Two simple problems with my Laptop 16 DIY as delivered… 1. Framework used a short screw in hole 12 instead of the required longer screw as used in hole 13. This screw cannot find purchase in the mating surface, and was delivered unattached. 2. The mid plate is scratched and bent in non-symmetrical fashion which indicates a damaged one was installed. The bend in the plate may be caused by the incorrect screw #12, but that is uncertain.
Two weeks ago, I identified this in a support email, then sent in many pictures and videos and fully described the issues and reasonable resolution options. Subsequently, Framework has delayed response, unnecessarily requested further information, and refused to connect in a fashion such that we can interactively resolve any necessary outstanding questions.
Add in, even though framework is sending out support responses with tracking data, they are unable to link responses to initial support requests, indicating they are not using a professional support ticketing system to manage their communication even though it appears they only provide email support - which is itself is ridiculous and unprofessional.
Add in, every email response is delayed up to several days, clearly they were unprepared for the launch of the Laptop 16, even though they themselves set the delivery rate.
All-in, Occam’s razor indicates this is an intentional situation, and thus bad faith on Framework’s part to deny me a reasonable (cheap, easy, quick) fix for a possibly critical but minor manufacturing defect on my Laptop 16.
As a many FW laptop purchaser, and former personal evangelist for the products, I hate to do this, but at what point do I need to consider this situation critical and proceed with a charge back on this $2000 non-functional and unsupported purchase?
Hey Mark,
I’m sorry to hear that you received a Framework Laptop 16 with issues. I understand that you’ve already contacted support for resolution. Since you shared that you had a bad experience with the support, I investigated to see what went wrong.
I understand that you contacted the support team on April 15th (exactly one week ago), reporting the issue with the mid plate and screws.
After their initial response (on April 15th, the same day), you replied back on April 18th, 3 days later. Since you replied to this email using another email address, the support team had to confirm your identity to ensure they were still speaking with the same customer (hence the verification and additional information requested). I see that they replied back on the same day (April 18th), and you provided the requested information on April 19th.
After the verification was completed and the support team confirmed that they were still speaking with you, they required additional pictures to understand the problem. Since they were not able to identify the issue from the initial pictures or they wanted to confirm which parts needed to be replaced to solve this issue, they requested these pictures on April 19th.
I also see your last reply on April 22nd (today), showing your frustration with this support interaction, just like you have expressed here.
While I definitely understand that receiving a product with issues is not ideal and communicating with support is not usually a very fun thing to do, I do not see any late replies from support (they replied back to every single one of your emails on the same day) or any unnecessary requests or questions from their end.
I understand that you requested a phone call from the team to solve the issue as well; however, at this moment, we are providing support via email.
If you wish to proceed with the part replacement, you can reply back to the support email and provide the additional pictures requested.
If not, you can find your return process here.
Please let me know if you have any additional questions or feedback.
Thank you.
No, that’s not correct, and the proof is right there in the support emails. Not sure why your review did not bring that to light. But thank you anyway, because I finally got Framework’s attention, which was the point of the post. From that point forward, without any unreasonable delay, the issue was reviewed and a path determined. I received the replacement parts I was owed, and have returned the defective parts. I consider this issue resolved. Also, thank you, as an unofficial evangelist for the company (on my recommendation, my companies and colleagues have bought many dozens of your laptops), I was receiving some negative feedback that I had up to then largely discounted. Now, though, I know directly how Framework treats its customers in support situations, so I’ve retracted my investment opportunity support for Framework, and changed that to a wait and see. I love the public philosophy Framework presents. But there’s no room for a company that mistreats its customers even worse than the bad actor existing companies in the sector. I strongly hope Framework rethinks its support philosophy and refactors its processes to effectively support its customers. --Mark
I do find it interesting that Destroya updated this case 9 days ago. You never responded.
You mention that what he says is inaccurate (I assume regarding time frame). But never provide proof. He provided dates and information without sharing customer data - if he is lying - and I assume you “kept the receipts” and are mad enough to prove it based on your current replies… but you never did.
I went hard on support in my one ticket (I needed a simple question answered and level 1 wasnt prepared to assist with linux related questions) - but they were prompt, and when I asked to close the case they provided even more support with their escalation tech who helped me confirm my own findings. my point here is that support did a great job in helping me even once I said I no longer needed assistance - giving extra effort to ensure that there wasn’t an issue
Support is a tough job and the level 1s likely have limited deviation in order to get an issue to escalation.
Just my 0.02
If you’re invoking Occam’s razor, you infer that bad faith is the most likely hypothesis for the reason you received unsatisfactory support. What other hypotheses did you consider?
The first one that comes to mind for me is that they are a small company with a large workload. You say they seem to have been unprepared for the influx of support cases after the rollout of the FL16. If this is the case, it may point to a variety of errors of management, such as poor planning (not hiring enough staff), or an underestimation of the number of support cases they would receive (over-optimism). Or it may suggest that the company is not currently in a strong enough financial position to hire any more support staff. Or perhaps they are trying to do so, but are having trouble sourcing staff.
Any of the above reasons could lead to a support team that is overwhelmed, and it seems strange to me to consider bad faith (deliberately not hiring enough support staff) to be the most likely reason for this.
I admit that if I was the one who felt frustrated as you do, maybe I would see the situation as you see it. But I have seen a few other posts here where someone appears to be imagining Framework as a much larger company than they are. This is not Dell, Apple or Lenovo. They are a relatively tiny company, and I think it’s important to remember that when making judgements about their actions and performance.
That 9 days are the ~7 days for Framework to ship the replacement parts to me, then 2 days for me to complete the assembly of my laptop and verify it appears initially functional. During that time, I had conflicting responses from multiple Framework employees, and chose to keep my mouth shut until I had conclusive information.
Correct, I intentionally did not provide “proof” because it is a he-said she-said situation based on emails that anyone could doctor. The original responder does have access to my original emails and so should be able to refer to them and see the mistakes.
Thanks for responding.
Thanks for responding.
I considered many good faith options first, wanting and hoping that to be the case, but it very clearly wasn’t. How Framework has designed and staffed their support methodology is intentionally anti-consumer. I make this analysis as an IT business owner, who has done this very work myself.
I’ll choose at this point to not detail my analysis. I don’t wish to belabor the points. My post (and the several other outreaches I performed) got the attention of the right people at Framework, and caused the situation to be resolved satisfactorily. I do despise that I was forced to that action in order to move the process forward. But it was very clear at that time to be necessary to prevent myself from being a casualty of Framework’s support system.
That all being said, I do genuinely hope Framework turns around their support methodology to be pro-consumer. It’s possible, and I think necessary for Framework to have the impact it, and all of us early-supporters, wish for it in this sector.
–Mark
I am glad that you got things resolved, but feel compelled to note that you are making a lot of assumptions that may not be correct.
Have a nice day.
Thanks for your comment. Are there assumptions? Is that not an assumption in itself? Ah Ha! The truth is, sure, there are a couple of assumptions. I have direct experience with this process, copious notes, analysis notes, significant expertise with support methodologies, and feedback from Framework support managers themselves, so I think my assumptions are minimal and or inconsequential. But, of course, each of us must take our own council. Good day!