When we are looking to buy computers, laptops, and accessories we always look at the specifications, such as gigahertz, gigabytes, pages per minute, etc. Have you ever considered what you would go through if you needed help, or if God forbid something break or malfunction?

Extended warranties are pushed like it is the end all answer, but most do not kick in until your manufacturers warranty expire (usually a year). Most people purchase extended warranties and think no more about it. Besides, the sales man is promoting the warranty more than the computer. However , in the age of ever slim profit margins, we all know retailers make the more profit from warranties than computers and components.

Unfortunately, technical support and customer service pretty much suck across the board.It has truly become a random occurrence as to whether or not you will reach a capable person, or a person at all in many instances. The technical support/customer service field is facing a dilemma. Companies just cannot attract the talent customers expect from agents, with pennies. They outsourced the work, but it is taking forever to get foreign people up to speed, and probably never will.

First and foremost nearly everyone has outsourced these jobs to countries where English is barely a second language. Those companies that are using English speaking representatives often hire the uninspired and unknowledgeable.

Consider this rant from K. M. Hastings, posted at Amazon.com:

What has been most disappointing about this product is the technical support. Call 5 times and you will get 5 different answers, 3 of which will be incomprehensible due to heavily accented technicians. All of HP’s technical support is, apparently, provided from India. Some of the techs know what they’re doing, some don’t but pretend they do and others direct you to others to get you off the phone (”it’s your McAfee Security - call them”, “it’s your router, call Linksys” - the problem was neither McAfee nor Linksys).

Joe S. chimed in on the same item saying,

I’ve already spent hours with HP support on this - HP HAS THE WORST SUPPORT - let me repeat that one more time: HP HAS THE WORST SUPPORT. If you get a printer that works flawlessly, consider yourself lucky. If not, then be prepared to spend HOURS on the phone and very frustrating waiting periods. As far as I’m concerned, there are no quality checks and I personally spent a lot more time on this than what the printer is actually worth. I would have paid double the money if I didn’t have to deal with HP’s support.

These are not isolated incidents, and it applies across all brands of computer equipment. I have learned to judge companies by their service rather than their products. What good is top of the line products if you are constantly on the telephone trying to get it working correctly. So what is the solution? Research and Professionals.

  1. Avoid impulse purchases on computer equipment. Instead get all of the information you can from available brochures. Write down the model number, and research it on the Internet. You can type it in Google and/or Amazon and get detailed specs and reviews.
  2. Get input from someone knowledgeable with computers, and if you are a business talk to a consultant, such as Whizbang Technologies (866.995-7467). Good consultants have experience with all types of equipments, can recognize additional issues that the average Joe would not consider, and have experience working in all types of environments. Plus they are willing to stand by their decisions.
  3. Research brands and companies. Find out which companies has good service ratings, and have English speaking agents.
  4. Make sure you get on site repair services, so if you get frustrated on the telephone they will have to send you an English speaking person to fix the problem.
  5. Keep every single piece of documentation related to your purchase.
  6. Use Skype and Pamela when you have to call technical support, and record the conversations. That way you get what you are promised, and if you don’t post the mp3 to Digg and Consumerist, and let the community know the deal

We know this is good and honest advice, and as a customer you should not have to do it, but you do. Unless you want a good consultant to do all of this for you. You will be surprised how big of a relief we can be. We worry about computers, so that you do not have to.