Project 19: Replacing my External LaCie Hard Drive

Project Description: To get a replacement for my External LaCie Hard Drive

Cause of Project: My MacBook recognizes the Hard Drive, but can not mount it.

Difficulty: Very easy. Much better than my Apple Support experience.

Length of Project: 20 minutes

What I did: I mailed LaCie Support and told them my problem and attached the picture above to the mail.

I got a mail the next day, and unlike my Apple Support experience, no further questions was asked and instead immediate action was taken. I was told that my hard drive could have a fault, and that if I wanted to, they could send a deliver man in 4 days (December 16th) to pickup my drive for repairs or a replacement. They also said that this was the last day they could pickup the hard drive before the holidays. As a side note, they also added a link to their warranty agreement.

I replied on the 15th of December (my mail filter thought it was junk mail) with my address. I thought that I would have to wait for next year as I doubt that I could get an express delivery. I was wrong.

They replied saying that if it's alright with me, they can pickup my hard drive the next day. I should place the hard drive in a package with some protection (although my type of hard drive was made to survive falls of 2.2 meters), along with my cables. As a precaution, I added exaggerated amounts of Styrofoam into the box.

As promised, on December 17th the delivery man picked up the hard drive. I had to pay nothing.

LaCie contacted me 3 days later saying that a replacement will arrive on the 21st or 22nd of December.

Challenges:

1. Understanding why Apple (who also has the best customer satisfaction in the US at the time I wrote this) can't replace a battery which they stated themselves was defective without arguing with me about it for 2 hours.

2. my 3 year old 80GB Toshiba Hard Drive that I took out of my MacBook and placed in a cheap USB enclosure (which I have dropped countless times) seems to be more reliable than a never-been-dropped 500GB LaCie rugged drive which survives falls of 2 meters.

What Apple Should Learn from LaCie: Apple has the highest customer satisfaction in the US at the time I wrote this, and yet, it takes 2 hours of arguing just to replace a battery for a customer who purchased the unbelievably expensive extended warranty. Apple has to change the mindset of Call Centers from lose as less money to lose as less potential-customers in the future.

What LaCie should learn from Apple: Neither companies produce hard drives, but instead make enclosures that make the hard drive useful. Problem is, it seems like LaCie is choosing the wrong company (Western Digital?) for their hard drives, and is therefore losing money by risking the reliability of their hard drives even though their enclosures are beautifully built.

Status: Waiting for delivery