Even more problems with MS customer service

Does anyone here work for a large corporation? I do and the stories coming from consumers purchasing Microsoft products (primarily 360's), having them fail and then getting treated like crap is not uncommon at all. I provide technical support for my company and I hear from clients all the time that some customer service rep has given them the run around, or hasn't provided them with any help whatsoever, and this is becoming much more frequent as we outsource. I've got news for consumers: it's not going to get any better. MS will continue to sell consoles and outside of their standardized repair processes or warranty situations they really don't give a shit because their ARPU is still going up. The very nature of consumerism will continue this cycle.

i used to think it was an inevitable thing that your 360 would red ring and you would have to call microsoft support up and request a box, wait a week to two weeks, and youd get a refurbished one back, with a Full one year warranty from the time you got that replacement back.

But low and behold, what does my 360 do ? Disc Read Error... I had not expected them to repair it because it was not a RROD problem, but figured id call anyways.

Now I find out that if they send it back, fixed, the warranty for one year only covers RROD ? im sorry microsoft, but with the lack of promising games coming out, and the fact that COD4 comes in Ps3 flavor as well ... i dont think i want to pay 100 dollars for it to break again later

But then again, my 360 is running between a towel and a phonebook right now, playing demos, music, and anything else that a next gen console can do without READING A DISC, hopefully it will red ring

There are repair issues other than the RROD?

Bottom line is that Microsoft created a console that has a faulty design with numerous problems. I love my 360, but my patience is wearing thin with Microshaft. My Xbox 360 is currently in Mesquite, TX getting fixed and has been there since Friday. My warranty is until January so if they fix my console/send me a new one, it had better be fully covered until then. I'm not giving Microshaft money for repair that was there fault from the beginning.

Such sad stories. It's tragic really.

Why doesn't MS have regional repair centers. I'm willing to bet that I live closer to the repair center in Canada then the one in McAllen Texas. If the repair centers were closer and I got my system back quicker I wouldn't be as mad as I was when my 360 RROD last year.

Stop posting this flame-bait garbage.

I really feel with this item, called Xbox customer service cause I am having a problem with the disk tray door. I can't justify a $100 bucks for that and to top it off my HD-DVD player is acting up too!

M$ could easily have fixed this by making the 360 more modular, not just an attached hard drive but by making the optical drive, hard drive, Wifi (Yes it should have been built in), Mobo, Heat Sinks & CPU all modular units that could be opened and replaced as needed. By the customer. So you get a RROD, Customer support walks you through opening the box (no complex tools needed) and has you test a few things the prompt you to a web site where the troubleshooting is interactive as your opening and testing you can see it on your PC screen. Then based on your test results you know which module is bad and is replaced for free, as long as it is under warranty. If not under warranty the part can be purchases at a fraction of the entire unit. Parts could also be upgraded in this same fashion. Just my thoughts.

My Launch box RRoD on me once had it sent in without question got it back and its been running great ever since. I don't hate M$, but they could have done things better.

Better? So M$ has 90% or their bad publicity and problems coming from 17% of install base, even in my industry that is good loss Ratio. Coming from a large Corporation stand point out of 18 million units you have only 3 million bad, you still have 15 million units without problems. Hard to say I can't see why they would want to stop what they are doing, after all this would be an acceptable loss ratio.

OK I hope someone updates this story, it's misleading. I'm currently on my third Xbox 360. I have yet to experience the RROD. My first one was purchased in May of 2006, Off and on, I experienced plenty of problems with my disc tray. Customer service gave me the run around about the console being vertical etc... This did not rectify the problem, so I sent it in, and they replaced it free of charge (a refurb mind you) in April of 2007. This was before the launch of the three year extended warranty to deal with the RROD fiasco.

Now fast forward 3 months later, I get the exact same problem, and after three very long phone support experiences, they agree to replace my console. And since I was not affected by the RROD they concluded that my second 360 (the refurb) was not eligible for replacement since they had already replaced one free of charge. They told me that obviously I was creating the problem, never mind the fact that I was out 8 games that had completely quit working altogether. To get another refurb (the third xbox in total) I would have to send the 360 in and pay $45.

They also said that due to the current situation, I was looking at 6-8 weeks until I received the next one. So I sucked it up and paid $45. I got the next one back in August 2007, for exactly $45. I was then contacted by customer support for a follow up inquiry about two weeks later. They mentioned that my problem was not as significant as the RROD and therefore were able to bump me up on the list (personally I think it was because I actually paid). So as of April 2008, I am on my third 360, have paid $45 for repairs and am out about $480+tax on games. Microsoft does not replace games, so do not even try to argue with them about that. The only thing you can do is go to the website of the PUBLISHER, not the developer (you can try though) and see if you qualify for the disc replacement program. Most of the major publishers EA for example offer replacement programs for the disc. The EA specifics (in August 07 at least) were $20-$25, original receipt, and had to be within 90 days of purchase.

Hope this can shed some light on an under addressed problem (in my opinion, due to the attention the RROD receives). Oh and this 2nd refurb I have is loud, runs hotter than my previous two, and has a awful power button, that requires quite a bit of pressure to turn off and off.

Good luck and happy gaming.

Seems RROD is no more alone!
Look at this link:

http://videogame-market.blogspot.com/2008/04/truth-behind-ps3-failure-rate-plague.html

Seems RROD is no more alone!
Looka at this link:

http://videogame-market.blogspot.com/2008/04/truth-behind-ps3-failure-rate-plague.html

I'm glad I bought mine at Costco. Makes things so much easier. No need for extended warranties.

It makes senses for microsoft to make new verison of Xbox 360 just like where Sony and Nintendo have done for the slim psp, PS2 and Ds Lite. Cause this problem have continuing too long.

You've got to be kidding me. I JUST sent my third box in to MS- the first two were RRODs- but not this time.

This one was a DVD drive error- the damned thing all of a sudden started to sound like a coffee grinder in the middle of my 360.

Shit.

I dunno. Half the time I read whining about the 360 and repairs I think people are making the crap up, or abusing their systems or just plain idiots. Do a search and you'll find hundreds of people whining about the RROD and then people doing the stupid Towel thing, meanwhile YOU ALL STILL HAVE WARRANTIES! Send the damned thing back in.

My Launch System finally RROD'd two weekends ago. But here's the thing... I just got the replacement today.

Sat 03/29 - Called MS after verifying the HDD was not the cause of the RROD.
Tues 04/01 - Coffin Arrived
Thurs 04/03 - Purolator Picked it Up at my Home
Fri 04/04 - Dead 360 arrived at fulfillment centre
Mon 04/07 - 9am, new (refurb) console arrived.

That's less than 10 days turn around (and I sat on it for two days (well a day and a half) and a 5 business day turn around. That's insane. I don't know anyone with service like that. Ultimately I could have had it back the same week if I called for pickup the day the coffin arrived.

Yeah it sucks the thing died in the first place, but it lasted 2.5 years and I got it replaced in what is essentially a week.

Everyone else I know that's had this problem (and there's only a few) have had a similar experience, turn around in (max) 2 weeks.

My original PS2... puked within 6 months for what was a VERY common problem with PS2's (Disc Read Error).

Anyhow, at the end of the day.. this is the best console solution on the market.. if you're THAT paranoid, buy an extended warranty. yeesh.

The corporate fanboyism is scary.

I'm not sure about the RROD warranty, but mine died of other problems, I paid for the repair, and was told that I had a new 1 year warranty from the time of the repair. So it appears that for a replacement console of a RROD you don't get that same warranty. Sounds a bit fishy to me... Does anyone know if a failure in the first year gets you an additional year on the replacement? If so, this is total BS... if not, only slightly less BS.

Jeez. They're $270. Buy a new Arcade SKU, keep your hard drive, and you're good to go.

Sell the broken one as a console in need of repair and you'll probably get around $75 - $100 for it.

I do think MS should restart your 1-year warranty if they send you a refurb console, though. But all this whining about the cost of the thing-- It's not that much! I'm currently between jobs and I could still probably scrape up enough to get a replacement console.

Well this is news to me, when I sent in my RRoD a month ago I was told the new console got 90days warranty against any failure. I actually got mine back, with a new mobo.

However in the UK you have to provide your own box, they no longer send out coffins, luckily I had a box the exact size or it would have been £5 to send it back as they wont let you use the retail box for some reason.

I got an RROD, then received a replacement console that had connectivity problems. They repaired the second one for free with no problems. Hopefully it's just an isolated, non-Canadian incident...

I can't believe that depsite the xbox 360 being released nearly three years ago Microsoft still have problems with the RROD. It's not good for the brand and easy for the other console fanboy's and media to pick up as a huge negative for what is otherwise a decent console.

This happened to me. Most companies will give you one year warranty on the replacement console, MS no luck. Hey it only cost me $ 72cnd. I saved $ 28 dollars now that I look at what others are putting out and I can now spend it on Bad Company weapon downloads.

I wonder why this is so inconsistent. A little while back I sent my second-wave original 360 in for the RROD, probably weeks before my 3 year warranty expired.. About a month later, the disc drive stopped reading and it was actually scuffing my discs. I called up MS and they immediately sent me a box, not just a regular box but a large box to fit the 360 and power supply. A week and a half later, I have yet another 360. My original 360 is waaaay out of warranty. I think the 3 year is even up, by now. I expected them to hassle me, since I'd heard this about the warranty. But I wasn't getting RROD and they still replaced it readily. Other than the fact that I actually have to send it off, I've had a pretty positive experience.

I would say "Even more problems with Ms customer service!!" probably every 2nd time i call for help there

Oh dear: Ms Support
Sorry that I have to many problems that you cannot help me with such as my sonic the hedge hog arcade game dont work no more keeps saying trial game, i also made a video on youtube of proof and yah nevermind you probably just forgot what i said, cause your sitting in your cubicles drinking pepsi and eating double cheeseburgers

I dont know why Microsoft should get away with this on their defective product. Is there a class action suit I can join. I was sent a defective replacement, that was sent back unreaired the first time, and without the power brick the second time. The service center will not verify any of the work done or parts used. I asked them what they would do if I refused the shipment until they verify what was done on them item inside the box and they say they would just keep returning it to me, but didnt really know. The best I can hope for is that UPS or FEDEX will damage unit in shipping so that I can file a claim for recovery against them.

Just want to say if anyone has a fault which is not RROD, when you phone microsoft about fixing it say you got RROD just before the real fault and they will fix it because they think the fault was caused by RROD therefore feel inclined to fix it, like i did =)