Making Headlines

Note to Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale computer repair seekers: Beware of purchasing "next day" warranty repair services.

Why? Look no further than this example.

The "next day" computer warranty repair option for a few hundred dollars extra sounds like a good idea at the time. Given the importance of keeping my laptop up and running, this seemed like a good investment: If something goes wrong with the hardware, it gets repaired the next day, right?

Not necessarily.

To most people, the phrase "next day" might actually mean the computer gets repaired the next business day, but to HP it takes on different interpretation.

Rather than the necessary Boca Raton computer repair being completed at that time so you can get back to work, they will ship you an empty box via next-day delivery. That's it.

At that time it's on you to load your computer into this empty box and drop it off at a Fedex Kinkos, where it gets delivered next-day to the HP warranty repair center. Only then does the servicing and programming required to restore your machine to working order actually begin.

After they've finally repaired your computer, they do ship it to you via next-day delivery, yes. Of course, there is no promise they will do this - finish the actual repairs - in one day. Or five. Or 10. Or 30.

When dealing with a huge company like HP, one figures they're not going to mislead customers with warranty repair contracts' fine print. You may want to think twice and read that fine print before you assume anything of the sort.

Beware of warranty repair services from anyone, and any industry for that matter, and above all else, don't assume words they use mean the same thing to them that they mean to everybody else.

After all, to most people, "next day" does not mean "a month." Does it to you?

Doubtful. So if you decide to opt for this slow-moving and open-ended Fort Lauderdale computer repair option, you may want to consider purchasing the backup computer you're going to need in the interim now.