Own Up!

I have a computer lab in my home office so that I can keep up to date with programs I feel I need to know to enhance my skills or because I may need to pinch hit for a coworker. Every once in a while, the firmware update I install fries the firmware. What is most frustrating when this happens is when the support people either don't know about it or won't admit that it's a known issue.

Here are the things I've learned when this happens:

1) When the first level support person says he or she can't help you, escalate to the next level. 

2) Get a ticket number. You will need it in the future.

3) When the support person claims it's your hardware or because you installed something else, such as a firewall, don't accept that as gospel. Escalate.

4) While you're waiting for someone to get back to you, do a Google search for the issue. Sometimes you will find forums in which people have posted questions or answers about it. This makes it a known issue and that your hardware is not the cause.

5) Keep your receipts handy. You may have to appeal to the company for a refund. I'm in the process of this because a board blew on my color printer. I bought a new board and installed it before I found out that the manufacturer knew about the problem. I want a refund for the new board I should not have had to buy after all.

What is so hard about posting something on a company website that says "You may be experiencing a problem with _____, but we're working on it." That would give me more confidence in the company and make me more likely to buy another product from them in the future.


This type of approach crosses all industries. Do you recall why the packaging of medications make them hard to open? Many years ago, someone tampered with some bottles of Tylenol and put cyanide in them. Some people died. Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer, immediately recalled all bottles of Tylenol and took steps immediately to prevent this from happening again. It was a brilliant maneuver and it kept its good reputation. It wasn't the company's fault. They could have claimed that once a product leaves its warehouse, it has no control over what happens en route to its destination or what happens at the retail level. But the management then took responsibility. Sadly, that doesn't happen today. What a shame. As a purchaser, I often have a choice. And I will exercise that choice whenever I can.