We didn't expect Friday 13th to be Microsoft day, but it seems to be turning out that way. Robbie Bach has continued the interview in which he first examined the PSP as a cautionary tale. This time he admits to the biggest complaint Microsoft receives regarding the Xbox 360. We also get to see some world-class spinning - maybe he's in competition with newly promoted Shane Kim for best reframing of a situation.
So, what is the biggest complaint about the Xbox 360 according to Robbie?
A free and frank admission and we praise Bach for it. He then responds to a question about whether he's surprised that 360 owners can be on their fourth bricked console and we see a man at the very top of his game. He's not surprised, because "It speaks to the power of the product offering and service we provide. That’s my point. In the ordinary course of something like this, you would expect it to show up in the customer reaction data. We just haven’t seen that.
"It speaks to the fact that they love their games and Xbox Live. Does it frustrate them? Yes. On the other hand, they know we’re taking care of them. People have a certain amount of respect for that. If it had happened on a product that had less baseline customer satisfaction, it would have had a bigger impact. We really haven’t seen that."
Superb. The fact that you can have a product that breaks down is "power of the product". That is indeed why he's on the big bucks.
Robbie's also capable of damning with the most elegant faint praise. In May this year Sony CEO Sir Howard of Stringer said that the PS3 was no longer on 'life support'. Here's Robbie's take.
"If not being on life support is the metric for success, then I guess they’re successful."
Ouch!
What of Nintendo though? The fact that the Wii is wiping the floor (or the air) with the competition has even got to Bach. However, it's not about the Wii console or the fact that a new set of gamers have been reached. Nope. Bach says, "Nintendo has done great things with the controller."
Does this mean that Microsoft might want to head in the same direction? "There is no magic sauce there. It’s a little trickier to add midway through the cycle because you have to have game developers on board and the right content available", says R.B. Magic sauce, we like the idea of that. However, this is certainly not a denial or confirmation of the Microsoft Wii-a-like controller. That is genius marketing speak.
Who is going to win the console war? Well, apparently not Sony. With Microsoft's product offering so good and Nintendo doing so well, "Four or five years ago, most people would have said three console makers could not be successful. That’s the likely outcome now."
You can read and enjoy Robbie B's take on life over on Venture Beat - if you can come away with any actual facts, we'll buy you a pint of something.
So, what is the biggest complaint about the Xbox 360 according to Robbie?
"The No. 1 complaint I get from people is that it is taking you too long to fix the console."
A free and frank admission and we praise Bach for it. He then responds to a question about whether he's surprised that 360 owners can be on their fourth bricked console and we see a man at the very top of his game. He's not surprised, because "It speaks to the power of the product offering and service we provide. That’s my point. In the ordinary course of something like this, you would expect it to show up in the customer reaction data. We just haven’t seen that.
"It speaks to the fact that they love their games and Xbox Live. Does it frustrate them? Yes. On the other hand, they know we’re taking care of them. People have a certain amount of respect for that. If it had happened on a product that had less baseline customer satisfaction, it would have had a bigger impact. We really haven’t seen that."
Superb. The fact that you can have a product that breaks down is "power of the product". That is indeed why he's on the big bucks.
Robbie's also capable of damning with the most elegant faint praise. In May this year Sony CEO Sir Howard of Stringer said that the PS3 was no longer on 'life support'. Here's Robbie's take.
"If not being on life support is the metric for success, then I guess they’re successful."
Ouch!
What of Nintendo though? The fact that the Wii is wiping the floor (or the air) with the competition has even got to Bach. However, it's not about the Wii console or the fact that a new set of gamers have been reached. Nope. Bach says, "Nintendo has done great things with the controller."
Does this mean that Microsoft might want to head in the same direction? "There is no magic sauce there. It’s a little trickier to add midway through the cycle because you have to have game developers on board and the right content available", says R.B. Magic sauce, we like the idea of that. However, this is certainly not a denial or confirmation of the Microsoft Wii-a-like controller. That is genius marketing speak.
Who is going to win the console war? Well, apparently not Sony. With Microsoft's product offering so good and Nintendo doing so well, "Four or five years ago, most people would have said three console makers could not be successful. That’s the likely outcome now."
You can read and enjoy Robbie B's take on life over on Venture Beat - if you can come away with any actual facts, we'll buy you a pint of something.
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Comments
deleted 13 Jun 2008 16:42
1/10
SonY will win Wii in Second place and 360 sadly and regretfully third by Xmas 2009
Runs for cover..
Runs for cover..
ghoti 13 Jun 2008 16:54
2/10
"The No. 1 complaint I get from people is that it is taking you too long to fix the console."
They probably did a survery like this:
What annoys you most about the 360?
A: Interchangeable faceplates.
B: Surround Sound
C: Taking too long to fix the console.
Whereas they should have included:
D: It lasts about a year if you're lucky.
They probably did a survery like this:
What annoys you most about the 360?
A: Interchangeable faceplates.
B: Surround Sound
C: Taking too long to fix the console.
Whereas they should have included:
D: It lasts about a year if you're lucky.
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OptimusP 13 Jun 2008 21:10
3/10
So a console succes can now be measured by how much the ting breaks down and need to be repaired? Huzzah!
Nintendo's handheld dominance is a lie! Spread the word!
Nintendo's handheld dominance is a lie! Spread the word!
frustrated 3 Sep 2008 16:03
4/10
XBOX 360 deffo in last place.... Wii is great, fun, reliable and not overly priced (with some acessories included - ie. wifi adaptor).
Xbox 360 all have manufacturing fault (You know what I'm talking about - Ring of Death), and accesories repeatedly fail (even within 2 hours of use). Xbox 360 Customer Serves don't want to know... dont help, dont fix, dont refund.
Never had cause to complain to Nintendo Wii.
Xbox 360 all have manufacturing fault (You know what I'm talking about - Ring of Death), and accesories repeatedly fail (even within 2 hours of use). Xbox 360 Customer Serves don't want to know... dont help, dont fix, dont refund.
Never had cause to complain to Nintendo Wii.
nina 12 Jan 2009 17:24
5/10
In December 2006, my family and myself purchased one of the infamous XBOX 360 consoles for my young son. By May 2007 it broke down - three red rings - sounds familiar? Sent it to Microsoft XBOX customer services. They patched it up and returned it 2 months later, after several phone calls. No apologies for lack of service and two paltry games by way of compensation. Christmas Eve 2008 - surprise, surprise! XBOX breaksdown same fault - 3 red rings. Several phone calls later, with every assistant promising a refund of my money, I have been informed today that the XBOX will only be repaired again and thats it. NO THAT IS NOT IT!
Can I remind all users out there that YOU are the consumer and Microsoft needs YOUR market share to survive!!! They knowingly sold an unsafe, faulty and potentially DANGEROUS good in their haste to gain the market share of such consoles. The decent thing would have been to RECALL the consoles but they continue to LIE to consumers about their product in the hope that the warrenties will expire JUST before the consoles break down again (and I assure you they will)
The service by Microsoft is shoddy, their customer service operators are surly and arrogant and I can only imagine that this briefing comes from above. However, I will pose this question to gamers - if you purchased a HD flat screen tv for the same amount of money as your console, would you put up with it overheating in your home and put up with the lacklasture and patronising service you have received so far?
C'MON EVERYONE WAKE UP! Individually all we can do is moan on sites like this and get mad but collectively we can get even. And believe XBOX doesn't want us to get even in an economic downturn. Lets get together and sort this out before one of us ( if it hasn't happened already) fries in our bedroom.
ANGRY MOM!!!!!!
Can I remind all users out there that YOU are the consumer and Microsoft needs YOUR market share to survive!!! They knowingly sold an unsafe, faulty and potentially DANGEROUS good in their haste to gain the market share of such consoles. The decent thing would have been to RECALL the consoles but they continue to LIE to consumers about their product in the hope that the warrenties will expire JUST before the consoles break down again (and I assure you they will)
The service by Microsoft is shoddy, their customer service operators are surly and arrogant and I can only imagine that this briefing comes from above. However, I will pose this question to gamers - if you purchased a HD flat screen tv for the same amount of money as your console, would you put up with it overheating in your home and put up with the lacklasture and patronising service you have received so far?
C'MON EVERYONE WAKE UP! Individually all we can do is moan on sites like this and get mad but collectively we can get even. And believe XBOX doesn't want us to get even in an economic downturn. Lets get together and sort this out before one of us ( if it hasn't happened already) fries in our bedroom.
ANGRY MOM!!!!!!
Was p 12 Jan 2009 19:52
6/10
Unreliable? Yes.
A totally consumer led returns policy? No, not by a some way.
Possibly lethal to the user? Now, that’s a new one to me, but maybe I’ve not been paying attention. I thought the main health risk from an Xbox was to any person on the opposite the side of the window it gets thrown at when it bricks.
A totally consumer led returns policy? No, not by a some way.
Possibly lethal to the user? Now, that’s a new one to me, but maybe I’ve not been paying attention. I thought the main health risk from an Xbox was to any person on the opposite the side of the window it gets thrown at when it bricks.
PreciousRoi 12 Jan 2009 21:55
7/10
Sorry lady, sell crazy someplace else, we're all stocked up here...
deleted 12 Jan 2009 23:34
8/10
Replying to nina..
There is currently legal action in various places by various people about the fat MS were aware of faults on the 360, in fact one seeks compensation on behalf of every 360 owner, so we will wait and see, but i wouldnt hold your breath.
as it stands yes the 360 is flawed in design but shouting about it on here wont help, ive had 3 RROD`s and i dont expect my money back, i expect a repair or replacement, as if i got my money back id buy a new one anyhoo!, after all the Gears and COD withdrawal would be enough to make me forgive the RROD.
:-)
There is currently legal action in various places by various people about the fat MS were aware of faults on the 360, in fact one seeks compensation on behalf of every 360 owner, so we will wait and see, but i wouldnt hold your breath.
as it stands yes the 360 is flawed in design but shouting about it on here wont help, ive had 3 RROD`s and i dont expect my money back, i expect a repair or replacement, as if i got my money back id buy a new one anyhoo!, after all the Gears and COD withdrawal would be enough to make me forgive the RROD.
PreciousRoi wrote:
Sorry lady, sell crazy someplace else, we're all stocked up here...
:-)
MRXBOX n VAN BC 14 Jan 2009 08:12
9/10
My name is MRXBOX n VAN BC , STATS : 7 XBOX'S = 5 org. 2 XB 360 's 15 Controllers 5 Wired Head sets 2 wireless and I'm off to the store for a third wireless as my #2 just packed it in ! So stop whining and get on a leader board ! It makes the suck ass stuff less painful ! Oh ya i've been on 5 Leader Boards !!!! So Thanks XBOXLIVE , but maybe do somthing about the CHEATERS AND BOOSTERS ! THAT WOULD BE NICE !
irate mother 24 May 2009 18:08
10/10
Maybe the reason that Mr.Bach isn't aware of the deplorable customer service his organization provides is because their supervisors lie to customers to placate them and when that doesn't work and the customer calls back they just hang up on the customer. I for one will never again purchase anything made by Microsoft.