April 15
In September, I ordered and received a laptop, for the purpose of using it on the first floor of my home hooked up to a wireless router, which was part of the Viscom computer package. Also included was an attachment so that the computer could wirelessly be used to watch TV. I thought this would be a wonderful addition to my life, and I wanted the laptop (and this package) very badly. Shop NBC also offered 1 year with no interest to pay for the package (even included a printer from Brother with many functions). The total cost for the package was $1729.91. I bought the computer and opened a Shop NBC card over the phone.
Shop NBC's policy is a 30-day money back guarantee. Within the 30 days, I called and told them that I was unable to hook up the wireless router that was part of the package. The rude person in either customer service or tech support insinuated that I did not know what I was doing, and told me that I could return the computer. I told him that I wanted the computer, but I wanted the wireless function to work. Believing that it might be my lack of technical ability, the following day I asked the technical person at work to come over and see what was wrong with the router/computer. My co-worker, was not able to come for a week. When he came, he spent several hours trying to make a wireless connection. He called the technical people several times. He spent hours doing what tech support instructed, and the computer still would not make a wireless connection with the router that was part of the original package.in frustration, he told me that either the D-Link connection that was part of the kit or the computer itself was the problem, and he convinced me to invest in another wireless broadband router to test and see if it was the router. I also bought an Ethernet card to make the wireless connection easier. My old computer worked off the new connection, but the new laptop still would not connect. It was now October, and Hurricane Wilma hit us hard. We were out of power for 3 weeks, and the computer was not at the top of my to-do list.
In early November, I called Technical Support again because not only could I not get a wireless connection, but when I turned on the computer, it started to make an awful sound. Finally, the tech person agreed that the sound was a problem large enough to send the computer back for repair. Eight days later a special box arrived, with the necessary paperwork, and I sent the computer in to be serviced. The computer was returned to me after Christmas. It took three weeks. They found that the wireless wire (internally) was broken, and that had been the reason for the lack of connection. They said they could not find a reason for the noise and that it had stopped.
Hooray! I had about 3 days of wireless laptop usage, and then the computer broke again. The sound that they could not find had returned, and also the cord that supplies the power source for the computer was broken. I called both technical support and customer service on December 31st. They said that they would get back to me and tell me what to do. They left a message about a week later (after more calls from me) and said that they would send me another box. They never sent one, not did they call me back.
As you can tell, I am a patient woman. But I reached my limit. On Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 16th, I realized that I should not have to continue to do business with a company whose technical support and customer service were deplorable. I called and told them that I wanted to return the computer, and was told that I could not do so because I had it over 30 days. I called Shop NBC and spoke to the customer service department, and was told that there was nothing they could do. I spoke to Jennifer, a manager, and she also denied my request, putting the blame on Viscom. Viscom put the blame on Shop NBC. I spent 2 weeks calling the two companies and waiting for call backs that either never came, or messages that were left on my machine. I asked Jennifer at Shop NBC and the customer service person, Brian, at Viscom to please call me back after 6 PM. Several weeks later, they finally did have a technical person call me from Viscom, offering to send me paperwork so that I could send the machine back to get the machine fixed. Since this was weeks after my original request, and the computer seems to be a lemon, I do not want this computer fixed anymore, because I cannot depend on the technical support or the customer service of a company that will not take care of their customers and their broken equipment in a timely and professional manner. I want to return this computer and its accessories.
I am a hard-working teacher, who saved to be able to afford a laptop to be able to use this school year. Not only have I not been able to use the computer, but I have spent countless hours and extra money trying to get it fixed. The company has not stood behind their product within the 1 year warranty period and taken care of the problem (The warranty is not up until September). It takes multiple calls (1/2 hour to get connected each time) and either no call backs, or short messages telling me there is nothing they can do on my answering machine. These returned calls were made at hours that I specifically asked not to be called because I would be teaching. (I asked to be called back after 4:00 when I would be home to speak to the caller.)
I bought this product from Shop NBC with excitement and with the confidence that it was a national company that would stand by their product. I understand that there is a 30 day money back guarantee, but even though the computer did not work within the 30 days, I kept it with the confidence that it would be fixed. As I said, I thought the wireless problem was my fault. I did not realize until much later that there is a much bigger problem: the lack of service. I have experienced this with both Shop NBC and Viscom. One does not know this within the first 30 days after buying a product.
Linda
boca raton, Florida
U.S.A.
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