Staples Warranty Repairs - Don't buy at Staples!

If you don’t want to go through all of this BLOG, the meat of the information provided is simple and straight forward:

One of my many computers purchased at Staples died on February 8, 2008. It has a 3 year on-site warranty and it has now been 34 days and it is still not repaired. They do not expect it to be repaired until April 2008 which will be over 53 days since the original repair request.

DO NOT BUY COMPUTER EQUIPMENT FROM STAPLES!
DO NOT BUY THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY OPTIONS EITHER!

Now, if you want to read the update to all of this, please read on…….

Oh boy, the s**t is getting deep now! If you followed the beginning of this blog, it is located here and this is a follow-up to it all! I am repeating names, phone numbers, company information about all of these people! Do what you want to do with it! Heck, I don’t care if you call them every 5 minutes to bug them! GO FOR IT!

Companies involved:

Staples, Inc.
http://www.staples.com

Assurant Warranty Group (Staples ESP)No website know at this time.

Nexicore Services, Inc (Assurant Group uses them as their contractors for repairs)
http://www.nexicore.com

Here is the timeline and information from the calls that I have made in response to everything that has gone on with this computer:

Day 1:
February 8, 2008: Initial Tech Support call for warranty fix.

Did the troubleshooting with the tech department even though the NIC did not have a light on it showing the cable was connected. Rolled back the drivers, restored the system to a different date, and performed all of their BS requirements.

Was told that they would contact me within 48 hours to give the location to drop-off the system.

Day 5:
February 12, 2008: Received call from Staples Warranty

Message was left that they did me a BIG favor and upgraded my warranty to an ON-SITE repair to make the repair go quicker and more smoothly. Was also informed that Nexicore (the repair company) would contact me within 4 hours to setup the repair.

Day 13:
February 20, 2008: Received that 4 hour call back from Nexicore

Nexicore repair technician finally contacted me. Unfortunately it was not within 4 hours, but more like 8 days later. He wanted to setup a repair appointment for Friday, February 22, 2008. We setup the appointment for 3:00 p.m. that day.

Day 15:
February 22, 2008: On-Site Repair

Nexicore tech arrived 1 hour late from the appointment time. He disassembles the computer, removes all the parts, then realizes when trying to install the processor and heat sink that the part he has with him is the incorrect part. The part being replaced was the motherboard in the system. They sent him an Intel Pentium 4 socket motherboard instead of an AMD AM2 processor socket board. He spoke with the parts department and they said that the correct part was ordered.

The technician then rebuilt the system, since it was late, I let him go and said I would hook it up! NOTE: Prior to the technician disassembling the system, everything but the network card worked. When I hooked it back up, the system would not power on. I decided to let it be and just wait for his return. I did call him and inform him that it didn’t work anymore, just as an FYI.

Day 28:
March 6, 2008: Called Staples Claims Department

Staples looked up their information on the repair. They stated that according to Nexicore the part had been ordered on February 27, 2008. This is actually 5 days after On-Site was here in which I listened to the conversation that the part had been ordered “at that very moment”. This is disappointing and unacceptable.

Staples Claims Department informed me that I should wait until Monday and call them back.

Day 33:
March 11, 2008: Contacted Staples Claims Department

I was told that the part was ordered on the 28th according to their information. This is a one day discrepancy compared to what I was told on Day 28.

The Staples Representative, Trent, called Nexicore with me on a conference call to find out more information. Nexicore’s number is (866) 267-3100.

The Nexicore representative, Casey, stated that the part is on backorder according and that he will provide us with an ETA on the part by calling me back directly. Trent asked him how long it would take and wanted the information right away. Casey stated that it takes 24 hours to get this information.

I asked him if there was anything that could be done about this and he stated that he could not do anything, but the customer service department might be able to help. He transferred me to the CS Department.

I spoke with Melody and she said she emailed their liaison with Nexicore to get some additional information and to see if this could be expedited in some way. This usually takes 24 to 48 hours, but that she would keep an eye on it. She said to call her back tomorrow afternoon while the liaison department was open, which is from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

She provided me the number (800) 333-3330 to contact her back and that I needed to provide the reference # for them.

Day 34:
March 12, 2008

Dialed the number provided by Melody from yesterday and the poor lady that answered had NO IDEA why she gave me that number. She gave me the correct number and transferred me.

The correct number is for Staples Warranty Department: (800) 806-0555

I spoke with Natasha from the Warranty Customer Service Department. She said that the Liaison was calling Nexicore to see when the part will be in. Natasha said it would take about 30 minutes and that she would call me back. I provided her with the number (XXX) XXX-XXXX to call me back on. Hang up time was 5:11 p.m..

Natasha called back stating that the liaison was calling Nexicore’s “Manager” to find out what is going on, but that department was not in & that an email was sent & that they would call Nexicore tomorrow about it also. Natasha said she would call me back by 4:00 p.m. tomorrow evening.

Day 35:
March 13, 2008

Elena from Staples Customer Service called. She stated that they spoke with the liaison and they have sent an email to NEXICORE and called them. They are getting an ETA on the part from NEXICORE.

I told Elena that they were supposed to do that yesterday because TRENT from the tech support department had me on a conference call with NEXICORE and they stated they would send off for an ETA on the part and have it back to him on March 12, 2008. This never happened.

Elena stated that Nexicore promised to call me within 60 minutes with the information. Call time ended at 10:20 a.m.. I told her that I would never believe they’d call within 60 minutes, but I will wait and see. She offered a number to NEXICORE, but I declined because I do not wish to speak with them since I experienced their intelligence on a call with them and they are ridiculous to talk too. I will wait until approximately 12:00 p.m. CST and will call back the customer service department.

I asked what further resolutions we will be doing if I do not get the information or the repair cannot be completed this week? Elena stated that the person she talked to said the repair company has to complete the repair and it has to go this way because that is how the warranty is setup.

I told Elena that this is not acceptable and we will discuss it further this afternoon.

Glenn from NEXICORE called and stated the part should be shipped on the March 27, 2008 and once the part arrives they will ship it to the technician and he will schedule an appointment with me!

This will make it over 51 days before the final part arrives. This is not acceptable from any standpoint!

I called back Staples Warranty Claims Department and spoke with a customer service rep named Elizabeth.

She verified all of my information and said that they are waiting for parts.

I told her that this is absolutely unacceptable and that Elena advised me that there was nothing else they could do or would do. I told her that this is not a true statement and that I would like to speak to someone who can resolve this issue in a satisfactory way for both her company and for myself.

She said she could send a message to the resolution team, which I told her that would not work because this has been done for the past three days. That I would like to speak with the resolution team upon which I was informed that this is not possible “No one talks to them, they just email”.

I then told her that if she cannot do anything I would like to talk to her supervisor, the resolution team’s supervisor, or someone who can help me. She stated she will see what she can do and will be back in a few minutes.

I received a call back from a cocky member of the escalation department. Her name was Laquanna. She stated that she was the supervisor in charge and that she will not replace the system and I am not allowed to speak to anyone else in the company other than her since she is in charge and that this is the highest I am allowed to go and she will not forward me to anyone else.

I asked her again her name and position with the company, she stated her name and rather than being the Escalation Team Supervisor, she was now the Escalation Team Member who was in charge at the time.
I thanked her and asked her WHO from the customer resolutions department stated that there would be nothing done. She provided me the name of Lakisha.

I contacted my local Staples and talked to the store manager. I knew his hands were tied because the system was “technically” purchased online. However, he did suggest that I call Staples Customer Service and they may help.
Guys and Gals… Staples Customer Service is not the same as Staples Warranty Department or Staples Claims Department. The latter two are actually the Assurant Group acting on behalf of Staples.

He says that policy does not allow it to be replaced and that I should call customer service department of Staples instead of warranty.

He gave me the phone number of: (800) 378-2753

I spoke to a very nice lady who checked out everything that has gone on with this repair and she just said… “Oh Lordy” that is ridiculous! She said she could do nothing for me, but offered me the number to Corporate Headquarters. She gave me this information”

Staples Corporate Headquarters(800) 839 3067 extension 35667
When the phone is answered it has a recording stating: You have reached the President’s office
Then you have a bunch of options and elected…..
Press 4 for a customer relations specialist

Spoke with a customer service specialist -- NAME: Anya
She gathered the informationShe put me on hold for a momentShe spoke with the warranty departmentShe spoke with Lori from the warranty department/claims department. Anya provided her direct number which is:

800 388 0252 ext. 6462

She will check into it further and call me back on my cell phone!

Naturally, I did not expect her to call me back today. I will wait until tomorrow afternoon to see what she can do for me.

I’ll update tomorrow on this! I find this absolutely amazing! I also find it astonishing that a company like Staples cannot get their act together, get a good warranty group who can pick out good service providers!

Nexicore is obviously a bunch of retards! I’m serious! When Trent from Staples Tech Support had that conference call with Casey, he would ask Casey a question and Casey would say let me check and within 10 seconds Casey would come back and ask Trent “What were you asking”. He did this at least 3 times per question and within 120 seconds total for the 3 times!

What I know about my Nexicore repair tech that was here the first time to work on my computer is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. This guy is studying at ITT Technical Institute specializing in Information Technology. That’s great, but at the same time this is his first year of study and Nexicore hired him to do their work in this ZIP CODE area. The guy is not certified by ANYONE to do computer work. He possesses absolutely NO OFFICIAL certification such as COMPTia, Microsoft, or any other one! He is a high school graduate and that’s it at the moment!

Maybe I should apply with Nexicore! Hell, at least I possess all of the certifications from hardware & software to network engineering! Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! OH wait, I also found out that they only pay him $45.00 per repair regardless of how many times he has to return! Never mind! (giggling) Am I dealing with Staples or Home Depot? Oh, never mind!

Day 36
March 14, 2008 - Staples HQ Customer Relations

Oh what a beautiful day! I have talked with these people until I am blue in the face!

The number that Anya from Staples HQ Customer Relations provided to contact her at which is (800) 388-0252 ext. 6462 is not a valid number. At least I cannot call it from my cell phone nor my home phone. That leaves me to believe that Staples has this number blocked from INCOMING calls.

I did manage to get in touch with her (Anya) using the original Staples HQ Number that I used on March 13, 2008; Day 35.

I have to admit that she did remember me and my ordeal, but at the same time the way she acted and sounded, she had not attempted to do anything to resolve it. I was on the line for over an hour which is a prime indicator that she had not done her previous day promise.

Anyway, the end results are still the simple fact that they will not do anything about it & I have to wait for the part to arrive and be installed. Hence, the repair must be completed and they will not replace nor refund the price of the system.

Anya did offer me a $100.00 coupon/card for my “inconveniences”. She was extremely shocked when is stated:

“No thank you. If I accept your coupons/card, that is showing my approval & agreement to your poor customer service & experience that your company has provided me on my warranty repair. It also shows that I am agreeing to the delay and any other delay’s for the repair which has not been completed as of this date.”

“Further more my acceptance of such a gift or gratitude would also require me to enter your store and purchase an item from your company further more supporting your company’s sales & growth. Since I do not EVER intend on entering ANY of your stores ever again in my lifetime for a personal purchase or a company purchase for the companies I work with, I must decline.”

I thanked her for her help and asked her WHAT IF the part is not delivered on March 27, 2008; Day 49. She stated that I should call her back to further investigate and look for “possible” other resolutions at that time.