I've used Thinkpads for just about my entire adult life. I've recommended the brand to other people. So when I ordered a new T570 this past May, I thought that I would be getting a solid product with straight-forward and efficient repair options. 

That turned out to be true for about 2 days, at which point the screen just stopped turning on. Okay, I thought, this happens sometimes, and it's frustrating, but I've generally had good results with this company, so I'll let them repair it and give them a chance. I ship it off to the depot on June 16.

Two weeks pass. I hear nothing about my computer, so I give technical support a call. They give a very handwavey answer along the lines of, "Well, it's here, and we can expedite it, but that's all we can really give you." Another week and a half passes. I call back again and hear, "The part that we need to repair your computer is backordered, and we have no idea when it's going to come in. But we can expedite it?"

At this point, I am starting to get pretty unhappy with the company. I contact sales to ask for my warranty to restart when I get the computer back, since I really didn't have the computer at all and am clearly going to lose at least a month on it. They say, yes, that makes sense, here's a new case number for you and a number you can call.

Come July 20, I still don't have any word of when I can expect my computer back. I'm moving in less than a month, so I really don't have all the time in the world to be sitting around waiting for my computer to be repaired - to say nothing of the fact that I expected better, more prompt service from the repair center. I call up sales and complain about how things played out, and am told that, yes, that makes sense, we can have the depot ship your computer back regardless of repair status, we will send you a shipping label, and we will replace your laptop with a new one once you send the original computer back to us.

Today (July 25), I decide I want to check back in on the depot to make sure that they have shipped my computer back, and I'm starting to consider just returning the computer. Lenovo just hasn't been offering me the prompt service I would hope to receive, and I'm being asked to jump through some convoluted hoops just to get back the original product that I should have had over a month ago, without any consideration for the delay I'm being put through. As I talk to various service representatives, I keep being put on hold and then cut off suddenly. This reaches a climax when I am put through to technical support, and am told that because my repair has been expedited, I cannot receive my original machine or any information about when it will be shipped out. I will receive a phone call "within the next 24 hours" from "Terry," the manager on my case who can discuss the details. I'm told that no one else can give me any information and I cannot be given any way of contacting Terry myself.

This really crosses a line for me. If I paid for a product and for the warranty, I am entitled to information regarding the machine. I work - I am not constantly available to talk on the phone at the whim of the company who should be sending me my computer. I expect the customer service channels to be available to let me get that information on my schedule, not on theirs. When I bring up these issues, I'm told that no one else will be able to give me any other information. I get a lot of, "I told you, the case manager will contact you within the next 24 hours" with no apparent understanding that this is not an acceptable solution. I'm then told that's all I'm going to get, and no alternative is available. I ask if there's something I can talk to about the quality of customer service I'm getting and am told, no, everyone would just give me the same response, so there's no point in complaining.

Is this par for the course for Lenovo now? Because I expected better from the company.

Hello mlbrown0, welcome to the Community,

I was able to find you case in the system and wanted to ask if you had received an email informing you of the replacement order number with tracking information.  If you haven't please check your spam folder and if necessary let me know and I'll ask for it to be re-sent.

I have the email with the replacement. That is not the problem. The problem is that I cannot send my original computer back because it is at the repair center. The repair center is refusing to return my computer to me or give me information about that computer.

At this point, I want to cancel the replacement, return my initial computer, and get a full refund.

I need to have a computer within the next 2 weeks. Clearly I cannot count on Lenovo to provide me with that on the schedule I am promised. I need my money back so that I can take my business to a company that will.

Newest update on my computer:

I was told by no fewer than 2 representatives that they would/had talked with the depot and that my original machine was being shipped back without repairs. I called today to ask what was going on, where is my computer, finally got through to the repair depot, and went through the exact same conversation for the third time. "It looks like the part they need to repair it isn't available right now." "Yes, it was supposed to be shipped back to me without repairs so I could return the machine." "You don't want to wait for the part?" "I've been waiting for over a month and you seem to have no idea when it's coming in. No, no I don't."

At this point, it is a good thing that I cancelled my replacement order, because clearly I would not have been able to return my machine which was dead on arrival. I will need new labels to return my computer now, because Lenovo did not follow through on what they claimed to be doing. I expect a prompt refund for receiving defective merchandise and this ridiculous, horrible customer service.  I am in the process of submitting a report to the Better Business Bureau.

I’ve been trying to get my laptop back from the repair depot for 5 months. Escalated the issue 3 times. No response.

every time I call, I’m promised a callback. I get no callback. 

I’m finally pursuing legal recourse against Lenovo. I think there’s grounds for a class action suit against Lenovo as well b/c they’re having a debacle at their Texas facility at the moment and I’m sure many people like also faced breach of warranty 

Admin edit: email address removed to prevent spambots from harvesting it

Hello @Sven224  welcome to Community,

Sorry to read that you have waited an extraordinarily long time for resolution. I was able to find your service case and reached out on your behalf and believe a colleague has also reached out to you to provide assistance.