Decided to write it in a form of travelog.
So. We have:
a faulty Dell XPS M1330 laptop with NVIDIA GPU issue, bought in US, currently in Japan
We need:
to replace motherboard under extended warranty
Step 1: Contact support
We start at Dell website, where we acquire phone numbers for US and Japan support lines.
Failure: Call to Japan lines reveals need to input Express Service Code to be allowed through the automated message.
Step 1.1: Find Service tag and Express Service Code
After a long search on US website we find vague instructions about tag which supposed to be on the backside of the laptop.
Step 1.2: Figure out correct tag
Attached picture shows not one but THREE tags, with numbers blurred out and correct one not separated from others at all. On top of that, correct tag is shown vertically, along with another, incorrect one. The only tag visible horizontally is Windows license tag.
Step 1.3: Find anything resembling that tag on the actual laptop.
Failure: A stripe of white paper is where tag was supposed to be.
Step 1a: Contact support (without service number)
Step 1a.1: Find any other means of contact on Japanese site
Failure: email requires service number.
Step 2: Use online chat feature on US site (general support)
Failure: service number is required.
Solution! Enter random numbers until one is accepted and chat session is initiated.
Step 2.1: Provide support with means to find your service number
Old emails are searched, Customer Number and Dell Purchase ID is procured. Support was able to provide us with Service tag number and Express Service code.
Step 3: Contact Dell support in Japan to have motherboard replaced.
Support line is called, Express Service code is input….
Failure: Express Service Code is not recognized.
Step 3.1: Contact online consultant from Japanese site (XPS support)
Failure: Express Service Code is not recognized.
Use random number that worked on US site.
Failure: Express Service Code is not recognized.
Step 4: Contact online consultant from US site (XPS support)
Step 4.1: Wait to be connected
Went from 20 to 7 in 20 mins, after which queue number wasn’t updated for 30 mins and chat request had to be restarted. Got from 25 to 14, gave up.
Step 4.2: Try general chat
Connected immediately. Rep tried to say that we’re in the wrong chat, requested help with the number, sent to XPS chat, got disconnected!
Step 5: Try XPS chat while restarting general
After 40 minutes in queue XPS chat goes through!
Step 6: Explain the issue to Indian supporter
Suggestion to address Japan Dell Support.
Step 7: Explain supporter that it’s impossible to contact Japan Dell Support
Offered a direct support number which will not require Service Code.
Failure: Offer forgotten as apparently such number doesn’t exist.
Step 8: Get supporter to request contact from Japanese support or organize delivery
Supporter started going to various manuals, asking questions such as “Did you run diagnostics?”, “Did you check your bios?” despite being told previously that due to video chip failure nothing is displayed on screen AT ALL (well, aside from multitude of vertical lines).
Failure: Apparently they have no ways of contacting Japanese support or in any way affecting them, they have to be contacted directly (which we cannot do for above mentioned reasons).
Step 8a: Meanwhile, in general chat…
We’re told that only hardware is under warranty, so technician visit will have to be paid.
Step 9: Call international support line
Since initial warranty wasn’t international, we need to transfer it to Japan, which we explain to supporter on the phone.
Step 10: Refuse to buy a year of international warranty
Repeat step 10
Repeat step 10
Repeat step 10
Finally, suggestion to buy a one-time support deal on site! Scream that yes, YES we want to buy it but we CAN’T! We’re now informed that we need to call another number to deal with this. Number and extension is confirmed several times with the person on the phone
Step 11: Call offered number
Failure: Extension doesn’t exist!
Step 12: Back to online chat
Two options:
1. Buy motherboard from Dell (even though it’s supposed to be covered by extended warranty? what?), have it sent to Japan, have Japanese tech come and replace it.
2. Transfer warranty rights to Japan, have motherboard covered by warranty, have Japanese tech come and replace it.
Easy choice!
Step 13: Transfer warranty to Japan
To transfer warranty to Japan, we need…. to call Japanese support.
Step 13a: Miraculous transfer of warranty!
Turns out US support CAN transfer rights to other countries after all.
Step 14: Finally send mail to Japanese support
This was already late at night – around 5 am Japanese time, after about 6 hours of uninterrupted support struggle. So next step came almost instantly, even though it took several hours for Japanese support to reply to mail.
Step 15: Get Japanese support reply
Their ruling is that after rights transfer everything will be done.
Stay tuned for updates 🙂 Laptop is not working, so updating from lounge PC. Thank god we have one in this house 🙂