So, What does it take to get some customer service from Sandisk?

 I’m posting here out of sheer frustration, and yes, I am venting.

   6 days ago I had a 480Gb Ultra II fail.  After a days worth of troublshooting, all results pointing to the unit failing, I submitted an RMA request to Sandisk (drive purchased 30 Nov 2015, so it’s certainly under warranty).  

  For the last 5 days it has been nothing but back and forth emails, asking for answers and information that were all in the initial RMA request.   So what is it with Sandisk!?  Do they play this silly game of email tag, hoping that a person will get frustrated and give up on a warranty issue, rather then issuing the RMA and replacing a failed SSD?  

  This was my first venture into purchasing/using a Sandisk SSD (all other SSDs I own are Samsung or Intel… in fact this Ultra II is the only SSD I’ve ever had that failed), and the horrible customer service I’ve received to this point leans me towards never owning another Sandisk product.

  Is there some “trick” to getting a replacement unit with Sandisk… I’ve never had this kind terrible customer service/support with any RMA, from any other company.   

Hello MTBlades,

I had SanDisk support review your incident and it seems you initiated your support request on Thursday 5/26 and their last correspondence with you was Friday 5/27. Please note that SanDisk Support is closed on weekends and they were also closed in observance of Memorial Day Monday 5/30. Someone should be responding to your support request very soon however if you would like an immediate response feel free to give SanDisk support a call at 866-SANDISK and provide your incident number and they will be happy to take care of you. 

Forum Admin

slotmonsta

1 Like

  Yep!  That’s when the whole fiasco started.  Did they also tell you about all the emails I had to send before they would even issue the RMA?

Thanks for trying to smooth things over…but calling Sandisk is twice as infuriating and playing email tag with them (I did call, and TRIED to speak with someone).  I don’t have the time, nor the willingness to sit around for 40+ mins each time, waiting for someone to answer the call…and then can’t understand the individual.   I tried several times to ask to speak to someone who spoke understandable english…but there was such a communication block that I doubt the individual understood me.

  I did finally get the RMA, shipped the failed drive, and the best information I can now find is that it’s labeled  “RMA STATUS: RECEIVED / PROCESSING”

  According to to shipping records, Sandisk received the shipment on 7 June…

Straight from the sandisk website:

Received / Processing

We have received your defective product and it is currently being processed. Please allow 2-3 business days for your product to be processed and verified.

Product Verified Your product has been verified. We are scheduling an estimated shipping date and have sent it to your email. Please allow 2-3 business days for the replacement to ship out.
Shipped Your product has shipped. A tracking number has been provided by email that you can use to track your replacement at ups.com for delivery updates.

  So, with that information, let’s run the numbers…

Requested the RMA on 26 May…

Was granted the RMA on 31 May…     So, FOUR days to acquire the RMA

 Failed product shipped and received by Sandisk on 7 Jun…   So now we’re at 9 days

 The failed product is currently in the “Received/Processing”, where it’s been for 3 days now (supposedly the max according the the above information), which equals out to at least 5 more days with a weekend in there… so now we’re at 14 days.

  IF the failed product gets to the “Product verified” stage on Monday, then it’s another 2-3 days for the preplacement product to ship (again, according to the “Verified” information from Sandisk… so now we’re at 17 days…  OH! but wait, the replacement isn’t actually SHIPPED out…its mearly SCHEDULED… so add another 2-3 day… now we’re at 20 days! 

  So IF the replacement gets shipped, and let’s be conservative and say the shipping will take 5 days (in my locale, UPS is normally 5-7 days from the Wisconsin address) so now we’re at 27 days

  So…let’s look at it in REAL TIME as in COMPUTER/PRODUCTIVITY DOWN TIME for a computer waiting for a replacement for a failed drive that is under warranty.

Actual calendar time, in the best case scenario adding the weekend/non-business days, Now we’re at 35 calendar days to replace a failed product under warranty…   Again, that’s assuming that Sandisk is going to follow their own advertised time tables as to the RMA porcess.    

 Pretty pathetic.   I can, and have gotten better customer service from Ebay sellers!   I’ve learned my lesson with Sandisk… either consider the item as a “throw away”, or steer clear of buying their products.  

Hello MTBlades,

I spoke with SanDisk RMA team today and your replacement will ship today with UPS 2 day delivery. You should receive tracking information once the product ships. 

Forum Admin

slotmonsta

 So, is that what you tell folks to placate them?   No email/notice of anything from Sandisk, and the RMA is still listed as 
“Received/Processing”.   According to your reply… it should have shipped YESTERDAY.   Nice try.   

Hello MTBlades,

The replacement product was shipped and an email was sent to you with tracking information. If you did not receive it please check your spam folder. I have PMed you the tracking info. The package is scheduled for delivery 6/16

Forum Admin

slotmonsta

 

Yes, it did ship, but a day later then you indicated.   That being what it is, I have to retract  the numbers I previously wrote… IF it shows up today, rather then the 35 days I speculated/guessed, it will have been 21 days to get a failed SSD replaced… that is IF it was actually replaced…it’s yet to arrive, so it remains to be seen whether I will actually receive a BRAND NEW or a “regurbished” product… or something else.

  Although the process has taken less time then I estimated, it’s still a seriously frustrating/time consuming process trying to get a RMA from Sandisk, and get something covered under warranty/through the process.   

 Out of several situations where I’ve had to RMA failed componenets for replacement, Sandisk has been by far the most difficult, most time consuming, and the most frustrating of them all.  

  We all come at things through the lens of our experiences, and to date, Sandisk has proven to offer the poorest customer service/support I’ve experienced.  With all the component companies out there, why would I purchase from one that has proven to be the least  in terms of customer care/support?   

The tracking information shows the package is out for delivery today. The product you will receive may or may not be in retail packaging depending on what stock was available in the warehouse however the product is new and not refurbished. 

Forum Admin

slotmonsta