Linked by Fred McCann on Wed 25th Aug 2004 21:00 UTC
I recently had a bad experience with an application service provider that illustrated a growing problem with technology companies- lack of service and support. We have grown complacent as technology consumers and we allow vendors to offer very poor levels of service that wouldn't be allowed in other markets.
Permalink for comment
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
I don't know, I kind of like the 'choice' of not having support. I've never dealt with a company that never took returns for bad products.
I'm a reasonable computer user without much support needs, so why pay for it? Imagine if you could buy a car without the basic 3 to 5 year warranty. I wonder how much the cost would drop? This would be perfect for those people who know what they're doing with cars.
If you need the support, pay for it. When I bought my laptop, I knew I wasn't about to go open it up...EVER, so I purchased the extended warranty through the retailer. It wasn't that much more expensive.
I will agree with the greater point of the article...and that is poor support. What other industry is going to give you the kind of support you need with a computer over the phone? This is the single biggest issue with technical compnay support. If your car breaks down, you take it to the garage, they don't ask you over the phone to verify the alternator is operating correctly.
Not to mention that theres no need for a computer retailer to provide you with information on the details of how to operate a PC> Its a sufficiently complex operation that you must learn on your own. You're not going to call toyota and ask them the rules of the road or how to drive. You most certainly have the right to ask them how to turn on th AC, or unlock the trunk from inside...
Suffice to say that a computer software and other modern technical iteams are the most complex device we will ever use as humans. No anumber of analogies can really do it justice. Almost every other device in your entire life is restricted to just a few buttons and options.
Without them having solid access to the problem item (PC...) tech support is reduced to one big long list of question and answer, which is why most people don't bother with it. That's just one of the many reasons, people should only buy computer from a retailer they can physically reach and talk to.