I am thinking of buying a new computer with about a 700 processor. Previous messages seem to imply that certain firms, like Time, although getting fairly good reviews, have poor after-sales service and help-lines. Can anyone recommend a company which is consistently reliable both for quality and for after-sales sevice.

I have used Dan in the past: excellent quality and brilliant after sales service - they take your number at once and call you back in about half an hour, rather than have you hanging on and paying for the call. I would have gone back, but their monitors are I hear not the latest or greatest.
I am now using a Mesh - excellent machine but really BAD service - one cannot get through by telephone and they ignored my fax. They have a poor system in place I suspect, rather than poor people.
I have heard Evesham are good on both counts but have not tried them.
A friend of mine used Time and they were dreadful; did not even supply the necessary discs for software, the machine kept breaking down, they had no interest in the problems.... The list seemed endless.
Good luck! And it is true that any particular supplier can have one bad machine; it is the service when you have a problem that matters.
Kevin

I bought from Mesh - good computer but LOUSY after sales service. The telephone number is constantly engaged and they did not respond to my fax.
Dan have been excellent - they take your telephone call and return it later; and every time!
Evesham have a good rep but I have not used them.
A relative used Time and his computer was poor, not all the CDs were delivered with it, and they did not want to know about his problems. I would never use them myself.
I have heard that Tiny may stand for "Tough, its now yours" when it comes to service, but I have no personal experience.
Kevin

WOOPS! Sorry for the double posting. My cache through up an earlier message that the posting was incomplete and to finish it. So I rewrote it on the spot and sent it off. Then my cache refreshed and I found my earlier message had got through.
Kevin

The trouble with a lot of the large PC manufacturers is just that -- they're large. You're more likely to hear nasty stories about Time and Tiny because they sell the most PCs in the UK. Take a poll of everybody who's bought PCs from these companies and the story will likely be different.
For example, when I worked for a certain computer magazine we had many complaints against Gateway -- one of the largest PC suppliers in the world. Yet in the same magazine's yearly reader's survey Gateway won prizes for excellent after sales service. Gateway just got more complaints because at the time they sold more PCs than anybody else in the UK.
In terms of after sales support it's the devil and the deep blue sea -- many smaller manufacturers, such as Best Price (www.bestpricecomputers.co.uk), will try and give personal support after the purchase, even upgrading your machine free of charge if you buy the new part from them. But certain other smaller companies might not be so hot although then again they often sell cheaper PCs.
Larger companies often have entire warehouses filled with telephone support staff although even these can become overwhelmed at times, particularly on Sunday evenings when most people tend to use their computers!
There really isn't a hard and fast rule.

We at MESH Computers Plc have been following this discussion taking place regarding Services. We continuously seek to improve the services we offer our clients and any suggestions for improvement are always considered carefully and in the past many have been implemented. In watching the discussion it appears that there is some degree of confusion in how our services operate and we would like to clarify; WE PAY FOR ALL SERVICE SUPPORTS, INCLUDING PHONE CALLS, CARRIAGE AND ONSITE ATTENDANCE.
MESH Computers Plc were voted number 1 for "Service & Reliability" in 1999 by the readers of PCW Magazine and "Best PC Manufacturer 1999" by the readers of PC Plus Magazine.
We would like to take this opportunity to post our "Hardware Cover & Telephone Support System" policy. We hope that all involved in this discussion will take the time to read our policy.
HARDWARE COVER & TELEPHONE SUPPORT SYSTEM
Clients are of paramount importance to Mesh computers and we endeavour,at all times, to supply quality goods and services. It is important that you read, in full, the terms and conditions of sale, which fully details what is and is not covered by Mesh Computers PLC.
Free of Charge cover for Hardware and Customer Services
Under the terms and conditions of the sale and the warranty supplied with Mesh Computers, the Company pays all carriage charges for the period of the guarantee and pays the costs of all remedies for any items covered by the terms of the sale and warranty contract
Onsite Maintenance (commences 7 days after delivery)
If your system is covered by our Onsite maintenance cover (free of charges on systems purchased after March 1st 1999, if indicated on the order) Mesh will cover any replacement of faulty parts in the base unit only, to be carried out onsite by appointment. Attendance onsite will be subject to the availability of parts and in consideration of the attending engineers current booked appointments with our other Clients in your location.
Ancillary and Peripheral Hardware Items
Please read all documents supplied with Monitors, Printers, Scanners and other items which fully detail the direct support available to you, from the manufacturer of the specific product. To expedite any remedial measures please contact the relevant manufacturer support line in the first instance.
Telephone Support
Mesh provides a "call back" service for all clients requiring Technical and Customer Support; we do not operate a live queuing service for our support departments. We ensure that our clients do not have to hold on line for long periods in a live situation. Mesh pays for the telephone call to the client to resolve difficulties and to answer enquiries. The client makes one call to our call logging department, with their serial number and to confirm their personal details, we are then aware that the client requires service and it is entered on to our Call database for Customer Services or Hardware Support, as requested by the Client. Our Service Department personnel then contact the client at their given contact number, to provide the service they require. Calls are dealt with in chronological order and every endeavour is made to call back clients, subject to client contact, the same working day.
Calls logged after 4.30 PM may be dealt with the same working day, though normally it will be the next working day.

Although this post is ages old, I've only just caught up with Mesh's response to criticism of their support services. I've had a Mesh for a year now and I've had nothing but trouble with it. The support services are appalling. In order to get support from technical services, you are held in a queue for, on average, fifteen minutes. The call is then logged for technical services to respond at any time in the next 24 hours so you have to wait by the phone for their response. If you need to get back to them to follow up on what you have been told, you have to go back to the beginning of the queue. If you have a software problem, the line is continuously engaged, despite the fact they charge 50p a minute for your contact with them. Most times I only get through by pressing the last number redial button on my phone for, usually, fifteen minutes, sometimes more. In the year I've had my Mesh, I've had the hard disk replaced twice, a new modem, and it still keeps crashing and wont connect to my Psion 5MX. I wouldn't ever, ever buy from Mesh again.

On 12/01/05 I spent almost £1,900 on a 64 3500+ from Mesh because the advertising looked so good and the calls got through when asking questions. It?s been three weeks now since it was delivered and still not working, and no one out to pick it up. They won't even call me back and have been lied to 6 times now.
Makes me wonder if Mesh are using seconds in hardware, and/or poor installation. Also weather the over the phone technical support is under qualified and the service support is unconcerned. There are five problems are with the system that has not worked from day one. Keyboard; mouse;CD/DVD; Speakers; system freezing; and an anti virus update warning each tome it reboots even though I re-install it each time. I have been told it is something simple like a Bios update to the Video card. Why would they ship out something to a customer with this update needed? They promised to send out all the software so I could reinstall it but that has never arrived no matter how many times I called. I have lost faith in them and do not wish to be victimized any longer.
Wish I found this sight two months ago.
Would it help if we got together on this? We could share information from as many sights into one channel to better salve the current problem and to help prevent it in the future.
Maybe design a check list of where to go, what to do, who to talk to, and form penaltys.
J. Noland

I too wish i had not read or believed the report in Computer Buyer on the Mesh PC i ordered

It was faulty before it left the factory
I rejected it in 24 hours
i followed all the Consumer Law requirements
have sent numerous e mails, faxes, recorded delivery letters
I was eventually sent a refund letter and red label for return

only weeks later to be phoned and told there would be no refund and they were returning the PC with dire threats if I refused delivery

Consumer watch tell me I now need to go to SCC

This is crazy why are trading standards not sorting out the mess
why are Computer Buyer not sorting Mesh out too