Update: John, the business manager, reached out following reading about my experience. A good majority of the situation was the result up to miscommunication. Diagnostics had indeed been run, and a part had been ordered for my monitor (though, on the HDMI port). Things just weren't written down, and the technician wasn't in office when I went to retrieve it. So it was an unfortunately perfect storm of bad luck on everyone's part.
John was apologetic, and wants to ensure I get a better experience. Offered to have me bring it back in to get things sorted out. Definitely wanted to take this interaction into consideration when reflecting back in the review. So I've updated the review tentatively, and may give another update if I decide to go back in and get their assistance with the monitor.
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I took a computer monitor into Atlas Electronics after corresponding on the phone with a gentleman I assume to be the owner of the business (who was great). I'd say, probably 01/26/21 is when I dropped it off with them.
I explained that I was having issues with my screen intermittently going black for a second or so at a time. Dropped off the monitor and cable I was using (a display port cord) for them to use to test it. I paid the "Diagnostic Fee", which was explained would go towards the repair once an estimate and diagnosis was given.
~Two days go by, haven't heard anything so on Thursday or Friday (either 01/28-01/29) I reached out. I did not speak to the owner this time, but a younger guy. I let them know that I had dropped it off, what it was, etc. The, verbatim, response I was given was: "Okay, well we're waiting on some parts to come in. They should be here Tuesday, so if you haven't heard from me by then give us a call." That led me to assume they had an idea of what was going on and had perhaps ordered parts for it.
Tuesday rolls around, and I hear nothing from anybody at the shop. Wednesday rolls around, still hearing nothing from anyone. I give the shop a call, I explain that I was told to call on or after Tuesday. The younger guy I spoke to explained that 'Nick' was the guy WORKING (exact words) on it, but he was currently out... but that he would tell him to give me a call that evening to let me know about the estimate. Sounds good to me, so I wait. Wednesday evening comes and goes, and I never got a call.
This morning (Thursday) I have to, again, call the shop to get any info on the situation. A younger girl answers the phone, she took my name and left for a moment to go check for me. When she comes back I'm told: "Yeah, so we've been watching it for TWO days trying to get the issue to replicate but we can't. So you're free to come pick it up whenever is convenient."
It was then that I began to get aggravated, for a few reasons:
A.) I was told at the end of the previous week that they were "waiting for parts to come in" and that I should hear from them by Tuesday. This, as I think is reasonable, led me to assume that there had been some diagnostics ran on the monitor. That was not the case, apparently.
B.) I did not receive a call on Tuesday as I was told, nor did I receive any follow-up on Wednesday, and lastly I did not receive the phone call Wednesday evening like I was supposed to. So I had to, consistently, badger the shop to get ANY INFO on my monitor that they had now had for over a WEEK.
C.) I'm now being told that there weren't any parts ordered, no diagnostics ran, and that they have only been working with it for TWO DAYS. Meaning, they did NOT start anything UNTIL Tuesday (02/02/21). Which means I was misled on the phone the week prior, and have been given the run around.
I arrive at the shop, and go to the back to pick the monitor up. The young lady gets the attention of one of the techs who I have a conversation with that goes something like this: I ask about any diagnostics or tests ran on it, and his response is: "No, we've had it plugged in for two days with the HDMI CORD and can't replicate the issue." To which I reply, "Okay, and did you test it with the display port cable I left?" He says no. I say "Well I left the cable for a reason. The issue isn't occurring with HDMI cords, just the display port." To which he says "Oh, I didn't know that. But usually if its a panel issue then it will happen regardless of which cord."
A fact that I didn't need explained to me. Because the issue COULD very well NOT be a panel issue. BUT perhaps one like... a faulty DISPLAY port? Which they didn't even consider testing because incorrect assumptions and LITTLE effort were made. Overall, the experience has been awful and incredibly frustrating. I ultimately wasted a week of my time, 2 hours worth of gas, and $27.00 on "diagnostics" which only consisted of them misleading me and watching the monitor screen for two days. No cord testing, port checking, nothing to test the functionality of any parts. read more