Beer me a vodka, Captain.

[tanamiya.livejournal.com]

Customer: So here's my laptop. The IT department at my daughter's university says it has a bad hard drive. It's only three months old. What can you do for me?
Me: Okay, you've got a couple of options. We can send it to the manufacturer for you. The last one of these I sent out took about six weeks, though, so it's not really a good idea...
Cx: Yikes! Okay, what's the other option?
Me: Well, you could get in touch with the manufacturer directly. Cut [retail computer store] out as the middle-man. I've heard their turn-around times are excellent, usually within 3 to 5 days.
Cx: Well, I don't want to do that.
Me: Okay... I'll check your laptop in, and we'll send it out for you.
Cx: Oh, but I can't be without it for six weeks. My daughter uses it for university!
Me: Okay... Then your best bet is to call the manufacturer direct--
Cx: I don't want to do that either! I paid $1,300 for this laptop, and an extended warranty, and I want you to give me a brand new one!
Me: I'm afraid I can't do that--
Cx: Lemme tell you something. This isn't how you do business. I run a liquor store, and if someone comes to me with a broken bottle, I give them a new one.
Me: I'm afraid a bottle of beer isn't like a laptop, sir. How much does a beer bottle cost?
Cx: It doesn't matter! I want a new laptop!

I can't authorize anything like that, of course. I call the manager over, who tells the customer the exact same thing. He eventually allows us to check it in and diagnose his issue, adding that he wants it back on Sunday, no matter what. I shrug, sigh, and proceed to take his information.

I can only wish laptops were like liquor. =(

Comments

[pope-guilty.livejournal.com]

Lord, beer me strength.

[hotclaws.livejournal.com]

or something

[arabwel.livejournal.com]

If they were, we'd all be drinking our problems away...

[falnfenix]

you mean you don't?

[arabwel.livejournal.com]

they keep coming back in the morning! :(

[falnfenix]

then you're not doing it well enough! keep drinking. :)

[trayce.livejournal.com]

Exactly, sif he'd be giving anyone a replacement if they dropped the bottle on the floor after buying it.

[notthebuddha.livejournal.com]

bad hard drive + "I run a liquor store" + Fixed by Sunday = 21 liters of Captain Morgan

... ok...

[silece.livejournal.com]

"And if I give you a brand new one, all your daughter's work for the last three months will be gone."

Re: ... ok...

[vulpisfoxfire.livejournal.com]

Um--if the problem is a bad hard drive, that work is gone *anyway*.

One thing I'm wondering--does the OP work for [retail computer store], or are they just a warranty-repairer for that brand? If the former, under these circumstances, I'm wondering why they *couldn't* replace it with the exact same model (none of these 'try to sneak in a free upgrade' scams, slick!) and send the broken one in for a refurb? (I'm presuming that user changing the HD themselves would void the warranty here.)

Re: ... ok...

[tanamiya.livejournal.com]

I work for [retail computer store]. The laptop's about four months old -- we don't have a replacement model in store to give him, and the return policy on laptops is only 14 days anyway.

I'd be all for that idea if the laptop died in, like, the first month or so. I'd probably end up swapping the hard drives for him, too, assuming his old one was still okay...

Re: ... ok...

[silece.livejournal.com]

Yes, if the problem is a bad harddrive..

[pne.livejournal.com]

Maybe they need to hear "Oh, you're running a business? Sorry, there must have been a mixup when your line was connected; you're only on a residential plan. Here, let me connect you to a business plan. There; your new monthly fee is $Lots."

[lillyflowers.livejournal.com]

I'd bet a fair number of those "business owners" either aren't, or it's a weekend table at a flea market peddling used goodies for a 25¢ a pop. ;)

[laptop-mechanic.livejournal.com]

... stuff like this is why our shop no longer does sales directly, just service.