Custard21
From DotelTech
- Client: Santa's unhappy Helper
- Problem: Computer isn't working right
- My Job: "Computer Grinch"
A Woman comes into the store 45 minutes before closing with a computer and places it on the counter She calls her husband to get the information to explain the problem. She talks to her husband and relays the information back and forth from me. I learn that the computer is not booting correctly. They tell me that they need the computer fixed immediately. I already have several machines I need to fix by end of day (which is quickly approaching). I tell the lady the best I can do is a couple days. She appears ok with that, but her husband is not happy (she's still on the phone with him during this process)
I explain that is the best I can do, and he agrees to leave the computer. I print out the service order and go over the same speech I give 50 times a day. Basically the service order says the following, and I explain it to EVERY customer.
- We are not responsible for any loss of data.
- We are not responsible for any loss of profits from your lack of computer
- Warranties cover hardware only.
- Damage due to installing programs, or virus infections may incur a charge up to $99 for reload of computer. (We will call and notify you of this if that is the case)
- Physical damage is not covered
- We recommend they backup any data before they bring a computer in. (yes I say this twice)
The Husband is still on the phone and she reads this to her husband. He tells her not to sign it. I inform the lady that I will not work on any computer without a consent form. The husband refuses to pay $99 for software reload. I try to explain to him that is only for machines that are infected, and based on the symptoms I don't think that is the likely cause. The Husband and wife talk a bit, and then inform me that they don't want to leave it here because I can't do next day service, and are not honoring our warranty. I try to explain again that we will honor any defective parts, just not software.
The husband demand we do next day repair or else.....
I tell him there is no way, I can offer him a good repair but I can offer him next day service. So she takes the computer with her. By the time she leaves it is past closing, and I still haven't finished the machines I needed to finish.
I write up the report of what happend, finish the machines I needed to finish and go home.
Now here is the kicker, I leave the building at about 6pm on DECEMBER 24th. Yes thats right, the husband was demanding next day service on DECEMBER 24th.
.......A Couple months pass.
During this time they never returned for repairs, nor did the even file a complaint with my manager, or company. I completely had forgotten this incident when we are served papers for small claims court.
They were taking us to small claims court for the cost of the repair, and damages for not "honoring our warranty". Included are photo copies of the invoice for the company that repaired the computer. The company that repaired the computer was one of our competitors, a well reputable small computer company. I personally knew the owners and techs and did in fact trust their diagnostic as valid.
However I also noticed that the customers had checked the computer in for repair Jan 2nd, and it was not finished for until the 6th. So not only did the customer have to wait another 2 weeks then if they had left it with us, they ended up having to pay for the repair.
Now I had to go testify in court for this lawsuit. In small claims court (at least here) you are assigned an arbitrator in attempts to solve the problem before it is placed before a judge. The upside to this is if a decision is made before it goes to court they drop the court fees, and your not legally bound by the decision.
I offered several things to the customers. I offered to continue the warranty, which should have been voided by another company working on the computer. However I trusted the company and I know they did good work. I offered our cost of the defective product. I would not refund them the labor they payed the other company to repair the computer. I told them the repair would have been free if they had brought it to us. They never even gave us a chance to repair it. They just took it elsewhere when we told them we could not provide next day service. They of course turned down my offer.
We go see the judge, we both explain our stories. The judge turns to the customer and tells them, that nowhere does a warranty require next day service, then looks at the customer and says, "and you have to be crazy to think you would get next day service on December 24th"
The judge ruled in our favor, we still offered our original offer, they took it. But they were stuck with the $100 repair cost from other company, and the $65 court costs.