Tech. support

[Bill]

I talked to a Lady at CW on Wednesday 3/21/07,
Just to let you know (from what I was told) they just implemented a new system 3/21/07 for Tech. support to leave a message (no need to keep calling) when you call Tech. support and leave a message(Your name, phone number, problem you have) your name and phone number, problem comes up on there computer screen and they can see, hear your message on there computer and your name and phone number, problems are logged in and you will be called back in the order it was received.

[HandTurnedMaple]

That's what I had to do on Monday. After calling and ignoring the message 5 times, it was 4:50 their time so I gave in and left a message. Got a callback on Tuesday 9:30 am. So at least my message got through (before anyone here asks if the system works).

[Bill]

I can confirm first hand there new tech. support system does work and does work well. I had left (one) message yesterday around 5:30pm with my name, phone number and the problem. Tech. support called me back today around 3:00pm and knew my problem. So I know the new support does work. (Thanks CW well done.)

[Tripod]

I wouldnt be so quick to say it's perfect. I recieved my machine on Friday and after reading the manual twice before pulling it out of the box I started my journey with technical support (which is still not complete).

Once my machine was ready for power, I placed the memory card in the slot and gave it power. Well the only thing that happened was the top row of the LCD lit up with darker color blocks. Well after giving it a few minutes maybe I had missed something in the manual, so back to the manual I went. After going through each step again I was on my own as far as troubleshooting.

Even though I have been following the forums for months I had not registered so I decided to register and ask the question here. Well after filling out all the required fields I went to post and the site told me I had to be approved from a site admin before posting. Well at that point I knew I was on my own for troubleshooting. So back to digging on the forums.. and even though the forums might be helpful in the future I couldnt find anything about a new machine having LCD problems. So I call technical support and leave a message, knowing its Friday and I wouldnt recieve a call until Monday.

Well Friday night I was really itching for the machine to work so went back to the work shop and started reading the manual again. Well after reading the forums I had remember one gentlemen having trouble with his memory card and holding it a certain way to get the LCD going. Well I thought what the heck.. so I wiggled, put pressure on, and gently started to pull it out, and low and behold I get "CarveWright Carving Machine". Well I get excited thinking we are on our way to carving.. well.. that's all that would happen.. no matter what buttons i pushed I couldnt get the LCD to give me any options or menu as the manual said it would do. So back to wiggling, putting pressure on the card, and pulling it slightly further out.. and WOW.. I have a menu.. so.. I place a project on the card and go through A-Z again and get back to a menu.... everything is working rocking along I place the board... hit the options in the menu and bingo.. it starts to measure the board running it in and out and back and forth.. Remember at this point I'm in hog heaven. The router kicks on and starts carving my project.. I carves one line and then gives me a error message "reinsert card".. so I wiggle the card get the menu back up and off we go again.. until the router hits the wood.. then error message "reinsert card".. so.. I wiggle again and it goes back to step one( if you remember top row of LCD solid blocks). So at this point i wiggle, put pressure, try to pull out gently again with no luck.

So Monday, I go to work and come home a little early about 4pm CST and call tech support (hardware) and leave another message. Well back on Friday when I couldnt post here I had posted through the CarveWright home page with questions regarding my problems. Tuesday comes along and no phone call all day Tuesday. I come home again a little early and I have a email from Deidra... Here we go... I'm getting somewhere.. She suggest some things in email, so I decide to call again.. and when I did.. I hit the wrong option and went to software.. and Deidra picks up the phone.. So I tell her what is going on and she believes it is a controller card issue however being in software she wasnt for sure. She wanted me to hold on so she could find a hardware guy to help me. So I hold.. Deidra comes back and told me they would need to all me back.. and it should be with in the hour. So I wait.. No Call!!

Wednesday, I go back to work and start calling from work.. after leaving 2 messages that morning in hardware I decide to call one more time and some lady picked up.. well if you remember the email between Deidra and myself I had gained Chris Cupp's name out of it, so when this lady answered the phone I requested to speak with Chris Cupp.. the lady ask me to hold on and I said sure.. well after about 40 minutes on hold.. I was finally hung up on. I dont know for sure what had happened here, however it did sound as if somebody picked up the line and then just hung it up. Well by this time I'm furious.. make multiple calls, go through all the options hoping just to get a live body.. after about the 5th attempt.. I get Deidra again.. I tell her what is going on again and she puts me on hold.. after 5 minutes or less a gentlemen comes on and I explain my problems he advises it could be the memory card or could be the controller card and then went to explain that CarveWright has none in stock and not sure when they will have any and since I have a new machine I probably should take it back to Sears and request a second unit. I waited 3 weeks from the time of purchase just to recieve the machine.. I really didint want to do that.

So.. after talking to the wife about it.. we decided I was going to take the unit back and get our money back and wait 6 months or so.

Today.. I'm sitting in my office and Chris Cupp calls.. I explain to him my frustration (s) and he was in agreement that it was either the memory card or controller card and explained that they didnt have any however last week he had heard they were waiting on a shipment that could come in today tomorrow or next week. Well after talking with Chris.. I told him mine and the wifes plan but he had talked me out of that for at least a week. Chris did want me to do some testing today when I got home..really easy troubleshooting.. just load a project on the card.. since the machine finally did not recognize the card at all. Chris told me once I got home to call him back and let him know if the card accepted the project (it did). Well after him telling me to call him back he advised they had they problems all worked out and so forth, so I agree. Well I get home about 330cst today do as he asked.. and pick up the phone and dial the number. hit option 4 and get the option to leave a voicemail, so I leave a message. (Here we go again). So during all this time.. as I mentioned.. So I email Chris Cupps and advise him of my findings and give him my cell phone number again.. Well.. at 4:57pm I recieve a read response advising Chris has read my email, so I start expecting a phone call.. well.. here.. I sit.. frustrated.. wondering if I should take my machine back to Sears or keep it as a paper weight.

Now, in no way is this intended as a negative email.. and I'm sorry if it appears that way, however to say the process of technical support is fixed... I would have to disagree.. hopefully we are learning from the problems such as I have had and hopefully I get a call back and my machine gets fixed before the wife makes me take my paper weight back to Sears for a smaller one.

Thanks,
John

[Bill]

Did I say it was fixed? or did I say that CW does answer your calls in the order they are received and try to give you support over the phone?