Box Watcher

If you have not read Part One of this you can do so here. 

Durning my travels the next day I stopped at a Target and bought a can of compressed air and a CD/DVD/Video Game laser lens cleaner.  Maybe I could fix this thing myself.  After returning home I powered up the xbox and opened the disc tray.  Sprayed air in, put a disc in and crossed my fingers.  No luck.  Okay, that’s what the lens cleaner is for.  Per the directions I squirted cleaning solution on the little white parts on the disc.  Popped it in to work it’s magic.  This particular cleaning disc is also a CD.  It plays music while it’s cleaning, during the process it was reading the disc.  It read the disc! I was happy, this is going to work! (Insert the “You Lose” music from The Price Is Right here) Time to call xbox customer support (gulp). 

When you call the Customer Support Center of course you get a computer operator. You have to wait for a prompt you can respond to.  So I listen to the whole thing, make my selection and it hangs up on me.  WTF?  At first I’m pissed but then I remembered it’s Microsoft and the system is probably windows based.  I call back, go through it all again and finally get a live operator.  After explaining that my unit had the Red Ring Of Death I sent it in, waited about three weeks and got a refurbished unit back and it will not read discs, I wanted a new unit.  The won’t do it, it’s not policy.  After some anger on my behalf I’m transferred to a “resolution specialist”.  Repeating the story and my request for a new xbox I’m told it won’t happen.  What they will do is give me expedited shipping on the shipping box which I’ll get in 24-48 hours.  At this point I’ve been on the phone for an hour, I reluctantly agree to this.  They take the info, enter the service request and give me a reference number.  

Before hanging up,I told him to write the following in the notes for my account, “I’ve been playing video games for over 20 years, not once have I ever had a problem with a console, let alone have to call a manufacturer.  But after the way Xbox has sold bad units and not repaired them properly for so many years when the time comes to buy the next generation of systems you can be sure I won’t buy the xbox one.  Also, Xbox is taking all the joy OUT of video gaming”. 

This was a Friday night when I called them, I knew it wouldn’t get the box Saturday night or at any point on Sunday.  Monday was possible but doubtful, Tuesday was the day I expected it to be delivered.  Tuesday came and went, no box.  Wednesday, no box.  I meant to call then but I’m in school had homework and studying to do.  Finally it’s the FOLLOWING  Friday and my schedule cleared up.  I waited all day just to be sure I didn’t get it that day to call.  Finally I went into “Popeye” mode (I’ve had all I can stands and I can’t stands no more). 

I call get to a person and explain what happened and they should put me through to a supervisor or R.S. right now.  I get put on hold and a couple of minutes later I get a supervisor.  I begin to talk and…. click.  Hung up on!  Oh. My. God. 20 minutes to get hung up on.  I call back, get to a person and tell her there is nothing she can do for me, I need to talk to superior.  She tells me she has to verify my account first and asks me info including my home address.  I answer the questions.  She says there is  wait, they are all supervisors are busy at the moment.  She asks me what address the box was supposed to be mailed to I tell her again!  She puts me on hold, comes back on thanks me for waiting then asks one more time for my address!  I tell her again put on hold.  She comes back on, asks me again for my address, I’m screaming it into my phone.  I tell her that is the fourth time I’ve given it to her.  I ask if it’s on her computer screen?  She says yes, then I’m like why do you need it again.  I’m told to verify the shipping address is correct!  I said if they don’t have it in the system by now they never will. 

Before she transfers me she makes a comment that the service order is in but the box never shipped and it is most likely UPS’ fault.  This sounds really fishy to me.  Finally I get a supervisor and this guy seems okay, the first one I’ve talked to that actually seems like he can not only help, but also cares about resolving this.  He tells me the reason I didn’t get a box is because the “system” does not have an option for expedited shipping.  The bastards lied! I reiterate, I want a new unit.  When told it’s not policy I reply, ”So selling faulty systems for over four years, when one is sent for repair you send a broken one back, then when the customer calls to sort it out he is lied to and hung up on, that is policy?”.  

So after another hour-and-a-half of being o what ends up happening is we’re back to square one.  I’m told they will send me a box via next day air, which I actually got.  The unit goes back to the service center, in Texas, it’s there now, and I wait.  I’ve been thinking about what to do when it comes back.  I did some research and found that according to a recent survey by Game Informer magazine the Xbox 360 has a 54% fail rate!  As soon as this thing gets back I’m making sure it works and trading it in for a PS3.  I’m done with Xbox.