MESH Matrix Nero 9850 CT

I ordered a Mesh Matrix Nero 9850 CT (about £700) on behalf of a disabled friend on 23 January 2009. Delivery was expected in 14 working days, and concerned that it had not arrived after two weeks I rang. It was on final test and they expected it would be sent out in a few days. That would have been OK, about 14 working days. So a week later and no PC I rang again, given same reply and foolishly gave them the benefit of the doubt, partly as my friend was really looking forward to the PC and did not want him to have to wait if I cancelled and ordered one from somewhere else. It arrived on 23 February, we set it up and it was *Dead on Arrival* - it would not start up and never got as far as starting Vista.

The symptoms were typical of a faulty hard-drive " I have been in the PC business myself for over 20 years. I followed the help guide provided and rang the Tech help number - this was about 6pm. The person I spoke to told me to try various things - Reboot, safe mode, etc and he kept insisting that I try an option not shown on the boot interrupt screen. After 25 minutes I gave up and the Tech person said they would sent out yellow returns labels. As I thought that everything was in hand to have the PC collected (or whatever)

I did nothing for a couple of days, but when the returns labels did not arrived I phoned Mesh. As the PC was *Dead on Arrival* (a term they did not understand, but is commonly understood by anyone in the electronics / electrical business) I expected a bit more from them than their normal service. Some hope! They insisted that I write to cancel the order (as in their terms) and then they would send white returns labels. Apparently white and yellow signify different processes, but they have never been explained to me.

I wrote explaining the PC has never worked and asked for a refund. A few days later the label and letter arrived. The letter did say that the PC would be tested, but gave no indication how it would get back to them, it seems like I was expected to arrange this. I was already disgusted that their Customer Service team seemed only to be interested in quoting their terms and conditions at me and not doing anything to make me happy. So I wrote to the Customer Service Department and to the Company Directors (at their business and home addresses).

Their replies were of the same standard as their customer support. I phoned Mesh, who said that I should phone the number on the letter. There was not any telephone number on the letter at all! So they told me the number to ring, which I did and it was arranged for their carrier to collect the PC a few days later. I made several phone calls over the next two weeks enquiring about progress to be told that it had not arrived / it was not being tested yet / it was being tested and finally that they had written to tell me the results of their tests. During this time I told them I didn't care if they tested it I just wanted my money back as it did not work. They kept referring me to their terms.

The letter arrived and stated that the PC was fully working. Of course I rang back and disputed this unless they had either tested the wrong PC or repaired it. They had not even mentioned the case / fan was noisy on the report. As my lunch break was nearly over Mesh said they would get a manager to call me back. I work full time and the only time I can phone Mesh when they are open is during my lunch hour, so I did expect the lines would be busy, but on the occasions that I managed to phone at other times my call was never answered in less than seven minutes. I phoned nearly every day for two weeks and always spent so long on hold, (even when just being transferred between extensions) that I never got more than five or ten minutes conversation with them. They promised again someone else would call me back, and another time promised a third person would call back, but on-one ever has done.

Eight weeks since delivery and the PC is still with Mesh. I wish my friend or I had found these reviews in January when this sorry saga started.