XBOX Support - What's Wrong

I went to the XBOX.com to start a repair for Delaney's XBOX. I sent in an email describing the issue after their automated repair system said my console is registered to someone else. I wanted the registration changed so I could start a repair.

I got an email back the next day with troubleshooting tips and asking for more info. So I replied, answered the question, again asked for the registration to be fixed and went on with my day.

I got a 2nd email back saying that I need to check my discs, at least, and in another console to be sure they play. I didn't bother pointing out in the previous email I'd explained that multiple discs didn't work and I had tried cleaning them.

At this point it wasn't worth sending another email. Obviously they want to try and make this difficult to cut down on support calls, but by implementing a stupid system that doesn't entice people to pay attention, they would, IMHO, create more calls.

So I call in and in going through 3 menus, the automated system each time pushes me to go to the web site. I can understand that, but it's incredibly frustrating to hear this over and over. I want to get a repair, but the @#%$#%$# online system says this console is already registered.

Why the #^$%@@#$$^$$% do they care? I mean if I have a console, and I'm going to pay, who cares if it's registered to me, Billy Bob in Alabama, or Ian in the UK? If it's not under warranty, what does it matter.

Why not design a system that says "Are you sure?" or "Should we move this console to your account?" or anything else. Some moron didn't think through failure paths of the system when they built it. This console has been sent for repair, so I'm not sure if the one I sent is the one I got back. For all I know, I got Billy Bob's console that he sent in for repair.

Finally after the agent tried to get me to troubleshoot, take off the hard drive, etc., but my lack of patience convinced him to get up a repair. He said that it was $99 from XBOX.com and $119 from him. I explained twice that it didn't work at XBOX.com and he finally handed me off to a supervisor.

That's a good thing. With the way he processed things, I'm not surprised they don't want him taking credit card numbers.

To be fair, the CS guys probably aren't well trained, they deal with a lot of kids calling in, and there are valid troubleshooting things to do.

HOWEVER. If they want to smooth things out, then let the agents just confirm that I've troubleshooted things and let me pay for the repair. They could have cut 10 minutes off this call by doing that. They could have cut 5 more off by just linking this console to my liveID, or even deleting it from the system and allowing me to go register it new.