Hanging on the line angers PC buyers

Thousands of people are likely to take the plunge into personal computer ownership as Christmas approaches. But be warned - if you're new to the PC world, back-up service and advice tend to come in very handy when you're sitting at home and the software programme you've set your heart on refuses to launch.

PC manufacturers offer their customers differing levels of service and support, much of it telephone-based. Computer makers generally support their own hardware - the physical box - free of charge for the length of a warranty, or for an unlimited period in the case of Gateway 2000 and Dell. Software tends to have shorter support times, generally expiring about 30 days after the PC has been delivered to your home. Increasingly companies are charging their customers for any advice or support offered outside the warranty period.

There is one exception however. Gateway 2000 offers unlimited hardware and software support for the lifetime of the products it sells. This is a generous deal indeed, which gives it an attractive advantage when shopping around. The sales staff will tell you they offer the most extensive support from a direct PC maker. Unfortunately, there is a downside which Gateway is only beginning to address. Its support phonelines are continuously inundated with a multitude of queries and problems leading to extremely long waiting times for service.

One of the most frequent complaints Technology in Business receives is the quality of telephone support at Gateway. It is not uncommon to hear about people waiting on its freephone service for up to one hour before their problem is dealt with. According to Mr Mike Maloney, marketing manager at Gateway Ireland, this problem is largely due to peak time calling, usually in the evening between 5.30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

"Gateway is not responsible for third-party software which customers try to install on their machines. Despite this 40 per cent of our calls are driven by third-party software queries, and we retain a policy of never turning a query away and always trying to assist the customer."

Another source of frustration, particularly for experienced PC users, is being queued on "conference calls". There are 10 in total, each allotted to the top 10 problems, including Windows 95 and modems. Callers sit in with about 10 others and listen to a technician dealing with each person's query in turn. This is designed to serve as a learning process for the customer who can share other people's experiences, and maybe even fix their own problem by listening to what's being said. However, it can also prove quite time consuming.

"Conference calls just don't work for a business or PC enthusiast whose level of competence is higher. We are trying to push these people towards the Web where comprehensive information applies case-based reasoning to people's problems," says Mr Maloney.

Gateway is currently reviewing service and support it offers because it is concerned that customers' genuine Gateway-related problems have no way of getting preferential treatment. This is intensifying, says Mr Maloney, as people are increasingly experimenting with add-on applications like voice-recognition software, digital cameras and the Internet. Because a lot of software is not very well designed, it fails to integrate easily with other programs and can often prove particularly difficult to fix.

"People want guaranteed service levels so we can diagnose their problems quickly. We may have to go back and restructure our offering, and segment some of what we offer from a technical support standpoint. We might consider a pay line supported by Gateway for non-Gateway related problems. We could also segment our service to meet varying levels of competence," says Mr Maloney.

Gateway is in the process of introducing new technology which arranges call-backs for people ringing into a peak-time log jam, which may alleviate some of the frustration of long waiting periods.

It might also be a good idea to ensure adequate helpdesk staff during peak periods. But, as with all PC makers, Gateway has seen the average PC selling price drop about 15 per cent in the last year. It has had to shave costs and is currently only making about 5 per cent on each PC sold. The unrestricted service it offers no longer seems tenable.

According to one employee, Gateway is also feeling the brunt of the skills-shortage problem. "The turnover is ridiculous because the pay is relatively low. Technicians, who often don't come in with IT backgrounds, tend to get trained up and work for about six months before moving on to their choice of good-paying job."

Most people can sort out their problems relatively quickly but it seems that some who encounter difficulties end up with a series of complaints. This may be attributable to a practice known as "schmooing", where the customer gets passed around the call centre. Employees have to take a certain number of calls each day, and can be disinclined to spend a significant amount of time on any one problem.

Customers who prefer to get a technician to fix their computer, rather than do it themselves over the phone, will welcome Gateway's decision to open a number of retail outlets, complete with service desks and technicians based on site. Mr Maloney says a new shop will open in Dublin next year.

Meanwhile, as Gateway moves to rectify its shortcomings - which it seems determined to do - customers might do well to heed the advice of an IT manager in a large organisation. He recommends calling the support desk and establishing as quickly as possible whether the person at the end of the line has any idea of what they are talking about. If not, hang up and call back. There are still plenty of excellent, helpful people working out there.