Every company should be like Logitech

[DeeBye]

I bought a G5 gaming mouse a little over a year ago and I love it. It fits my hand nicely, I like the side buttons, and I even like the gimmicky adjustable weight cartridge. Unfortunately, it stopped registering right mouse clicks recently, seemingly at random.

So I looked up their warranty information for the G5, and it turns out it is 3 years. I sent off an email to them explaining the problem. I got a reply from Ferdinand within 24 hours, and after a couple of back and forth emails with him suggesting workarounds (use a different USB port, remove and re-install drivers, try on another computer), he agreed that it was a hardware fault.

He then asked me for a scan of my receipt and he would ship me a new one. The problem is, I didn't have a receipt. My wife cleaned out my computer hardware stash closet and threw out all my empty boxes, which was where I keep receipts. So I emailed Ferdinand back explaining this and attached a picture of myself holding the mouse up to the screen with his last email visible, and the serial number and model number of the mouse enlarged with photoshop and inset so it was really readable. I really didn't expect this to accomplish anything other than the show that I did indeed own the G5 and wasn't just trying to score a free mouse, but Ferdinand pulled through for me.

Thank you for sending the picutres, the effort is greatly appreciated (nice photoshop skills by the way). I am very sorry for the late response.

I'm sorry to hear that you no longer have the proof of purchase. We don't usually process a replacement without the proof of purchase. However, I really want to help you on this matter, so I consulted our warranty replacement department, and I was advised to make an exception for you.

We shall provide you with a one-time replacement in the absence of your receipt. However, we would require you to send back your defective item before we release the replacement. Kindly put your G5 Laser Mouse and all related hardware in a box (any box will do), then send it back to Logitech. We will provide the pre-paid return shipping label so you can send it back to us. Please expect the shipping label within 24 hours.

I would also like to inform you that G5 Laser mouse is not manufactured anymore. What we will be sending you as a replacement is one of our new device called G500 Mouse. Please visit our website for more information more about the device.

I am looking forward to your next response. Have a great day!

This is great customer service right here. They are pre-paying the shipping of my defective mouse back to them, then sending back the upgraded successor to the G5 back to me.

The G500 is a really awesome mouse!

It would have been incredibly easy for them to say "Sorry, without a receipt we cannot do anything". And I would have accepted that, albeit with great disappointment.

Logitech went above and beyond for me. I love their products, and I love them a whole lot more now as a company.

[LavCat]

I bought a G5 gaming mouse a little over a year ago and I love it. It fits my hand nicely, I like the side buttons, and I even like the gimmicky adjustable weight cartridge. Unfortunately, it stopped registering right mouse clicks recently, seemingly at random.

I have been using the same Logitech trackball since Diablo I. Before that even. The only problem is the microswitches need to be replaced every few years or so. That is a real pain, and I wish they had used more durable parts, but it is a great trackball nonetheless.

[--Pete]

Hi,

I have been using the same Logitech trackball since Diablo I. Before that even. The only problem is the microswitches need to be replaced every few years or so. That is a real pain, and I wish they had used more durable parts, but it is a great trackball nonetheless.

I've been using Logitech trackballs and keyboards (as well as a Logitech Harmony) since as long as I can remember. They've always had great customer service, good products, and great support (drivers and their database for the Harmony, as well as their excellent mouse-ware). Like you, I wish the hardware were a bit more durable (e.g., the early HP calculators which were damned near indestructible -- I've got an HP 65 which is still going strong after 35 years).

I've replaced switches on the trackballs a few times now, and next time I need to, I'll see if I can get industrial strength replacements from Mouser. If I can, I'll let you know what I found and how it seems to work.

--Pete

[LavCat]

I've replaced switches on the trackballs a few times now, and next time I need to, I'll see if I can get industrial strength replacements from Mouser. If I can, I'll let you know what I found and how it seems to work.

--Pete

In all fairness Diablo I was pretty hard on the microswitches.

[Lissa]

I want them to produce a G series trackball like the trackman.

[--Pete]

Hi,

I want them to produce a G series trackball like the trackman.

Amen! Sometimes I feel that us trackball weirdos get forgotten. A lot.

--Pete

---

Hi,

In all fairness Diablo I was pretty hard on the microswitches.

Not really faulting Logitech. They probably didn't anticipate a 100 clicks per second app.

Thing is, I've been scavenging switches from a couple of dead units to fix the units we're using, but I'm out of those. So, next time around I'll need to buy them, so I might as well get good ones.

--Pete

[Concillian]

I like Logitech products quite a bit, and have used their mice for a long, long time. the first mouse I purchased was Logitech ( the original Mouseman, also known as the "triangle mouse" http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~yav/comp/pc/...ltmm3.html). They have always been solid designs that are comfortable, responsive and hold up pretty well over time. However I did have a case where their customer service was not able to help me, nor make any effort other than what I'd normally see from any tech doing whatever the computer screen told them to tell me.

I purchased three webcams for christmas one year, one for me, one for my brother's family and one for my parents so we could all have video calls to each other and grandma and grandpa could see the grandkids more often than they could make a several hundred mile trip. The cameras for my parents and brother installed fine.

Mine, however, would abort during the install process with an error with drive T:
I thought this was rather interesting, since I was installing to drive C: I never told it anything about drive T: and there was no real reason for it to even look at drive T:
Drive T: is a network drive that I keep user account information on (most notably 'My Documents' so that if I use my wife's computer, or vice versa, we have access to the same set of 'My Documents' that we're used to, and aren't tied to a specific machine. She can also use her notebook (which never really leaves the house) or her desktop and have the exact same files available. Note that the 'My Documents' location was changed with standard Windows functions. Properties --> enter a new location in the box for the target location. Nothing fancy, standard windows feature. Probably low use feature, but a totally easy to use and standard feature of the OS.

- The first suggestion was to install the latest drivers... umm... my issue was that I could not install the drivers.
- Then they asked me to do various things with the webcam device... when the instructions specifically stated not to install the device until the install program asked for it. The install software abort was very early in the installer progress, it never got to the point that the software would ask for the device. So they started contradicting their own instructions.
- Then they asked me for my device serial number. This totally confused me, because we had just gone through some gymnastics to verify that it had nothing to do with the device itself, the problem was with the install software.

It was clear they were grasping at straws. I suspect the problem was with whoever they bought the install software from, but, of course, they wouldn't admit that.

- At this point they directed me to a Microsoft Knowledge Base article about fixing a problem where partitions had been assigned improperly or something. It talked about editing the registry values of this or that hard drive. Umm... it's not a hard drive, it's a network drive, we've been over this.

- At this point they basically said I needed to disconnect the network drive. When challenged that this implied the product was incompatible with the operating system, they balked and basically told me 'so what?' and refused to offer any other assistance or compromising offers.

So, whenever I need to install drivers for my Logitech webcam, I need to do an hour of computer gymnastics. This was the case for the 2008 version of the Tax software I use as well. They ended up directing me to the same MS knowledge base article that had nothing to do with my configuratoin. I worked around the issue, but called them to put an addendum on my ticket that their solution did not work for me and I explained the resolution and that if the following year's software was also incompatible with my version of Windows, I'll be asking for a refund. The 2009 version installed flawlessly. Last month when I updated my wife's computer and reinstalled Windows from scratch the Logitech drivers still would not install properly.

Most stuff Logitech is spot on for, but I apparently found a chink in the armor.

[--Pete]

Hi,

However I did have a case where their customer service was not able to help me, nor make any effort other than what I'd normally see from any tech doing whatever the computer screen told them to tell me.

...

Most stuff Logitech is spot on for, but I apparently found a chink in the armor.

Yeah, that happens all the time with tech support. I've never experienced with Logitech, but I have with many others. Typically, they recommend doing a bunch of things which I've already tried or are not pertinent to the problem. Then, after having wasted an hour of my time, they transfer me 'up one level' to someone who sometimes has a clue. Comcast is one of the worst, sometimes bouncing me up three levels. And since the devices aren't mine, I can't just rip them open and fix them.

I seldom use tech support anymore. Google usually finds a bunch of people who've had the same problem and have gotten replies that make sense. One or more of those replies has always worked for me recently. Some 'free' is a better value than other 'free'.

--Pete

[Jester]

Logitech went above and beyond for me. I love their products, and I love them a whole lot more now as a company.

Other companies could try and be as awesome as Logitech, but quite frankly, they don't have the balls.

-Jester

[NuurAbSaal]

Other companies could try and be as awesome as Logitech, but quite frankly, they don't have the balls.

-Jester

Thanks for making an annoying night a bit less so .

take care
Tarabulus

[DeeBye]

Less trackball love, more Logitech love.

That ball joke was pretty good btw.

edit: people still use trackballs? even in gaming? you people are weird.

[Lissa]

Less trackball love, more Logitech love.

That ball joke was pretty good btw.

edit: people still use trackballs? even in gaming? you people are weird.

Once you use a Trackman in gaming, you won't go back to a normal mouse. The only thing you move is your thumb instead of your entire hand.

[Treesh]

Less trackball love, more Logitech love.

That ball joke was pretty good btw.

edit: people still use trackballs? even in gaming? you people are weird.

I switched over a few years ago when I finally noticed that I put the mouse sensitivity up so high that I barely move the mouse anyway. I figured at that point, why not just get a trackball and I've loved it ever since (although I still get annoyed with it being cordless, but eh). Mine is one of the ones that doesn't use the thumb, but instead uses your fingers to move the ball. Plus, having a trackball means I don't have to have as big of a space clear as I did when I had a mouse which can come in handy since so many desks just don't have a wide enough keyboard drawer to put the mouse on except for storage.

[Mirajj]

I've loved my Trackman ever since I started using it....man, at least 10 years ago? Something like that. It took me about a week to get used to the feel of switching from a 'normal' mouse, but after that, I dislike using regular mice when I have to use someone else's comp.

Besides, a trackball has the added feature (unwritten) of chasing most folks away from your comp. Most folks get one look at my mouse and say "What in the world is that? How do you use it?" The ones who pick it up and try to slide it around are really amusing...

[DeeBye]

I've tried trackballs in the past and can never see myself gaming with them. They are incredibly awkward to me.

[Mirajj]

I've tried trackballs in the past and can never see myself gaming with them. They are incredibly awkward to me.

That's what I felt, too. Just get some twitchy game (I think I used the original SC...), play some on single player, expect to get beat on for a while, and it'll feel natural pretty quick. At least, it did for me. ymmv, of course.

[DeeBye]

That's what I felt, too. Just get some twitchy game (I think I used the original SC...), play some on single player, expect to get beat on for a while, and it'll feel natural pretty quick. At least, it did for me. ymmv, of course.

You sound like a drug-dealer. "C'mon man, just try it once."

To that I say NEVER! I shall not dabble in your witchery. Fingers and thumbs are meant to click buttons. I am shocked - SHOCKED, and OFFENDED that you are trying to get me to actually TOUCH the ball-shaped element with my actual fingers. It's obscene, and against the natural order of interactive computing devices. What you are suggesting is an abomination and I shall not succumb.

[LavCat]

The ones who pick it up and try to slide it around are really amusing...

My trackball is glued to the desk with museum putty.

[--Pete]

Hi,

To that I say NEVER! I shall not dabble in your witchery. Fingers and thumbs are meant to click buttons. I am shocked - SHOCKED, and OFFENDED that you are trying to get me to actually TOUCH the ball-shaped element with my actual fingers. It's obscene, and against the natural order of interactive computing devices. What you are suggesting is an abomination and I shall not succumb.

I know this is all in jest, but you (and everybody) should really try it. Just like mice, different trackballs work for different people. Some (like me) prefer the thumb ball, other the fingertip or even the palm ones (although these latter are better for Asteroids than they are for general use).

I was introduced to trackballs by a friend who worked in the computer aided design industry. His right hand was pretty well glued to the pointing device, and the need to actually move a mouse around caused him shoulder pain. With a trackball, he was able to assume a comfortable position with his forearm at rest and the weight of his arm supported by his worktable instead of his shoulder. I made fun of trackballs, so he brought over a spare and hooked it up to my computer and told me to try it for a week. I hated it, and gave it back to him th next weekend. Re-installed my mouse. Next day, I bought my first track ball -- I'd not realized what a poor pointing device a mouse was until I'd gotten comfortable with the trackball and tried going back.

So, yeah, it takes a little bit of getting used to, but I personally don't know anyone who's used a trackball for as much as a week that voluntarily went back to a mouse. And I know of one doctor that recommends trackballs to patients with CTS.

Of course, YMMV. But next time you're at a store that has trackballs, give them a try.

--Pete

---

Hi,

My trackball is glued to the desk with museum putty.

That's brilliant. I'm going to have to try that. Mine keeps moving further from me (combination of hanging tail and sliding the keyboard tray back and forth) and I periodically have to yank it back.

--Pete

[LavCat]

My trackball is glued to the desk with museum putty.

That's brilliant. I'm going to have to try that. Mine keeps moving further from me (combination of hanging tail and sliding the keyboard tray back and forth) and I periodically have to yank it back.

--Pete

I also have moleskin glued to the left and right buttons. And I use an IMAK ergoBeads wrist support. I first started using a trackball because of shoulder problems.

Magicbag was the one who suggested museum putty.