The Dublin computer company Gateway 2000 was ordered to pay £600 to a customer who complained about inadequate back-up service.
A retired bank official, Mr Fergus Hand, told the Small Claims Court in Dublin yesterday that the company's slogan, "You've got a friend in the business", was "just a sham".
He told the court he paid £1,714 for a new Gateway computer in November 1996. His problems started less than three months later, leading to the company replacing the product. The CD-Rom drive failed and later the hard disk drive also failed, causing him to lose all his records.
He tried to get in touch through Gateway's free-phone back-up number, but could be left holding for up to an hour, and when he got through he was passed around to different people.
He was told the back-up personnel could only take calls - not ring people back. He took to writing letters - 10 or 11 in all - and got just one reply by fax on St Patrick's Day last year.
"The main thing that persuaded me to buy through Gateway was that they go on about their service, but it was not a very professional service."
Mr Barry Nelson, Gateway's Europe, Middle East and Africa group counsellor, said the lack of response to Mr Hand's letters may have been caused by a mix-up over the name entered on the company's records, which was Hanlon initially.
He denied, however, that Mr Hand had not received any backup, as there was a computer log of 35 phone calls, including four made by Gateway personnel to him.
He claimed the failed CD-Rom may have been caused by overuse, which can burn it out.
Problems which Mr Hand had with the software were a matter for the software manufacturers - not Gateway.
Judge James McDonnell said Mr Hand did not get the service he contracted for, and he was entitled to succeed in his claim for £600 to allow him to go to another service provider.