14 DAY TRIAL // Computers are common devices in our day-to-day life, and, as any device that is being constantly used, they sometimes fail. We all rely on tech support, but there are cases when even the geekiest of the computer doctors fall foul and set the wrong diagnosis.
A study conducted by Call7 unveiled that four out of seven computer shops can not promptly fix a common error that occurs when one of the notebook's cards is partly in contact with its expansion slot.
In order to roll the test, the Call7 specialists simulated a common issue encountered in laptops, namely the "chip creep" or "ram creeping": a memory module that gets dislodged when the notebook is dropped or faces sudden temperature shifts.
The allegedly "out-of-order" notebook was then taken to a bunch of computer repair shops in the United States, including Geek Squad, Firedog and CTI.
The Geek Squad techs claimed that the notebook's motherboard was fried to death and the power supply might also be dead. Firedog employees confirmed the verdict and said that the notebook was not functioning mostly because of motherboard / power source failure. Moreover, CTI technicians advised the Call7 team to buy a new notebook rather than fix the dead one.
"It's just shocking", said hardware specialist Mike Powis, the one that rigged the notebook for the experiment. "You took a perfectly good laptop in and left with something that should go straight to the trash. For lack of a better word, it seems like incompetence", he added.
The Action Computers repair shop managed to spot the issue in due time and fastened the troublesome RAM module for a $49.95 fee that covered "a basic diagnostic, test hardware and everything".
"Our diagnosis relies on numerous physical tests, input from our customers, and real-life experience that confirms the majority of computer problems involving hard drive failure and virus/spyware issues", claimed Geek Squad's public relations officer. "Nevertheless, we made a flawed diagnosis and that's our error. Our service guarantee ensures resolution of all problems to our customer's satisfaction", he admitted.
Such incidents could be regarded as jokes, but imagine taking your brand-new notebook that stopped working after a simple bump to get it fixed and being told instead to throw it away because it's fried beyond all recognition. Remember, whatever you do, don't call tech support, and take your notebook to an authorized service partner or even to the shop you bought it from.