Customer Service Runaround

[Canaan]

This all started last year in March when I purchased my HTC ViVE. I received the deviced in about 5 days after ordering it and upon its delivery it had a small crack in the front of the HMD. I contacted the support and after another 5 days I was informed that I should send it back. It was recevied by HTC on 3/25/2017. It wasn't until I posted on Twitter on 5/20/2017 what was happening that I was even able to get someone who was able to assist me in just getting a working VIVE.  For my troubles they offered to extend my warranty an additional year as a courtesy. I recorded our calls, just like they said they were doing on their end and the gentleman Carlos who helped me said that they would make note of this. I received my first fully functional VIVE 5/30 and have been using it without issue ever since. 

 

Fast forward to a few weeks ago (5/20) when I was having issues with the device. The HMD was going black and not working all the time and after trying to troubleshoot it I reached out. Miraciously the HTC guys helped me get it back on track on 5/24 by reseating the wires over and over and I didn't have to send it in. It worked great until 6/6 and then it turned off and never came back on. I filed another ticket and was now told that my device was out of warranty, even though it was never mentioned that I was coming up on the end of my warranty . I had just eclipsed the first year of my 2 years I was afforded by what I thought was 6 days max. They said they would elevate the ticket on 6/7 and they would reach out in the next 24-48 hours. 

 

Well, after 7 days, nothing. So I reached out again and was told the same thing 

 

Dear XXXXXXX,

Thank you for contacting Vive Support. We always appreciate hearing from our customers.

We have received an escalation regarding your dispute on the warranty of your Vive.

This will be coordinated properly to our higher management to get approval to extend the warranty, so we can process a repair for the headset.
Once an update gets available. We will get back to you via email.

If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to chat with us at https://www.vive.com/us/support/contactus/.  We are available from 9:00AM - 10:00PM Eastern Time, 7 days a week.

Thank you and have a great day!

Sincerely,
Vive Support

 

 

 Wait some more till its been 12 days, nothing. No emails or phone calls even though it was supposed to be 24-48 hours after I put my ticket in  on 6/7 AND 6/13 that I would be contacted. So this afternoon I reached out and again didn't get an answer. All I got was a promise of a phone call tomorrow at 4pm, which has been done 3 times at this point). It seems like they can't respond to what my warranty date is, if they have records of them saying they were extending my warranty (which I have two phone calls on which I was told this was so and it was going to be recorded).  

 

I really don't know what to do as I'm completely strapped with life things and I've been working on my first solo VR project for the last 10 months. I need this thing for work as I've been developing for the VIVE since day 1. If I could I'd buy a Pro but sadly thats not in the cards and I don't think Santa is stopping by anytime soon. I have deadlines I have to hit and things I need to do for this project, but this situation is proving to take more time then I have. Any assistance would be ideal, I don't know where else to turn to.

 

 

 

It this is transcript of my chat today...

 

Me:
Vive hasn't been working and I need to send it in for repair. I reached out to get what appears to be a HMD issue fixed and I was told my extended warranty I received after the initial 50+ days it took to send me my first Vive (it came with a crack, still worked but sent it back) needed to be check in to and I was getting escalated to Tier 2 Support. That was 12 days ago.

Carly:5:36 PM
Hi! Thank you for contacting Vive support, my name is Carly, how are you doing today?

Me:
I'm a developer who really needs my vive to continue working on my project and this is literally killing me. If I could I'd get a pro but this is all I have and 2 weeks without so much as

Me:
any response is frustrating

Me:
I'm ok Carly, a bit frustrated again by the way things are being handled by HTC

Carly:5:37 PM
I know how it feels when you are not able to use Vive. Don't worry, we will check all possible options to resolve this matter.

Me:
I've had nothing but issues in the past with just getting my first Vive, and now it seems I've been forgotten in my request.

Carly:5:38 PM
Do you have the escalation ticket number?

Me:
Ticket:118237571397

Me:
I contacted you guys initially, waited 7 days and didnt hear anything, emailed again while I was away on business, and received this

Me:
This is a follow up email regarding the escalation request to extend the warranty for your Vive headset to be booked under warranty.

We are still waiting for the update from our higher department. O

Me:
Once an update gets available. We will get back to your via phone call or email.

Me:
I figured the weekend would be enough time to get this sorted

Me:
and sadly I didn't hear from you guys on Monday.

Me:
I don't get why this has to take 12 days

Me:
I'm looking back at my initial order and it took from March 24th till May 25th just to get my device and I was told I would have an extended warranty for the issue

Me:
I contacted you guys June 6th I believe

Me:
No June 7th

Carly:5:43 PM
I see. I really apologized for what happened Canaan. Let me check the escalation. Please allow me 2-3 minutes while checking on this.

Me:
Will do

Carly:5:48 PM
Hi Canaan. Thank you for waiting.

Me:
No problem. Whats the word

Carly:5:53 PM
We can go ahead and proceed to book the device. We will book it as out of warranty for now, and once you received a notification from our repair facility about the quotation, we will waive it as long as there's no physical or liquid damage on the device.

Me:
So what I was told in regards to an extention of my warranty by Carlos last May was incorrect?

Me:
Those calls were monitored for quality control and I also informed Carlos that I was going to record them just the same.

Me:
So if you're saying that I don't have a warranty and I have to send it in and you can decide if there is water damage (what I'm going to assume would be sweat) or physical damage, then I'll have

Me:
to pay just to get it back, which I think you charge a fee for the diagnostic check of the HMD, correct?

Carly:5:59 PM
No, we're not charging our customer for diagnosing the device.

Me:
But in regards to this being under warranty, you're saying that its not. That you'll accept it as out of warranty. Do you not have records of what was said and or done in my last transactions?

Me:
I would assume Carlos and later John Conlin who was the gentleman who actually helped me finally get my vive would have said something about this

Me:
I'm in dire need of getting this fixed, and I'm just trying to get clarification on the matter

Carly:6:04 PM
We will just booked it as out of warranty but we will still waive the quotation if we find out that there's no liquid or physical damage on the device. Because even if we book it as in warranty, as long as there's a liquid or physical damage on the device, it will not be covered by the warranty.

Me:
liquid? like sweat?

Me:
So you mean, if a device thats on someones face gets a drop of sweat inside it voids the warranty?!

Me:
thats bananas... does that happen alot? I've never had an issue with it and always keep it clean so I'd be shocked if that was the case

Me:
Also you still haven't answered my question about my warranty. You said you'll book it out of warranty but apparently there isn't a clear cut answer on what my warranty date it

Me:
is*

Me:
since you sent me a broken headset, then you took from 3/24 till 5/30 to get it to me I'm confused if I have an extended warranty on the device

Me:
or what the warranty date even was to begin with

Me:
the day I got the replacement? or the day I got the first one.

Me:
because the first one was cracked on delivery, and they replaced that since they said it was in warranty, which seems like damage :/

Me:
sorry I'm just confused as to what my current situation is

Me:
I'm happy to send it in, but I jsut want to know where I stand on what was said to me last year is all

Carly:6:08 PM
Our post repair warranty is 60 days from the time that you received the device from our repair facility.

Me:
So you're saying my warranty ended 60 days after 5/30?

Me:
So wait, you sent me a cracked one, which happens I understand. But then by sending in my device and having it replaced (which at this point i still haven't received a new VIVE) that my warranty

Me:
only becomes for the next 60 days?

Carly:6:12 PM
That's why we're going to make an exception on your case. We will waive the quotation for the device as long as there's no physical/liquid damage. It was already reported to our repair facility that the device was cracked by the time you received it.

Me:
What if you find liquid damage? Will I have to pay to get my vive back even if I don't elect to have the repairs done?

Me:
Any you STILL can't seem to answer my question about the warranty. I was told it was going to be escalated to Tier 2. There are conversations from last year with your employees extending the warranty.

Me:
I don't want an "exception" considering the fact that I have a BASE 1 year warranty on the device and was I was extended for the initial hassle

Me:
something you can't seem to comment on.

Me:
I'm starting to get quite frustrated with this whole thing

Me:
I should have to badger you guys for a straight response on what I expect should be easy for you guys to track down

Carly:6:18 PM
We will waive the quotation. If there will be liquid damage, that's where the quotation will be valid.

Me:
What does that mean in regards to my warrantyyyyy

Me:
If you find liquid, then it soudns liek I have to pay you jsut to get it back

Me:
I was told by a customer service specialist that I would have an extended warranty. I'm an indie dev just trying to make games for the VIVE, it shouldn't be this hard to just get was I told I was

Me:
given for the hassle you guys put me through the first time

Carly:6:22 PM
I totally understand where you're coming from, Canaan. Here's what I can do. Let me coordinate it again to your case manager so he can coordinate it with our management about the warranty of your device. Please expect an email from him within 24 business hours for any update.

Carly:6:22 PM
*email or phone call

Carly:6:22 PM
May I ask for the best phone number to reach you at?

Me:
7***********

Me:
and my email is **********************@gmail.com

Me:
if they could email first to setup a time that would be very helpful.

Carly:6:23 PM
Great! Thank you. Sure will. And what time you prefer to receive the call?

Me:
I am up and down all day so sometimes I miss my phone as I can't carry it with me throughout my building

Me:
Ideally in the morning

Carly:6:24 PM
Aw. You case manager will be available after 4PM EST.

Me:
I can do that as well

Me:
I just need a concrete time for this to happen

Me:
I've had the runaround before with phone calls that dont happen, emails that don't come through.

Me:
if you give me a time for the call, I'll be available

Me:
just let me know what works for him

Me:
either now, or via email

Carly:6:25 PM
I totally understand. We can schedule tomorrow at 4PM EST.

Me:
Perfect. I look forward to the call.

Me:
Thanks for your help Carly, I appreciate you sticking it out with me to get this done

Me:
Have a greaet day

Carly:6:28 PM
It's always my pleasure helping you, Canaan. And I really do apologized for what happened. I totally understand where you're coming from. Rest assured that I'll have this coordinated with your case manager today.

Carly:6:28 PM
Is there anything else I can help you with aside from this concern?

Me:
That will do it, thanks again! Have a good one.

Carly:6:29 PM
Feel free to chat with us again, we are open 7 days a week 9AM to 10PM EST. You will now be redirected to a Quick Survey Pop-up after this chat.<br/>

Carly:6:29 PM
To get assistance setting up and learning more about your Vive, please visit http://www.vive.com/us/support/. I am glad that I was able to help you. Again my name is Carly, Thank you for contacting Vive Support. Have a great day!

[Synthesis]

 

Hi Canaan,

I read your post and I sent you a PM.

Thank you,

-John C