Poor Customer Service
Written: Feb 27 '01
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Pros: Well-built, well-equipped computer systems.
Cons: Deplorable customer service when serious things go wrong
The Bottom Line: Well-build, highly reliable machines but beware poor tech support if anything goes wrong during warranty period.
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| vuture's Full Review: Gateway Performance 600 |
This is my third Gateway purchase and it will, unfortunately, be my last. In recent years the (since they sold out to a company now based in San Diego, CA--I believe)the customer service has gotten much worse.
Even as a certified CompTIA A+, occasionally things can happen that get beyond my expertise. I found GW technical support to be adequately helpful but often made mistakes in troubleshooting I could not accept. Rather than try to pool knowledge and learn together, I found on more than one occasion that their techs were unable or unwilling to continue with the troubleshooting.
The last (and final) occasion was when the troubleshooter accused me of installing "unauthorized" software (Partition Magic) and said Gateway had a strict policy against providing support for errors I made. I bought and installed the software under the advice of a well-knowledged and trusted colleague who had never had a problem with the software in over several dozen installations. He was stumped. I was stumped. The machine was still under warranty so I called Gateway.
The service was slo-o-o-o-w (over a 45-min. wait). After a one hour plus conversation with a GW tech came the final insult--my fault, no support!!
Normally, I leave it go at that. One person's bad experience is not always the same for others. Perhaps I got someone on a bad day. Perhaps I said something the tech took the wrong way.
I decided to write this opinion based on my personal experience AND reports I got from the field. As a Tech Consultant, (I now service and sell another brand of computer) I have repeatedly been told by my clients that they contacted me because they had heard negative comments about Gateway customer service. Or they have had their own bad experiences with Gateway customer service. Or they have a close relative/friend/co-worker with a Gateway that reported a poor tech support experience from Gateway.
IMHO, a computer system is a far too expensive investment to make without having exceptional technical support. Even if you have loads of computer savvy and technical training, these machines require the pooled resources of a highly trained, well-educated team. My best advice is, whenever possible, talk with others about what they like/dislike about the customer/tech support before purchasing a particular brand-name system from a company or authorized dealer. The downfall for Gateway and other companies like them is they appear to be more interested in sales than technical service and long-term customer satisfaction.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 3400
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Pentium III
Processor speed: 401-500
RAM: 128
Internal Storage: SuperDisk
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20
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Epinions.com ID:
vuture
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Location: Oakland, California, USA
Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Technical Consultant
PC Repair Technician
CompTIA A+
Certified Massage Therapist
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