Microsoft Tweaks 360 Repair Service

Building off last fall's Xbox 360 warranty extension, Microsoft recently announced more improvements to its handling of defective consoles in need of repair. Under the new terms, the shipping of an Xbox 360 to and from the repair facility will be provided free of charge, regardless of warranty status. Furthermore, the company now aims to have consoles returned within five days of receipt, and the repaired console is now more likely to be the same one provided. In the past, those who sent their consoles in for repair were not always returned their original systems. A fee will still be charged for out-of-warranty repairs, but a new warranty will now cover the system for one year following its service. Those with systems undergoing in-warranty repairs will receive more protection as well, with the new terms applying the remainder of their original warranties or an additional 90 days, whichever is greater. Lastly, Microsoft is expanding its customer service division, hiring more representatives, improving training programs, and increasing the number of supervisory staff members. Accompanying these changes is the creation of a new "customer care champion" position, whose responsibilities include "ensuring the end-to-end experience for all Xbox customers is first-class, evaluating and implementing new practices and policies to further enhance the Xbox customer experience." According to a blog post by Microsoft game technology group member Andre Vrignaud, this growth represents "an attempt to...completely [focus] resources on the problem, including tracking, reporting, and eventual resolution."