Random Musings

Pissssssssed

I am livid.

On the 18th of March, I took my laptop into Best Buy because the hinges had begun to crack. Prior experience with my first laptop let me know that problem only gets worse, and might eventually affect the performance of the computer itself. This current laptop is only a year old, and is used solely by me. I was baffled as to the reason for the cracking, but as it is still covered by the extended warrranty I paid for at the time of purchase, I figured I'd better go ahead and have it fixed.

I thought that by putting it in when I did, I could get it fixed and have it back by this week, which for me is spring break. It must be the portability which lends itself to spontanaeity, but I get a lot more good writing done on the laptop than I do on the PC's I have. I have been feeling stifled ever since I put the laptop in for service.

Well, it showed up this afternoon, delivered to my front door by UPS. At first I wasn't sure what it could be. I do a lot of catalog shopping, so I figured it was something I had ordered. I had completely forgotten that the Geek Squad guy said that the laptop would be delivered directly to my home. I was elated when I opened the box and that was what was inside.

That happiness, however, was shot right out of the sky, raining shards of shock and disappointment as I removed the machine from the box.

I am a mature woman who takes very good care of her things, especially of her computers and electronic devices of which I have quite a few. I am the sole user of this laptop. Although I carry it with me to and from school every day, and I travel with it, its condition was pristine. Prior to my taking it in for service, looking at it from the top, it looked brand new. Because of that, the cracking at the hinges was even more of an anomaly. I took it in to get the hinges fixed, and I was told last Friday when I called to check on the slow status of the repair that it was "awaiting parts", that apparently it needed a new case.

The laptop I got back this afternoon had intact hinges, but
all across the top of it was a pattern of scratches as if something had been set on top of it. To compound that, the case was cracked, but the new crack was in the lower right hand corner on the end where the computer opens and closes. Looking at it, you would have thought that it had been carried for three semesters by some college student who didn't own a case for it, and just stuck it under his arm and used it on any type of surface. I wanted to scream.

Instead, I boxed it right back up in the same manner that it had arrived, and I got in the car. I was halfway to Best Buy when I realized that I hadn't even turned it on to see if it worked. I don't think I cared. I hadn't gone any farther than the case. As it turned out I should have opened it up.

When I got to Best Buy and lodged my complaint, I mentioned to the Geek guy that I hadn't even checked to see if it worked or to see if it was even my computer. When he opened it up, I'll be damned if there weren't several deep scratches in the monitor screen. I don't anger easily, but at that moment, I saw red. It was all I could do to not curse out everyone behind that counter, but I had to repeatedly remind myself that those people weren't the ones at fault and I would need their help to get some kind of resolution going.

The end result was that the manager noted the damage and said that he would send it back out to have repairs done on it. I did let him know how pissed I was at having my computer damaged in that manner when I sent it out to be repaired, and that I was very unhappy about being without it even longer. He said that he would call himself to have the repairs expedited. I don't want a rush job, but on the other hand, I want the stuff fixed.

In the meantime, I have placed a hot call to Best Buy Corporate Customer Service. I am also writing a letter to them. I believe in putting things in writing for the record.

To be fair, I have never had a problem before with Best Buy. I purchase most of my electonics there. I love the store, the quality of their products, the prices, and the service. We routinely opt for the extended warranties on our larger, more expensive purchases, and when we have had to exercise upon them, we have never had a problem with the quality of the repair or with the timeliness of those repairs. This is a first. Too bad it had to be with my precious laptop.