Randolph Last Tuesday, I bought a Linksys AM200 ADSL modem from PC Mall. On Thursday, I dropped them an email asking when I could expect delivery. Someone called Iain replied with a vague email about freight and suppliers and so forth, indicating that I'd be in for a bit of a wait. So I contacted a friend and acquired a borrowed unit to sync my line on Thursday evening.
On Friday, out of the blue, a delivery man appeared with a Linksys AM200 ADSL modem in hand, and my name on the delivery note, so I was pleasantly surprised. However, upon opening the box, I discovered a fault report dated 28 May 2008, for the exact model (I compared serial numbers), and not much in the way of "package contents". The plug wasn't even localised.
On Friday evening, I had to download the manual off the Internet using my borrowed router, and fought for a long time to get the connection working. M was frustrated to the point of going to watch a Ryan Reynolds movie, much to my chagrin.
Eventually it was all working, and I forgot about the whole thing until Monday morning, when I received a "Customer Feedback Survey" in my mailbox. This is what I wrote:
The device delivered was already opened, and included a bit of paper dated 28 May 2008 that the device (I matched the serial number) was faulty, and hand-written "NOT FAULTY" in orange highlighter over it.
The box did not contain the CD-ROM either, and I had to purchase a universal adapter to get the thing plugged in. I was forced to borrow an ADSL router from a friend to download the manual off the Internet, so that I could configure the ADSL modem I bought from you.
Overall, nothing has changed with Titan 5 since I dealt with them at Learning Channel Campus in 2001. Shocking service, second-hand goods at new prices. If I had been able to find the Linksys AM200 from another supplier, I wouldn't have even bothered with PC Mall.
I trust that my one-year warranty will be fulfilled from date of purchase, and that the fact that I received second-hand equipment will not enter into it, seeing as I paid price as new. I will keep the device, since it does work, but unless it breaks in the next 12 months, I hope I don't have to deal with you again.
As a matter of record, please tell Iain that either he was lying about the freight coming to South Africa, or he wasn't aware of the fact that you were going to sell me a second-hand device. You guys really need to get your story straight when dealing with customers.
Not five minutes after I submitted it, I received a phone call from the Managing Director of PC Mall, who assured me that this problem would be resolved. Shortly after that, the Procurement Manager phoned me, and promised to deliver a new modem within the morning.
He arrived soon after, with a sealed box, containing a new modem, plus all the things you'd expect to find, like a CD-ROM, some cables, and a localised plug.
So, I'd like to give kudos to PC Mall for turning a bad experience into a good one. This is my way to say that their customer service is exceptionally good. Well done!