Acer Customer Support Fails to Deliver
Update: 29/10/2007 2pm I see from my Weblogs, Acer have now read this post. Now please do the right thing, as I would love for this to have a happy ending.
Update: 30/10/2007 Acer have now stepped up and offered Leon a brand new machine - See the comments for the latest…
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Site visitor Leon Robotham contacted me with a terrible story about how Acer has failed to help him resolve an issue with his PC.
I asked Leon to write up all the details so other people considering purchasing Acer products can at least know the facts about Acer’s after care.
If anyone from Acer requires Leon’s Contact details just ask me colindiponio@gmail.com
Over to Leon:-
1. 15th September - I contacted the tech line and was advised that my machine needed to be sent back to be looked at as the ethernet controller, cardbus controller and broadcom adapter were having problems which meant I had no internet connection.
- I was advised that my machine would be returned within 4 - 12 days.
2. 25th September - I received my machine and was elated, great I’m back online! I opened the box and there was a technicians note saying that the main board had been replaced. When I switched the machine on I found that the screen didn’t work.
3. 25th September - I called the tech line to explain that the situation and had the phone put down on me. I called back and asked to speak with a senior manager and was then passed to Angela Foster who advised that she would now be dealing with the matter and that it would be dealt with ASAP. She advised that a courier would be re-sent and that she would do her best to have the machine returned to me quickly.
4. I called back in a few days later (either the 28th or 29th) once I’d given my case ID the tone of the advisor changed instantly. I asked to speak with Angela again and when I got through to her I asked for a copy of all of my recorded calls so that I could present them to a solicitor only to be told that my calls hadn’t been recorded - I had been warned about this from a friend.
5. About the 5th October I still haven’t received my machine but received a call from Angela Foster to say that the machine was waiting for parts to be fitted and that she would be getting it signed off herself so it could be sent out.
6. I receive another call from Angela on the 6th being advised that they are unable to fix my machine but would be able to send me a new machine. I asked all about the ‘new machine’ and was told that actually it is a refurbished machine but it is in immaculate condition and that the spec is an upgrade from my own. At this point I’m just happy that I will soon have a machine to work on as I’m losing work for my fitness business as it’s based online.
7. I receive the machine on the 10th October switch it on and it doesn’t work, there’s no Internet connection and the mouse doesn’t work. I call Angela on the 11th and am advised that the machine unfortunately needs to be returned. So off it goes back to Esplex!
8. I’m advised that she will have the machine back to me in the next two days.
9. I call in on the 15th to ask what is happening with my machine and am told that the main board is being replaced and I was told that I had put a screw through a wire and that was why the mouse didn’t work apparently I should look after my machine. Appalled I explained to the girl on the other end of the phone that in fact the machine that she was referring to was actually the same replacement machine that I had been told was in immaculate condition and had been checked by the technicians….. Silence, I again ask for all of my recorded calls to be told once again that they have not been recorded.
10. After sending an email to Angela explaining how I feel and telling her that I’ve never experienced such a poor level of service. I was told that she would do what she could. Well it seems to me that she can’t do anything.
11. Frustrated still I email details of the situation to watchdog.
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Thanks Leon
I agree very frustrating and simply not good enough.
I would say persevere but clearly you already have. 40/50 days waiting on Acer to do the right thing is more than any consumer should have to contend with.
Please let us all know what happens next.
Office2007 User Interface
October 29th, 2007 at 11:35 am
Today I contacted Angela Foster again and was told that she can not suggest anything for me, yet she is one of the managers of Acer. The levels of service never cease to amaze me.
October 29th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
Leon, That is staggering as Acer are a really huge company particularly overseas.
I would be asking for a temporary desktop/laptop (something) while they sort this out. Or just flat out ask for a refund.
Part of the cost of your computer is built in warranty cover that they are failing to deliver.
Colin
October 29th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
After speaking with Dee Dickson of Acer Head office I was advised to speak with Mr Martin Rigby (head of Esplex) I have sen’t an email to Angela asking twice to be contacted by Mr Rigby and as of now I have heard nothing.
My solicitor has advised me to reject any replacement machine and now go for a full refund under the Sale of Goods Act section 14 and also the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
I was also advised from Acer UK that if I didn’t get anywhere with Esplex my next contact should be Acer Milan as this is who Mr Rigby apparently answers to.
October 29th, 2007 at 3:29 pm
Good to hear from you Leon
I find it Sad that you have to jump through so many hoops.
I was hoping someone in Acer PR would step up.
Colin
October 29th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
This morning I asked if Angela Foster could have Mr Martin Rigby contact me. As of yet I have still heard absolutely nothing. I have emailed Angela again to prompt her and she advised that she has passed all of my correspondance to her immediate manager for further action. No further action has been taken.
If you are considering purchsing any Acer products please consider the aftercare.
October 29th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
Hi Colin
I was hoping something like that would happen myself, let’s see how far it goes before anything is resolved. You would think something like this would be simple enough to correct!
October 29th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
With a company that size, so would I.
Colin
October 30th, 2007 at 11:48 am
How frustrating for you, Leon. You did the right thing by contacting Colin. Publicising unacceptable customer service on a well read blog is probably the only thing that gets results these days without going down the legal route. After all that nothing less than being immediately sent a spanking new, top of the range machine would seem right - to make up for your lost time, possible loss of business, and it will show blog readers that Acer have tried to make amends. Good luck.
October 30th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
I have received a couple of calls from Acers Customer service escalations manager and it seems that I I may have some progress here. I will post the details tonight.
October 30th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Fingers Crossed.
Colin
October 30th, 2007 at 10:14 pm
Yesterday I made a call to Acer head office and then Esplex advising them that I would now be taking legal action and if they wanted to be updated on the situation they could read all about it here on Colins blog.
Melanie Knight is the customer services/escalations manager for Acer’s repair centre (Esplex), she contacted me after being notified of my current situation. It is suprising that it has taken so long for somebody to take the problem seriously but it’s looking like I have finally made progress thanks to Colin.
Melanie has promised that there will be a brand new machine sent to me today which I should receive tomorrow. It is an upgrade to the model I had and an apology has been made from Melanie on behalf of Acer with the guarantee that an investigation into the treatment I have endured will now take place as they do not condone customer service like this.
Thanks Gary, you’re right and if Melanie comes through with the promise then I will be happy with the end result but overall completely let down with the service.
October 30th, 2007 at 10:53 pm
Leon
That sounds like great news. I am pleased if I have helped in any way.
Colin
October 31st, 2007 at 10:59 pm
Today Acer finally stepped up and did the right thing after many months of mayhem. I would like to say that Melanie Knight, customer services/escalations manager was the most helpful she did as promised and I received my machine this afternoon.
The new machine is an upgrade to what I had and is brand new. Thankyou Melanie.
Thanks for publishing the post on your blog about my situation Colin it clearly been very effective.
A happy ending was indeed needed, I hope nobody has to endure the type of service I did and deeply hope that Acers investigation improves on all customer experiences.
October 31st, 2007 at 11:18 pm
No Problem
Colin
February 11th, 2008 at 1:16 am
I was looking to buy an ACER ASPIRE 9920G-704G50Hn at a price of £1599. First of all i have spent a lot of time online to get as much information on this laptop as i possibly could. After being satisfied with what i found, i decided to do one more thing, and that was to “google” and find out what ACERS customer support is like…This led me to here and after reading about Leon’s Ordeal with the LACK of CUSTOMER support from ACER i have changed my mind. I will know start looking again, it’s a shame as i had recently bought my daughter a laptop (ACER ASPIRE 5175) and thought it was a great little laptop and very good for the price i paid.£380.00
If my daughters laptop were to have problems and i got the same lack of customer support that Leon had, i would not be very happy. But if i had paid £1599 for the ACER ASPIRE 9920G-704G50Hn i would be MAD as HELL… and it’s not a CHANCE im prepared to take.
Leon i am very pleased that ACER finally did what they should have done at the very start.
GOOD LUCK with your new machine. Ralph
February 24th, 2008 at 12:45 am
Pleasing to hear that Colin got his new machine. Hope this one will last and not need fixing. My own feelings about this brand is that if you can not fix it yourself then don’t buy (if in the UK) Perhaps the Plymouth service centre has improved since 2004 and my time there, but somehow doubt this. I work for myself in IT now and can not, and certainly do not ever recommend Acer as a brand, I’d rather walk away from a fee paying job really is as simple as that in my mind. My customer experience was having a relatives Laptop returned not repaired and having another fault with the LCD cable being pinched between the top plastics, the LCD panel showed almost a million shades of odd colours. On principle this was sent back, on reflection not the brightest move. They did manage to fix this but not the original fault. I opened the unit up myself and resolved the original fault. I don’t think that Esplex have even put the customer support department in to operation as yet.
February 24th, 2008 at 10:37 am
Hi Mike
Thanks for your comments.
The views of purchasing consumers is the most valuable way to help others pick a supplier.
When it comes to Acer is really is a story of two halves.
1) Manufactuing & Sales
2) Support.
Sadly as a consumer you need to be able to rely of both.
Colin