Consider this before choosing a carrier for your SSD RMA

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I had to RMA an INTEL SSD Drive. I have 3 but only the newest failed. Got an RMA and returned SSD by First Class mail and followed up with the INTEL chat discussion below. Consider the information provided by Intel Chat service before returning RMAed SSD via USPS:

Monday, July 16:

You are now chatting with 'Daniela'

Daniela: Hello. Thank you for using the Intel Customer Chat Support service. We are glad to be of service. How may I help you?

: Hi can you tell me status of my RMA Order Number: xxxxxxxxxx ? Or give me link where I can check it?

Daniela: Not a problem

: thanks

Daniela: Let me check on you case

Daniela: Please wait for 2-4 minutes and I will check your concern. Thank you.

: ok

Daniela: Thank you for holding

: ok

Daniela: James, did you already send the defective unit to our Warranty return center?

: Yes. Got USPS feedback that it was received

: will get detailed info now

Daniela: Can you please provide me the tracking number?

: wait one

: xxxxxxxxxxx

Daniela: Please wait for 2-4 minutes and I will check your concern. Thank you.

: xxxxxxxxxxx First-Class Mail® Delivered July 16, 2012, 10:06 am LOUISVILLE, KY 40219 Expected Delivery By: July 17, 2012 Delivery Confirmation™ Notice Left (No Authorized Recipient Available) July 14, 2012, 1:32 pm LOUISVILLE, KY 40219 Arrival at Unit July 14, 2012, 9:42 am LOUISVILLE, KY 40219 Depart USPS Sort Facility July 13, 2012 LOUISVILLE, KY 40231 Processed through USPS Sort Facility July 13, 2012, 3:44 pm LOUISVILLE, KY 40231 Dispatched to Sort Facility July 12, 2012, 8:49 pm MERRIFIELD, VA 22081 Acceptance July 12, 2012, 7:24 pm MERRIFIELD, VA 22081

Daniela: Thank you very much for the information

Daniela: In this case it seems like the information of your package is not yet enter into the system. This is a know issue that we are having with the USPS packages, since the information of the packages of this specific carrier company it is enter only once a week.

Daniela: Probably the information of your product will be enter into our data base within this week. You can try to check later this week in order to check if the unit it is under the screening process already

: If USPS is bad way to send why don't you inform customers that FEDEX or UPS better?

Daniela: I apologize for this inconvenience. Normally or representatives inform of this situation to the Customers while creating the order. I really apologize for the missing information wit the representative that create the order for you. In this case this delay it could take just a couple of days.

: Rep said something like "USPS only delivers on Monday". The package was there on Saturday and delivered Monday. What is the problem so I can inform other users on INTEL's SSD forum?

Daniela: The specific situation is that USPS enter the information of the products into our data base only once a week. Normally this information is entered on Wednesdays or Thursdays. After we have the information of the package on our data base we are able to start with the replacement option. With other carrier companies we got the information of the packages as soon as they arrive into our warranty return center.

Daniela: For this specific situation that we have with USPS, sometimes the replacement process has a few days delay

: So Monday is not the magic day, as I was told?

Daniela: Unfortunately no. We will need to wait one or two more days in order to start the process

: Thanks for the information. I will post this transcript on the INTEL SSD Forum to help others decide which carrier they should use for RMA returns.

Daniela: That is not a problem

Daniela: Do you have any other question?

: No. Bye.

Daniela: Have a nice day!

Daniela: Thank you for using Intel's live chat. If you are satisfied with our support, please score items with 5 in the online survey that will be shown once you close this chat window. We value your feedback and we will use it to improve our services.

Message was edited by: James Walker Text from INTEL rep bolded.

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Fourth day since RMAed SSD delivered to INTEL by USPS.

Below is today's chat dialog (text note colored text):

Thursday, July 19:

Please wait for a site operator to respond.

You are now chatting with 'Adolfo'

Adolfo: Hello. Thank you for using the Intel Customer Chat Support service. We are glad to be of service. How may I help you?

: Hi Adolfo

: RMAed My failing SSD on July 12, 2012 Order Number: xxxxxxxx Product: SSD 510 SERIES, 120GB, 2.5IN SATA 6GB/S, 34NM MLC USPS Tracking Number: xxxxxxxx Mailed: July 12, 2012 USPS Status: First-Class Mail® / Delivered / July 16, 2012, 10:06 am / LOUISVILLE, KY 40219 What is the current INTEL status of my SSD RMA?

Adolfo: Let me transfer this chat to the warranty department so they can assist you.

: thanks

Please wait while I transfer the chat to the best suited site operator.

You are now chatting with 'Daniela'

: Hi Daniela. Can you see my query?

Daniela: I got here that you are looking for the status of your order

Daniela: Is that correct?

: yes

Daniela: Let me check on you case. One moment please

Daniela: Please wait for 2-4 minutes and I will check your concern. Thank you.

: thanks

Daniela: Thank you for holding

Daniela: According to the information on your case, we are still waiting for the information of the package to be updated on our data base.

Daniela: let me do this, I will escalate the tracking number to our warranty return center in order to check the status of your order.

Daniela: As soon as I have more updates on your case, can I call you back?

: Yes. xxx xxx-xxxx.

: I understand that the delay is caused by my sending the RMAed SSD by USPS. How long has this been happening (weeks, months, or years)?

Daniela: This is a known issue that we have with USPS. Has been happening for years. For this reason we recommend to use UPS or FedEx as a carrier company, for example

: Will you call me by phone when you get info or should I leave this chat open?

Daniela: That is correct, I will call you back as soon as I have more updates on your case

: ok thanks

Daniela: Do you have any other question?

: No I will disconnect and wait for your call. Bye

Daniela: Have a nice day!!

Daniela: Thank you for using Intel's live chat. If you are satisfied with our support, please score items with 5 in the online survey that will be shown once you close this chat window. We value your feedback and we will use it to improve our services.

Chat Ended: 12:10 PM EDT

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7 PM EDT: No call received yet from Daniela. In the above text she said "we recommend to use UPS or FedEx as a carrier company, for example."

I do not have the text of the Chat with the INTEL rep who created my RMA. I do remember him saying something like "USPS only delivers on Monday". I knew that First Class Mail would be there before Monday so I did not take his comment to be a warning not to use USPS for RMA returns.

The email RMA instructions that I recieved only said:

"You are responsible for shipping the defective product back to Intel. Ensure you use a traceable courier service and make note of the tracking number so your shipment can be tracked if necessary"

Some INTEL support staff have known for years that the USPS should be avoided for RMA returns. However, this is not understood by the person who wrote the text for the RMA email nor is the reason that the USPS should be avoided understood by the man who created my RMA .

I would have my SSD back by now if I had not returned it via USPS. Instead, I will have to wait for who knows how much longer.

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Today is Friday morning and my SSD has been at the INTEL facility since Monday morning. Last night INTEL sent me an email notification with the UPS Waybill Number for my SSD. UPS status is now "Label has been created."

I do not know if INTEL's processing of my RMA started because of Daniela's "escalate the tracking number to our warranty return center" or USPS's update of INTEL's database that it depends on to start processing of returned RMA items.

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Monday, Jul 23: Received new replacement via UPS 2nd Day Air.