spewchunks
Junior Member
First, a quick rehash: Got a new MSI 875P Neo FIS2R board, was a little buggy on bios 1.0, I correctly flashed to the new 1.4 bios, and it killed my board. Dead. Gone. Buried. Fried.
I called MSI at the number listed on their website.....was on hold for about 10 minutes listening to Muzak.....then it dumped me into the tech department's voicemail. I left a detailed message as instructed. I did not receive a call back as they promised (and still haven't).
MSI's corporate office in California, the same one that RMAs are sent back to, is approximately 40 miles from me. I was going to be in the area today, so I packed up everything and stopped by.
First thing I noticed was the intercom on the front door that said all visitors should press the button before entering. Instead I pushed on the front door, and I think it was supposed to be locked because it hesitated a little bit like it was caught on something before it opened. I just think that the latch didn't close fully from the last time the door was open. I'm pretty sure they don't want the general public gaining access to the building, even the lobby.
I went into their lobby, and spoke with the receptionist. Before I go on, I want to stress that the receptionist was very pleasant, polite, and was just doing her job. The following was not due in any way to the receptionist, as she wasn't one of those "why are you bothering me to do my job" type of bad workers with a bad attitude.
I told her that I had a bad board that I wanted to RMA. She told me that I COULD NOT RMA THE BOARD IN PERSON, that I would have to telephone or e-mail their tech department for an RMA number, fill out an RMA form, and then SHIP the board. As she said this, I saw a package on her desk that was obviously a board that had been shipped to MSI for RMA service.
I pointed out that the tech department was in her building, and the address the boards are shipped to was also her building. I asked if there was anyway I could get an RMA number and leave the board. She told me NO.
Needless to say I was a little pissed off at hearing this. Nonetheless, I kept my composure, and told her that while I recognized she was just doing her job and she didn't make the policy, from a customer service standpoint, the policy didn't make sense. I told her firmly and repetitively that I was not happy and didn't understand why someone from the tech department couldn't at least give me an RMA number and let me leave the board. I was very persistent and firm and restrained myself so that I wouldn't scare the crap out of her (I'm a bodybuilder---6'00", 235#).
She eventually got the message that I probably wasn't going to leave and might end up making a scene if MSI didn't accept my board in person. With obvious reluctance (but still being pleasant), she went back into the recesses of MSI, and came back with an RMA number. I was able to leave my board.
She said that the board would be tested the next day. Nonetheless, she said it's going to take them SIX TO TEN BUSINESS DAYS before they will actually ship me a new board. I again emphasized to her that it makes no sense whatsoever that their customers should have to be without a board so long just because they won't make accomodations for in person RMA. I didn't want to press my luck or get her in trouble, so I didn't press her further.
She also let it slip that she talked to someone on the phone the other day who had been holding for the tech department for 51 minutes without an answer, and that the call volume to that department was very heavy lately.
So I leave MSI. And as I'm driving down the street just around the corner from MSI, what do I see? The Gigabyte headquarters. And I wondered if perhaps I should have given them my money instead.
Wake up, MSI.
I called MSI at the number listed on their website.....was on hold for about 10 minutes listening to Muzak.....then it dumped me into the tech department's voicemail. I left a detailed message as instructed. I did not receive a call back as they promised (and still haven't).
MSI's corporate office in California, the same one that RMAs are sent back to, is approximately 40 miles from me. I was going to be in the area today, so I packed up everything and stopped by.
First thing I noticed was the intercom on the front door that said all visitors should press the button before entering. Instead I pushed on the front door, and I think it was supposed to be locked because it hesitated a little bit like it was caught on something before it opened. I just think that the latch didn't close fully from the last time the door was open. I'm pretty sure they don't want the general public gaining access to the building, even the lobby.
I went into their lobby, and spoke with the receptionist. Before I go on, I want to stress that the receptionist was very pleasant, polite, and was just doing her job. The following was not due in any way to the receptionist, as she wasn't one of those "why are you bothering me to do my job" type of bad workers with a bad attitude.
I told her that I had a bad board that I wanted to RMA. She told me that I COULD NOT RMA THE BOARD IN PERSON, that I would have to telephone or e-mail their tech department for an RMA number, fill out an RMA form, and then SHIP the board. As she said this, I saw a package on her desk that was obviously a board that had been shipped to MSI for RMA service.
I pointed out that the tech department was in her building, and the address the boards are shipped to was also her building. I asked if there was anyway I could get an RMA number and leave the board. She told me NO.
Needless to say I was a little pissed off at hearing this. Nonetheless, I kept my composure, and told her that while I recognized she was just doing her job and she didn't make the policy, from a customer service standpoint, the policy didn't make sense. I told her firmly and repetitively that I was not happy and didn't understand why someone from the tech department couldn't at least give me an RMA number and let me leave the board. I was very persistent and firm and restrained myself so that I wouldn't scare the crap out of her (I'm a bodybuilder---6'00", 235#).
She eventually got the message that I probably wasn't going to leave and might end up making a scene if MSI didn't accept my board in person. With obvious reluctance (but still being pleasant), she went back into the recesses of MSI, and came back with an RMA number. I was able to leave my board.
She said that the board would be tested the next day. Nonetheless, she said it's going to take them SIX TO TEN BUSINESS DAYS before they will actually ship me a new board. I again emphasized to her that it makes no sense whatsoever that their customers should have to be without a board so long just because they won't make accomodations for in person RMA. I didn't want to press my luck or get her in trouble, so I didn't press her further.
She also let it slip that she talked to someone on the phone the other day who had been holding for the tech department for 51 minutes without an answer, and that the call volume to that department was very heavy lately.
So I leave MSI. And as I'm driving down the street just around the corner from MSI, what do I see? The Gigabyte headquarters. And I wondered if perhaps I should have given them my money instead.
Wake up, MSI.
