Msoft: Don't Tell Bill Your 360 Problems

It was a little stunning to learn last week that at least one disgruntled Xbox 360 owner had decided to skip the regular channels when dealing with a burnt out 360 and instead went straight to Bill Gates. Even more stunning, Gates apparently knocked some heads and got the guy sorted out in record time (24 hours).

While Consumerist reader, and Xbox 360 owner, Jon was delighted with the outcome, it seems Microsoft was not so much. Today they've dropped us a friendly note to remind everyone that Bill really isn't your go-to guy for Red Rings of Death:

[DarkSniper]

Basically this states that the creator of Microsoft Corporation does not want anything to do with XBOX 360, nor it's customers. How typical. Thankfully, Howard Stringer would not give Dark Sniper this kind of a cold shoulder.

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[rbanke]

eh, i have a ps3. if it ever breaks, im not such an ass that im going to bother the ceo of Sony for personal help. There are proper channels in place for repair, they should be used. People shouldnt be rewarded for circumventing what the majority must go through. Its no different than cutting in line and being let through.

[ruibing]

I've only been a fan of two Sony product lines: MD players and Playstation. I can't say much for Sony as a software developer (Rootkits, SonicStage, and Connect for example), but their hardware products are always solidly designed and built.

[Sarick]

Are you sure?

Seriously, if customer service was doing their job do you think this kid would've wasted his time tracking don Bills email?

It's obvious he was dissatisfied with the proper channels you speak highly about. Otherwise he wouldn't have wasted time writing the CEO.

Let me make one thing clear. People that complain do so because they care about something that their dissatisfied with. He just took steps to make his voice heard. Sure he stepped on a few toes along the way but in the end he finally got the job done.

[rofldings]

I'm really amazed at how Billiam not only read that poor 360 owner's email, but actually helped him out.

That guy is pretty bad ass, can't say the same for the 360's engineering team or M$ for that matter.

[heroman711]

i know man, bill is awesome but can say same bout microsoft

[marinelife9]

That's HILARIOUS! Bill probably got pissed at customer service for not taking care of the guy and threatened to fire the whole lot if he got one more email from a disgruntled user.

[antoinetm]

bill is the man.

but i would be pissed if i was him because that noob posted the email address on the internet.

i would just lock that new xbox and redirect him tru the regular customer service.

[Salvadore]

Was this after his departure from MS or before?

[BrianC6234]

Doesn't everyone know this? Of course he isn't. Bill Gates handles Vista returns. I believe Robbie Bach is now in charge of 360 repairs. I could be wrong though. They might have changed that last week.

But seriously, I knew that would be an issue after that story came out. You help one person and word gets out and soon everyone wants your help.

[name]

It's in my opinion, worth concern how people have grown so comfortable with the failure rate. Seriously, you're not RENTING your console you bought it.

[bozobucketeer]

I think people don't care since...well...it's a free repair. It's an inconvenience, a pain in the ass, but it doesn't cost the consumer anything. Hell, maybe people will actually go outside with their new found freedom. I'd understand your "concern" if people bought their console then had to pay a repair fee, but they don't.

[BloodySinner]

Wow, if that's renting, then I think I'm late on my return date. Considering I've had my console since launch and it's still going strong.

[Sarick]

With todays limited schedules. People don't need any more inconveniences when they just want to kick back relax and play a game.

I don't know how you manage you time but some people buy consoles for entertainment. Not to excercise their communication skills with customer service.

When I baught my console I expected to use it. When it's in the shop I can't use it so thats wasted time I can't enjoy the product I paid for. Every time I sent my console back the investment I paid into my console depreciated.

There's no excuse for this level of failures so stop saying it's an opportunity to get outside etc. This numbing gullible mindset is what holds people back in life. It speaks worlds of optimism for what should normally be considered pessimism. The fact is your getting cheated no matter how you spin it.

[LJWooly]

Bloodmask, it doesn't matter how long you've had your 360 for. No matter how you want to spin this argument, microsoft were still in the wrong for getting greedy, and releasing crappy hardware in return for getting their console out before Sony and Nintendo.

Microsoft were trying to secure a monopoly in the gaming industry as soon as they could at the cost of consumer satisfaction, and that's something that I find it hard to respect them for.

Why defend a company that doesn't give two sh*ts about you? What have you to gain?

[Gamingshouldbefun]

I dont like m$ and I prefer sony any time but this is just retarded, they should just ignore the guy.

but it makes you wonder how he got his e-mail and why would Bill even react to it? something fishy here hehe

[f4nb0i]

A true Champion among geeks :-)

[beoulve]

You know usually the executives really care for the company. If you can get a hold of any executive, they will help you out unless it's your fault to begin with. It's always the customer service people that careless spoiled it all. What they have to lose, just give you crappy attitude and the supervisor don't like it, they just go find another job. Not like their salary is pretty high to make them want to keep the job anyway, but yeah that's why companies now record most of the conversation and fired any bozos around to keep it clean. The one who do this the most win best Customer support. Those who outsource like microsoft and dell will some quality problem.

[BloodySinner]

Why wouldn't you tell Bill your problems? He obviously does a better job than those clueless Xbox service technicians from the stories I've heard.

[beoulve]

yup just like when a kid is misbehaving, all you need to do is tell the parents. The kid will get slap around.

[The_Engineer]

that ever since this story went public, the man has been FLOODED with emails from disgruntled customers??

sheeesh

[Bill Gates]

Once again the BABOONS are left where they belong, out in the cold....AHAAHHAHA

[lawman1108]

Not funny, nothing. That being said, if MS had GOOD CS people like me would not get pissed off. They have lost my 1st 360 (on it's second RROD) and I am at the point that I just want to smash it on you tube when it comes back. I still have my Elite but I am at my witts end over this garbage

[KinGJeFF]

Don't worry, if you do decide to smash your 360 when it comes back from repair, you won't be the first one to destroy their console on youtube :D

[TwissT]

This goes to show Gates s a nice guy it just the other employees at Microsoft are a little greedy and not so friendly. Its nice to see a person getting really good customer service.

[jackdoe]

I think if you get fvcked over by Customer Service, the higher ups are who you are supposed to turn to.

[Skynetone]

when an intire department of trained staff cant sort it out

you just cant get the staff these days

[BrianC6234]

That's not really being fair to the people working at Microsoft. I'm sure they do their best. When Bill says do something everyone stops everything and does it. The rest of the time they're just trying to keep up with all the 360s coming in for repair. It can't be easy to repair them when they have 3,500 repairs come in a day. That's a huge problem.

[TrenchaunT]

That was just ridiculous anyway for the email address to be advertised on the Internet! That's exactly why I wouldn't have helped anyone if I were Bill Gates. And it is incredibly rude to go and bother Bill Gates over the issue. And seriously, the way he thanks Gates is by going and giving out his email address? I don't have a high opinion of Gates, but he at least deserves not to be harassed by every gamer with a problem.

[Coke-a-Cola]

Consumer confidence .

[GlossGreen]

is the perfect person to tell about the problems you've had with the 360. He signed had to of signed off on the design and plan for the system. Who to lay blame upon, but the head of the organization?

[SpaceCowgirl]

This story is cool, but I remember e-mailing bill gates a long time ago, but I simply got an automated response back. It was strange and kind of depressing, maybe because I was using a standard yahoo e-mail address that it got automatically screened.