This is the single most asinine RMA experience I've ever had to deal with, with any company. I can't tell if it's company policy to screw the customer, or if people are just being incompetent.

I originally contacted live chat support two weeks ago regarding a motherboard that wasn't posting after a BIOS update. I had tried using CrashFree to recover to BIOS but it didn't work, so support told me to sent the unit in. I would have preferred to figure out the issue if at all possible because I need the machine for work, but they insisted I open an RMA, so okay I did. They took my serial number and verified my warranty, instructing me to send the unit to the service center in Markham, Canada, so I did.

Two days later I get an email saying they can't service the board because it's a Western Europe board and they don't have the "components" for it, which is a load of bull because 1. it's a BIOS issue and 2. all boards are made in Taiwan, and there are no regional models. They tell me to contact the point of sale (Amazon) to ask where I'm supposed to send it for RMA, which is also bull because 1. I'm 2 years into the warranty and it's obviously not the retailer's responsibility at this point (everyone knows this), and 2. why the hell would I ask point of sale when I'm talking to the manufacturer. Shouldn't ASUS know where to send their own products for RMA? Furthermore, why did the live chat support approve my RMA after getting my serial number, then make me waste my time packing and sending the board, if they knew from the serial number it couldn't be sent to NA service to begin with?

I then replied to the email saying the above, and a person by the name of "John T." tells me he's escalating the case to "Level 4 support", and it'll take 24-48h for a decision. After 4 days, and 2 business days without a response I check back for a status update, and John T. tells me:

"Our Level 4 team already replied and here is what they provided, To confirm we would need to receive the unit prior to investigation, as we need to check out the unit to confirm if GSM is correct or not. An RMA isnt a guarantee of warranty coverage, since we can provide an RMA but the unit can have CID upon arrival. It's all upon the technicians discretion. Apologize for the delay and inconvenience, although this is our policy."

Well I had already sent the unit in and it's still at the service center (do these people not read the correspondence history?!?), so what the hell does this exactly mean? The reason service was rejected had nothing to do with CID. In fact the technician who received my board at reception confirmed there was no damage. I ask what GSM stands for since I can't find an answer on Google (I never got an answer so someone fill me in please). I get a reply a day later from "Adam P." saying that he's escalating the case to Level 4 support and it'll take 24-48h for a decision. :rolleyes: At this point it's been exactly a week since "John T." told me the exact same thing, so I have to wonder if I'm stuck in some sort of infinite loop paradox.

I send an email saying that I was told the exact same thing a week ago, and ask what is different this time. John T. then responds saying the unit is already "good for pickup" at the repair facility. Again, do these people read the correspondence history at all? I hadn't received any notification that any work was being done on the board, so as far as I'm concerned, no it's not "good for pickup". They told me to pickup my unserviced board two weeks ago and that's what started this whole sequence. This would be a 5 star comedy that I would 100% pay to watch if I weren't the one starring in it.

I've heard on forums and reddit that ASUS has the worst costumer service but I couldn't possibly imagine just how much of a farce it really is. Blake@ASUS, I see you trying to help people on here so you're my last hope. Case number is N190789155, RMA: CAA1K71004.