Response from CompuSmile, LLC
Thank you for your thoughtful response. I'm sorry to hear you were dissatisfied. However, my side of the story is much different from yours. Contrary to your report, the very first thing I did upon arriving was diagnose the computer, at which point I determined the hard drive was failing. I then immediately backed up its data to a flash drive. Combined, that amounted to one hour of my time--or $88--which is an exceptionally fair price, given that my competitors--such as the Geek Squad--routinely charge $100 for the data backup alone. Next, you requested that I attempt to restore the data from a backup of your eBay TurboLister program. I told you upfront that I wasn't optimistic about our chance for success, but that I was willing to try if you thought it was worth the time and cost. You and your fiancé together decided you wanted to proceed despite the risk. While waiting for the data recovery process to run, I discussed in-depth with you and your fiancé the options for an economical new computer. In the end, I armed you with all the information you needed to make an informed, educated purchase. For that service alone I regularly charge a $50 flat rate, and my clients are happy to pay it because of the money they save by not paying for a more expensive computer than they need. At that point, your bill was a very fair $138. Once the data recovery process was complete, I did everything I could to get your eBay data back in place, but--as I'd warned you from the get-go--it was beyond what I or any other technician could have salvaged. That effort amounted to a full 1.75 hours, but because I felt sympathy for your situation, and even though I had informed you of the low chance for success ahead of time, I charged you for only 1 hour, at a savings of $66 to you. Your total cost was $176, which any other professional in my field would recognize is an absolute bargain for the service I provided you. Had you and your fiancé not requested the eBay TurboLister data recovery attempt nor requested assistance with the purchase of a new computer, the total price would have been a mere $88. At every point along the way, I kept you and your fiancé informed of your options, and at no time did I perform any action without your authorization. With that said, thank you once again for taking the time to submit your report. Even though I disagree with it, I respect your opinion, and I’m glad you shared it with rest of the Angie’s List community. Feedback such as yours--whether it’s positive or negative--is what makes this service work so well. If you still feel dissatisfied, please give me a call, and we can arrange for a refund.