The Great Monitor Saga

December 12, 1997

Mr. Kevin Rupkey, President
Warrantech
150 Westpark Way
Euless, Texas  76040

Dear Mr. Rupkey,

When I purchased my computer system a little over a year ago, I had no idea that I would one day be writing the President of a warranty company regarding it.  As I type this, on an old 13 inch Mitac VGA monitor I don't have drivers for, I await the delivery of my sixth replacement Packard Bell monitor in a year and three months.
Number one went black the first time I booted up the new computer.  Comp USA swapped it the same day.  Number two lasted 3 months before lines appeared in the display.  On monitor number three the confused tech decided to try a new video card as well.  Monitor number three lasted 9 whole months.  A new, and as yet unparalleled, Packard Bell record.  When it went black in January of ‘97, I was into the extended warranty service period, and as such, referred to your company for service.  After a week and five phone calls to your company, monitor number four arrived.  It was a model 3 years older then mine (I had a 1412 and I think it was a 1012 ) with a display the size of a postage stamp and half the buttons falling off.
As you can imagine, I was not a happy woman.  It was after hours when I received the inferior monitor number four, but I called the enclosed number anyway, expecting to leave a message on voice mail.  Instead a man named David Goode answered the phone, listened to my saga, and shocked me with his offered solution.  He agreed that I had gone through much more then should be expected with this monitor, and offered to send me a brand new model 1512 (an inch larger then what I had ) next day air.  I was leery, compared to what I had experienced thus far, it seemed to good to be true.
When the brand new Packard Bell 15 inch monitor arrived 14 hours later, I was ecstatic.  It was a beautiful, large display.  Receiving such an upgrade made me feel so much better about all the time I had wasted.  I called Mr. Goode and thanked him for what he had done, and expressed how pleased I was with my new monitor.  I was so happy!  I loved that monitor for every one of the 64 days it worked. It went black Saturday.  Mr. Rupkey, it was all I could do not to void my warranty by drop kicking it down the street until there were no pieces left large enough to trip over.
Monday, March 24 at about 11 am I called regarding the demise of monitor number five.  I spoke to a representative named “Shelly” and explained the entire situation to her.  She said she needed to research my problem, discuss it with a supervisor, and then call me back.  No one returned the call.
Tuesday, March 25  I again called and this time I spoke to a representative named “Anthony”.  Anthony had no idea who Shelly was, so I once again explained all that had occurred.  I flatly refused to brushed off again with “we'll call you back”, so Anthony put me on hold for ten minutes.  When he finally came back, he asked me “what is the problem again?”.  I again explained in detail about the monitor, he put me on hold for another ten minutes, then came back and asked me “how do you know it is the monitor?”.  This is after I had told him twice that there was an old 13 inch connected and working fine, that I had tried changing my video driver to standard VGA to see if that made a difference, it didn't, etc.
At this point I firmly requested to speak to a supervisor, ANY supervisor.  Anthony once again put me on hold, where I waited for 15 minutes before I hung up.
I immediately called back and once again requested to speak to a supervisor.  After much rigmarole, I was finally connected to a supervisor named  “Hazel”.  I once again told my monitor saga.  Hazel was pleasant and responsive.
I would like to add Mr. Rupkey, that all your employees have been very pleasant though out this entire mess.  Even Anthony, who is as dumb as a box of rocks, was a nice, pleasant brick to speak with.  All my problems with your employees have been regarding their failure to deliver what they promise, when they promise it. They have always been very polite and well mannered when doing so. Also, after my recent experience trying to return a zip drive to Iomega, I deeply appreciate the fact that all of your employees have spoken English.
After a few calls back and forth ( there was some confusion regarding Mr. Goode’s identity, my notes were at work, and he is in a different division ) Hazel compiled a clear picture of what had occurred, and what I wished could be done about it.  I asked for monitor number six to be ANYTHING but a Packard Bell.  I am not picky.  I don't care if monitor number six has a name I can't pronounce and was assembled by people that have never seen indoor plumbing. Just ANYTHING but a Packard Bell is what I asked Hazel for.  In addition to this being my sixth Packard Bell monitor, I explained to her that my experience was not an isolated one.  I told her how I had decided to cruse the net and see if any problems similar to mine had been reported.  When I encountered the newsgroup titled alt.binaries.packardbellsucks my woman's intuition told me I might have stumbled onto a few other dissatisfied customers.  I had, hundreds of them.  One woman I have come to know on line is on her fifth Packard Bell monitor in less then a year.  She is pursuing relief through Sears Warranty service, and is able to document a horrendous situation.
After I pled my case with Hazel, she said she would see what she could do and call me back.
She did, a short time later, and left the message that I would be receiving a monitor other then a Packard Bell, next day air.  When nothing arrived Wednesday, I assumed that it was to late to get it out Tuesday, and that it would arrive Thursday. When nothing had arrived by Thursday morning, I called Hazel at 11 am and left a message.  When I had not heard from her by 2 p.m. I called again, was put on hold for 15 minutes, then hung up.  At this point I called your office and spoke to Angela Anderson.  I repeated what I now refer to as my Packard Bell mantra, and asked her to intercede on my behalf.  She said she would investigate my situation, and that I would hear something soon.
A short time later Hazel called.  After a few more calls back and forth, she was able to ascertain that I had been shipped another Packard Bell model 1512, economy second day delivery.  It would not arrive before Friday.  Yet another day wasted waiting for what had not even been sent when promised.
I decided to delay sending this missive until monitor number six arrived.  It did, at about 2 p.m. today (Friday).  It is a reconditioned Packard Bell model 1512 with several problems.  Mr. Rupkey, please connect and test this monitor when I return it to you.  See for yourself just what your company is sending out as replacements.  You will note on replacement number six. the adjustment buttons are skewed.  It is impossible to get a sharp font without significantly dimming the display.  The vertical and horizontal adjustment buttons are backwards  (or at least opposite from the one I just sent you ).  “Fuzzy” is an appropriate technical term for this display.
Mr. Rupkey, enough is enough.  I have spent 27 hours of my time over the past year and 3 months trying to get a reliable monitor ( note: the Compudyne computer itself and all other components have functioned flawlessly since their purchase ).  If I were to bill that at my normal rate of $50.00 to $60.00 an hour it would come to $1485.00.
I need  a monitor that I do not have to devote major time to replacing every few months. I don't think that is an unreasonable thing to ask for; in fact, it is only what I paid for.
Please feel free to forward a copy of this letter to anyone I have mentioned in it.  I would do so myself were I sure of how to reach them directly.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Betsy Ashby