hope I helped a bit!

=j

[ECA]

Heres the rub.
When you take something into BB for service, guess where they go for the parts? they dont have them they order them and thats TIME. If its backordered from the service dept, thats TIME.

IF you have the money I would suggest a clone rather then a DELL. REALLY. Most comapnies have 1 year warrenty, and generally if theres no problem in 90 dyas you should NEVER have a problem.

[nedlyj]

Well, since your question was BB vs Compaq (not Dell) I'll give my two cents worth.

I don't believe either service is very good (no disrespect meant to jasunshine78), but I would always go with the manufacturer's warranty over BB warranty for several reasons.

1. ECA is correct about time. While yes, you can talk directly to a human, you are talking to people who do not know the intricacies of your specific machine. BB is unfortunaltely notorious for keeping your laptop for weeks, or even months, while they are "fixing" it.

2. Many of the front line BB techs are really not who you might want working on your machine. jasunshine78 may be a fine technician, but many others are not. Are you willing to take that risk? At least you know that Compaq techs work on Compaq machines.

3. Cost. BB's warranty costs are outlandish. You are not guaranteed any true "level" of service, yet their cost is twice what the manufacturer's extended warranty costs. For the same price as BB's general warranty, you could get Compaq's accidental damage and express 3 day service warranty. A much better option imho.

-n

[jasunshine78]

No disrespect taken from any of the previous posters who were worried about it. I am fully aware of my company's occasional reputation as the "McDonalds of Consumer Electronics" that, at least at my store, we are trying to combat :) Once again, I do work at Best Buy as a technician, but am speaking only for myself, not for that or any company.

I figure I'll toss in my $0.02 about extended warranties in general and then compare remote service to in-person service.

Purchasing an extended warranty from anyone is always a tricky business... To me it all depends on what you are looking for out of your laptop and the amount of assisatance you anticipate needing troubleshooting issues with it.

Getting an extended warranty at all...
If you're a frequent upgrader (ie need the latest for what you do or "just because") then don't bother. Let the MFG take care of you for a year, then when it breaks again, just get a new one (we see the biggest failure spikes at/around initial purchase date and in the middle of year 2).

If you can't or don't want to afford the expense of a new laptop 2-2.5 years down the road (laptop repair is psychotically expensive on a cash basis, check https://partsdirect.hp.com to see examples) then consider getting an extended warranty from either the MFG or the vendor you're purchasing from. Make sure that the things that are important to you are covered IN WRITING(ie battery capacity or laptop keyboards, which not all cover)!!!

Another issue is damage protection. BBY does NOT offer anything like this (wish we did, I'd be the first to buy it), and any BBY "product specialist" or tech who says or implies that we do should be strung up by their toenails and sent to Circuit City :) If you're going to be traveling with this beast and you don't fall into the "frequent upgrader" or "flush with money" crowds, definately get it.

Remote service vs. in-person service

Most MFG services are remote (ie phone or web) support. To me as a tech, this is wonderful, as I don't have to wait in line and usually have a pretty good idea as to what is wrong with my unit. I can tell the tech, get my RMA number and boom, fixed. For other customers, particularly novices, this option can be frustrating as they may have a symptom (ie "I can't get online") that isn't neccessarily caused by the hardware they suspect. They then have to act as the eyes and hands of the technician troubleshooting the problem. There's often complicating software problems (like the Klez virus which disrupts network connectivity) that the user may not be aware of and that the online tech can't "see" using their novice eyes/hands.

Phone support is generally VERY hard and frightengly often ends with "run your system restore and call us back if you still have problems". Web support is better if there is a desktop sharing option, but usually only works for minor problems (ie if you can see a picture on the screen and you're getting online, then things are going pretty well for you).

So, long story short, if you're technically inclined, or at least willing to dig into the software/hardware of your PC with someone on the phone, remote support can work (and is generally a little bit cheaper).


Vendor (ie BBY) service plans tend to be in-person in nature which is great if you are willing to schlepp your product into the store/service center, less so if you are mobility/time restricted or live in a remote area.

Stories of laptops going out for repair for a month at third-party vendors (Circuit City, BBY, CompUSA)have been occasionally true due to shipping problems and parts shortages(though we at BBY just rolled out a new laptop service that UPS's units straight to the repair center, then UPS's it to the customer's door, avg turn around time 8 business days, store to door. Should be live in every Best Buy near the end of July).

If you are the type of user who might need some assistance troubleshooting your problems (or just don't want to)then this is an option that can work well for you. I spend 40% of my work week educating customers on the use of their computers. We get printers to work for old ladies. We shut off or remove the 30 varieties of running spyware that are causing a kid's computer to lock whenever they start up their games. Etc. Etc. This is where the in-person service excels. We can take a look at your system holistically and hopefully provide a more complete analysis than what is possible over the phone. Computer shutting down during games? Maybe your heatsink is just clogged with dust and your system is overheating. Can't get online? Let's test your modem right now. It works? Let's figure out what's causing this.

When there is a hardware problem and I have the parts in my store, I fix it (next day mostly) or if I don't, I ship it off to a factory certified tech to handle it (2 week turn-time average under the old system). If there are problems with the repair, you come back to ME (or my boss if you don't like me anymore :) ) and come to a resolution. No playing phone tag with an outsourced tech who needs to get you off the phone to keep his/her "time/call rate" down.

Costs for plans

BBY 3 year laptop serivce plan: $249.00 ($199.00 if you buy el cheapo laptop)

Compaq laptop warranty extensions:
2-year express repair warranty upgrade [$99.99]
1-year express repair warranty upgrade with accidental damage protection [$99.99]
3-year express repair warranty upgrade [$179.99] hp recommended
3-year express repair warranty upgrade with accidental damage protection [$349.99]

Conclusion
Good luck either way! Hope I didnt' come off sounding like a corporate drone. Just trying to provide a (relatively) balanced picture of the "support scene" as a guy who's been both a customer and an employee of some of these places...

[nedlyj]

Are you sure you're a BBY technician? If so, you are probably the most intelligent, respectful and honest BBY employee I've ever met - Really!

Wish you were at my local BBY where they take the "service" out of customer service. I kid you not - they are terrible and will downright lie to make a sale or stop you from returning an item. It once took me 25 minutes at the Customer Service desk to return an item because they swore it was store policy that I *had* to return an item to the physical store I bought it at. Finally I demanded to speak to the store manager, at which time the group of them refunded my money.

Keep up the good work. Remember, all change happens one person at a time.

-n

[Unregistered]

hey jasunshine78,
thanks for the great advice.

you know i am thinking about getting the bestbuy 3yr warranty for $250, because
(1) BBY covers the battery for all 3 years while compaq covers it for only 1 year EVEN IF you get a 3yr warranty. i've heard that the battery only lasts about a year, so it may be worth it for only the battery
(2)BBY has a no lemon policy, so they will give me a brand new system if they can't fix the laptop after 3 tries. i already have BBY's 3 year warranty on a desktop, and they've already gave me a brand new system after they couldn't fix it.

[Unregistered]

Hpshopping.com's prices are hundreds of dollars lower BB's. You get a 5% discount if you're a student or educator, then there are 10% coupons floating around (search on Google for "hpshopping.com coupon") and on top of that they only charge tax in TN and CA. Oh, and did I mention the free shipping promotion?

However, both places qualify for the $100 rebate.

I just bought an x1000 from hpshopping.com with a Platinum MasterCard, which extends the warranty an additional year at no extra charge. Physical damage is not covered though. My old HP laptop has been going strong for two years without any problems.

[jsneetch]

Thanks for everyone's replies!

I had to make my choice before I had received any responses to my post.

If you're interested, I went with BB. I know I paid more, but I thought it would be worth it. It's important to me to be able to speak in person to a tech. I also liked the no lemon policy.

I'm not sure which choice I would make now if I had to make the decision again, which I may have to if the keyboard doesn't work when I get the X1000 in 4-5 days.

I guess the final test will be whether I have a good experience or a bad one with the techs. Here's hoping they're all as competent as you, jasunshine78!

Thanks, again. :D

[Unregistered]

hey jsneetch,
definitely keep us posted on the keyboard issue, i really want to know if currently shipping systems have been fixed

[jsneetch]

Will do. You'll have to wait several days though.

[nedlyj]

Originally posted by Unregistered
hey jsneetch,
definitely keep us posted on the keyboard issue, i really want to know if currently shipping systems have been fixed
The keyboard issue has not been addressed, much less fixed. Here is a disturbing post from another forum regarding the keyboard issue:
I called service today, and it's been exactly a week with my X1000 in repair...they still haven't found a fix.

So I'm throwing in the towel and requesting it back, not repaired, so I can send it in for return.

The least they could have done is replaced it and sent it back to me...especially considering I have the 48 hour express warranty which I paid $350 extra for.

Not only do they not have a fix, they can't even find one. Nor is the production end shutting down to wait for one - they are definitely not taking this seriously yet at all.

-n