Where does the time go? www.silverspirit.org.uk - that's where!
Where does the time go? www.silverspirit.org.uk - that's where!
Member since:16.04.2002
Reviews:40
Members who trust:11
Well, I’ve not been able to write for a good month now and I’m going to tell you why this is. I’ve not been able to write anything for over a month because I paid £499.99 for the Dixon’s Coverplan. It all sounded very appealing at the time because if something does go wrong within the first year – more than one thing – they’ll replace the laptop for a new model. If something goes wrong within four years, they’ll repair it, so, over a year after I bough this machine, the screen began to flicker and die like a candle exhausting its waxy fuel, only hitting the little button to turn the screen on made it come back momentarily. Something else was wrong as well: the read/write CDROM/DVD combi drive had come loose and no longer stayed in, occasionally (not to mention worryingly) sliding out of its housing.
I called PC
ServiceCall, a number I found in my Coverplan documents and was on hold for a good while, I can’t quite remember as it was now so long ago. I spoke to a helpful man who told me that they’d call be back to arrange having the laptop picked up. Fair enough, all was going well. I told him about the issues with both the screen and the CD drive and he repeated everything back, I was generally happy with the service at this point…
“I must congratulate you on the reliable and efficient service Mastercare has provided for us,” says Mrs M. C. Parker. “I have nothing but commendations for everyone involved, from the helpful telephone agents, to the efficient and knowledgeable engineer and all those who handles my problem,” according to Mrs C. A. M. Taylor. Mr C. S. Bolton wrote to express his “…appreciation of the promptness, efficiency and generosity with which you dealt with my recent enquiry. Your stand of service is most impressive,” and Mr P. Chapman said that “the engineer who resolved the problem was extremely courteous and efficient.” These are the customer testimonials on the back of the Coverplan document. Each one, you will notice, mentions the efficiency of the service.
The last time I used this laptop was 20th July as it was picked up on Monday 21st. You see, I was running around like a headless chicken because when they did call back to pick it up, they told me I had to supply the packaging. I called them to say that I was told the people who’d come to get it would pack it, but I was told that the person I spoke to was wrong. Nice, very efficient.
So off it went, the little laptop on its adventure apparently across the world to be repaired… Two weeks passed without a whisper and I called them to ask how it was going. They were awaiting parts, I was told. A few days later, I called back and PC ServiceCall gave me their contractor’s number – Teleplan were those with the laptop in their hands. I called them and was told that they were waiting for the screen – the CD drive had been replaced – to be delivered from Holland. Okay it’s a bit of a distance, but it was on its way. I got it back today, 25th August, over a month after it was collected. When a DVD can make its way across the world in under a week I fail to understand how a screen can take what seems for ever to get from a couple of hundred miles away.
Anyway, DHL delivered it today (their second attempt, for we weren’t called to inform us it was on its way or anything, we just got a card through the door saying it wouldn’t fit through the letterbox, or something) and I came home to find Tommy looking for holidays on it, screen in perfect working order, however, upon inspection, the CD drive had not been replaced, the work sheet said it hadn’t been replaced and I pulled it out with ease again. I phoned up PC ServiceCall to moan and got cut off and called the Coverplan number to moan and got told to call PC ServiceCall, but the likelihood was that I’d have to send it off again. I’m very unhappy.
I was told that if it takes over six weeks in total to carry out all the repairs, they’d replace my laptop for a new one.
We’re going on holiday next Friday and when I come back I’m calling them again. To be perfectly honest I’d rather have my £499.99 back, pay Teleplan for the half-a-job they carried out and get the CD drive repaired at a while-u-wait place. It would be money more wisely spent.
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We paid £399.00 for insurance on a £900.00 laptop 4 years ago, the hard drive has just stopped working completely, so I hope it can be fixed under the coverplan despite being almost 4 years old. Will keep you posted!!!!!!!
DSG_Staff 24.08.2004 12:51
In response to your comments,
I am a current employee of the Dixons Group, and would like to point out that the coverplan leaflet availble from all DSG shops, explains that it is not 6 weeks in total for all repairs, it is 6 weeks PER REPAIR. As far as the CD ROM drive problem is concerned, as Coverplan act as a "Go Between" we cannot be help responsible for anything that the repair company say they have or haven't done. Unfortunatley with regards wanting your £499 back, this would not be possible. As you have already have gone through an entire period of the cover. Also with regards to the comment by "Bigbaz" the reason PC World run that scheme is becuase they are our PC Specialist store. If you return any computer purchased at Dixons or Currys to a PC World store, the same applies, you can get a Stand in. This applies the same with Mobile phones at our phone specialist The Link. As regards to spending £500 on the coverplan policy your Laptop must have origonally cost approx £1100, therefore this make the cover more expensive. Coverplan goes up regarding the cost of the product, e.g. Printer costing £100 would only cost £39 for 3 years or £59 for 5 Years. Dixons Group is one of the Largest Electronic Retailers in the UK and now moving into Europe. We sell hundreds over Coverplan policies each day. Unfortunatley not everyone is satisfied, but you cannot please everyone all the time. Thank You.
Collingwood21 15.10.2003 21:16
Oh bugger, I have one of these plans. Still, at least I "only" paid 200-odd pounds for mine and it came with a free carry case for my laptop. Perhaps I'll feel slightly less cheated if I ever need to use the service.
Aug 26th, 2003
(Sep 2nd, 2003)
very helpful by (71%):
helpful by (29%):
