As difficult as it is to believe, the problems with Acer have gotten worse (see Tech Support Blues). When my Acer 8200 notebook computer came back from the repair depot with loose wires hanging from the motherboard stuck in the fan, I called tech support and was promised that this time my computer would receive expedited service and that the service manager would personally make sure the computer was working properly before it was shipped back. I shipped it off again (*sigh*), and a week later I had not heard a thing. I called tech support again and was told the computer would be fixed when in normal order; there was no record of expedited service. After considerable arguing, I finally convinced the telephone representative to contact the repair depot. He put me on hold, and when he came back, he was much friendlier. He said the computer was now to be given priority and that Acer would ship it back overnight. This time, Acer was as good as its word….. However
The computer arrived this morning as promised. I no sooner unpacked it than I noticed that the switch that turns the WiFi on and off was jammed hard right. It could not be budged, and WiFi was shut off. I checked the Bluetooth feature, and it did not work either. Both had worked fine when I first sent the computer in for repair.
I immediately got back on the telephone with tech support and asked if the repair depot checks the computers it fixes to make sure they work before they are shipped back to the customer. He told me that they do not; that’s the customer’s responsibility. The technician fixes the reported trouble (apparently without making sure that the problem is really fixed, and the computer is shipped back to the customer.
I asked if there was no ombudsman I could appeal to, and I was told there is not. I was not permitted to talk to anyone in charge. We made arrangements to ship the computer back once again. As soon as I got off the phone, I called Acer North American headquarters, and I discovered that there is indeed an ombudsman. I detailed my complaints about Acer technical service to a secretary, who promised that someone in authority would call me back within 24 hours. We’ll see what happens.
