This is a copy of the letter I am going to send to Microsoft Customer Affairs tomorrow. Is there anything else I should include? 16-May-07 Microsoft Corporation Consumer Affairs One Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052-9953 Re: Defective X-Box 360 and Microsoft Service Contract # WY01133XXXXXXX Dear Sir or Madam: On July 19, 2006 I purchased an Xbox 360. After reviewing the information included in the box with the game console, I purchased the referenced service contract from Microsoft. I was encouraged by Microsoft’s promises of highly trained technicians, immediate access to replacement parts as well as replacement of the console including the latest features if ours could not be repaired. I enjoyed the game play and invested in several additional games and accessories. Unfortunately, on January 14, 2007 our Xbox 360 failed and I began an odyssey of frustration that is still going on 4 months later. I called the referenced toll free number and was connected to a call center somewhere outside of the US (India?). I jumped through the hoops and tried the steps that they requested. They then tried to dispatch a shipping box so we could send our console to the repair center. However, the “order” would get stuck in your system and the box would never ship. I would then call back again, work through the phone tree, speak with a representative and another order would be entered. This order would get stuck as well, and no shipping box would ship. I repeated this process for a couple of weeks. I finally asked to speak to a supervisor and was told that one was not available. I then repeated my request, this time demanding to speak with the supervisor, and was finally connected to one. This supervisor assigned our case to Mike, a MS Customer Service Representative. I’m sorry but I do not know Mike’s last name but he has been the only positive aspect of this experience. Mike has repeatedly attempted to resolve my situation but has ultimately been unsuccessful through no fault of his own. Mike was able to finally get a shipping box sent to me. I sent my Xbox 360 off for service. It was returned weeks later. Unfortunately, my console was not repaired and behaved just like it did before being serviced. Mike dispatched another shipping box and our original Xbox was returned again. The service center determined that our console could not be repaired and we were sent a refurbished unit. This console was dead on arrival and would not power up. Mike was as disappointed as I was and assured me that my problem would be resolved. He told me that he had instructed the repair center to send me a new console, not a refurbished one. We then received a console in an original Xbox carton that has previously been opened. The contents were not complete and indicated that it had been previously removed. This console was also dead and would not power up. We spoke with Mike again. He checked the serial number and indicated that the unit we had received was a store return due to the same problem I observed. Sadly, this problem has continued and last Friday, 11-May-07, we received our 4th “refurbished” unit. Counting our original repair, this represented the 5th console sent to us by the repair center. This latest unit is the first that has been at all functional. It loads games very slowly, the display has ghosts and then the console will lock up and be unplayable after as little as 15 minutes of game play. Mike has told me that he will dispatch another shipping box to return the console yet again. I asked Mike if they could send me a “new” unit as we have absolutely no confidence that any unit coming from the repair center will be in fact repaired. Mike said that there was nothing he could do but send another box to return our unit again to the repair center. Enough is enough. I have endured 4 months of frustration and I am no closer to resolution than we started. I have spent hours on the phone trying to get this problem corrected, received repeated assurances of resolution, but Microsoft has failed to live up to their end of the bargain. I am extremely dissatisfied with this experience and the Microsoft Repair Center’s abilities. I no longer subscribe to the illusion that they can, at the present time at least, suitably repair an Xbox 360 console. I respectfully request that Microsoft fulfill their responsibility and honor the promises made in the service contract sales information by providing us with a new, sealed in the carton, functioning Xbox360 console. Refurbished units are not acceptable as they have proven to be not suitable for their intended purpose. For your information, I have provided the reference numbers for this continuing issue. The most recent one is listed first. There are a few others that we have probably over looked. 103XXXXXXX 103XXXXXXX 103XXXXXXX 103XXXXXXX 103XXXXXXX 103XXXXXXX 103XXXXXXX 103XXXXXXX 103XXXXXXX 103XXXXXXX Thank you for your assistance. I look forward to hearing that you will finally be able to satisfactorily bring this issue to a resolution. Very Truly Yours, Domreis Unknown address Unknown Phone number So should I include anything else... details?
@Domreis ... I had a similar experience with my HP hard drive while still under warranty and got the run around. I would suggest that you do a little homework and send either the letter itself or a carbon copy of the original to the vice president of customer relations or whatever his department would be and send a copy directly to him with his name on the envelope. Since it's a publically traded company, that information has to be online and will just take a little digging on your part. As I learnt with HP, it is much more likely that you'll get swift attention to your concern when there is pressure from above to do so. Your letter is very well written and polite (as it should be) but don't send it "Dear Sir or Madam" as it will land up on some pile somewhere. Do a little homework and send it to a named person. "Dear Mr. Thompson" ... or whatever.
