Bad Customer Service (CISCO)

I bought a Flip videocam which was highly recommended on the user reviews. The videocam was easy to use and satisfactory. Unfortunately, it stopped working after two weeks.

I called the manufacturer CISCO on its warranty. I had a difficult time. Here is my experience:

a. It was difficult to communicate with the call center (which was outsourced overseas)
b. Much time was spent to spell out the details for the call center staff to record into their system.
c. I was asked later to detailed form on another website.
d. There was some fault in the computer system that garbled up the details.
e. When I appeared at their agent to get a replacement videocam, the staff was quite rude and unhelpful.

I do not know why a high-tech company like CISCO make it so troublesome to the customer to have a replacement of a faulty product. The technology is supposed to make life easier for the customer, but it actually made life more difficult by passing the hassle of the paperwork to the customer.

Compare it with the "old fashion" way. If I buy a product from a retail store and it is faulty, I bring it to the retail store. They will check the date of purchase and confirm that it is faulty and replace it. They will do the paper work later and does not involve the customer in this hassle.

Tan Kin Lian