Why Toshiba is off my recommended product list

Since I work in IT, friends and family routinely ask me for suggestions when purchasing new computer equipment.  Laptops in particular are difficult because everyone has personal preferences and once you've purchased one, you're pretty much stuck with what you bought since it's hard or impossible to replace the display, keyboard and other components.  So my basic philosophy is to purchase as much hardware for the amount you are prepared to spend on a model you like from specific vendors.  I don't have experience with all laptop makers, but I do have experience with the major ones.

Until recently, Toshiba was one of my recommendations.  We had purchased 2 Toshiba laptops previously and never had to contact support for them.  So when my wife decided it was time for one of her own, we started comparison shopping and I found a deal at Staples for a really beefy Toshiba.  Plus if we traded one in, we got a gift card.  I happened to have one from my niece that died a few years ago, so it was a candidate.

We made our purchase and began using the laptop.  About 2 weeks into it's use, it started shutting down randomly and then turning itself back on.  It would do this repeatedly until you removed power and the battery.  I tried changing Windows settings to see if something there was the problem without success.  Eventually, I got smart and simply booted the laptop to the BIOS screen and let it sit there.  That way I could rule out a Windows problem altogether.  About 5 minutes later, it shut down!

So with this knowledge, I contacted Toshiba support.  After holding briefly, a guy answered, I described the problem and my troubleshooting and he began reading his support script, ignoring everything I had told him.  His solution was to reload the factory image even though I explained the behavior occurred even at the BIOS screen.  I hung up the phone with no intention of doing this.  (What you have to realize is that the people manning the phone lines have little to no support experience and are simply reading from a prepared support script.)  I would call back another time after reconfirming my troubleshooting.

Reproduced the problem and called them back about two weeks later.  This time I was able to convince the woman I spoke to that it was a hardware issue and she issued me a ticket to send it to the Repair Depot.  This is where the real fun started.

Received the shipping box and label and sent it to them.  I got email confirming receipt a few days later.  (Since I am a geek, I love tracking stuff I send/receive, so I already knew they had it.)  A short while later, I get an email stating:


During the Diagnostic procedure our technicians found that your unit’s SOFTWARE is corrupted. Unfortunately Toshiba does not cover the cost for replacement or fixes of software and as such we will have to charge you for labor cost $25. Please inform me on how to proceed, if you choose to go ahead authorize the repairs we will need your billing information (Credit Card Number, Expiration date and cardholder name).
To provide your billing information please call me at the number below, or let me know when would be a good time to reach you. 

Please respond to the following email Gabriel Belmonte [csr1@bizcom-us.com] or call the number below ( Gabriel Belmonte) with in 3 business days otherwise we have to ship back unrepaired.

*** California Customer will incur California sales tax on parts charge

Technical Support
408-262-1732

Wait, what?  Phone support already agreed with me that this was a hardware issue.  Why are you claiming this is a software issue?  And which software?  Windows?  Office?  Toshiba's extra stuff?  Of course, me being a tech guy, this immediately sent off alarms.  Now that I had the actual name of the repair company, I did a Google search on them and found numerous complaints about their service.  (Toshiba has outsourced their support and this is apparently a modus operandi for them.  Charge customers for unneeded repairs not covered by your brand new warranty.  Guess they low-balled the bid to get Toshiba's repair business and this is their method for making a profit.)

So I replied to the email instructing them to call me.  No response.  Remember the 3 business day clock was ticking.  After a day, I called the number - 3 times.  No one ever answered and I left voice mail each time simply asking them to call me.

Called Toshiba support back and convinced them to send me the case notes from the 2nd time I called them.  Then I replied again to the email with case notes included.  Got this reply:


The technicians have tested all the hardware (motherboard, HDD, RAM) and it has passed their testing. They did find that the unit will not boot to windows. When they used one of their test hard drives with a fresh image of windows the unit booted to the OS multiple times. If the unit shuts down and reboots on itself it can be cause by a virus or unauthorized background process.

I will instruct the technicians to retest the unit’s hardware, unfortunately Toshiba’s limited warranty does not cover software reinstallations (page 10 of attached file) and as such the charge for that repair.



I had already done all the hardware testing before shipping them the unit and the laptop never failed to boot to Windows, so no way was I giving them a dime for accomplishing nothing.  Several more emails and a phone call later, I had convinced them I was not accepting their diagnosis.  They kept it for another week and suddenly returned it to me with no notice.  This ought to be fun I thought.

Got the laptop the next day, fired up my phone camera and starting videoing turning on the laptop.  You can see the results here.  Sent another email with a link to the video and got this response:


I saw your video, I’m not sure how that could not have occurred here, the software download alone takes 2 hours so even in that time frame the unit should have shown that error. Like I said previously I had the unit on for more than 48hrs running a burn in test and it remained on the entire time.

I will instruct my shipping dept to email you a label so we can get the unit back here to be taken a look at; I have escalated the issue to one of our Failure Analysis Engineers so he can take a look at the unit.

Regards,
Gabriel Belmonte
Technical Support
408-262-1732


Yeah, I'm not sure how you didn't see that either unless you are blind.

I did not send it back immediately.  I was completely frustrated by the scam that is Toshiba support, so I was going to escalate this.  To make a long story short, there is no escalation path.  Even the arbitration information provided in their warranty was worthless as the company stopped handling consumer complaints and no one at Toshiba could or would provide an alternative.  Filing with the BBB was pointless as well as Toshiba is a paying member.  It's all for show and nothing comes of it.

So I grudgingly sent the unit back to the repair depot.  This time they had it less than 24 hours and returned it.  Pulled it out of the box and the packing slip stated they replaced the power button.  Sure enough, the strip that includes the power button had the thin plastic cover they use to protect new equipment.  And I'm happy to report there have been no shut downs since receiving it back, a good month later.  So apparently, the "failure analysis engineer" immediately recognized the problem and replaced the failed component.  Want to share that with your front line support?  But then, they couldn't extort money from you.

If I got it fixed, why am I so irate about Toshiba?  Put the average person in my position.  They would not have done any of the troubleshooting to determine the problem was not Windows, reimaged their system for no reason and when the repair company asked for money, they would have handed it over not realizing it wouldn't solve the problem.  And they would probably keep giving them money for some time before realizing they had been duped (if they ever did).

That's the definition of a scam, right?  So I will not subject anyone I know to that hassle.  Toshiba will have to completely change their support process/vendor before I'll recommend anything they make.