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Why is Asus Tech Support so bad?

Brighttail
Level 11
I love Asus products, I really do. I have been using their motherboards for over 15 years and have currently in use 5 motherboards, 4 GPUs, 4 keyboards, 4 mice, 3 monitors and a laptop. They are a top notch company ... when their products work. Sadly, being electronics, they don't always do so and when help is needed one must contact technical support, and that is where the nightmare begins. I really dislike calling technical support. I build computers and have supported Dell, Microsoft, HP and Compaq computers in my career. I pride myself on being able to take the standard (and non-standard) troubleshooting techniques, to try and resolve my issue so I don't HAVE to call support. So if I'm calling support it is because something is majorly wrong.

When it comes to motherboards, I understand there can be a whole slew of things that can go wrong and they want to make troubleshoot everything before authorizing an RMA. The problem is, they ask you to do things that simply aren't reasonable, like, "Take the motherboard out of the case and put it on a box to ensure it isn't being shorted out." While on the surface this may seem to be a reasonable request, but if you have been using the motherboard flawlessly for 5 months and there hasn't been any indication of a short prior to this instance and you haven't changed any hardware or even gone into the machine during that time, this is not a reasonable request. It is even more unreasonable when you have watercooled the entire thing and complying with such a request would take an entire day of tearing it down, testing and another day to put it all together again. Personally I only want to do that ONCE, like when a replacement board is coming.

Their tech support is like many others in the industry. You describe a problem and they type that problem into a computer. The computer's INTRANET spits out a list of possibilities and fixes in which they must go through each to check things off one at a time. If you have already done any of these things, the majority of the techs, "want you to try again" as if something magically has fixed itself during the hour you last tried it and were waiting on hold to talk to them. Now not all techs are equal and to be fair there are some that can think outside the box, realize I know what i"m talking about, trust that I have done the majority of troubleshooting techniques and we can move to more advanced things like flashing the BIOS with a few different versions to see if the problems persist.

One nice gentleman was with me 30 minutes and basically said both BIOS chips were pooched, possibly one of the memory slots is bad and I needed a new board. GREAT! I have two choices at this point. Send the motherboard back and they will attempt a repair and send it back or if they can't repair, send a refurbished one. Alternatively, I can put a hold on my credit card for the value of the board, they will send me a refurbished one and when I get it, I send the old one back. Considering I can still use the computer in some capacity I choose the latter. OOPS.. we have no refurbs in stock! But I still can send it in for repair, the tech offers. I ask, "But what if you can't fix it?" He responds, "Then we will send a refurb out to you as soon as one becomes available." This is not a solution and I'm glad I did not go with the first option of sending it back. Considering there are multiple issues and a memory slot isn't something you can just solder on, they would have to most likely send a refurb back to me. Well it has been 2 days short of a month and they still have NONE IN STOCK! If I had sent it back I'd be now a month without my computer at all, still waiting. It is really comical.

I understand why they don't want to send out a new motherboard when they can avoid it. It costs them a lot more to do it, but there comes a point when you spend over $500 on a premium motherboard that you expect premium service. MSI and ASROCK would have had a new one to me by now. I had a 600 dollar memory kit from Corsair go bad, boom new one within 3 days. But not Asus. It is at this point they stop responding to emails and when you call them and they look at your case number, the call suddenly gets disconnected. No one takes responsibility. I tweeted my problems and was told to contact a person directly. No response. I ask to speak with a supervisor, I'm refused. No one is willing to take any responsibility.

Bottom line, in all the times I have contacted Asus Technical support and it has been about a dozen times, not ONCE were they ever able to resolve the issue on the first call. Not once, did I ever come away feeling that I had a good experience. Not once have I ever felt I was valuable to them. Not once have I NOT had to go through hoops and jumps to get a replacement part. For such a world class company with world class products, the support is probably one of the WORST I have ever encountered. At Dell, Microsoft, Compaq and AMEX, if you asked for a supervisor, one got on the phone. I know because I was a supervisor and an Operations Manager and _I_ took those calls and I did so gladly because the customers spend a lot of money with us and they are what makes a company a company.

One last thing, their helpful ROG forums. They tout that their experts are there to help you, but that is false too. They are there if there is an easy question or praise, anything else they are non-existent, just like supervisors and managers. I will say ONE time I was told a supervisor would call me back, they didn't and I was promised another call back. By the third time I had given up when a call came to me. I was elated! Unfortunately I found out later it wasn't a supervisor, it was a second level technician. He did help me but it was 3 weeks of broken promises, ignored emails and about 20 hours of my life I'll never get back. So what you think ... is it time to go to MSI?
Panteks Enthoo Elite / Asus x299 Rampage VI Extreme / Intel I9-7900X / Corsair Dominator RGB 3200MHz

MSI GTX 1080 TI / 2x Intel 900p / Samsung 970 Pro 512GB

Samsung 850 PRO 512GB / Western Digital Gold 8TB HD

Corsair AX 1200i / Corsair Platinum K95 / Asus Chakram

Acer XB321HK 4k, IPS, G-sync Monitor / Water Cooled / Asus G571JT Laptop
903 Views
21 REPLIES 21

Here my "short" horrible Story about Customer Service ...:

I bought an Asus ROG Strix Z270E Gaming Motherboard and at the start, it working very well. But now, about one year later, Software Updates came out only for her products but not for Security Patches like BIOS and Intel Management Engine-Driver especially for this Motherboard-Series...

Okay I wrote via Email to the Customer Service and gets a answer: (sorry for this but is in german, I can translate it but not very good; if someone else here who speaks German / English well, you are welcome to translate it for me 🙂 )

Me:

From: Herr Sven Ullrich
Sent: 2018-09-18 17:55:38
Subject: Motherboard STRIX Z270E GAMING
Apply Date : 2018/09/18 15:55:38.827 (UTC Time)

[Kontaktinformationen]
Vorname : Sven Ullrich
Email : ullrich1989****
Nächstgelegenes Service Center : GERMANY
Telefon : 0162*****

[Produktinformationen]
Produkt : Motherboard
Model : STRIX Z270E GAMING
Seriennummer : GBM0AB3*****
Betriebssystem / Firmware oder BIOS-Version : Windows 10 Pro 64Bit 1803 (17134.286) Intel Management Engine 11.7.0.1054/1824.12.0.1140
BIOS

[Händler Grafikkarte/Modell/Chipset/Treiber]
Mindfactory GmbH

[CPU-Hersteller/Prozessornummer]
Intel® Core™ i7-7700K Prozessor 97129

[Speicherhändler/Modell/Beschreibung]
G.Skill RipJaws V DDR4-3000 DIMM CL15 Dual Kit 16GB (SKU F4-3000C15D-16GVKB)

[Problembeschreibung]
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

im Zuge meiner Sicherheit in der Onlinewelt, möchte ich Sie bitten, dringend die Intel Management Engine zu aktualisieren, da diese eine Sichheitslücke seit über 4 Monaten aufweist. Zudem gibt es kein aktuelles Software Update für das Motherboard, das letzte Update der Intel Management Engine ist vom 26. Dezember 2017 (Intel ME V11.7.0.1045). Wenn ich die Software über die Intel Homepage (aktuell ME_SW_1824.12.0.1140) herunterladen und installieren kann, bitte weisen Sie mich darauf hin. Allerdings ist auch das Bios veraltet (Stand 18. April 2018) und falls Sie mir wenigstens eine Rückmeldung über den verbleib dieses Bios Patches geben könnten, wäre ich Ihnen sehr dankbar. Ggf. ist bereits ein Beta-Update erhältlich, das neuer ist als die Version 1302?

Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Sven Ullrich


Answer:

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
vorab bedanken wir uns für Ihre Anfrage.
Da wurde vermutlich das ME Update noch nicht hochgeladen. Wir geben Ihnen hier einen Link von einem anderen Mainboard mit. Das Tool kann auch bei Ihrem Board verwendet werden. Das Bios ist ok. Da sind die Microcodes schon enthalten mit dem April Bios.

https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1151/B150M-F_PLUS/MEUpdateTool_11.8.55.3510_S.zip?_ga=2.120...

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards

Jorma Kallen

ASUS Technical Support Division
Phone +49 (0) 2102 - 5789 557

ASUS Computer GmbH
Harkortstrasse 21-23 | 40880 Ratingen | Germany
www.asus.de | www.facebook.com/asus.deutschland

Geschäftsführer: Li-Hsiang Chen
Amtsgericht Düsseldorf HRB 43472

Me:

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, sehr geehrte Support Mitarbeiter,

erst einmal vielen Dank für den kompetenten und schnellen Support.

Allerdings muss ich Sie leider enttäuschen, die verlinkte Software für das MEUpdateTool funktioniert mit dem Z270-Chipsatz in keinster Weise.

Zudem sind laut Intel, zwei weitere Sicherheitspatches an die Hersteller der Mainboards weitergereicht worden, wie Sie nachfolgend erkennen können:
https://www.intel.de/content/www/de/de/support/articles/000029386/technologies.html

Ich bitte Sie daher um Rückmeldung diesbezüglich,
da es sich hier um Sicherheitslücken handelt, die mit einem entsprechenden Exploit ausgeführt werden können und für Consumer gefährlich werden kann.

Vielen Dank, mit freundlichen Grüßen

Sven Ullrich



Answer:

Sehr geehrter ASUS Kunde,
vorab bedanken wir uns für Ihre Anfrage.
Die Software ist oft irreführend. Wenn das ME gestartet ist bekommt man oft kein Feedback das etwas passiert. Der Weg ist folgender:

- ME Updater starten, kurz warten
- dann den Rechner neustarten und das Update erneut starten
- dann noch einmal den Rechner neu starten

Sollte es weiterhin Probleme geben dann geben wir das einmal an die Entwicklung weiter.
Sind Ihrerseits noch Fragen offen, wenden Sie sich gerne wieder an uns!
Weitere technische Unterstützung finden Sie auch unter https://www.asus.com/de/support/
Sie erhalten in den nächsten Tagen per E-Mail einen Link zu unserer Zufriedenheitsumfrage.
Ich würde mich sehr freuen, wenn Sie an der Umfrage teilnehmen und meinen Service bewerten

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards

Jorma Kallen


Me:

Sehr geehrter Asus Support, Sehr geehrter Herr Jorma Kallen,

die Software meldet beim ausführen, das diese NICHT mit dem Motherboard kompatibel ist und NICHT auf diesem Board unterstützt wird,
daher ist das ausführen der Software unmöglich. Es öffnet sich auch nichts, was darauf hindeutet, das es ein Update ist, die Version wird
in den Systemeinstellungen ebenfalls nicht angehoben.

Mit freundlichen Gruß,

Sven Ullrich



... to be continued


I bet I will not come to a green branch with this awesome guy...

I have a Rampage Extreme IV Black Edition that has died.. Confirmed also by an ASUS Tech.
Problem, when I went to ASUS online RMA, the request did not complete. ASUS stated that I have an RMA in progress! I've never created an RMA with ASUS for any product.
I called Tech support and explained the issue I have had with this board. After a series of redundant tests they (ASUS) confirmed once again that the board is defective, however out of warranty, but according to ASUS I have a previous RMA. They issued me a reference number which (on their site) indicates does not exist and the email is not correct. I purposely instructed the tech to repeat the email address and I repeated the ref number back to the tech. I am exactly where I was when this board quit 2 weeks ago!

Now I understand everyone's frustration with this company and their support short comings. It also appears that they have no interest going forward to improve what they should have learned form all other complaints.

I'm at a loss!

pbxcomm wrote:
I have a Rampage Extreme IV Black Edition that has died.. Confirmed also by an ASUS Tech.
Problem, when I went to ASUS online RMA, the request did not complete. ASUS stated that I have an RMA in progress! I've never created an RMA with ASUS for any product.
I called Tech support and explained the issue I have had with this board. After a series of redundant tests they (ASUS) confirmed once again that the board is defective, however out of warranty, but according to ASUS I have a previous RMA. They issued me a reference number which (on their site) indicates does not exist and the email is not correct. I purposely instructed the tech to repeat the email address and I repeated the ref number back to the tech. I am exactly where I was when this board quit 2 weeks ago!

Now I understand everyone's frustration with this company and their support short comings. It also appears that they have no interest going forward to improve what they should have learned form all other complaints.

I'm at a loss!


Would there be any support available here or additional help in resolving this issue? Two weeks have passed and I am no further than I was when I posted. I'm running in to one issue after another with ASUS support.

pbxcomm wrote:
Would there be any support available here or additional help in resolving this issue? Two weeks have passed and I am no further than I was when I posted. I'm running in to one issue after another with ASUS support.


If you logged a ticket online and no response then your best bet here is to post in this area that they look at from time to time. Keep in mind this is more of a user self help forum sponsored by ASUS and very few actual ASUS employees ever look here.

https://rog.asus.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?295

pbxcomm wrote:
Would there be any support available here or additional help in resolving this issue? Two weeks have passed and I am no further than I was when I posted. I'm running in to one issue after another with ASUS support.



Your trouble with support is no surprise. After installing their latest 3006 BIOS and finding my overpriced hardware is anything but working as it should and trying for help, no way. The email support sent me back info that is waaay off the mark. If I did anything remotely close to their recommendation it would do nothing, chew through a batch of leisure hours doing needless handy work, and only add to my endless frustration with Asus, at best. I have more than once contacted them by email--with the same result--just having wasted my time. And contacting them via their chat service has been an equally profitable endeavor. I have been cut off more than once while the person looks into the matter, only to see nothing for more than an hour waiting and then to see the window telling me it is closing itself for lack of activity.

Asus spends its money to make their products cosmetically attractive. They spent a ton more on marketing. As for substance like support, software and solid design, the money went to cosmetics and marketing and the bin is dry.

Regarding what I am doing as a result. Next time round I will be voting with my wallet and going with a different maker. And it won't be with one that makes terrible software that they dont fix or one with support that is abyssal even in the best of times.

Arne_Saknussemm
Level 40
It was terrible...now it's getting worse...

I've asked here I've asked tech support...weeks later no answer or the answer "we don't know" about a component of the board!

Sad

HisEvilness
Level 7
They should take some of the marketing money and put it in support and software, that stuff will pay for itself via feedback, reviews and customer buzz online.

XYchromosone
Level 10
I get extremely frustrated knowing that my other hardware from e.g. MSI and EVGA et. al. have recent drivers, however the same hardware from ASUS has had no driver updates this year, the only update is winrar from this year, and this is the latest mobo Z390, so I'm forced to look elsewhere for driver updates. Lazy lazy lazy is the devil's playground.

XYchromosone wrote:
I get extremely frustrated knowing that my other hardware from e.g. MSI and EVGA et. al. have recent drivers, however the same hardware from ASUS has had no driver updates this year, the only update is winrar from this year, and this is the latest mobo Z390, so I'm forced to look elsewhere for driver updates. Lazy lazy lazy is the devil's playground.

When you say "driver updates" are you referring to hardware device drivers or the motherboard BIOS? I prefer to get my drivers updates from the hardware manufactures.

porrado
Level 7
Brighttail wrote:
I love Asus products, I really do. I have been using their motherboards for over 15 years and have currently in use 5 motherboards, 4 GPUs, 4 keyboards, 4 mice, 3 monitors and a laptop. They are a top notch company ... when their products work. Sadly, being electronics, they don't always do so and when help is needed one must contact technical support, and that is where the nightmare begins. I really dislike calling technical support. I build computers and have supported Dell, Microsoft, HP and Compaq computers in my career. I pride myself on being able to take the standard (and non-standard) troubleshooting techniques, to try and resolve my issue so I don't HAVE to call support. So if I'm calling support it is because something is majorly wrong.

When it comes to motherboards, I understand there can be a whole slew of things that can go wrong and they want to make troubleshoot everything before authorizing an RMA. The problem is, they ask you to do things that simply aren't reasonable, like, "Take the motherboard out of the case and put it on a box to ensure it isn't being shorted out." While on the surface this may seem to be a reasonable request, but if you have been using the motherboard flawlessly for 5 months and there hasn't been any indication of a short prior to this instance and you haven't changed any hardware or even gone into the machine during that time, this is not a reasonable request. It is even more unreasonable when you have watercooled the entire thing and complying with such a request would take an entire day of tearing it down, testing and another day to put it all together again. Personally I only want to do that ONCE, like when a replacement board is coming.

Their tech support is like many others in the industry. You describe a problem and they type that problem into a computer. The computer's INTRANET spits out a list of possibilities and fixes in which they must go through each to check things off one at a time. If you have already done any of these things, the majority of the techs, "want you to try again" as if something magically has fixed itself during the hour you last tried it and were waiting on hold to talk to them. Now not all techs are equal and to be fair there are some that can think outside the box, realize I know what i"m talking about, trust that I have done the majority of troubleshooting techniques and we can move to more advanced things like flashing the BIOS with a few different versions to see if the problems persist.

One nice gentleman was with me 30 minutes and basically said both BIOS chips were pooched, possibly one of the memory slots is bad and I needed a new board. GREAT! I have two choices at this point. Send the motherboard back and they will attempt a repair and send it back or if they can't repair, send a refurbished one. Alternatively, I can put a hold on my credit card for the value of the board, they will send me a refurbished one and when I get it, I send the old one back. Considering I can still use the computer in some capacity I choose the latter. OOPS.. we have no refurbs in stock! But I still can send it in for repair, the tech offers. I ask, "But what if you can't fix it?" He responds, "Then we will send a refurb out to you as soon as one becomes available." This is not a solution and I'm glad I did not go with the first option of sending it back. Considering there are multiple issues and a memory slot isn't something you can just solder on, they would have to most likely send a refurb back to me. Well it has been 2 days short of a month and they still have NONE IN STOCK! If I had sent it back I'd be now a month without my computer at all, still waiting. It is really comical.

I understand why they don't want to send out a new motherboard when they can avoid it. It costs them a lot more to do it, but there comes a point when you spend over $500 on a premium motherboard that you expect premium service. MSI and ASROCK would have had a new one to me by now. I had a 600 dollar memory kit from Corsair go bad, boom new one within 3 days. But not Asus. It is at this point they stop responding to emails and when you call them and they look at your case number, the call suddenly gets disconnected. No one takes responsibility. I tweeted my problems and was told to contact a person directly. No response. I ask to speak with a supervisor, I'm refused. No one is willing to take any responsibility.

Bottom line, in all the times I have contacted Asus Technical support and it has been about a dozen times, not ONCE were they ever able to resolve the issue on the first call. Not once, did I ever come away feeling that I had a good experience. Not once have I ever felt I was valuable to them. Not once have I NOT had to go through hoops and jumps to get a replacement part. For such a world class company with world class products, the support is probably one of the WORST I have ever encountered. At Dell, Microsoft, Compaq and AMEX, if you asked for a supervisor, one got on the phone. I know because I was a supervisor and an Operations Manager and _I_ took those calls and I did so gladly because the customers spend a lot of money with us and they are what makes a company a company.

One last thing, their helpful ROG forums. They tout that their experts are there to help you, but that is false too. They are there if there is an easy question or praise, anything else they are non-existent, just like supervisors and managers. I will say ONE time I was told a supervisor would call me back, they didn't and I was promised another call back. By the third time I had given up when a call came to me. I was elated! Unfortunately I found out later it wasn't a supervisor, it was a second level technician. He did help me but it was 3 weeks of broken promises, ignored emails and about 20 hours of my life I'll never get back. So what you think ... is it time to go to MSI?


I bought a gaming laptop from ASUS 4 month ago... The store lied about it having warranty and when I talked to ASUS they told me that yes indeed Im out of warranty and that if I want my lptop fixed I will have to pay for it .. SO I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS OF A DAMAGED LAPTOP THAT THEY SOLD ME? ITHE LAPTOP GPU WAS DEAD SINCE DAY 1! WTF!!? Now I have to pay for your **** ASUS? WTF ****ing scammers man... They deserve to be in jail for taking peoples money...
THIS LAPTOP COSTED ME $1600... THE GPU NEVER WORKED AND THE MIC AND HDMI PORT NEVER WORKED... THIS LAPTOP IS WORTH LESS THAN $1000 WITHOUT A GPU AND WORKING PORTS... i GOT SCAMMED ALMOST HALF OF $1000 AND THEY ARE STILL ASKING FOR MONEY FOR GETTING IT FIXED....**** ASUS I HOPE they go to prison and ROT IN HELL .