Surprising number of RMAs being generated by PCS

[nigpd]

My desktop goes back for a second time tomorrow, for hopefully a permanent fix, but that's another story.

The point of this thread is that in the 3 week period between getting the first RMA number and the second RMA number, the number has increased by 670!

On the face of it, that's over 220 per week! If that's true, that is a serious number of returns. I'd love to know the number of new builds being sent out in this time and hence the % that have an RMA.

That must be a massive workload placed on the PCS guys and no wonder RMAs take the time that they do.

 

[SpyderTracks]

My desktop goes back for a second time tomorrow, for hopefully a permanent fix, but that's another story.

The point of this thread is that in the 3 week period between getting the first RMA number and the second RMA number, the number has increased by 670!

On the face of it, that's over 220 per week! If that's true, that is a serious number of returns. I'd love to know the number of new builds being sent out in this time and hence the % that have an RMA.

That must be a massive workload placed on the PCS guys and no wonder RMAs take the time that they do.

PCS do multiple thousands of builds under normal circumstances, recently they’ve been working double shift, so possibly more like 5000 per week?

Plus there have been bad batches of TXm PSUs from Corsair which have caused more problems than normal, Corsair have finally admitted to it.

 

[ubuysa]

I'd also be interested in the number of PCs that are RMA'd and which turn out to be user misoperation?

 

[Martinr36]

I'd also be interested in the number of PCs that are RMA'd and which turn out to be user misoperation?

I should think from some of the posts you see on here at times, that could be quite a high percentage

 

[Gavras]

Another thing to add, not saying that PCS do this, however my previous company and at least 5 suppliers used a single RMA system.

This meant that both external and internal suspect failed parts used the same system.

We would also have a large number of cases where someone would raise an RMA then cancel it, the number remained with cancelled as descriptor.

So unless someone actually knows the factual number of RMA’s and how RMA’s are captured, then the title is totally misleading.

 

[Bhuna50]

Another thing to add, not saying that PCS do this, however my previous company and at least 5 suppliers used a single RMA system.

This meant that both external and internal suspect failed parts used the same system.

We would also have a large number of cases where someone would raise an RMA then cancel it, the number remained with cancelled as descriptor.

So unless someone actually knows the factual number of RMA’s and how RMA’s are captured, then the title is totally misleading.

I think they do do this as when my new laptop failed testing an RMA appeared on my account for the replacement parts to be retested. It’s probably used as part of their audit trail of stock parts as well I assume so that parts get allocated to the technicians.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ubuysa]

99%?






I'm being silly of course...it's not that high....I think a more realistic number would be 98.9%

Many many decades ago I worked in a computer support group as a software engineer. They hired a new guy to handle hardware - he claimed he was really good. He diagnosed a monitor (think green screen small TV) as faulty and shipped it back to the manufacturer with a fault docket that said 'display too dim'. Fortunately he was not in the day it came back so we all got to see the fault docket - the resolution was 'brightness adjusted'. And that's a true tale!

 

[Gavras]

Many many decades ago I worked in a computer support group as a software engineer. They hired a new guy to handle hardware - he claimed he was really good. He diagnosed a monitor (think green screen small TV) as faulty and shipped it back to the manufacturer with a fault docket that said 'display too dim'. Fortunately he was not in the day it came back so we all got to see the fault docket - the resolution was 'brightness adjusted'. And that's a true tale!

We had thousands of ‘operator‘ injected faults raised by aircrew.

Radar Inoperable , - fault confirmed, radar inoperable in OFF position, switch set to ON, fault cleared.

Or Refuelling probe not deploying - Fault Invest carried out, No probe fitted (as per limitations signed for by crew...).

System fault - crew replaced - fault cleared.

The list would just go on and on.


Its amazing what faults can be raised, in last job we had engineers with a 89% No fault Found rate, as in parts they returned were nearly almost serviceable, quite handy when you needed to reduce headcount.

 

[AgentCooper]

 

[barlew]

We had thousands of ‘operator‘ injected faults raised by aircrew.

Radar Inoperable , - fault confirmed, radar inoperable in OFF position, switch set to ON, fault cleared.

Or Refuelling probe not deploying - Fault Invest carried out, No probe fitted (as per limitations signed for by crew...).

System fault - crew replaced - fault cleared.

The list would just go on and on.


Its amazing what faults can be raised, in last job we had engineers with a 89% No fault Found rate, as in parts they returned were nearly almost serviceable, quite handy when you needed to reduce headcount.

I have been called to some truly fantastic faults In my time.

 

[ubuysa]

I'm sure you've all already heard the classic (and apocryphal) IT help desk query?

Help Desk: Hello, you're through to ubuysa how can I help you?
Customer: My screen is blank
Help Desk: Can you see the mouse cursor? Does it move when you move the mouse?
Customer: No, I can't see anything on the screen.
Help Desk: OK, lets check that the monitor is plugged in properly.
Customer: How do I do that?
Help Desk: Look at the back of the monitor and you'll see two cables, check that they're both plugged in fully.
Customer: Yes they are.
Help Desk: One cable is the power, it should be going to a wall socket. Is is fully plugged in there?
Customer: Yes it is.
Help Desk: The other cable is plugged in to the back of the computer. Is that one fully plugged in?
Customer: I can't really see it's very dark behind the desk.
Help Desk: Do you have a desk light?
Customer: Yes.
Help Desk: Can you shine it down the back of the desk?
Customer: Oh, it's not working...
Help Desk: Could you turn on more overhead lights then?
Customer: Oh, they're not working either...
Help Desk: Is anything electrical working in your office?
Customer: Now that you mention it, no.
Help Desk: Ok then, I know what the problem is.
Customer: You do?
Help Desk: Yes, but I'm afraid the computer will have to be sent back.
Customer: Oh no!
Help Desk: I'm afraid so. You'll need to pack it all up in a box and include a note for the IT people to tell them what the problem is.
Customer: Oh, ok then. I'll get the box.
Help Desk: Can you write down the note for the IT people now?
Customer: Well it's very dark but I think I can manage.
Help Desk: Ok, write this; "I'm returning this computer because I'm too stupid to be allowed to use one".....

 

[Gavras]

@ubuysa its an old one but a classic.

at the start of lockdown, I had our IT manager call me about one of my team managers.

the manager in question had called up that a specific application was not working, IT had him try various things, then they remoted in to his PC, turned out he did not have the application at all.

hence the call to me, I simply said the person in question was too stupid to be allowed access to any software other than MS paint and had his laptop locked down to pretty much Teams and MS Paint.

my rule is don’t let stupid people near IT without supervision or a big stick, my preference is always a big stick.

 

[Martinr36]

at the university I used to work at we had an IT technician (who used to be a caretaker), whose stock answer to any problem he couldn't solve within about half an hour was:

"I'll have to take it up to the workshop & re-image it, so you'll be without it for at least 24 hours"

 

[jamiephillips909]

Just yesterday I heard a rattle in one of the drives I was testing when I went to move it into the testing bay. thought that aint right took it to lead engineer who then opened it to find a builder had left his screwdriver inside took it back to the builder to exsplain what he had done who swore blind he had not done this and someone else had built it and stood by his argument till I handed him back his screwdriver with his named etched into it

 

[Bigfoot]

I once had to travel to Plymouth from Southampton to diagnose a fault where the computer wouldn’t print. On the phone I asked them to check that the printer was connected to the computer and switched on. That was too difficult, as they had already switched off the computer, hence the trip.

I also had to travel to Cheshire to investigate a fault only to find that somebody had ’successfully’ connected 2 male 25 pin D connectors. That takes some real skill (and lots of force).

 

[RichardDavies99]

I remember being told by a technician while on work experience that he had a call to a CRT monitor that was reported to be giving off ozone gas. When he arrived there was a pile of dusty paperwork on the top blocking the vents.

He also told me of the infamous technician's story of a CD-ROM drawer being used as a cup holder until it snapped off!

 

[ubuysa]

Back in the late 1970's, and before the IBM PC had even been invented, home computing was a hobbyists thing. Most of us built our own computers, either from commercial kits or home built based around one particular microprocessor or another. I used to help run a home computing club where we'd meet once a fortnight, bring along our latest builds and compare notes, tips & tricks, etc. etc. We also invited new members to come and learn about computers.

I was showing someone really new to computing, and back then this meant that they'd never seen a computer before in their lives. I explained carefully how you typed a command on the keyboard and then pressed the Enter key. "Why do I need to press the Enter key?" one person asked. I explained that you had to do that to send the command to the computer. "But it's already got it" they said. Calmly I said no, it doesn't see our command until we press the Enter key. "But look" they said, "there it is on the screen already!"....

 

[Resistance100]

I remember being told by a technician while on work experience that he had a call to a CRT monitor that was reported to be giving off ozone gas. When he arrived there was a pile of dusty paperwork on the top blocking the vents.

He also told me of the infamous technician's story of a CD-ROM drawer being used as a cup holder until it snapped off!

Well to be fair that's all a CD-ROM drive is good for nowadays

 

[Gavras]

Well to be fair that's all a CD-ROM drive is good for nowadays

Also handy for popping bacon butty on.

 

[RichardDavies99]

I know quite a few home computers were available in kit form, Sinclair had long offered their other products as kits so it's not surprise they carried on the trend.