TINY COMPUTERS LTD AFTER SALES SERVICE
MY EXPERIENCE
My name is Nicola Gracie and I purchased a new computer from Tiny Computers in May 1998. Read my story about the problems I have had with Tiny After Sales service and Tiny Technical Support. For you to visit my site you must be considering the purchase of a Tiny computer or you have already made the mistake of doing so.
If you a considering the purchase of a Tiny Computer you must try thier Technical Support number first , because you will need to ring it. 01293 821222 weekdays and 01293 431572 on Saturday. You will see for yourself how long it takes to get through. WARNING unless you are an expert with computers you will have to ring these numbers.You cannot email or fax Tiny .They have no facility to deal with email or fax.
Customer Service is on 0990 133097 . This number is a national call number costing 7.5p a minute.
On many occasions I have waited on hold in excess of 40 minutes .To save money I recommend you list their numbers as family and friends (if you are with BT ).
I have made over 500 minutes of calls trying to resolve my problems with Tiny without success. I do not contact them by telephone any longer , it is quicker to send a letter by post.
Tiny also have a Technical support web site at ,http://www.tiny.com/UK/UKRetail/UKSupport/TechSupport.html but I would not bother because it was last updated on 8/7/98 . I think they must have forgot about it.
If you have recently purchased a computer from Tiny I think it would be wise to send it back before the 14 day trial runs out.
MY SORRY TALE
TINY REF: SERIAL NO ST307959 Gracie.
13/5/98 TINY DELIVERED MY COMPUTER.
14/5/98 COMPUTER CRASHED -RESTORE PACK FAILED-NO INSTRUCTIONS TO ALTER BIOS SETTINGS.
15/5/98 PHONED TINY FOR INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO USE (easy to use restore pack). 24 MINUTES
19/5/98 PHONED TINY-COMPUTER FREEZING IN START UP AND SHUT DOWN. 19 MINUTES
21/5/98 PHONED TINY-COMPUTER STILL FREEZING IN START UP AND SHUT DOWN. 9 MINUTES
26/5/98 PHONED TINY-COMPUTER STILL FREEZING IN START UP AND SHUT DOWN.14 MINUTES
27/5/98 PHONED TINY-COMPUTER STILL FREEZING IN START UP AND SHUT DOWN. 9 MINUTES
8/6/98 PHONED TINY-COMPUTER STILL FREEZING IN START UP AND SHUT DOWN.31 MINUTES
10/6/98 PHONED TINY-COMPUTER STILL FREEZING IN START UP AND SHUT DOWN.34 MINUTES
18/6/98 PHONED TINY-COMPUTER STILL FREEZING IN START UP AND SHUT DOWN.15 MINUTES
24/6/98 PHONED TINY-COMPUTER STILL FREEZING IN START UP AND SHUT DOWN.16 MINUTES
24/6/98 PHONED TINY CUSTOMER SERVICES 7 MINUTES
26/6/98 PHONED TINY-COMPUTER STILL FREEZING IN START UP AND SHUT DOWN.19 MINUTES
3/7/98 PHONED TINY-COMPUTER STILL FREEZING IN START UP AND SHUT DOWN.56MINUTES
3/7/98 COMPUTER RETURNED TO TINY FOR REPAIRS
7/7/98 PHONED TINY CUSTOMER SERVICES TO CHECK ON PROGRESS .19 MINUTES
9/7/98 PHONED TINY CUSTOMER SERVICES TO CHECK ON PROGRESS .14 MINUTES
13/7/98 COMPUTER RETURNED TO ME WITH FAULTY HARD DRIVE REPLACED WITH NEW.
13/7/98 PHONED TINY- STILL PROBLEMS WITH TELEPHONY SOFTWARE .8 MINUTES
23/7/98 PHONED TINY-PROBLEMS WITH TELEPHONY SOFTWARE. 16 MINUTES
30/7/98 PHONED TINY-PROBLEMS WITH TELEPHONY SOFTWARE. 12 MINUTES
3/11/98 PHONED TINY-PROBLEMS WITH TELEPHONY SOFTWARE AND DRIVER CONFLICTS WITH WINDOWS 98 . TOUCH MANAGER , ATI AND ADVANCED POWER MANAGEMENT.STILL FREEZING IN START UP AND SHUT DOWN. 14 MINUTES
5/11/98 PHONED TINY-PROBLEMS WITH TELEPHONY SOFTWARE AND DRIVER CONFLICTS WITH WINDOWS 98 . TOUCH MANAGER , ATI AND ADVANCED POWER MANAGEMENT. STILL FREEZING IN START UP AND SHUT DOWN. 13 MINUTES
6/11/98 PHONED TINY-PROBLEMS WITH TELEPHONY SOFTWARE AND DRIVER CONFLICTS WITH WINDOWS 98 . TOUCH MANAGER , ATI AND ADVANCED POWER MANAGEMENT .STILL FREEZING IN START UP AND SHUT DOWN. 32 MINUTES
12/11/98 PHONED TINY-PROBLEMS WITH TELEPHONY SOFTWARE AND DRIVER CONFLICTS WITH WINDOWS 98 . TOUCH MANAGER , ATI AND ADVANCED POWER MANAGEMENT. STILL FREEZING IN START UP AND SHUT DOWN. 27 MINUTES
27/11/98 PHONED TINY CUSTOMER SERVICES TO ARRANGE RETURN OF COMPUTER FOR 30/11/98 WAITED IN ALL DAY-COURIER FAILED TO TURN UP. 12 MINUTES
1/12/98 PHONED TINY CUSTOMER SERVICES 11 MINUTES ADVISED SUPERVISOR WOULD RETURN CALL TO DISCUSS PROBLEM. CALL NOT RETURNED BY SUPERVISOR .
1/12/98 COMPUTER RETURNED TO TINY FOR REPAIRS
8/12/98 PHONED TINY TO CHECK ON PROGRESS. 14 MINUTES
12/12/98 PHONED TINY TO CHECK ON PROGRESS. 34 MINUTES
14/12/98 COMPUTER RETURNED TO ME. FAULTY CD ROM DRIVE REPLACED WITH NEW .FAULTY MODEM REPLACED WITH NEW , MOTHERBOARD BIOS UPGRADED ,
DRIVER CONFLICTS WITH ADVANCED POWER MANAGEMENT NOT SOLVED. NO DRIVERS OR INSTRUCTIONS FOR PCI MODEM. UNABLE TO USE . COMPUTER STILL FREEZING IN START UP AND SHUT DOWN.
14/12/98 PHONED TINY-ADVISED SUPERVISOR WOULD RETURN CALL BEFORE 5PM.28 MINUTES
14/12/98 I STOPPED MAKING TELEPHONE CALLS TO TINY BECAUSE IT WAS A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY. I HAVE WRITTEN SEVERAL LETTERS ADVISING THEM THE COMPUTER IS STILL FAULTY AND THAT I HAVE REJECTED THE GOODS (AS ADVISED BY TRADING STANDARDS).
SINCE 14/12/98 THE COMPUTER HAS BEEN IN ITS ORIGINAL CARDBOARD BOX , IN MY SPARE BEDROOM WAITING FOR TINY TO COLLECT IT.
I HAVE MADE OVER 507 MINUTES OF CALLS TO TINY TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS.
MOST OF THE CALL COSTS HAVE BEEN INCURRED WAITING ON HOLD INDICATING THE POOR QUALITY OF CUSTOMER AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICES.
BEFORE I PURCHASED THE COMPUTER FROM TINY I WAS ADVISED BY THE SALES PERSON CUSTOMER SERVICES AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICES WERE EXCELLENT.
IN EIGHT MONTHS I HAVE HAD TWO MONTHS USE OF THIS COMPUTER.
13/2/99 I HANDED OUT LEAFLETS TO PEOPLE ENTERING AND LEAVING THE TINY SHOWROOM IN CARDIFF, ADVISING THEM ABOUT TINY COMPUTERS CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND TO BEWARE . THE SHOP MANAGER WAS VERY UNDERSTANDING AND THREATENED TO CALL THE POLICE AND TOLD ME I WAS IN BREECH OF THE PEACE (AS ADVISED BY HIS TINY HQ). AFTER TWO HOURS I WAS COLD AND I AGREED TO MOVE ON , BUT I ADVISED THE SHOWROOM MANAGER I WOULD BE BACK AND IF HE DID CONTACT THE POLICE IT WOULD ONLY MAXIMISE MY PUPLICITY CAMPAIGN.
ALL I WANTED FROM TINY WAS A COMPUTER THAT WORKED AND ADEQUATE CUSTOMER SUPPORT.
FRANKLY I WAS ROBBED.
I WILL CONTINUE MY CAMPAIGN UNTIL I GET MY MONEY RETURNED .
If you have any comments email to [email protected]
Visit another disatisfied Tiny customer http://www.jayw.demon.co.uk/tiny/index.htm