Epox 8KRA2+ (KT600): KT600 Hits the Streets

Epox 8KRA2+: Tech Support and RMA

For your reference, we will repost our support evaluation procedure here:

The way our Tech Support evaluation works is first we anonymously email the manufacturer's tech support address (es), obviously not using our AnandTech mail server to avoid any sort of preferential treatment. Our emails (we can and will send more than one just to make sure we are not getting the staff “on” an "off" day) all contain fixable problems that we have had with our motherboard. We then give the manufacturer up to 72 hours to respond over business days and will report not only whether they even responded within the time allotted but also if they were successful in fixing our problems. After publishing the review, if we do eventually receive a response we will go back and amend the review with the total time it took for the manufacturer to respond to our requests.

The idea here is to encourage manufacturers to improve their technical support as well as provide new criteria to base your motherboard purchasing decisions upon; with motherboards looking more and more alike every day, we have to help separate the boys from the men in as many ways as possible. As usual, we are interested in your feedback on this and other parts of our reviews so please do email us with your comments.

On March 1, 2003, Northgate Innovations acquired the sole Epox motherboard distribution rights for North America. As a result of this agreement, Northgate Innovations will handle all sales, service, support and RMA in the U.S. However, Epox’s technical support form remains on their homepage. Simply click on the “support” hyperlink, which brings up four icons, the first being a picture of a motherboard. In case you’re interested, click on the “services” hyperlink and it will take you to a notification of Epox’s signing with Northgate Innovations.

Epox chooses to address technical support needs by using a tech support form. This form is quite thorough; it asks you to fill out your first and last name, e-mail address, address/location, model and serial number, retailer from which you purchased your Epox product and date of that purchase, and your system’s specifications (BIOS date, processor, memory, video card, etc.). Finally, at the bottom of the page, there is a space for a detailed description of your specific problem(s). All in all, we think that the tech support form is an excellent way for Epox to adequately and quickly respond to tech support emails.

As mentioned earlier, Northgate Innovations handles Epox’s RMA. Click on the “services” hyperlink in the middle of the screen, where five hyperlinks will appear, and then click on the one that reads “online RMA”. The form is quite extensive, containing both form and return policy all within the same web page. The form asks for complete personal information (including name, address, phone, etc.), customer ID, order number, invoice date, e-mail address, part number, description of the product, quantity, cost, and you must check off whether it is an exchange or refund (credit) being requested. Finally, you must list your reason for return, which includes any issues(s) associated with your product.

For your convenience, we will post Northgate’s return policy in its entirety:

1. Please make sure the product being returned has the exact part # as shown on the RMA document and original invoice.
2. Please include all add-on items (cable, software, math co-processor, ram modules, adapters, manual, etc.) in original packaging. Incomplete packages will not be accepted and will be returned at the customer’s expense.
3. Products damaged through negligence or during return shipment will void the warranty and will be returned without replacement at the customer's expense.
4. All replacements will be returned to the customer via the original shipping method.
5. All credit refunds will be processed within 15 days upon receipt of the RMA.
6. Release clearly mark RMA number on top of All packages.
7. Returned items MUST arrive to our facility within 7 days from the issuance of the RMA #, OR THE RMA # will be voided.
8. SHIPPING CHARGES ARE NOT REFUNDABLE.
9. Products will not be accepted if the warranty label/sticker is removed from the product (Only applicable for products with warranty label).
10. All return packages MUST be insured or certified.
11. **Your contact info needs to be large and legible, any hand writing that is illegible to read will increase the RMA turn around time or be delayed.

Both the return policy and RMA form are quite simple. They include all the essential information and comprehensiveness that one requires in making returns quick and effortless.

Epox was impressive with their tech support response time for this review, clocking in at just less than 12.5 hours. This is one of the best response times we’ve received from a motherboard manufacturer, although Albatron still holds the record at 2 hours flat. When you couple Epox’s excellent tech support response time with Epox/Northgate Innovations’ solid RMA policy, you have one of the best customer service-oriented motherboard makers around.