I'm sitting here trying to process the Seagate "support" experience I've had over the past nine days, and the only word is "enshittification", per @pluralistic
It's as if Seagate management set out to individually enshittify every single step of the support process to making as close to impossible to get support for a consumer level product, without just saying "Fuck you."
There are virtually no consequences for this deliberate enshittification of their support process. What other options are there?
Seagate no longer have a support number.
Seagate no longer have a support email address.
Seagate have a pop-up live chat. That's it.
The live chat will intermittently lose contact with the server and just say "Error" forcing you to reload the entire webpage.
The only way they could enshittify this process further would be to replace the apparent "live agents" with AI chatbots, and that may well be an improvement.
1st August: my less-than two year old Seagate Barracuda drive failed under warranty. After navigating my way through the live chat, and providing all of my information, I asked for an advance warranty replacement, which i was promised (per the chat logs). I receive an RMA form. I wait.
4th August: I put my RMA details into the Seagate RMA lookup to find out what's happening.
"Invalid details."
I reach out by the Live Chat. I have to enter ALL of my details again, in spite of having an RMA number.
The live agent officiously tells me to "be patient" and "you will get your drive", and that sometimes the form is slow to update.
7th August: The form is still reporting invalid. I reach out via Live Chat again. I provide all my information, yet again. The agent insists he has to create a new case, in spite of me having an RMA number. "This is your case number, please note it down for reference."
Him: "Oh, the lab is waiting for your faulty drive."
Me: "This was advance replacement."
Him: "It wasn't."
Me: "Here's a screenshot of the agent telling me it was an ARO."
Him: "Oh, OK. I'll arrange an ARO. You'll get some forms in your email, and a link to provide credit card details in case you don't send the drive back. This is your case number.
Me: "Fine."
ARO form. Nothing else. No link. No details.
9th August (today): An email from another new person at Seagate with my case number. No other information. I reply via email "What's the next step."
"Thank you for your email, this email address is not monitored. Please use Live Chat."
I. Go. To. Live. Chat.
AI bot: "Please enter all of your information:"
Me: "No. Here's my case number. Sort it out."
Live agent: "How can I help?"
Me: "I received an email from Support. I cannot reply via email. I don't know where my replacement hard drive is."
Agent: "Actually, you can reply via email, it's just faster via live chat."
Me: "Here's a screenshot FROM SEAGATE telling me I CANNOT reply via email."
