Microsoft Store staff have no clue...

[mitchellvii]

Guys, lets stay on topic here. We are ranting about Microsoft Store's failure to adequately train their sales/technical staff in the basics of their flagship products, not slamming other valuable contributing members.

Just as a sidenote. The actual commissioned salesperson I spoke to clearly was interested in only telling me what I wanted to hear and not the facts. He wanted me to buy a docking station, period.

Here's how the conversation went:

"Hi, I just spoke with customer service and they told me that the SP3 docking station has a viewing angle of 45 degrees. I just wanted to confirm that with you before making a purchase."

"Well sir that's great, what is your name and phone number?"

"Why do you need that? Can you please just answer my question?"

"Ok, well I can make you the sale right here. Let me check on that information for you. (5 seconds later), Yes sir, it is 45 degrees, can I ring that up for you?"

In other words, he didn't check, he just told me what I wanted to hear to make the sale.

Lame.

 

[hughlle]

That is indeed pretty low. But unfortunately almost always the case. Finding a salesman with integrity is like finding hens teeth. It's just not in their interest to tell a customer not to buy something, and very few will actually be straight with a customer, as it can often come back to haunt them. That definately is a case of customer service completely sucking, which is a shame given how much MS have tried to get people to be happy with this device.

Would be interesting to call back from a different number, and do the exact same thing but state that you've been told its 55 degrees, and see if it goes exactly the same way.

 

[bluegrass]

If enough people need & want the docking station and aren't willing to use it with a monitor, someone will come up with a connector cable to connect the SP3 to the docking station so you can use the SP3 at any angle the kick stand allows.

 

[mohcho]

WHAT?!?! CHICKENS DON'T HAVE TEETH??!?! That's what the farmer told me!

Anyways, wouldn't the SP3 dock have the same angle as the SP1/2 dock? I doubt they would retool the design outside of the difference in size of the dock.

 

[mitchellvii]

My only guess on MS's use of 64 degrees for the docking station is that everyone in MS engineering is 5'4". For $200 couldn't they have made the dock angle adjustable? Seriously, instead of a solid block of plastic, how about a hinged block of plastic? The electronics would work just as well and they would have my $200 instead of listening to me complain about it online.

 

[mitchellvii]

WHAT?!?! CHICKENS DON'T HAVE TEETH??!?! That's what the farmer told me!

Anyways, wouldn't the SP3 dock have the same angle as the SP1/2 dock? I doubt they would retool the design outside of the difference in size of the dock.

Dunno. Surprisingly hard to find out. Thought (foolishly) that someone at MS would know.

 

[GreyFox7]

My only guess on MS's use of 64 degrees for the docking station is that everyone in MS engineering is 5'4". For $200 couldn't they have made the dock angle adjustable? Seriously, instead of a solid block of plastic, how about a hinged block of plastic? The electronics would work just as well and they would have my $200 instead of listening to me complain about it online.

Except they are not listening...

Plastic??? Oh no... I thought it was titanium or magnesium or tin or something.

 

[mitchellvii]

Except they are not listening...

Plastic??? Oh no... I thought it was titanium or magnesium or tin or something.

Lol, pretty sure the dock is plastic. I was hoping for Kryptonite since Superman has been bugging the sh*t out of me ever since I borrowed his cape.

 

[mohcho]

That's why they made the SP3 with the adjustable hinge.

I think you have higher expectations for the workers in the store. I am the kind of shopper that researches everything BEFORE I walk into the store, so when I am there and the store staff are simply reading the label that's in front of us both, I simply decline their help or only ask a question that I think they might have some knowledge about.

 

[jnjroach]

Big point of clarification, if you call the Microsoft Store or Use the Online Microsoft Store, it is run by Digital River ( same company that handles Education Sales and Digital Downloads). They are not MS Employees. The Employees in the Brick and Mortar Stores are Microsoft Employees and Tech Support are as well...

 

[hughlle]

If enough people need & want the docking station and aren't willing to use it with a monitor, someone will come up with a connector cable to connect the SP3 to the docking station so you can use the SP3 at any angle the kick stand allows.

Hopefully that is the case. But at present it's hard enough just to find a power cable for an eternal battery that doesn't cost $100

 

[iDatus]

its not plastic. Its hollow and made of magnesium or aluminium I think. I'm sure I've seen a video somewhere. ow here it is

Also if you want to tilt it closer to you just get some sticky pads for back of base. you can get very thin to chunky.