Consider this dead horse thoroughly beaten....
So, after getting the nefarious RROD on Saturday, Nov. 1, I put in my call to Microsoft and got a reference number after filing a repair request. I was told I'd be receiving an e-mail shipping label within 24-48 hours.
Tuesday, Nov. 4: I figured with their "system receiving upgrades" they had a bit of backlog so I called to check to see how things were going. I was told that Saturday's request was never entered and that perhaps the agent was clacking away on an e-mail to a friend instead of filing my repair. Fine, I get another reference number and am asked to wait another 24-48 hours for an e-mail shipping label.
Thursday, Nov. 6th: Surprise surprise, no label, but I do get a call from an agent letting me know that I've been upgraded to priorty and that I'll be receiving an empty coffin box via FedEx within 24 hours. Great, being patient and polite works. I'll have my coffin in no time.
Friday, Nov. 7th: Nope
Saturday, Nov. 8th: Nada
Sunday, Nov. 9th: No delivery today, but FedEx doesn't deliver on Sundays.
So, being frustrated I call again, am processed through the usual "can you verify your name, address, phone number, city you were born in, shoe size, allergy to cucumbers...." and am placed on hold while the agent "looks up my request". Am subsequently dropped after 10 minutes and forced to navigate "Max's Phone Tree of Doom" for another five minutes before I get to speak to another agent. After 20 minutes of the "Let's Get to Know You" game I ask for a supervisor, but to no avail - apparently the agent feels that they can correct what 4 others can't. I play along for a while but after another 10 minutes I get frustrated and ask for the supervisor again. Still a few more, "can you repeat the spelling of your name?" questions and at this point I'm begging to speak to a supervisor, almost to the point of looking around the house for things I can ship to them in exchange for speaking with someone who may, or may not, have an inkling of how to help me.
I finally get a supervisor who informs me that the agent who phoned me to say that I'll be receiving a coffin within 24 hours may have misinforme me. At this point I'm fuming and somehow still manage to get reasonably polite words through my teeth. If I were told that I would be getting a coffin in the usual 1-2 week timeframe, I'd be fine - in fact, I'd still be waiting but at least I wouldn't have false hopes of actually getting my console repaired in a quick manner. Say what you want: "I'm a whiner" "But, it's Microsoft" etc... but any hopes or glimmers of hope that I had that customer service might live up to their promise were thoroughly dashed when I was told that "for some reason FedEx and UPS can't deliver packages to my address." Yes, that's right - apparently I live on Mars, or at least the supervisor is trying to convince me that I do. Fortunately, I had a few empty pre-paid boxes of sarcasm on hand to send back their BS and let them know that I have indeed received multiple packages from both carriers at my residence.
So, to condense the complaints down into bite-size portions, here's the rest of the conversation:
Supervisor: We will be monitoring the process daily to be sure that you will receive your repair box.
Me: Great, when should I expect it.
Supervisor: You should receive it within 24-48 hours.
Me: Okay, well, Tuesday is a holiday and FedEx won't deliver (is 24-48 their magic number?)
Supervisor: Okay, well, would you mind waiting until Wednesday?
Me: Can I get a tracking number so I can at least get an idea when this box will arrive?
Supervisor: Yes, we can send you a tracking number within 24-48 hours.
Me: Great, I'll call you on Wednesday...
How much are PS3s selling for these days?
