Framework Laptop Investigation: Customer Support and Repairability Issues

Framework’s customer support shows promise but has significant room for improvement in handling user issues efficiently.

### Investigating Framework's Customer Support: A Deep Dive into User Experiences
* 😱 Recommending a product that leads to **customer dissatisfaction** can be a nightmare, especially when it involves a **significant number of people**.
* 💻 A user named Buddy reported a broken laptop and a **frustrating experience** with Framework's customer support, prompting a **deeper investigation** into the company's service quality.
* 🕵 To assess the situation, a team was deployed to secretly shop Framework, discovering that one of the two ordered laptops arrived with a **factory defect**, which would test their **customer service**.
* 📧 One customer, Seth, experienced a long wait of **7 days** for a non-automated response from support, only to be asked to **repeat troubleshooting steps** he had already tried, highlighting potential **systemic issues**.
* 🔧 The investigation involved recreating Seth's situation with two laptops, where the **DIY Framework 13 arrived promptly**, and a team member named Natalie was tasked with assembling it, revealing both **strengths and weaknesses** in the assembly guides.
* 📅 Framework's support response was timely for some issues, resolving them **within days**, but the experience varied significantly for other users, such as Seth, who felt **overwhelmed by repetitive troubleshooting requests over weeks**.
* 💬 Despite the challenges, feedback indicated that Framework seems to **care about customer experiences**, and they are actively working on **improving their systems for business-to-business sales**, which is promising for future customers.
* 🎁 As a gesture of appreciation for highlighting these issues, the company offered Seth a repaired laptop, demonstrating their **commitment to customer satisfaction** even amidst shortcomings.

Secret Shopping My Investment

Linus Tech Tips is a passionate team of "professionally curious" experts in consumer technology and video production who aim to educate and entertain.


Linus Tech Tips

Investigating Framework's Customer Support

A customer's complaint about a broken laptop and poor support from Framework raised concerns about the company's service.

The investigator ordered two laptops from Framework to test their fulfillment and customer support.

The investigation revealed solid fulfillment but raised questions about the effectiveness of their support and repair resources.

Building a Framework Laptop: A Step-by-Step Experience

Natalie is building a Framework laptop for the first time, with minimal prior knowledge and under pressure.

The unboxing experience is mixed, with a nice tool provided but the QR code not leading to the specific SKU.

The assembly guide has videos and QR codes for individual items, but the initial step could be improved for better clarity.

Installing a touchpad in a laptop can be straightforward if the machine is easy to open.

It's important to ensure the touchpad cable is fully inserted, as it may come loose during shipping.

The bezel of the display is attached by magnets and should click into place, but cable management can be tricky, leading to potential issues.

The AMD version of the laptop has specific modules that work best in certain spots, and the first boot takes longer due to memory training.

Despite some struggles, building the laptop is a fun experience and can save $100 to $200.

The DIY laptops are fully assembled before being taken apart, and the final check confirmed that the laptop arrived in 100% working condition.

The host was unexpectedly put in charge of assembling the pre-built framework, which caused confusion for the user.

The pre-built order did not include a keyboard, leading to questions about the setup.

The framework's modular interface required the user to put it together, which was not what they expected from a pre-built order.

The laptop's ethernet connection is sturdy but caused a system lock-up, requiring a reboot.

The input module connector board needed a slight adjustment, highlighting the challenges of technical troubleshooting.

Despite some initial issues with the numpad, the company's support team responded quickly and followed up with additional questions to resolve the problem.

Framework's Support Experience: A Mixed Bag

The author had a positive experience with Framework's support, taking three days to diagnose the need for a new Display Kit, which arrived in six days.

The laptop repair process was smooth and efficient, with clear guidance provided.

However, another team member, Seth, had a frustrating experience, spending almost three weeks in support chats with multiple requests to try the same troubleshooting steps, ultimately leading to a refund request.

The author emphasizes the importance of seeking multiple sources of information to get a complete picture of a product or company's support.

Framework has received positive feedback for their customer care, despite some users experiencing a tedious support ticket process.

The company is now expanding and changing their business-to-business sales model in response to customer feedback, aiming to make it easier for companies to manage multiple device purchases.

The video creator offers a hand-fixed Framework 13 laptop to a user who brought the issue to their attention and promotes Delete Me, a service that helps remove personal data from online brokers.