By Merrill Friend, Tampa PC User’s Group
mfriendtampa@worldnet.att.net

About three months ago I bought a new Compaq Presario model 710 laptop from Comp USA. Before I left the store the salesman tried to sell me a one year maintenance contract. As I recall the cost would have been $149. This contract, as I remember the salesman’s explanation, would even cover accidental damage.

Since I had used several laptop computers over a number of years without any damage to the exterior of any of them I really wasn’t too concerned about accidental damage to the unit. I have carried laptops on airplanes from Tampa to Baltimore to Miami to Tampa without any problems and safely by car all over the State of Florida so I didn’t expect this to be a problem. Also I planned to carry the unit in a carrying case, which should provide reasonable protection. In other words, I have always taken good care of my equipment and expected to continue this practice in the future so why spend another $149 needlessly.

Then one day after I shut down my laptop and closed the top I noticed a small crack down near the rear hinge.(see photo at end of article) “Where did that come from,” I wondered as I carefully examined the lid speculating on the cause of this new crack. I had no recollection of bumping the computer case against anything or setting it down hard and I certainly had not banged it against anything when it was not protected in its case. My conclusion was that perhaps there was some fault in the plastic material from which the lid was manufactured. Perhaps, I speculated, the hinge was too tightly connected, placing too much stress on the plastic covering of the top when the screen was widely opened, although I had never heard of this happening with any other laptop I or my associates had used in the past.

At this point I got out the computer’s warranty information and dialed the toll free number provided for my use. I went through the usual menu of pressing different numbers on my tone phone until I got to a live person and could describe my problem. I didn’t make a note of the exact time this all took but I was pleased that within 10 minutes at the most I had a real person on the line.

The “real” person wanted my name, address and phone number, as well as the model and serial number of my computer. Fortunately, I had written all this information on the material that came with the computer, using the form Compaq provided, even though I had already registered my computer online as soon as I got it hooked up to my Internet provider. Then the “real” person asked me for the date I bought the computer, and I didn’t recall that information, although I could have found out by going back through my credit card records. I told her that I had registered my product online and couldn’t they find all they needed from the information I gave them then.

Her response to this was that she didn’t have my registration information on her computer. “You will have to talk to customer service about that. They have access to that information on their computers.” She then told me she would send me a box to pack my computer in for its return to the factory for repairs. She didn’t know if the warranty would cover it of not; that is something to discuss with customer service, she added. Then she transferred me to customer service.

The guy that answered the phone in customer service seemed perplexed at my call. He told me that he understood that I was being transferred to him because I was disputing my warranty dates. I explained to him that I was not disputing anything, I just didn’t recall the exact date I bought the computer or the date I registered it, and the lady I talked to initially didn’t have access to that information on her computer. He then checked and confirmed the registration date of my warranty and confirmed that I had warranty coverage.

Then he advised that I might hear back from the company’s repair service telling me they would only repair my computer if I paid them $300 and if this occurred I should call back and talk to someone in customer service because they “Might” be able to help me on this.

I had read the Limited Warranty which stated that “Damage from misuse, abuse or neglect” was not covered. Of course, I feel strongly that I did not misuse, abuse or neglect my computer in any way so I have never felt responsible for this damage.

But now I began to worry that Compaq wasn’t going to cover this under their warranty but customer service had given me hope that it wouldn’t cost an entire $300. At this point the $149 maintenance policy was looking pretty good but I had already passed on that opportunity several months earlier.

The very next day the box arrived from Airborne Express and I was told I had three days to return it free via Airborne to Compaq. I was only three months into a one year warranty. So I packed the computer as instructed, called Airborne and they picked it up the same day and returned it to Compaq’s repair facility in Houston.

Several days passed so I called to check on the status of the repairs. I had been given an account number and the tone phone menu asked that I punch it in. I did so, and the person I got this time required a lot less information than on the first call. They then transferred me to repair service. The lady at repair service asked me for my account number, and I gave it to her. She said, “That is not your account number. An account number has ten digits and that number is only eight digits long.” I then explained that this was the only account number I had been given. So then I had to give her the computer model and serial number again, and, after putting all this information in her computer, she gave me the 10 digit account number she was using. “Be sure you use this 10 digit number on all calls about this repair.” I promised I would do so.

I was then told that my repair was not covered by warranty, and they could either repair it for $300 or send the computer back to me unrepaired. “What do you want us to do?” she asked. Remembering customer service’s advice to call them before agreeing to pay $300 for the repair, I told her I would think about it all, call back later in the day and tell her how to handle the repair.

I then dialed the menu again and asked for customer service. Now where is that nice guy who told me to call back to customer service before paying $300 for repairs? Well, he certainly wasn’t there this time. The guy I did get politely told me that once repair service has made up their minds on whether to charge for the repairs or not there wasn’t anything he could do. I’d just have to pay the $300 if I wanted it fixed.

So once again I dialed the toll free number, and, after the usual wait, I was asked for my account number. Remembering that I now had a 10 digit number I entered that number. The telephone equipment told me that was not a correct account number and to re-enter it. So this time I entered the 8 digit number and I was put through to another real person who routed me back to repair service. When they asked for my account number (I was getting smart by now), I gave them the 10 digit number.

That person said they were getting ready to return my computer un-repaired. I told her that I didn’t want it returned until it was repaired and was willing to pay them the $300 they wanted. She then took my credit card information and gave me an order number. Several days later my laptop was returned by Airborne, repaired and seemingly in good order.

I have the impression that HP and Compaq are making a good effort at handling two computer systems for the two newly merged companies of Hewlett Packard and Compaq Computer, which perhaps explains the different account numbers and the inability for some of their personnel to find all needed information on a single computer network. Nonetheless, everyone was friendly and the repairs were handled very efficiently.

And yet I still wonder how strong that plastic is that is used on the cover of those Presario laptops. Nervously, I bought an even better padded carrying case and I still wince every time I open and close the lid and feel it flex slightly at the force necessary to open it fully, hoping I will not ever again see another mysterious crack beginning near one of the rear hinges. I remain convinced that Compaq’s design of this convex lid, or the materials used in its construction, is the primary causal factor in the damage sustained by my laptop. u