Another RMA disappointment

[Madgerman]

I requested an RMA for a Sandy Bridge motherboard with the Intel chipset fault about 3 weeks ago. After having problems with the online RMA system (would not allow a refund) I emailed support. After a couple of days I got a reply, saying I needed to contact your Fault Department to determine the fault. I tried contacting Dabs via phone but hung up after nobody picked up after 30 minutes. I replied to the email, saying that the fault was a fault with all their Sandy Bridge motherboards so there should not be a need to contact your fault department (especially as I could not get through). Another two days later I got another email, again insisting that I contact your Fault Department. I did try again but as before I was unable to get through.

I again tried to phone Dabs but hung up again after 30 minutes due to nobody picking up AGAIN.

At this point I was rather miffed at the situation but I thought I would try the online RMA system again. Funnily, this time there was an option to request a refund. I therefore filled out the application and arranged to have the motherboard picked up on the 30/03/2011. The courier came, picked it up and I have not heard anything since...

After reading various messages on the forum about the problems Dabs are having I decided to send a PM to Sam_Dabs as he seems to be the man to contact if you need things sorted.

Unfortunately I have not had a reply and it appears that he has not even looked at it yet.

So what is going on? For weeks now Dabs have been hiding behind an excuse of their system upgrade having gone wrong!

It's all very well some of the other forum members asking us to have a bit of patience and going on about the great service they have had over the years but like another member said: "Not to sound selfish but I don't really care. I just want my problems sorted"

I have already written to PC-Format about this and I hope they will write an article about the lack of customer service at Dabs.

Surely in a crisis an extra phone number should be listed on your main web page for anyone who has been affected by this system problem. An actual member of staff should obviously be available to answer that phone (Unlike Dabs current contact number, which is probably a public phone somewhere in the middle of the Sahara Desert!!!

Anyhow, enough ranting. You've had the item back so could Dabs please sort out my refund ASAP.

[DMS]

I suspect you have a bit of a double whammy of a problem here. Firstly, for the Cougar Point problem with the Sandy Bridge boards, replacements are being dealt with direct by the manufacturer (in your case presumably either ASUS or Gigabyte) not by Dabs or, indeed, any other retailer. The only exception to this would be if the board has started to manifest the problem identified, ie the SATA 3Gb/s Intel ports are misbehaving, in which case the normal RMA process would apply but the board would need testing. Oh, the other exception would be if you were returning within 7 days of purchase under DSR.

Secondly, as you have noted, there are problems with RMAs in general at the moment.

I would suggest PMing Dunc who seems to have the most active interest in the Cougar Point issue. Have a look here.

[Madgerman]

Thanks DMS, I'll give that a go.

One of the two emails I did receive was from someone called Claire who actually confirmed that I would be refunded once the return had gone through the Faults Department. I am therefore not waiting for a replacement but just a refund, which as far as I am concerned, should not take as long as it already has.

This must be costing Dabs an arm and a leg but I suppose they make up the difference with their share of the 0870... revenue, which poor saps like me are generating by phoning them in the hope that the receptionist, who is also the warehouse staff, who is also the sales rep, who also works part time in dispatch and looks after the help line, may actually answer the phone.

[Madgerman]

Here is a quick update on how things are going.

I sent Dunc a PM on wednesday and he replied yesterday morning that he would find out about what has happened to my RMA.

Yesterday afternoon I sent Dunc another message, asking if he had managed to find out any info yet but up to 1 few minutes ago I have not had any reply yet.

So even though things looked promising once Dunc replied to my initial message, I am now waiting again, just as before...

I would like to thank Dunc for at least replying to my PM and I would like to think that he is indeed trying to sort out my RMA. However...

If my company would take more than a day to investigate an issue, we'd be out of business within a week.

There are plenty of senior members of this forum who in other posts seem to indicate that only a small number of customer are affected by Dabs system problems. If we are only a small number of customers with problems then why are we not dealt with more quickly?

[johnsoni]

Every indicator suggests that there are many many many people suffering misery through Dabs at the moment and I've not seen any evidence of action taken by Dabs to address the problems.
Whether your problem is with a manufacturer or not, it's not unreasonable to think that Dabs should be there to pick up the phone or answer your email.

[purplexed]

It's a pitiful situation to be in, I agree there must be a lot of customers left high and dry with no customer service for refunds and such. My advice to all is to do like myself, do not ring their customer services telephone number, just use email. Yes it takes 5-6 days for a reply and that's if you are lucky.. but it costs you nothing. If you do not get anywhere after say 2 months then take action in whatever way you can.. its annoying but you will only upset yourself waiting for them to answer the phone and fob you off.
It seems they are continuing to take orders knowing full well that they got to put existing customer problems on the back burner, this is basically digging themselves in a deeper hole as I'm sure you will agree.

[Dunc]

Hey Madgerman,

Just replied with an update, the delay was due to me having no update until literally 5 minutes ago, apologies

Dunc

[Madgerman]

Thanks Dunc.

Here is another update for everyone else.

Dunc PMd meearlier to say that my motherboard will be tested today and assuming that it is found to be faulty (???? Original Sandy Bridge is automatically faulty ???) then a refund will be authorised by monday. We'll see...

purplexed, you are right that sending emails would be the cheapest option. However some people (me included) can't (and shouldn't have to wait) 2 months for their RMAs to be sorted. Don't forget that a lot of people of relying on their computer to run a business, so having the computer out of action for 2 months is not really an option.

[Dunc]

Thanks Dunc.

Here is another update for everyone else.

Dunc PMd meearlier to say that my motherboard will be tested today and assuming that it is found to be faulty (???? Original Sandy Bridge is automatically faulty ???) then a refund will be authorised by monday. We'll see...

purplexed, you are right that sending emails would be the cheapest option. However some people (me included) can't (and shouldn't have to wait) 2 months for their RMAs to be sorted. Don't forget that a lot of people of relying on their computer to run a business, so having the computer out of action for 2 months is not really an option.

The "testing" process takes place for any returns...its for this reason that customers were directed to the Manufacturer to sort directly (and the reason Asus and GBT had set up centres to deal with them) as they would've done a same day swap out. It's just compounded the issue that it was a Sandybridge board and we are in the middle of some issues with the new RMA system.

[Madgerman]

Received a pdf credit note via email this morning, so I assume Dabs has actually authorised the refund.

I'll wait until the end of the week to see if the money actually appears back in my account.

Dunc, can you confirm that this is in fact the case? You did say you wanted to keep me updated today...