Considering moving from a Dell to a Gateway.... read this first.

Forunately, I was able to resolve the problem, so there are no damages
other than the loss of three hours of my time and a sinking feeling at
the realization of how poor Gateway support is realative to what I was
use to with Dell and IBM on notebooks.




On Feb 8, 9:28 pm, "S.Lewis" <stew1...@mail.com> wrote:
> "RMZ" <Jeremy.De...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news: oups.com...
>
>
>
> > Actually Gateway support is now 100% US based (or so they claim). The
> > problem of incompetence still looms. Here is a case where their
> > website explains how to replace a part on the notebook in question and
> > the support staff continue to state "the part is non-replaceable".
> > When ask to clarify this statement, the support rep states "it's a
> > physical limitation" (paraphrasing), which is false and implies the
> > entire computer has to be replaced. Further comments from their
> > support go on to state complete replacement is exactly what they
> > intended to do, noting all hard drive data will likely be lost....
>
> > Does anyone think this is acceptable? I'm sure their warranty terms
> > clear them of any wrong doing here, but this is not ethical and what's
> > more, it cost them more money to take this approach. The question is
> > why don't they just ship the part? I wonder if there is any legal
> > option I might have, my guess would be no.
>
> Sure there is. State Attorney General's office in California ( I assume
> Gateway is still HQ'd in San Diego). Call the AG's office about filing a
> complaint.
>
> Bet things will get moving in a hurry if you're allowed to do so.
>
> Stew

On 8 Feb 2007 20:27:44 -0800, "RMZ" <> wrote:

>how poor Gateway support is realative to what I was
>use to with Dell and IBM on notebooks.

A lot of times it's hit and miss.

Mundo Corp, the leading supplier of Gateway and eMachine after market
parts (I use the term "after market" loosely, since these parts are
presumably from the same Asian suppliers Gateway uses in their
products), Has assisted me in confirming the keyboard in my notebook
(MX6453) is
the same keyboard found in all MX6000 series systems. Mundo Corp's
part labeling is proprietary, but they note for all MX6000 series

http://www.mundocorp.com/

"...Gateway part numbers for this keyboard [is]: 103333, 104820,
105222,
105771, 105836, AEMA2TAU015, AEMA1TAU119, QND1KBZZZUTAL1,
QND1KBZZZUTAD7, QND1KBZZZUTAE5. There may be other compatible part
numbers.".

In this statement, Mundo Corp is stating that Gateway uses multiple
part #'s to represent the same part. What's Mundo Corp's
creditability? Well, they've been around almost as long as Gateway.
Gateway themselves uses Mundo Corp sometimes for repairs and even
refers customers to Mundo Corp for service of products they no longer
support (see the bottom of this page)
http://support.gateway.com/s/faq/c-c.../cserv67.shtml

Third-party instructions on replacing the keyboard on all Gateway
MX6400 series notebooks (they have confirmed this includes the MX6453)
are identical to the MX6000 series and utilize the same photos found
on gateways site for the MX6000 series keyboard replacement
procedure).
http://www.mundocorp.com/kbinstructions/kb_mx6400.html

It's also known in the industry (but not widely advertised) that the
non built to order notebooks and PCs (all Gateway's non built-to-order
retail products) are assembled in Asian factories, while their built-
to-order PC's are assembled in the US. While I do not feel this
justifies Gateway Support's ignorance on this issue, it does help to
explain it. If you read the transcript, you'll see I repeatedly ask
for an explanation and was never given one.

It's probable that in this case their support just doesn't have
information on file about the components compatibility and the support
reps are stating what they are required to. I find it incredibly
disturbing that the leading third-party repair service and parts
supplier for Gateway products would know more than Gateway does about
their products, but that is exactly what has happened in my case and
again, Gateway's troubleshooting process for the keyboard replacement,
according to a support supervisor would likely result in the system
HDD being restored/wiped back to a fresh Windows install add to that
five days of inconvenience to their customer.... There may be more to
the story that Gateway doesn't wish to disclose, but when you break it
down, we're talking about the same keyboard part they would be
providing to their on-line customers, but a much different quality of
service for brick and mortar retail customers.

Bottom line is this: If you buy a Gateway at Best Buy, CompUSA,
Circuit City, etc.... It appears you're not going to get the same
quality of warranty support as if you purchased on-line. This is 100%
Gateway's fault. Am I the only one who thinks this needs to be
publicized?

Had I not solved the problem and had to send the notebook in for
repairs, I would have been out 5 days of work, I would have had to try
and negotiate new license keys for very expensive industry specific
software to run on temporary machine (a machine I would have to go out
and buy), if I failed to negotiate that I could potentially loose a
client and thus a $50,000+ contract..... you see whee this is going.
We're talking Gateway's inability to provide reasonable support for a
$40 part potentially snowballing into a $70,000+ lawsuit. Granted,
that did not happen, but the point is it would take very little effort
on Gateway's part to provide this simple level of support.... and it
would cost them less and it would greatly benefit their customers (how
many would prefer to keep their HDD in tact and not have to send off
their system for a simple keyboard transplant, raise your hands

Shame on you Gateway!

"Notan" <notan@ddressthatcanbespammed> wrote in message
news: ...
> RMZ wrote:
>
> <~414 lines snipped>
>
> Would someone please read this guys post and give us a *short* summation.
>
> If, in fact, it's worth it. <g>
>
> --
> Notan


He just did it again.

Maybe Gateway didn't send him a keyboard because they couldn't get a word in
edgewise to ask his name and address......

Just wanted to follow up and Gateway support has no changed their
tune.... I have no way of knowing if making all of this public helped
in that cause, but after posting a compliant to Gateway about the
quality of their support on this I was received this morning and was
told they could in fact send me the replacement part.

It's possible this was an honest mistake on their part, since I had to
get a supervisor involved and the supervisor gave me the same false
information I don't think it was an honest mistake, but the point is
now they are willing to cooperate and do the logical thing. As noted,
I don't even need the keyboard replacement at this point, so this is
one of those battles on principle and I'm glad Gateway is doing the
right thing here.

Also, it's worth noting that my experience with Gateway up until this
point has been excellent. Their support may have been wrong on this
initially, but I really appreciated that I was not talking to a
someone in a foreign country who could barely speak English (as is the
case with most support these days). I commend them for bringing the
support back home and for changing course on this incident.

RMZ wrote:
> Just wanted to follow up and Gateway support has no changed their
> tune.... I have no way of knowing if making all of this public helped
> in that cause, but after posting a compliant to Gateway about the
> quality of their support on this I was received this morning and was
> told they could in fact send me the replacement part.
>
> It's possible this was an honest mistake on their part, since I had to
> get a supervisor involved and the supervisor gave me the same false
> information I don't think it was an honest mistake, but the point is
> now they are willing to cooperate and do the logical thing. As noted,
> I don't even need the keyboard replacement at this point, so this is
> one of those battles on principle and I'm glad Gateway is doing the
> right thing here.
>
> Also, it's worth noting that my experience with Gateway up until this
> point has been excellent. Their support may have been wrong on this
> initially, but I really appreciated that I was not talking to a
> someone in a foreign country who could barely speak English (as is the
> case with most support these days). I commend them for bringing the
> support back home and for changing course on this incident.

I would think that bringing support back to the country of origin
would significantly increase sales.

On the other hand, it's apparent that most manufacturers feel that
outsourcing support financially outweighs any sales gains.

What it boils down to is the almighty <fill in the denomination of
your choice>.

--
Notan

"What it boils down to is the almighty <fill in the denomination of
your choice>." Was that religious denimination or monetary denomination? Or
are they one and the same with some (not all) people? ... Ben Myers

On Fri, 09 Feb 2007 07:49:58 -0700, Notan <notan@ddressthatcanbespammed> wrote:

>RMZ wrote:
>> Just wanted to follow up and Gateway support has no changed their
>> tune.... I have no way of knowing if making all of this public helped
>> in that cause, but after posting a compliant to Gateway about the
>> quality of their support on this I was received this morning and was
>> told they could in fact send me the replacement part.
>>
>> It's possible this was an honest mistake on their part, since I had to
>> get a supervisor involved and the supervisor gave me the same false
>> information I don't think it was an honest mistake, but the point is
>> now they are willing to cooperate and do the logical thing. As noted,
>> I don't even need the keyboard replacement at this point, so this is
>> one of those battles on principle and I'm glad Gateway is doing the
>> right thing here.
>>
>> Also, it's worth noting that my experience with Gateway up until this
>> point has been excellent. Their support may have been wrong on this
>> initially, but I really appreciated that I was not talking to a
>> someone in a foreign country who could barely speak English (as is the
>> case with most support these days). I commend them for bringing the
>> support back home and for changing course on this incident.
>
>I would think that bringing support back to the country of origin
>would significantly increase sales.
>
>On the other hand, it's apparent that most manufacturers feel that
>outsourcing support financially outweighs any sales gains.
>
>What it boils down to is the almighty <fill in the denomination of
>your choice>.

Ben Myers wrote:
> "What it boils down to is the almighty <fill in the denomination of
> your choice>." Was that religious denimination or monetary denomination? Or
> are they one and the same with some (not all) people?

<snip>

While it was supposed to be monetary denomination, you're absolutely
correct... To some, it's one in the same!

--
Notan

One would think.... In spite of this error, the end result is Gateway
corrected the problem in a timely way and from the start of the
incident untill the end I never once had a communication problem with
the support rep being unable to clearly understand what I was stating
or vise versa. This is of great value to me.

>
> I would think that bringing support back to the country of origin
> would significantly increase sales.
>
> On the other hand, it's apparent that most manufacturers feel that
> outsourcing support financially outweighs any sales gains.
>
> What it boils down to is the almighty <fill in the denomination of
> your choice>.
>
> --
> Notan

If its less than 30 days, return it.


"RMZ" <> wrote in message
news: ups.com...
> Forunately, I was able to resolve the problem, so there are no damages
> other than the loss of three hours of my time and a sinking feeling at
> the realization of how poor Gateway support is realative to what I was
> use to with Dell and IBM on notebooks.
>
>
>
>
> On Feb 8, 9:28 pm, "S.Lewis" <stew1...@mail.com> wrote:
>> "RMZ" <Jeremy.De...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>
>> news: oups.com...
>>
>>
>>
>> > Actually Gateway support is now 100% US based (or so they claim). The
>> > problem of incompetence still looms. Here is a case where their
>> > website explains how to replace a part on the notebook in question and
>> > the support staff continue to state "the part is non-replaceable".
>> > When ask to clarify this statement, the support rep states "it's a
>> > physical limitation" (paraphrasing), which is false and implies the
>> > entire computer has to be replaced. Further comments from their
>> > support go on to state complete replacement is exactly what they
>> > intended to do, noting all hard drive data will likely be lost....
>>
>> > Does anyone think this is acceptable? I'm sure their warranty terms
>> > clear them of any wrong doing here, but this is not ethical and what's
>> > more, it cost them more money to take this approach. The question is
>> > why don't they just ship the part? I wonder if there is any legal
>> > option I might have, my guess would be no.
>>
>> Sure there is. State Attorney General's office in California ( I assume
>> Gateway is still HQ'd in San Diego). Call the AG's office about filing a
>> complaint.
>>
>> Bet things will get moving in a hurry if you're allowed to do so.
>>
>> Stew
>
>