One City Had Several Returns for Each Type of Personal Tech Device In Their Product Line

Every time I read an online review for a personal tech product I just cringe, and I must say I am skeptical regardless of who is reviewing or what they've said. Indeed, I'm sure you've heard by now that there are algorithms which can predict which product reviews are false, and which are legitimate. Unfortunately much of their strategies have been described in the personal tech news, things such as the real reviewer uses more of a personal voice rather than second or third person. Of course, those who are writing fake reviews are now adjusting them to look more like real reviews.

This reminds me much of a cat and mouse game, good guys and bad guys, and the way in which militaries of the world try to one up their enemies with the greatest technologies of the time. Still, that's not the only problem, another one has to do with integrity level of the reviewer. How can you trust someone who is reviewing a product who lacks ethics and integrity?

Not long ago, I was consulting a small personal tech company, and as I was going through their information of product returns, as we were working on a Six Sigma process strategy, I was quite concerned with a couple of cities which had a high returns. One city had exactly 2 returns of each and every single personal tech device in their product line. This was consistent over a three-year period.

Now mind you, this was very rare for the company to have any returns, but to have exactly 2 in the same city over and over again made me stop and wonder if there was really something wrong with the product, or if people were using the product for a couple of days and then returning it. Was there a competitor, or a designer which wanted to survey these devices, and then take them back to the store? Well, the curiosity got the best of me - perhaps I should have been a CSI type crime investigator.

Anyway it turned out there were two individuals in the same city who were competing in the product review categories for personal tech devices online. Each one of them had a blog, and the corresponding blog posts matched the dates of purchase and returns of these products within two-days of each other. In other words these product reviewers were buying these personal tech devices, trying them out, and then returning them.

That's all fine and good, but the company would have sent them devices to test without causing conflict at the retailer. And on the first point; how can you trust someone who would pull such an underhanded trick with such lack of integrity to fairly review any product - yours or the competition? Please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Business Topics. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

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Personal Computer Extended Warranties - Are They Worth It?

The last time you were in a retail establishment and made a purchase and the sales associate asked you if you would like the extended warranty coverage, did you accept? For many products you are routinely asked that question. Why do you get asked that question when you see marketing display slogans and phrases attesting to the quality and performance of that product? There is quite a dichotomy in the selling process occurring here. That's what we're discussing today; extended warranties and other warranty types. You need to understand what's involved in order to make good buying decisions when shopping for a personal computer, while saving your hard earned dollars.

Let's begin by discussing the different types of warranties you will encounter when you're shopping for a personal computer.

Manufacturer WarrantiesExtended Warranties"Mom & Pop" Computer Shop Warranties

Manufacturer Warranties: The standard manufacturer warranty coverage period for most desktop and laptop computers is one year. When calling for service, ensure it's an authorized service center for your brand of PC. You can find this information in the manual that came with the PC, the manufacturer's web site, or from the retail outlet where you made the purchase. Before contacting the service center, make sure you have the model and serial number of the PC since they will ask you for it. Once you have contacted the manufacturer's service center, they will direct you to either ship it to a main repair facility or bring it over to a local computer center near you that is authorized by them to make repairs. The bottom line is make sure you understand the terms of the warranty. Some warranties might include labor but limited parts support. Do not assume they are all one year for parts and labor.

Just as an overall disclaimer about manufacturer warranties, if you ever have a problem with a PC during its manufacturer warranty period, the warranty may be voided if you:

attempt to open the casedisassemble any part of the unitmodify anything, remove a part, and/or install a partupgrade the operating system

The degree of warranty strictness depends on the manufacturer, but the above is quite common for many of the PC manufacturers today.

Extended Warranties: Extended warranties are warranties purchased by the customer at the time of purchase. Contact information should be listed on the paperwork that accompanies your extended warranty purchase. Remember that the repair facility responsible for an extended warranty repair is rarely the same company as the PC manufacturer. For an extended warranty, a service center's response on how to repair your PC can vary from company to company; some will provide outstanding customer service, others may keep you waiting for awhile. Some service centers will dispatch out a technician to your home within a certain time frame, other servicers may ask you to either ship the unit to their facility, or take it to a nearby service center that they have authorized to do their repairs. Still others may even help you solve the problem over the phone, depending on the complexity of the problem.

Remember the following about extended warranties:

They are the highest money maker for many retail outlets, even more of a profit maker than the product itself.
Do not rely or trust what a salesperson tells you about how great an extended warranty is and be careful of the ones who put down the manufacturer's warranty to build up the value of the extended warranty.
Nothing verbal that a salesperson tells you can be legally enforced, but rather what is in writing will be the authority for the coverage terms.
Ask to see what the coverage details of the extended warranty include before buying. If the salesperson cannot provide that information, leave and shop elsewhere.

The ultimate question is should I get an extended warranty for a PC purchase? Statistics of PC servicing show that if a PC is going to break, it usually breaks down in the initial few months of use, which is already covered by most manufacturer's warranties. Once it breaks, it's usually okay for a few years, which would put you out of the realm of extended warranty coverage anyway. The best insurance policy you can have for a PC is simply take good care of it. I've always done that and my PCs have lasted me several years, including the laptops.

"Mom & Pop" PC Shop Warranties: An area of warranty coverage that you should be careful about is a warranty associated with a third-party PC store. They are generally referred to as a "Mom & Pop" computer store from your local area that sells and services PCs, builds their own PCs, and will also build a custom PC to your specifications. Their prices and selection aren't as good as the large retail chain stores, but they are competitive. The area where they make up for this is in the area of customer service. A local PC store that has been in business for a number of years will have good, personalized customer service. Before deciding to do business with them you should find out the following:

Their reputation for backing up service claims by customers is key. Call your friends or coworkers and ask if they have done business with the company. A good rule of thumb is finding out how long they have been in business. If they have been in business for several years, that is usually a good sign.
Evaluate their customer service. Go inside the store and walk around. If asked by a staff member if you need assistance, ask them about their service policies. Find out what types of PCs they offer for sale. Mention some problems that you've had in the past with your PC and see how they respond. Stay in the store for awhile and see how customers are treated that are dropping off or picking up their computers. Does the staff seem knowledgeable, courteous, and have a customer-first attitude?
These companies should have warranties on their PCs as well as providing for refurbished, or reconditioned PCs. Find out what the warranty period is for reconditioned computers. They should have a 90 day warranty if you choose not to purchase their warranty.
Ask the technicians if they are A+ certified, have some computer industry certification, or inquire about their length of experience.
Although being a member of the Better Business Bureau doesn't necessarily indicate integrity, it's a point in favor of them as a viable candidate for your business.
Are they an authorized repair facility for a major PC manufacturer? This is not vital but it's a good indicator of their expertise in the computer industry.

Understand that the validity of their warranty rests with their willingness to support it, which in most cases with reputable shops, is pretty good. Frankly, I have never experienced problems in this area, but I always made sure of that shop's reputation and did my homework before making the purchase.

If you really need to have an extended warranty so you can sleep well there are a couple of ways to get a free extended warranty. Keep in mind that the major credit card issuers have cards that do provide extended warranty coverage for products purchased with the card. Check your card issuer and find out if your card qualifies for it. If it doesn't, you may be able to switch over to another card they issue that does have the extended warranty feature with minimal or no cost to you for the card switch. If you call their customer service they can explain the details of the extended warranty coverage.

Another free extended warranty avenue are the national home shopping clubs. There's a good chance one of them is in your area; check it out and see if they offer a free extended warranty with a PC purchase.

Remember that you can always bank the money that you could have paid toward an extended warranty and save it for a repair down the road, if it's ever needed. But the most important thing you can do is simply treat your PC well, like any other large monetary investment. By taking good care of it, you are stacking the deck in your favor. Treat your PC with respect and it will last you well past the warranty period. Besides stretching the dollars you paid for your PC and getting more than your money's worth, you will definitely sleep well at night.

I write a blog about PC issues, including troubleshooting, and how to best use Windows utilities. You can find it at: http://www.pcjournal.typepad.com/blog

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Is Your Personal Tech Device Alive? How Long Until You Change Your Mind On That Answer?

There is a big debate as to when a computer actually becomes alive. When does it develop its own consciousness? How do you know when that will be? Is it like the definition of artificial intelligence and the Turing Test - being able to fool a human into thinking they are talking to a real person? Because if that is the test, I would say that an Apple iPhone with Siri or even some of these advanced chat bots are already there.

Now then, if you interact with your personal tech device as if it is alive, and treating it as if it is alive or your own personal friend, then in a way you've made it alive in doing so. Yes, this is an intriguing line of philosophy and thinking, and there are two very good books I think you might like to read;

"Simulation and Its Discontents," Sherry Turkle, MIT Press, Boston, MA, 2009, 217 pages, ISBN: 978-0-262-01270-6.

"Evocative Objects - Things We Think With" edited by Sherry Turkle, MIT Press, Boston, MA, 2007, 385 pages, ISBN: 978-0-262-20168-1.

Sherry seems to have been working on these philosophical conundrums for quite a while using her understanding of psychology to interview a multitude of different people on this topic as they use their own personal tech devices, computers, and electronic toys. She's worked with robots that are programmed with human personality traits to really dig into where that threshold lies. That is to say when does your personal tech device, robot, or computer become alive?

Many have said that the answer is; never. But of course, there we go again as you should never say never, therefore I dare to ask you a personal question; how long until you change your mind? And, what would it take for you change your mind on this topic? If you are already talking to your iPhone as if it is a person, asking questions, and getting replies, and the more and more you have a regular conversation with it the more likely you will see it and relate with it as if it was an actual entity.

Surely, you would agree that at that particular point in time judging from our current technological advances in this space, it shouldn't be more than a few more generations of Apple's iPhone series. At the rate they've been coming out with new products that could be as close as just a few years away. Right? Thus, maybe it will be as much as five years away, but it won't be forever, and your first answer just doesn't jive with reality; never say never.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

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