How not to do CX, Lenovo style [Opinion]

Sometimes the world of smart tech innovations collides with the planet of dumb customer service. This collision usually does not bode well for the client.

In my case, this scenario is especially true. I picked up the Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook for an attractive price at a major national electronics store. Looking back, this was a purchase I wish I could undo.

The Duet 5 is considered by many reliable reviews to be the best ChromeOS tablet/detachable computer available this year. Its larger screen and detachable full-size keyboard provide a usable and fun tablet experience not available with pure Android devices.

For me, this distinction falls far short of that mark. In fact, if your primary need for a Chromebook is to run Linux apps, think again about not buying Lenovo’s Duet 5. You might get a unit like mine that doesn’t do Linux even though it’s supposed to work. This failure is not considered a valid claim under Lenovo’s warranty.

I have become very fond of Chromebooks. ChromeOS devices complete my home office framework of Linux computers. They are related to my Android phone and its apps. I can run the same productivity apps and access their data right on the Chromebook.

What fueled my attraction to the Duet 5 was its logical sequel to the hugely popular original 10.1″ Duet that I purchased a few years ago. The Duet line has a detachable keyboard and is a standalone ChromeOS tablet.

Setting aside need versus need, I debated the prospect of increased productivity and convenience with a larger 400-nit screen, larger keyboard, and 8GB of RAM. I knew the manufacturer and the retail store as well as the product line. Or so I thought.

What could go wrong? Three things: a faulty product, no support and a warranty that didn’t work either!

Maybe one too many

The last thing I needed to buy was another Chromebook. Over the past few years, I’ve used four or five models from HP, Lenovo, and Asus.

The Duet 5 seemed to tick all the boxes. In the end, the checkmark fell out of the box for reliable technical support and customer service.

No, I couldn’t return the computer. By the time I discovered its flawed nature, the cancellation window had closed.

I guess this incident will cause me to buy expensive add-on store warranties for cheaper electronics. Adding insult to injury, Lenovo tech support said the malfunction was “beyond the scope of the manufacturer’s one-year warranty.”

A final correspondence from Lenovo tech support told me that if I ship the device to their repair center, all the technicians will do is reset the device to its original OS state and to remove Linux.

Heck, I had already done the same thing twice.

Lenovo Buyers Beware

This account is not intended to be a product review. Rather, it chronicles what happens when corporate arrogance destroys the customer experience.

I typically write about enterprise technology issues and open source developments impacting the Linux operating system. My reporting pace straddles e-commerce and customer relationship management (CRM) issues.

As a technical writer and product reviewer, I’m used to manufacturers sending me high-end products in hopes of showing off their best wares. Marketing marvels often come up with high-end setups to grab consumers’ attention. They go out of their way to make sure the reviewer is fully satisfied.

Too bad the mentality does not always exist when small consumers are the recipients. But I wasn’t using a loaner unit that I would return anyway, satisfied or not. I bought this model with no intention of seeing it again. I just wanted to use it.

My personal experience has reinforced my resolve not to purchase a Lenovo product in the future. Not because of a bad encounter with a product. Lenovo lost my customer loyalty due to poor customer service and a lack of dedication to fixing my problem with a faulty computer they built.

The bloody details

According to Lenovo’s ill-conceived logic, the warranty on Chromebooks does not cover user modifications. Since I activated the Linux partition, ran into a problem, deleted the partition, and reinstalled the Linux apps that weren’t there when I bought it, I was guilty of modding the device.

To clarify, all Chromebooks require the user to activate the Linux partition and install Linux apps. It’s the same process for using Android apps on Chromebooks.

Chromebooks are designed to run ChromeOS and optionally to run in separate built-in containers from Android and Linux software. Google certifies the hardware to make sure the software works.

The ChromeOS also allows users to access websites in a browser environment. An additional option allows users to access these web destinations to run app services in tabbed browser windows or as Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) in their own isolated windows.

That’s what Chromebooks are designed to do on any manufacturer’s hardware. Enabling/disabling these built-in features should not be construed as “modifying” the device.

Tech support hell

A few weeks after receiving the Duet 5, I only experienced intermittent screen flickering. This cleared up after a system update. Carefree. Carefree.

At this point I have activated the linux partition and installed the same linux applications that I use on my other less gifted Chromebooks. These devices worked fine with the same apps installed.

But the Lenovo Duet 5 froze after loading Linux apps and running for a few minutes. Glitchy installs occur. So I did what is standard troubleshooting. I reset ChromeOS to its original state. I then configured the Linux partition and sized it way beyond the minimum size recommended by Google.

Problem NOT solved. So I wiped the Linux partition again. This time I installed a single linux application one at a time looking for the culprit that messed up the others. Every isolated Linux application froze.

Lenovo Technical Support declined to investigate or test the hardware. Agents suggested finding an affiliated tech center to research a solution.

Stuck with no options

I would have done that with pleasure. But the closest Lenovo repair center was across the state line, about 150 miles away.

I contacted the Google Chromebook support community for an alternative solution. Someone from support had me run the “df command” in a Linux terminal to determine the physical health of the partition.

Reading this diagnostic confirmed that the device has a valid and working Linux container. This partially solved the hardware issue. However, he did not identify what other hardware issues might be involved.

Google’s support forum tech then suggested I search for one or more failed packages by following the steps above. But, of course, I have already done this several times.

Bad lessons learned

If you’re considering buying a Chromebook just to easily access certain Linux apps, seriously consider my experience. Maybe look elsewhere instead of the Duet 5. Many Chromebook alternatives exist.

Who knows? Maybe Linux apps will work fine for you on your Duet 5. Like I said, I haven’t encountered this situation on any other Chromebook product I use.

Without a doubt, my experience was a gross anomaly. The aggravating part in all of this is that I will never know the cause.

But if you’re buying a Duet 5 from an outlet rather than directly from the manufacturer, be sure to confirm how that store honors the warranty. Now you know how Lenovo honors its warranty.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ECT News Network.