To: Michael Dell….
CC: Michael George, chief marketing officer and vice president for the U.S. consumer business, Dell
Gentlemen,
Your customer satisfaction is plummeting, your marketshare is shrinking, and your stock price is deflating.
Let me give you some indication of why, from one consumer’s perspective. I won’t bore you with all the details of my saga of Dell hell; you can read all about it here and here. The bottom line is that a low-price coupon may have gotten me to buy a Dell, but your product was a lemon and your customer service was appalling.
I shipped back my computer today and only — only — because I wrote an email to you, Mr. George, did I manage to get a refund. I’m typing this on an Apple Powerbook. I also have bought two more Apples for our home.
But you didn’t just lose three PC sales and me as a customer.
Today, when you lose a customer, you don’t lose just that customer, you risk losing that customer’s friends. And thanks to the internet and blogs and consumer rate-and-review services, your customers have lots and lots of friends all around the world.
I blog. And I shared the story of my Dell travails here. The topic resonated with hundreds more people. Go read the many comments here and here. Too busy? Then have an intern or an MBA do it for you.
And then have them read all the many posts of other bloggers who pointed to my posts and shared their dissatisfaction with your products, service, and brand and, in many cases, announced that they were no longer going to buy your name: See some of those posts here or here and you’ll learn a lot.
Heard of those new podcast things? Well, you’re in one.
Now go read the press this generated, because the press is reading blogs, even if you’re not: here (where Fast company turned consumer dissatisfaction into a verb: you got Dell’d), here (ZDnet not just in America but in India, where your many customer-service people are probably reading this, even if you’re not), here (a mainstream newspaper), here (an influential online news service), here (a consumer PC magazine), here (BusinessWeek, guys), and plenty more here: Just Google it; you should be doing that every day.
Or nevermind the press and even the blogs and just go to a food court to listen to what your customers are really saying about you. A VC in Toronto named Rick Segal happened to be in his building’s food court when he witnessed this scene:
I happened to be sitting across from a couple of bank tellers from TD Canada Trust, the bank in our building. These two ladies I’d seen before so I knew where they worked.Lady one: I was going to buy a new Dell but did you hear about Jeff Jarvis and the absolute hell he is going through with them.
Lady two: Yeah, I know the IT guy told me that the cobler blog was recommending we stay away from Dell.
Okay, after you are done laughing at this; laughing at Scoble’s name being mangled, laughing at two random bank tellers talking about some one line blog entry about some guy pissed off about his Dell experience; after you are done: Pay Attention.
I’ll accept that an IT guy would be reading scoble’s blog. I’ll even accept the IT guy offering an opinion which, randomly, I overheard.
The pay attention part: Lots of people (Dell?) are making the assumption that “average people†or “the masses†don’t really see/read blogs so, we take a little heat and move on.
Big mistake.
At the same time, as the tech columnist in the Houston Chronicle reported, you closed down one of your consumer forums and your own spokesman said that you have a corporate policy of not talking to your customers on blogs.
Big mistakes.
So allow me to give you some friendly and free advice about these blog things. You can pay for more.
1. Read blogs. Go to Technorati, Icerocket, Google, Bloglines, Pubsub, and search for Dell and read what they’re saying about you. Get it out of your head that these are “bloggers,” just strange beasts blathering. These are consumers, your marketplace, your customers — if you’re lucky. They are just people. You surely spend a fortune on consumer research, on surveys and focus groups and thinktanks to find out what people are thinking. On blogs, they will tell you for free. All you have to do is read them. All you have to do is listen.
2. Talk with your consumers. One of your executives said you have a look-don’t-touch policy regarding blogs. How insulting that is: You ignore your consumers? You act as if we’re not here? How would you like it if you gave someone thousands of dollars and they ignored you? You’re not used to being treated that way. Neither are we. It’s just rude. These bloggers care enough to talk about your products and service and brands. The least you can do is engage them and join the conversation. You will learn more than any think tank can ever tell you about what the market thinks of your products. But go to the next step: Ask ask your consumers what they think you should do. You’ll end up with better products and you’ll do a better job selling them to more satisfied customers who can even help each other, if you’ll let them. It’s good business, gentlemen.
3. Blog. If Microsoft and Sun and even GM, fercapitalismsake, can have their smartest blogging. So why shouldn’t you? Or the better question: Why should you? Because it’s a fad? No. Because it will make you cool with your kids? No. Blog because it shows that you are open and unafraid — no, eager — to engage your consumers, eye-to-eye.
4. Listen to all your bad press and bad blog PR and consumer dissatisfaction and falling stock price and to the failure of your low-price strategy and use that blog to admit that you have a problem. Then show us how you are going to improve quality and let us help. Make better computers and hire customer service people who serve customers.
It sounds so simple, so downright silly, doesn’t it? But that’s what you’re not doing now. And that’s why you lost me as a customer. But if you join the conversation your customers are having without you, it may not be too late.
Sincerely,
Jeff Jarvis
P.S. I have one Dell left in the house, my son’s. And just last night, he said he had to buy a fan to put under his machine to suck the heat out so the graphics card won’t overheat and slow down every time he plays a game. He looked online and found that people have complained to Dell… but no one would listen. Do you hear us now?
I bought a new (used) laptop last week. While browsing the ads I found a few Dell’s. I rejected them out of hand due to the Jarvis DELL HELL saga.
I didn’t know Dell had dropped the ball as far as quality was concerned. A few years ago, I would still be in the dark. The new grapevine is a great thing for consumers.
The ripples from the new media have far reaching consequences.
I get asked a lot for computer advice and I will not recommend Dell products anymore until they get their act together.
“Cute” marketing campaigns with telegenic college-age models will not save Dell’s keister.
Dell ignores their customer base at their own peril, as do all companies.
It’s a new age…adapt or die.
It’s late, I feel the flu coming on, I hope the above post made some sense.
Here is one for XPS and Dell Canada. About two and a half years ago I purchased a Dell XPS M1210 from Dell Canada. The company then was in Canada when you called them to place your order which cost me about $2,500.00. I needed to have the computer fixed ehich turned out to be a “nightmare.” After almost losing my computer because it was sent to another address, it came back not properly fixed. So off it went again and again it was not completely fixed. Now I am having trouble with the computer again (purchased the three year warranty) which was a good thing but can I talk to someone from Canada?? Not a chance, all calls go to the Philippines. Not only is that a problem with trying to communicate in English but it seems they just don’t care. I have been trying to get a hold of a Canadian to let them know but they just keep putting me through to Philippines. So here I am now with my $2,500 computer and warranty still left but it does not mean anything…..Beware XPS buyers!! I will never go Dell again because of the poor service and lack of communications. Now I know “first hand” what “Dell Hell” really means..
Jeff, your Dell Hell entries are a lesson for all of us in business. Thank you for being so public and clear in your communication. You showing how blogging can give consumers a voice and force a company to take notice – albiet too late in the case of Dell. The commercial and social arrogance of many global companies is all too often masked by cute advertising. Your voice of one has woken many who had given up.
Excellent summary, Jeff. Count me in as another about-to-buy-a-Dell guy who got cold feet after reading about your experience.
Oh, you might want to fix the typo in this sentence:
“But you didn’t just lose three PC sales and you me as a customer.”
Can I be your editor?
Having been through one Dell hell, I would have made more of a point of the laughably inept/useless/overpriced “home service”. One problem with Dell’s direct sales strategy is the inability to have something like Apple’s Genius bars. (Where you can actually get help). By the way, it’s travail, not trevail.
I’m curious- Will Jeff decide he really likes the Powerbook and start singing it’s praises? If he find problems with the “Book” or service and blogs about it, will Apple respond? If so, will Apple notice? Will Sony notice and send him a laptop?
It seems kinda brain dead not to respond to this things.
Great letter.
Now everybody must spread the word about it, so that Dell people can never escape the Buzz.
I blogged about it and asked everyone to blog about it too.
Thank you, my editors, for the edits.
I personally have had a DELL for 3 years and not one problem. All companies are making their products cheaper by the day. I for one will never in my life buy an Apple, unless my doorstop doesnt work any longer. To compete with the market including DELL are putting cheaper parts in their machines, I have friends with just as big complaints from other big name companies ie HP, Gateway what not. I must have gotten a super machine DELL with no quarks.
Has anyone noticed that when on Line with Dell service, there is a concerted effort to sell you something. Anyone notice you CAN NOT talk to a rep. from the U.S. Anyone notice that “Dell on Call” tech support always tells you, the reason your computor is slow, freezes or not functioning correctly, a purchase suggested by the tech rep, will solve the problem. When it doesn’t, just try to get a refund, or contact someone who cares. Anyone notice that the tech rep doesn’t want you to see, or know what he is doing on your computor, when you allow him/her access to your machine.
I love my Dell. I have three desktops at home, a Dell PDA, and around twenty units at my offices including laptops and two servers… I’m sorry you had such a terrible experience with them, but I’ve never had any major problems at all. I hope you have better luck with your new rig.
yet!!!
When a customer receives an unusual service – good or bad – they will often talk about it.
A customer can undermine you or be an advocate for you. No company should aim for satisfied customers. That target is too low and a slight miss brings you into the unhappy zone with him.
Aim for delighted. Think about what you’d like your customer to say about you.
Then do what’s necessary to get them to say it…
“your customers have lots and lots of friends all around the world.”
- people have a elephant memory for thing going wrong!
- 6th degrees of separation: thru internet you will have a much chance that some one knows some one who is going thru a Dell Hell!
Jeff, if you really want to get to the folks at Dell, you might want to send a head-up to the pople at the Austin American-Stateman. Since Dell is headquartered in nearby Round Rock, any sort of story or blurb in that paper or on their website (www.austin360.com) about growing dissatisfaction with Dell due to poor customer service would be seen not only by the firms executives, but by thousands of the company’s employees, who might help put some internal pressure on Dell to clean up its act.
Too bad you had a bad experience with em’, I know thier customer service has really gone down in quality these last few years but then so has everyone’s…
If you really want to get a PC done right shop around for a good local PC repairman or learn to build/repair one yourself.
Often times you can build a PC for noticably less than a high end Dell (minus those crazy cupons of course, I used one myself recently to get a BFG7800GT for $345 shipped when they were selling for $420 elswhere! but I’d never buy a whole PC other than a laptop from them….), those low end bundles are usually unbeatable, but then you get what you pay for…
My “Dell Hell” was sub-contracted to Dell Financial Services. AFTER Dell shipped me a laptop, and later, a flat-panel TV, I received mail from DFS, stating much less desirable payment options than those advertised by Dell.
An angry letter to Dell Customer Service got a telephone response with an apology but denial of responsibility.
Never again, Dell!
We’re currently on our second Dell PC and in need of a new desktop or laptop, or, likely, both. I’d like a wireless laptop for my blogging and my wife would sure enjoy having a desktop PC freed up for her, as I spend a lot of time on our sole PC now and it frustrates her to no end.
I don’t think a week goes by that we do not receive a Dell email offering big discounts on their products. But we’ve been a tad reluctant to remain loyal Dell customers, as we’ve read the bad press of late and, frankly, your post, Jeff, may have sealed the deal for us.
I’ve posted on customer service nightmares with other services and products, and pointed in my blog to what seems a significant deterioration in the Total Quality Management (TQM) and Six Sigma programs that not too long ago were being zealously embraced by most major Fortune 500 companies. Indeed, my wife just recently bought and received a defective Motorola cell phone!
So on the strength of your credibility, Jeff, we’ll look elsewhere for our next PC(s).
Jeff, in suggestion nr. 2: “…But go to the next step: Ask ask your consumers…”
Asking once is enough
Seriously, excellent letter, can’t wait to see if there will be a response.
I too have been warning people away from Dells, after the appauling service and quailty of their products.
After 11 years of using PCs, it only took 1 year with a Dell and now I’m using an ibook. So I’ll give Dell some credit for helping me discover Apple.
Thanks for this eloquent explanation of Dell Hell. I’ve been there too. I am currently in HP IPAQ 2755 hell and might as well be talking to me dog about getting the problem solved. At least he listens.
I wonder if anyone can name a computer manufacturer who provides GOOD service. I’d buy my next hardware from them if I could see proof from a bunch of people that they’ve had good customer service experiences with one company.
The customer service problem goes well beyond Dell. Bad service, uncaring, ignorant and arrogant service and tech support is rampant.
I wonder just what kind of wake up call will convince companies that we’re sick and tired and not going to take it anymore?
A Dell boycott maybe?
I have a few nightmare stories without ever buying a computer from Dell. My roommate in college ordered a Dell. It came in, we turned it on, the lights went on but the CD-ROM drive wasn’t working. Luckily I have been inside computers, having always built every one I owned, except my laptop and an Alienware I bought (which has since been replaced with another custom built one). The power wasn’t connected to the CD-ROM drive. Who, being a typical user, would have known to check this? This was Fall 1998.
After reading this, I’m even more glad I build my own
This would have been more compelling if it had not been a blatant “hire-me-as-an-intermediary-to-bloggers” letter. Blogging has nothing to do with your issues, nor does it have anything to do with the real solution: make sure you have a machine that works.
No, Ed, I gave them all the advice they need for free.
Jeff,
After dealing with their terrible customer service and products I not only got rid of my Dell and switched to an Apple, but I also sold all of my Dell stock.
I don’t think the point is that Jeff had a bad experience and others had better experience (I have three Dell products, and I’m happy with them).
The point is that this is what happens when companies ignore the conversation. The negative talk doesn’t go away. Instead, it becomes the dominant key message attached to that company, no matter how many marketing dollars are spent on TV commercials and newspaper inserts.
You can’t buy and control a one-way conversation anymore. Some companies just aren’t getting it.
I am on hold right now with Dell. We ordered a Dell Inspiron 8000 in July. The wireless network card does not work and has not worked from day 1. We stayed on the phone with Dell, Dell sent a service technician to our home—he replaced the card but could not get it to work. We stayed on the phone MORE with Dell and they finally issued a pickup or at least had us call DHL for our pickup. Computer was returned to Memphis TN on Friday, August 12, 2005 and returned to us on Monday, August 15, 2005.
COMPUTER STILL DOES NOT WORK. All we want is to return it for a full refund. But Dell thinks we should pay 15% to return it. I will not pay this as the computer was faulty before we ever received it.
Does anyone have any contact email addresses (for Michael Dell) or phone numbers for Dell in Texas or just in the USA? Any help would be appreciated!
It’s like the United Airlines stories in Cluetrain. It would be funny, but those online follies happened 10 years ago and that just makes this pathetic.
I know exactly how you feel, Jeff, in a sort of inverse way. After ten years of assorted Dells (which were always great for me) I got cognitive dissonance with everyone telling me how great Apple was. So I bought my first Mac, an iBook.
And I ended up in 18 months of Apple Hell, before I decided it was rotten to the core. Oh, the machine worked according to the specification, sure, but the service and support, the interface – the whole ‘paradigm’ – didn’t. And it felt as slow (and less useful) than my 5 year old Dell laptop.
Dell never did me wrong, that’s not why I switched; I simply listened to the ‘buzz’. I was disillusioned within the first month with Mac, but stuck it out for another year and more, just in case I ‘got it’.
I didn’t. This year I switched back to Dell. A server and two workstations at work, and – two months ago, ah bliss – a laptop for myself. Goodbye iBook, no hard feelings. Except I only managed to sell off the iBook for the price of the original extended warranty. I bought an iBook, and 18 months later, with 18 months to run on the warranty, it was worth nothing.
It’s not all happy between me and Dell. I’m fed up with the Indian support lines, the heavy accents I can’t understand, the staff who are obviously under pressure, with heavy-handed sales technique. But nothing that Apple don’t do worse in my experience. Don’t want to sound rude, but rural Irish and French accents can sound just as tricky to my British ears.
Moral: I dunno. Other grass may be greener, but it just might turn out to be astroturf.
Sorry about all your Dell problems…but at least you don’t have a Gateway.
My first computer was a gateway, and it was the worst purchase I ever made. When I went to college, I decided to give Dell a try. Maybe 2001 was a good year, because my Dell is one of the best computers I’ve ever had. Everything still runs just as well as it used to, hell, I even dropped the moniter on a hardwood floor, cracked the casing, and it still works.
True, all the customer service representatives may be Indian (dots, not feathers), but at least you can get in touch with them. While the gateway was non-existent and left me on hold for hours at a time, the very helpful dell reps hold a special place in my heart for retreiving a Medical Ethics term paper from deep within the reaches of a Dell Desktop. Heck, they even got it to work afterwards too.
Anyway, I do believe that it would be a good thing if Dell designated someone to respond to blogs. Then I could get payed for how I waste my time daily.
I went through 14 hours of customer service, but ultimately beat the system by instructing the phone rep in what she should be doing. I was horribly dissatisfied with my service, but ultimately I got an incredible system at a great price. Their service sucks, and they are losing customers to it, but as long as they win on pricing they are still going to sell a lot of computers.
Jeff,
Although I am a loyal reader of your site, I only glossed over the various Dell posts over the past few weeks (months?) because they didn’t really interest me, until I finally read this one. Without knowing the specifics of your problem, I will say that I’m sorry you got a bad product and poor customer service, but that I personally have never had a problem with Dell. I’ve owned their PCs in my home for years and we have had them at our office for even longer. I have in the past and would in the future recommend them to others.
I only once had to use their customer service, but they actually were quite helpful to me when I called at 1 in the morning after screwing with my setup so that I couldn’t get on the Internet anymore and the Indian gentleman (who admittedly was tough to understand) told me about the Restore function that got me back to a state before I had screwed everything up. So I just want some of your readers to realize that others have had better experiences with Dell (and it seems to me that you might be just as likely to experience the same thing with Apple, HP, or Gateway.. but maybe not.)
I was considering a Dell, but have enjoyed my 4-year old Vaio laptop and after reading this thread, I’m sticking with what I know. I’ll be buying a Vaio RA842G desktop.
But I will ask this: how in the world could you have bought an Apple after the way in which Apple has treated bloggers? If you rake Dell for its neglect of consumers and bloggers, why would you support a company that is legally hostile to bloggers?
I just sent back my Inspiron 1150 after six-months of misery. The machine worked for two weeks without a problem, then after Dell admitted a HD problem shipped a replacement which never worked properly.
My own “Dell Hell” ensued. Finally, after numerous letters went unanswered I filed a complaint with my state Attorney General, the FTC (over Dell Financial’s harassing actions) and hired a lawyer to oversee my self-handling of the complaint.
The thing is, even if Dell promised to fix or replace the laptop, I don’t really want anything to do with the–ever again.
Doesn’t matter anyway, I still have had no response from Dell.
Just last week I bought a new computer. Despite advertisments for Dell computers that were far cheaper than other brands, I didn’t even consider purchasing one. Instead I went with a Compaq/HP machine and I’m very pleased with it. Your Dell Hell posts were a huge part of my decision to not go with Dell. Those, and the google results I found when I punched in those words. Thanks for exposing their ineptness. You saved me a lot of headaches, I’m sure.
Interesting letter and meme, however, I have had the same type of experience with my first Apple. I penned a letter to Mr. Jobs and am awaiting a response and a $4,500+ check (computer cost + my time).
The whole sad saga has been blogged about at my blog.
I guess Dell’s lemon and Apple’s lemon will cancel one another out. As I’ve state at my blog, I will never own an Apple again. Yes, it was Halo Hell.
Ken Leebow
PS. I have had people tell me that they will not buy Apple because of my experience. And that’s a good thing.
My brother-in-law has always been a big Dell fan. That is, until his latest Dell went on the blink and he found himself in “Dell Hell.” He experienced much of what your posts have described and has since been telling everyone to never buy a Dell. This is a huge turnaround for him and a great loss for Dell as he was such an ambassador before. He said he feels tricked because he had been such a fan only to have to experience a merry-go-round of buck passing and nobody wanting to help. Thanks for sharing your experiences, Jeff. You speak for many unknown to you.
Apples generally don’t break all that often, but when they do, lord do they break.
Personally, I’m never buying another OEM box. I just built my first computer from the ground up, and for the $1,000 I spent I wouldn’t have gotten 1/2 the performance from an OEM maker.
I recently bought an Inspiron 9200. In the past I have experienced great customer service from Dell. I think there CD/DVD drives and keyboards are unreliable but they have always fixed them.
What I hate about Dell is that my laptop came preloaded with ADWARE (MyWebSearch or some such horror). When I discovered that, I cursed Michael Dell for a week and told everyone I knew how pathetic Dell is.
My next bad experience came when we ordered a laptop for one of our mobile users. We specifically told them not to load AOL because it interferes with our corporate VPN. But alas, AOL was installed and ready to go.
I’m just waiting for Apple to switch to Intel chips and then I’m changing ships.
Michael Dell: How could you preload ADWARE on my $2,000 laptop? How dare you! Why do you elect to compromise your integrity and customer satisfaction for short term profits?
I may well be the sole voice in the wilderness with something good to say about Dell. I bought a new desktop system a week ago and I’m absolutely thrilled with it.
Initial impressions here: http://www.nevon.net/experimental/2005/08/new_dell_rig_in.html
Mind you, I have had no dealings with anyone at any Dell customer service location, just the sales guys and the website…
Jeff, best luck with the Apple, hopefully you won’t be one of the people who run into horror stories with their support either.
(not as frequent as with other manufacturers, but Apple support has it’s issues too, as does some of their hardware, especially the first gen G5 iMacs)
Don’t forget the old customer service adage…: “you get great service, you tell a few people, you get horrible service you tell everyyyyyyyyyyyone”
Neville: I listened to your podcast on this. Of course, buying is easy. And if the machine doesn’t break, you’ll be OK. But if it does break, well, don’t say I didn’t warn you….
Paco from Canada had trouble posting this but I enjoyed the email so much, I’ll post it for him (making me wish I’d made my service calls in German)….
I live in Canada, and have had great Dell customer service with complete care at home repair. They fix and replace everything no problem. However I have a secret, I speak French, so instead of dealing with Apu, I deal with someone who I can understand.
That being said, I’m buying a new laptop, and it won’t be Dell. Why? Dell Hell stories. I just don’t trust the company anymore because of all of the horror stories i’ve heard and read (blogs, customer reviews).
If I buy another Dell, and go through hell which was universally forecast, I will never forgive myself. Plus Dell techs, replaced about 10 parts on my laptop, on 10 visits (inspiron 8000 total 5000$ canadian not a cheap one)
so much for quality parts, durability sucks.
Adieu Dell
Thanks, Jeff. Everyone keeps telling me that…
A month ago I bought a new Dell laptop and I love that machine. 2 weeks later I managed to ruin my keyboard by accidently emptying a Coke onto it. I immediatly called Dell support, asking for a new keyboard. No questions where asked, the next day UPS delivered a brand new keyboard, without additional costs.
I LOVE DELL AND I’M NOT ASHAMED OF IT!
Their website sucks bigtime though..
I am typing this comment on an HP laptop. But for awful customer service, it would have been a Dell. My order was placed, then canceled for a minor bookeeping reason. The DellHell of trying to get my order reinstated was by far one of my worst customer service experiences ever. Ever.
Why HP? No reason other than it wasn’t Dell, and I needed something fast. My thought at the time: “If this is how Dell treats me when I’m trying to give them $2,000, what happens if I actually have a problem?”
Hop onto the Cluetrain, folks. Markets are conversations. The marketplace is speaking loud and clear here.
Yes, it’s bad not to pay attention to customer comments, whether in blogs, customer forums, or in the press. And yes, people are coming to understand that Dell can suck.
But self-important “The Blogosphere Is Changing EVERYTHING!!!11!1!1!” kerfuffle doesn’t help your case. Get over yourself!
Dude, get an Apple.
Sometimes Dell’s incompetence actually works in the customer’s favor. Okay, maybe 1% of the time, but still…
A few years ago a friend ordered a Dell desktop and monitor. Showed up a few days later and everything was fine. The next week, another IDENTICAL PC and monitor arrived. She called Dell to tell them they made a mistake and to come pick it up, and they told her just to keep it! So I think her mom got a new PC too. But of course they now hate Dell like everyone else anyway.
How old are you, Andrew? Let me only explain to you that Jeff comes from a time when little people at the street-level could only dream about telling ignoramus corporations how rotten they were. If you’re young, you will not understand what a big deal it is that the voice of dissatisfaction can be massed so effectively. You will not understand that this really is something new.
Unless you hear it on a blog, of course.
I buy Dells for my corporation. And they work very well. My “secret”?
I buy Gold Level Support. It costs $50 or so. It lets you jump the queue, and you supposedly get someone who knows what they are doing. And, generally – they do.
Also, I am NOT impressed with Inspirons – the build quality on Latitudes seems to be much better.
Billy, Ralph Nader published “Unsafe At Any Speed” a decade before I was born, and that was pretty damn effective.
Yes, blogs are new. Hooray! Long live the Great Blogosphere Revolution! But to claim that nothing like this has ever happened before is pure folly.
Well Jeff, you found the ultimate answer to your problem : Apple computers
HI.
it seems amazingteh differences between Dell UK and dell US over here dells customer service could still do with a touch up such as UK call centers etc.. but its not as bad as most other PC comps. as for teh quality of their machines i am MD or CEO of a software company here in teh UK and we have about 500 workstaions and run about 50 servers at any one time. they are all dell machines and all servers run on linux whilst we are still limited to windows on the workstaions. the point is that in the 10 years we have run on dell we have had one hardware failure and that was a backup hard drive.
i just hope that dell UK/EU does not fall to the standards you seem to have in the US
My wife and I both got Dell laptops about three months ago. Hers up and stopped working about two weeks ago and we got her a powerbook. Mine still works, but will soon be replaced with another powerbook.
Frankly, Dell computers cannot be trusted. Apple, despite all the mistakes they’ve made over the years, is doing a terrific job.
Jeff, I am sorry to hear of your terrible experience…but for every person like you, there is one for Apple, one for HP/Compaq, and so on. And of course, there is the opposite.
There are people like me. I have a Dell Dimension 8200, Pentiium 2.4GHz with 512MB Ram and a 64MB Nvidea GPU, plus DVD+R out of the box. It now has 3×80GB HDD, 1GB RAM, 256MB ATI Sapphire, and has a SCSI controller and USB 2.0 (USB 2.0 was just hitting the market when I bought this system for $1600.)
I run Apache 2, PHP 5 and MySQL. And while running as an ultrapeer in a popular P2P program, in addition to 63 other running processes, I can play Battlefield Vietnam, BF:2, Medal of Honor, or whatever…all at the same time.
When I first got it, the burner did not work…after 10 minutes of talking to CS, I was transferred to someone who knew the difference between RAM and ROM…and 10 minutes after that, I had a new burner on the way. The box has worked like a champ since…although I wish it had more PCI slots, and I wish I had NEVER installed Norton AV (I run TrendMicro now,) it has been a great system, and couples nicely with my (perfect) Dell Axim x50V…
I have never owned a Dell, but I have helped several people through Dell Hell. Not good experiences.
I have been an executive in two major suppliers to Dell. They really do go out of their way to try to get the best quality parts at the price points they choose, and the Dell procuremnet team spends a lot of time on supplier quality. However, no matter how good the parts are, it doesn’t help the after sales service.
I work in the PC component industry, and I have used a lot of laptop brands and have helped a lot of people with even more. For me, the best experience has been IBM (now Lenovo) Thinkpad – for myself (currently, a T42), my kids (X31, T23, t20, …), my parents (t23s), my employees, …
I always buy the better lines – currently T-series or X series thinkpads. Tough, generally well designed, easily serviced anywhere in the world. I had a motherboard replaced in Thailand a couple of years ago, and a display replaced in Japan before that, even though I buy al my systems in the US.
I have had some bad experiences with the I and R series thinkpads (“consumer level”) because they are not designed by IBM/Lenovo (I think the I series was just a relabelled Acer, and I can’t remember who did my R series).
I don’t always buy new (for the kids), but I always buy thinkpad. They sometimes cost more, but they are worth every penny (and if you buy used, the warranty is usually transferrable).
I generally get reasonable tech support. In the US, I usually talk to support in Atlanta or in Canada, but once in a while I get Dublin. I have talked to some really incredible IBM tech support people (people who have actuially worked on PCs themselves and can think beyond the canned scripts). I have also had to endure a few clueless people who can barely read the scripts(When my idiot detector goes off, I just hang up and call back — hold times are usually under 5 minutes, often under 2).
I am not saying IBM support is perfect. I have had support people tell me to reformat my hard drive to fix a driver problem. The repair group isn’t without a few warts either — I had two motherboards replaced on my t40 in less than a month last year, and they “lost” my laptop for a week a couple of years ago), but it is sure better than I have experienced with other PC companies.
Also, I saw a concern voiced about the Lenovo acquisition of Thinkpad. Personally, I am not worried a bit. In fact, it might be the best thing for Thinkpad.
I have personally talked to some of the Lenovo executives about the acquisition. Lenovo has been one of the biggest PC companies in China for some time, and they are deeply committed to be in the PC business. I think they will put the focus and investment into Thinkpad to allow it to really flourish. But, we will have to watch and see how they do…
Most people don’t realize, but almost all of IBM’s thinkpads have been built in China for several years. Most of them are built in a very modern facility in Shenzhen (just a few minutes from Hong Kong, on a good traffic day), which I happened to drive past this morning (I am on a business trip in China). That plant now has a shiny new “Lenovo” sign on it, Thinkpads are still rolling down the lines, and their employees say that nothing is really changing in the products.
As an aside, over 90% of all notebooks in the world are built in China now, mostly by ODM companies who build for many brands. Companies like Quanta, Asustech, etc who build for HP,. Sony. Even some Dells and thinkpads. In fact, Lenovo and Dell are the only big PC companies I can think of who still build most of their own laptops in their own factories in China.
The thinkpad design team in Japan was also part of the Lenovo deal, so I don’t expect there to be any problem with the designs going downhill either. For those people who have experienced overheating on laptops, it is almost purely a design issue, and no amount of “repair” can fix a bad design.
I worked for IBM for many years, and the pressure on the PC division to cut cost, reduce service, etc. was always pretty intense because they weren’t making the profits IBM expected. I really liked IBM, but IBM just couldn’t understand how to play in a low margin, high volume market like PCs. I often thought that Thinkpad succeeded more “despite” being in IBM than “because” it was in IBM. (I could tell you stories about some of the amazingly subversive tactics some IBM employees / teams had to use to defend their products and customers against idiotic directives from some IBM executives who couldn’t see past the quarterly financials…)
Hi everyone, I work for Dell Tech Support.
Now I’m not here to advertise for Dell, because I think it was a bad move for them to downgrade the consumer side of business (Dell is mostly concentrating on the business/government side now). Everyone should do what Jeremy R has done. If you still like Dell, then they still have the best customer service; that is if you buy the Gold Support contract. It means you’ll talk to someone in the States, every technician is Microsoft Certified, there is 2 minutes or less queue wait-times (usually none), and we provide seamless support (we’ll support anything attached or installed on your Dell, then if we can’t solve it, we’ll conference in the 3rd party support for help).
Dellman: what kind of crap is that: We are blackmailed into paying more to get acceptable service? I paid a fortune to get the at home service. But that wasn’t’ enough. I have to buy gold. The fact that gold srevice even exists is an admission that the rest of the service is tin. Therein lies Dell’s precise problem: We treat you like crap… unless you pay up. I know you come in with the best of intentions but that really gets my goat; it is the best indication of the worst of dell.
People should really stop complaining and learn how to put togerther their PC’s from loose parts, firstly because it isn’t difficult at all, and secendly because it’s cheaper than having some dufus doing it for you and you paying him money indicrectly, as this probably adds up to the price.
Customer service shouldn’t have “levels”. It should be first rate all the time for every customer. Any company that resorts to making their customers pay for good service deserves what it gets – loss of business. I was getting ready to buy a Dell, but not anymore. Sorry Dell, you snooze you lose.
When a manufacturer or reseller blunder and really screw up a customers order and/or purchase experience, they have a 15 second grace period to turn that very negative experience into perhaps the best customer experience for said customer. However, most larger companies like Dell, don’t really givea rats ass and neither would you if you were shipping 2.3 million units a day worldwide. Fact is for companies the size of Dell it’s all about the bottom line, no innovation, just profit margins.
I’ve also had problems with Dell service. Never mind that I have difficulty communicating with tech support people with thick foreign accents; they know less about my Dell than I do. When I call tech support, I’ve already research the knowledge base; in other words, calling tech support is a last resort. Yet, when I tell the tech that I am somewhat knowledgeable and need Level Two tech support. they cannot provide it.
I’ve had a new Dell Latitude x300 for about a year — my fourth Dell computer. The wireless card is defective and Dell refuses to acknowledge my troubles. The slough it off on my wireless router company. I’ve given up. My next machine will be another — as yet undetermined — brand; but it will not be a Dell.
My dell computer was really messed up one time and the tech guy was very helpful and nice. He walked me thru all the steps needed to make the computer work again. Everyone has bad days, give them a break.
Like I said, I’m not here to advertise for them. The fact is, you really need to run a big corporation to get the best service. We treat big businesses like gods because that’s where most of Dell’s money comes from. We’d rather lose a few customers who buy 1 or 2 systems a year than a huge business that spends a million dollars a week on our stuff.
Kevin: I’ve been building my own PC’s since 1990, and I have never seen anyone, anywhere, who built their own laptop. It’s probably happened, I guess, but it would be nothing in the world like building a desktop box.
Jeff’s problem began with a laptop.
I have 2 Dell desktops and 2 laptops and have never had any problems. The one time I needed customer service they were slow to respond, but I think my expectations have been lowered and I was not overly dismayed. I was actually amused by the service rep…”My name is Mahatma, but you can call me Michael”. Despite my own experience, I can’t ignore the clarity of the mesages listed here. I’m beginning to feel that I have been lucky and I am not inclined to trust my luck with Dell in the future.
“Customer service shouldn’t have “levelsâ€. It should be first rate all the time for every customer. ”
And there should be a chocolate-shake dispenser on every corner.
That won’t happen, either.
I would love my voice to be heard as well….thank you for finally giving a voice to the DELL NIGHTMARE. Here is my letter to Dell outlining my list of issues:
Dell Customer Support –
OptiPlex GX260
Service Tag: 7P4GQ11
I purchased A Dell Otiplex in 8/5/2002 with the most expensive warranty in home warranty.
On 05/29/2003 it would no longer work.
From that point on over 50 calls or more were made to Dell.
I would say without exaggeration that we have spent over 100 hours dealing with this issue. These calls were incredibly frustrating. We were made to tear the computer part, take parts out, test different functions. We were hung up numerous times, Could not understand many of your technicians as their English was not very good; We were told that technicians would call us back – they did not. The list is endless in terms of our time spent and incredible frustration.
Two mother board were replaced- one on 9/21/2003 – another on 2/20/04.
At both times your in home technicians would not stay until windows booted up, saying that “we do not do software.â€
When we tried to load the Windows System CD, it said a file was missing. Once again called technical support. They said the CD was bad and sent us a new one.
Received the CD and loaded Windows. This now is September of 2003.
We called Dell again (many different numbers – all technicians giving us different numbers)
I was told that no disks could be sent to us. I also had purchased windows XP Professional and was told that I would have to re-purchase this. (Unbelievable, is this really legal?)
I kept trying different avenues. Finally got a technician that said she would put all the files I needed on a list that I could download as no cd could be sent to me. The one caveat that they would only work if I saved them to a 3.5†disk. I asked her, “would they fit.†She said yes. When I saw the list of the files, I knew immediately that they were too big for a disk. How she could not know this being a technical support person is beyond me.
I then called again. The new person I got said he would send me a CD with the drivers.
We spent approx. 3-4 hours trying to load the drivers and get the computer to work.
We finally broke down and decided to try the DELL Customer Support Nightmare again. We got a hold of another technician and we were told we received the wrong CD for the wrong model of computer.
We still cannot use our computer.
Your company in my opinion has the absolute worst customer service I have ever experienced.
I would like at the very least my warranty extended to cover an additional 9 months. But what I would really like is a computer that works.
As I’ve talked to other Dell owners, I have heard similar nightmares from them as well. How you can run a company like this is amazing to me. When someone spends over $2000 for a computer and pays for the most expensive warranty because they NEED their computer to run a business, one would hope that when your computer malfunctions that you FIX IT!!! Not make the user go through absolute torture!
Thanks for venting the frustration many of us have experienced with Dell Jeff. I’ve personally used and supported countless brands of computing equipment over the years and I am still bullish on the quality and value of the Dell brand, but I admit Customer Service is diminishing year by year and now it’s become a problem for me in performing my business.
What galls me is that Dell provides the same crappy customer service to its business customers that it does to its consumer business. A tech clueless family member has had better luck getting good help from certain staff members in Hyderabad for issues concerning his personal Dimension than I have had in pursuing issues for my business, as a skilled IT administrator. I’m patient in letting them work through their script even though I already understand the root cause of the issue and in the end they still have no clue how to proceed when they get to the end of their list. I’m forced to request a supervisor or 2nd level support, but that’s not much help either. Getting a decent, out-of-the-box thinking support rep is a hit and miss proposition, but now and then I work with an outstanding person, like the individual that helped me recover a mission critical NAS server that I personally pooched. They got me back in business on Christmas Eve in less than an hour so I could be back at home with my family. Luckily with certain enterprise focused products they still get you in touch with SMEs rather quickly.
Presently I’m battling an issue with our Dell Inspiron 700m notebooks. They have an audio design flaw that makes the internal sound processor useless for recoding audio and thus, internet telephony. This problem is well documented on Dell Forums, blogs, and other Internet sites, but Dell publicly has not come clean about this. Support reps have admitted there is a flaw in the 700M, but Dell has yet to come up with a solution for its Customers and it would seem hasn’t yet acknowledged the issue in a general support bulletin. I reported the problem the other day and after much persistence got to a support supervisor who knew nothing of the issue and couldn’t find any information on it in their system. I find that interesting considering the issue must have been reported by thousands of customers, but apparently their CRM systems are so poor one can not do simple searches effectively. In any case, this person sounded committed to pursuing my issue with higher-ups and promised a call back the next day. It never came. I’m guessing he took it to management who told him to stand down on this one. Take a look at http://www.recall700m.com to read more about this problem and the buzz it’s created.
I bought my first Dell over nine years ago when Dell was small company and gave good quality service and I was able to speak to an American technician who spoked English that I could understand. The second Dell was seven years ago. but still I had good service. Then three years ago I bought this 8200 Dimension Dell and my troubles begans. I had major problems and the vaious people I spoked too couldn’t talk English that I could understand. Spent hours and hours on the telephone with various foreign technicians and supervisors with no results until I finally brought in a local PC techician at my own expense who once was a local ontsite technician for Dell. I spent another thousand dollars and I refurbished the new Dell computer with quality parts and now it runs pretty good without the help of Dell.
So Mr. Dell, I shall never buy another Dell product again. I have forewarned others not to buy Dell products, because of my troubles with Dell. Since you love foreign cheap labor, then that it is what we get, cheap computers with cheap unable to speak English speakers who live in India, Pakistan, or some other sing song country. (My name is Bob, may I help you. in a sing song tone. What kind of BS are you trying to prove.?)
Incidentally Mr. Dell, I understand you had to satisfied your big business customers with American quality technicians when they told you either American service technician, or no more business with your company. Trouble with your company Mr. Dell, you got to big for your britches and you wanted to cut cost by hiring cheap help in foreign countries; however, you are charging big time bucks for worthless service. The bell curve has caught up with you as it is now going down and hopefully your demise.
Bill
I used to work for Dell, in their corporate technical support department. I watched as a department that was focused on both customer satisfaction and employee empowerment got sucked into the corporate maelstrom. I watched them stop promoting supervisors and managers from within, and watched them cut the training budget on a monthly basis, and watched them outsource to companies who only cared about call turnover. I watched the emphasis on solving problems shift to an emphasis on call turnover.
And still, I thought it was a good place to work, right up until Michael Dell said that anyone who wanted to be able to fix or modify their computer “freaks”. Yes, that’s right, the owner and CEO insulted half his tech support department, at a minimum.
I got out, and I’m not sorry, because while I was on those phones, metrics or not, I gave every customer the very best support that I was capable of. Too bad Dell doesn’t see things that way.
Someone should ask Michael Dell about the time that the president of Compuadd had the Austin Texas police come and remove him from the HQ building. I worked for Compuadd when that happened. It was hilarious. Michael Dell was an obnoxious used car salesman back then, and it appears that he hasn’t changed one bit. I have never bought a Dell, and never will, because of their Bangalor tech support, their inherent lack of quality, and the way they are ruining the entire US computer industry. Their servers suck, too. “Hardware problem? No, you have to reinstall Windows 2000 Server, then rebuild your entire SQL2000 Enterprise database from the ground up, then…” That was the last time that the company I used to work for bought Dell, and that was before I started working for them.
Recently I was told that in Australia service relating to Apple has gone to hell. And the reason given was that the whole service side of Apple here has been replaced with Dell employees! Not sure if this is rumour or reality. But seemed to resonate when I read the above.
I only had to read 3 entries before it came to me. A blog just destroyed a huge company in a single shot.
I found it hilarious and scary.
I would like to destroy every company that has customer support farmed out to India.
Why? Because that’s where my job went.
What company should we target 1st to bring back our jobs?
“A blog just destroyed a huge company in a single shot.”
Dell was destroyed?
What a delusional soul you are.
My family has bought 6 or 7 Dells in the last 6 or 7 years for homes & business. And as I was deciding what to get to replace my circa 1999 Dell tower – the decision was going to be which higher-end Dell laptop I got – Jeff’s saga with Dell was going on at the same time. A bit of research into “switching” and a seriously fun trip to the local Apple store later, needless to say I’m writing this from my new iBook (and I am totally creeped out and NOT into the ‘Cult of Mac’ mindset). And needless to say, no one in my family – and probably in my circle of friends – will ever buy a Dell again. Ed, you really think a single blog post took down (you use the past tense) a company? Oh, please. It’s the story that was told, the consistent dismal and/or nonexistent response from the company, the fact that they refuse to listen to customers – even extremely high-profile customers – that’s leading to the slow, creeping terrible word-of-mouth that Dell is getting and will continue to get from this and similar incidents that will spell trouble for them. Dell revolutionized the industry, but they absolutely cannot survive on momentum from past successes alone if they put out mediocre-to-crappy products and are completely aloof. Word of mouth spreads exponentially but builds slowly & powerfully – and Dell may finally recognize that in a few quarters as more people talk, and more people get to the point of a purchase decision on a computer, and they do not choose a Dell.
Last year I had the unfortunate experience of working for Dell in Small Business Sales for about 1.5 months. I was in between jobs and Christmas was coming and I was desperate, okay. Now, I’ve never been much of a salesman – I really stink at it. And Dell is all about high pressure, bait and switch sales tactics. Part of my problem was that I was making logical recommendations based on what the customers actually needed. Needless to say my sales weren’t as high as my co-workers and I received a good talking to about it. Among other things, my supervisor told me, and I quote, “They (the customers on the phone) don’t know what they want until we sell it to them.” When I finally landed a real job I left Dell with such a bad taste in my mouth that I’ll never own one of their machines. The arrogance and smugness of Dell’s corporate culture must be experienced to be believed.
I was in Iraq with the 4th Infantry Division working in an automations tent. At the time all the laptops we had over there were Dells. I decided then that they were pieces of crap. We were constantly replacing parts. A lot of guys were buying laptops on line, 2 people that I worked with purchased Dell’s online. I thought it was hillarious that both laptops were broken when they arrived. I bought a Sony vaio and am still happy with it 2 years later.
Your letter to Mr Dell is spot on!!!!
I’m going thru DellHell right now!!!! Details of the saga that has cost my company a pille of money are at, not to mention the emotional wear & tear on me & my team:
http://geekgirl2.com/musingsandephemera/2005/08/another-week-in-dell-hell.html
PS: I’m also telling everyone I know about my DellHell too
Addendum to previous comment:
MY COMPANY BUYS DELL GOLD LEVEL SUPPORT & THEY STILL TREAT US LIKE SH**!!!
So buying highly expensive support will do you no good if you are in DellHell
Do not bother purchasing complete care on any of Dell’s products. They have not lived up to the promise of that warranty for my Inspiron 8600 notebook. It will not turn on and it has been three days of absolute hell trying to get it fixed. I have been lied to, told its a third party (that Dell sold my warranty to) problem, promised a call, and still my notebook will not turn on that I paid well over 3000.00 for.
It is outrageous.
My past service experience with them has been mixed. Sometimes they respond, but it is always after hours of phone time and irritating people with accents that I cant understand that are either asian or mexican. I have no issues with these people other than if Dell is going to require me to do technical work, I should at least be speaking to someone that can speak english in a manner any other english speaking person can understand. I am not paying for a complete care warranty to have to jump through hoops with someone I cannot understand. I am paying for complete care for COMPLETE CARE.
It is going to really be a shame if Dell goes the way of Gateway.
Dell has unbeleivably horrible customer support. My 2 year old laptop, still under warranty broke down. I called Dell, and the technician was barely listening to me, after 2 years this issue was unresolved and he said that he will be sending me a box and shipping label so that I can send it in to be repaird. Two weeks later, this box never came. I called Dell, again, and they had no record of this conversation taking place!!!
So, I had to spend an additional 2 hours with a new incompetent technican, again, the problem was unresolved, the technician told me he needs to talk to his supervisor on how to fix this problem and PROMISED to call be back within 20 minutes, of course I didn’t beleive him, so I asked for a phone number and name to call him back in case he doesnt uphold his promise- he wouldn’t give it to me AND HE NEVER CALLED ME BACK!!!
“Dude, you’r getting a Dell” has turned to “Dude, your getting a Disaster!!”
I purchased a new Inspiron laptop almost 3 years ago. After a short time, the mouse went out and the computer had to be sent in – a few months later, same scenario. The harddrive crashed twice and had to be replaced both times. The keyboard also had to be replaced. I think my computer has been sent in about 4 times – I’d have to look at my records. They’ve also sent about 8 power cords because they are of such poor design/quality that they don’t last.
I can’t stand calling customer service because I can’t understand them and it takes hours. The last time, after telling them the steps I’d taken, they wanted me to repeat each one – I was ready to scream. I try to e-mail but it takes about an hour to find the right site to do that.
Several months ago they sent an e-mail asking that I rate their service and when asked if I would purchase another Dell or recommend one, I said NO. Do you think I ever heard from them?
For all the trouble I’ve had, they should extend my warranty for another year. This computer has been somewhat like raising a child. I have to be here to greet the mailman. Everything they send has to be signed for (even an empty computer box) and then the parts must be returned and the delivery man has to sign my copy – so for every thing they send to me – I have to be here 2 times. The deliveryman and I have gotten to be big buddies. I bet he thinks Dells are awful too!
Dell sucks I am sharing my experince with my disatisfaction with Dell I saw a ad for inspiron 6000 notebook with free shipping within 2-3 days, so I decided to purchase one and placed the order on July 9th, I was charged $19 extra when I questioned it they the salesman (chester ) told me shipping is free the $19 is for handling. I went home and checked my email it said that my estimate shipping date is July 25th so went back to my salesman Chester and asked him about what happend to 2 to 3 days shipping he smiled and confidently said yes sir your note book will be shipped in 2-3 days AS SOON AS IS BULIT AND COMES TO DELLS WAREHOUSE which will be less than 2 two weeks, its 2-3days from the time it arrives to the warehouse I could not belive what I was hearing, I said what if I cancel my order he said he would gladly do it without even trying to opplolgize and save the sale, well deiced I am going to keep the order and take action through a different way and called dell to address this issue, when I called Dell I had to go through a series of teleprompt to get to the person and when I finally got a person I explained my situation Customer service person said let me transfer to the right person and transferred my call to the begining of telepromt. It happened 3 times I had to start from the begining to get an human being. I was tired and frustarted next time I used a different approach I called and punched the #s to buy a notebook its so so quick (of course when mr Dell wants your money) I asked the persons name and ID and then explained my problem he was nice As I had got him by his B–LS. he could not do much but atlest explained that, thats how it works said your note book should be arrived before the day they promissed, I asked him can I get it earlier and can wanted to talk to his supervisor guess where the call went guys yep went to INDIA, do you think I got the results you guessed it right NOOOOO, So I decied that I am going to tell all my friends and webloggers about my experience TO YOU MR DELL it works I had two of my friends who wanted to dell but decided against it just coz of me, I have deciced to tell the whole world about your acts.
I wish I had know buzz machine by jeff earliers I would have not bought dell
The store address is
DELL DIRECT
2601 PRESTON RD
FRISCO TX
972-712-5844
Dear Mr. Jarvis
In response to the blog on dell hell, i agree whole heartedly
that dell has dropped the ball. My wife had purchased 3
desktops from them with nothing but unfavorable results
as far as performance and customer assistance. i would tease
her by asking her”know what the problem is?” YOU DIDNT BUY
A GATEWAY…..which i have had for over 5 yrs and still running
strong……great blog, keep up the good work
Since I’m known as the computer “geek” in my department at work, a friend came to me about her Dell problems. Seems that her computer at home stopped working (blue screen of death) so they called Dell Customer Service. A “very nice” woman from India told them that her hard drive had crashed and the only recourse was to have a tech come to their house and replace it. He would take her old hard drive with him could try to restore her data, but couldn’t guarantee it and it would cost $99. Naturally my friend was distraught about the possibility of losing all her files but felt she had no recourse other than to pay the $99.
I told her to call them back and ask for someone to walk her through reinstalling windows before she gave up her “broken” hard drive. After 3 hours of being transferred from one tech to another, she finally got someone to help her with this, and voilá, the computer worked and all her files were intact.
I was amazed at the bad advice she had received and how Dell found it to be easier to send a tech with a new hard drive than to just reinstall windows. Maybe “restoring data” for $99 is just another way to bring in revenue???
I too entered Dell Hell last October trying to purchase several computers and related equipment. I spent six weeks waiting for hookup and finally sent the whole thing back. They still owe me money and the customer service (both here and in the sub-Asian continent) is totally laughable. No people skills and a complete inability to understand the problem.
Turns out that I got better equipment, better service and a much better price locally with someone knowledgeable enough to build my systems.
John Reedy
Lancaster, PA
I am a lucky one. Corporate IT has the deal with Dell. So far my complaints with the current D600.
The system gets really hot. It is uncomfortable to work with.
2 harddrives later. IT tells me that they crash all the time
My Targus power supplies don’t work with it because Dell decided to put some sort of a chip into their power supplies to prevent 3rd party power supplies.
Now luckily I got IT to buy me a new IBM… make that Linevo
very nice. Wonder if anyone has a comparison between new Linevo’s and new Dell’s.
So far I am happy with my new ThinkPad.
Zoe
For the longest time I was a Dell’s fan and supporter. I bought first Latitude in 1999 and was very satisfied with it. After 4 years laptop got hit by lightning – my fault , still no complaints, I learnt the hard way about importance of surcharge protection.
So in 2003 I turned to Dell without thinking of course and got myself beautiful Inspiron 8500, Pentium 2.2GHz, 1GB of RAM, 64MB NVidia card, DVD burner – simply put – loaded at the time with all goodies I could afford and wanted- $2000.
Since the first start there were problems. PC stalled for no reason, I had to turn it of the hard way. No change after reformatting a HD and installing a fresh copy of XP without all their AOL and other “free” stuff.
Movie editing software was just to much for this configuration and never really worked.
I dont really have any experience with customer service because I gave up on them after first contact. It took forever to get to someone, they couldnt answer even simple questions and were talking to me like I was an illiterate idiot, who dont know crap about computers. And even though that english is my second language and I tried hard to understand – I couldnt. By the way I have no problem to communicate with english speaking people on daily bases. I felt like an idiot.
Finally – 2 months ago, motherboard went and that ended my hell with Dell. I didnt buy extended waranty, but seems like it wouldnt make a big difference.
Yes they made some money out of me, but they wont anymore.
Next time I will do my research before buying something which should work for much longer time than just two years.
Good luck.
Welcome to computer hell in general. As consumers demand more for less and competition forces prices down, well, something has to give. Consumer-grade PC’s are spec’d to a pricing sweet-spot based on target market. Uh, that’s you-get-what-you-pay-for. Included in that calculus is customer service or lack thereof depending on your point of view.
Don’t blame Dell or any one else for trying to stay in business. Every company has customer service issues. I have also seen consumers expect the sun, the moon and the stars for as long as they live over a $500.00 computer. This is unrealistic.
Every consumer is ultimately responsible for the buying decision they make. All computers are not made the same. Matching specs is a waste of time unless you REALLY know what is under the hood. All computer companies do not operate the same. Understand not only what you are buying, but from whom.
Dell is ultimately a business computer company and from my perspective of 20+ years in the business, pretty good at it.
I personally wouldn’t own a Gateway if you gave it to me nor would I own any computer that is bundled in a box at Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club or any such place. I would also be disinclined to purchase a Dell from one of the flyers I get from them. Why? Because I understand the limitations and compromises placed on the manufacturer to get a product into a pricing sweet spot.
I’d recommend to anyone considering the purchase of any item of considerable monetary cost that they first revisit the concept of “value”. Secondly, remember that YOUR time has value. You can make more money, but you cannot get back time.
If that item is a computer, be realistic in what it’s primary function is going to be. A video card for gaming can cost more than an entire computer so don’t expect a low-end computer to play Half Life 2 well, if at all. It will also probably choke hard on any 3-D rendering engine such as AutoCAD. It will however, surf the Internet and do word processing and spreadsheets quite well.
Back in the early 90’s when my company built “white-box” computers for resale (I am in private consultancy-only practice now), we used to joke that no matter what it said on the box, all parts came from the same garage in Taiwan. It is still not that for from the truth.
Okay, great article about Dell! I will say that all Dell’s aren’t that bad, especially, Desktops, but their notebooks are horrendous. I hate all the following brands of computers, and they’re Gateway, HP, Compaq, Apple, Dell, and Sony. The one computer company and notebook maker I will ever go with is Toshiba because they focus on innovation more than any other company out their in their screens with TruBrite, and utalizing every processor out their except for the horrible AMD!
I dont want to defend cheap PCs, but even for $500 you still should get decent machine and support.
I wouldnt buy a cheap laptop, because I expect it to work flawlesly.
But hey, maybe I am wrong maby we shouldnt expect too much of machines for $2000 or more.
Why dont we just hand Dell our money and then we wouldnt have to deal with poor quality of their products and ridiculous customer support. I am gonna think about it…
I’m a computer repairman. I have made most of my money off Dell, Gateway, and e-Machines. At the same time, I attended a technical college where half the classrooms were stocked with Dells; most of those were okay, but the lemons were throwaway. Just doorstops. Spend your money however you want, and when it turns out to be a POS, call PC Dave. Dell, Gateway, and e-Machines are now paying for my bachelor’s degree at a four-year college.
I work for the Air Force in a computer support shop, and we have been using old dells for a while. They seem to function well enough, but time has come to upgrade. Thanks for your informative blog on the degrading quality of dells product, we will not be using dell this upgrade if at all possible.
Watch out for the Dell LCD W3000. I just bought one and cannot program the direct TV universal remote to the TV function. Experts in India were no help. Even when I got a U.S. technician on the phone we couldn’t get it to work. Direct TV doesn’t have Dell codes. So, I bought a “Harmony” remote and it too has trouble with Dell TV. Harmony technician says Dell TV’s are awful with respect to remote technology. Stick with Sony, Samsung, Panasonic or Sharp for success.
I would like to say the same thing about Dell and their customer sevice. I bought a Dell Digital Jukebox back in June 2004 and everything ran smooth with it until January of 2005 and then it started to freeze up. I called Dell and since it was still under warrenty they sent me a refurbished Dell or a “used” one. Now it is August and there is a internal hard disk problem with my Jukebox. I have tried to call Dell several times and I either get transfered or they tell me that they will call me back and they never have. They told me that the best thing to do is buy and new one. Did I not read that the reason that Micheal Dell started his company was to give the customer what they wanted?
I am so glad you have done this and are being held up as an example for all. I hope this inspires more people to blog about their terrible experiences.
You certainly inspired me – we have had a nightmare with Cingular – the service is actually ok and great coverage (in Bay Area) – but the customer service is atrocious. That merger is one of the worst handled perhaps ever. Whoever is in charge of the systems integration and customer service organizations need to be fired.
Thanks so much for giving me a place to rant!
I sent the following message from support.dell.com to BOTH technical and non-technical issue email addresses on 12/30/03. I’ve gotten no response. Obviously, we’ve given up and now use a ThinkPad while the Dell laptop collects dust.
Service tag: 8J13421
Express Service code: 18564940873
Order/Invoice number: 171852438
Our Inspiron 2650 laptop computer (model no PP04L) has not functioned properly in over a month, despite repeated calls to technical support and sending the system to be serviced. It essentially dies – no video, no sound, no fan, etc – and will not power back on. Sometimes taking the battery out and putting it back in gets it to power on normally but then the same thing will happen again within a few days. Eventually it would not power on EVER and we had to send it in because the troubleshooting over the phone was leading nowhere. At this point, we have a laptop that is unreliable and quite frustrating to deal with even though we still have several payments left since it was a $1500 machine!
I am frankly not content with the service I have received from Dell so far, and this is especially maddening because the reason we chose to purchase from Dell to begin with is the reputation of good service. The technical support seems to just want to get off the phone as quickly as possible without confirming that the problem has been fixed – this is based on 6 separate calls. The instructions given for airborne express to send the system were unclear and resulted in an extra week of waiting. The service team seemed a bit dishonest in its dealings – accusing first that something was spilled on the system based on the discoloration found on the motherboard and that we would have to pay $699 for them to repair the system. I know that nothing was spilled on this system. Any discoloration on the motherboard could be from manufacturing or from the natural condensation in the air or almost anything. Upon challenging this accusation, the person I spoke with came back telling me that actually the service team was able to fix the system by reseating the memory. It seems to me this troubleshooting should have been done before coming to the conclusion that the motherboard needed to be replaced. In any case, I was assured that the appropriate reliability testing was done to ensure the system would operate normally. After receiving the system, it worked properly for 5 days before having the same exact symptom as before. I again called technical support. While on the phone I took the battery out and replaced it, and this booted the system up. I was instructed how to run the Extended diagnostics and did so. The results showed NO errors… so all the hardware “appears” to be functioning normal. The system worked for 6 days. It is now dead again, and we are requesting from DELL a laptop computer that is reliable. This system was not inexpensive, and we have an express warranty/support contract. I look forward to learning how you are going to accomplish this.
I just did an entry discussing this case on my blog (http://hopesome.com/index.php?p=417#comments)
In Chinese, though
Ditto! I ordered a Dell Axim about 2 years ago now on the strength of a money-saving bundled accessories coupon. I submitted the correct paperwork for the rebate THREE times, and each time the paid-to-ignore contract folks said we don’t have it. I FINALLY copied every danged thing, made a list of all my conversations, with date, time, names and what transpired, and wrote a letter to the general counsel of Dell. It didn’t even hit somebody’s desk before they called me, at home, in the evening, to ask how much the rebate should be. It’s too bad it had to come to that before they would bother to honor their rebate commitment.
I would like to know how to send an email directly to Michael Dell.
I, too, am a victim of Dell Hell.
Don James
Is Dell Financial customer support farmed out to India? Can’t seem to get anyone who I can understand or is knowlegable about my problem. They pulled a fast one on me and I thought I was getting a Dell for no interest until 2006. I hope Dell finds it’s way onto 60 minutes someday. If I did not pay so much for it I would fly down to Texas and throw it through the fucking front window just to express my dissapointment. I will however place “return to sender” on all the correspondence they send me trying to screw me over again.
i have a good working laptop from dell ( four years old) with the docking station working under nt and 98 — when migrating to XP, the docking station is useless. Dell wont answer email, phone calls. The asian indian company which programmed the docking station answered email with tons of mispelling saying that XP automatically loading the driver for the docking station !!!
it is latitude cpx and docking dell latitute c/port II
I want to rant about Dell’s recent TV commercial that featured a “white,” clearly American customer service rep answering the phone in the customer service center while it was dark outside. Give me a break! This was an obvious case of false and misleading advertising! What Dell customer support is this?? When I have called Dell’s customer service, I get some “international” call center with individuals who barely could speak and understand English, and who were barely capable of even understanding the technical problem with my Dell Inspiron laptop. Why don’t they advertise this reality. I bought Dell products for years, based largely on its incredible customer service. Today, I wouldn’t buy a Dell computer because the company has destroyed its brand and ruined its identity as a great customer service company. Wake up Dell, you are cutting your own throat with your current crappy, “outsourced” customer service.
I send my Dell laptop for repair on August 15. I called Dell customer service like 10 times, and talked to online rep. like 5 times, they seem to have no idea where my laptop is. Everbody rep. says different things. ONe rep. said it was shipped, and i am suppose to get it within 2 business day. When i called dell after 2 business days, next rep. said he can’t locate it.
Dell had great customer service during 1998-early 2003. I have dell desktop, laptop, 2 Dell Axim. I was thinking of buying a Plasma tv from Dell before this problem i am having dell. After what is happening with my laptop right now, i will never buy any dell products again. My next laptop will be either IBM, Sony or Apple.
I made the mistake of buying a Dell two months ago. I called them at 4:15 PM on 8/22. I was on hold for 28 minutes. Then when I got a rep I got alot of apologies but the help I got did not fix the problem. I was on the phone with 3 reps until 7:30. The problem still was not fixed and I was not getting any satisfaction so I decided I would call back and talk to someone else. I called back at 8:00PM and again was on hold for 20 minutes. Now they tell me that it is a software problem that will not let me access my printer or reinstall it. Again the call was an hour long. By this time I was tired after having worked all day and was losing patience. This computer is 2 months old and they tell me it will now cost me $99.00 an hour to fix the defective software that they installed. I was on the phone with them for an hour with no satisfaction. I will now hire a geek to come in and fix the problem again at my expense. I think that the support stinks. I asked to talk to a supervisor but was ignored. They are pros at apologizing and dodging your request. I am really sorry I bought a Dell and will make sure I will let everyone I know that I wished I now had bought the HP. I am thinking of calling a local TV station that has a trouble shooter for the public and start the ball rolling just to see how extensive the problem is in the Buffalo area. DELL- YOU HAVE A PROBLEM.
Also why do you have to go for the gold contract when you want to talk to someone in the States. If you want to sell your computers we deserve to get the support you should be providing without paying through the nose for it. WE ARE AMERICANS buying your computers.
Just read the DellHell article in BusinessWeek, timely. Two days ago I spent three hours with Dell on the phone trying to get operating CD’s that had been lost for a two year old Dell PC out of warranty. Went back and forth between sales and tech support, many times outsourced so there were language and cultural misunderstandings. Result, offer by Dell to sell me CD’s with new licensing for $300-no thanks. Yeaterday, had to call Gateway on a laptop question. Two minute wait with problem resolved. Dell is having growing pains.
Say Company A and Company B sells a computer for almost the same price, and the computer look alike. How would a comsumer pick between these 2 companies? Customer services, Right? Say then, Company A went from excellent customer service to wrost customer service. Would a customer still buy company A’s customer? I think NOT.
Company A is Dell. Company B is Sony, IBM, Apple, etc.
It’s time to move on: Good bye Dell.
Brooklyn, NY…
I sent my computer for repair on Aug. 16. I called today (Aug. 28)… They still can’t locate my laptop. Is this what you call effency?
Back before I retired (IT professional), some other people in the IT dept. had an acronym for DELL: Doesn’t Even Last Long. No real problem with my Dell Dim. 4700, other than the 2 front USB ports are dead..called their Tech Line…no help there (unit still under warranty). I found a few posts on one of Dell’s forums on similar USB port problems…no help there. Beginning to wonder if I made the right choice…if they can’t/won’t fix such a small problem, what happens if I have a big one?
I received my Dell Inspiron 600m laptop 8/26. Within an hour of delivery, as I tried to plug my wireless mouse receiver into the USB port, I realized that one of them wasn’t working. Now this was the least of my problems. If Dell actually picked up the phone, or accepted one of my chat requests and listened to my problem within a fairly decent time period, I wouldn’t be so angry. But they don’t. I called them, and all their representatives were busy, so I put it on speakerphone, AND I went on the website and waited for a chat to be accepted. The chat never got accepted, and I had to wait a full 45 minutes before someone picked up. The agent then informed me that there was the possibility that I would be receiving a refurbished system exchange for my new one. This was outrageous, and eventually, they agreed to build a new model for me. It will be coming two weeks later, and when it does, hopefully it will not come with ports that don’t work.
There was a time when my hubby and I would not consider anything but a Dell computer. Sadly, over time that has changed. Over time we heard the quality of Dell reportedly was not good.
I broke down and bought a Dell laptop because of a special deal I could get. I also purchased extended support for it. Everything went well until I had to contact Dell support. Our conversations were totally ineffective because I couldn’t understand them and they couldn’t understand me. This went on for 3 days, with each person trying to pass me off to someone else and me waiting in que lines to speak to someone I couldn’t understand who couldn’t understand me.
I bitterly complained to Dell. Who wants 3 years of techical support from someone in India still working on their English skills. Probably wouldn’t be bad if it were a social conversation, but not what I want in tech support! Did they hear me? I doubt it.
My motherboard went 3 times in 4 months. Now it’s gone again. All I want is a new computer (not a refurbished one because I didn’t buy a refurbished one to begin with.) Will they talk to me? No…they put me on hold and then disconnect me. I am in dell hell and I want out. Someone please give me some ideas cheri557@maine.rr.com
my experience with “dell hell” included windows. i needed to install sp2, so downloaded and installed it. during the installation my dell locked up. was able to unlock and tried it again after going to windows site and printing out info on “installing sp2″. had to do this because Microsoft “customer service” said that all the information i needed was on the site. printed out the info, tried it again and again locked up. called Microsoft “customer service” and they said since my dell came with windows already loaded, that i needed to call dell. i called dell and they said since it was a windows problem i needed to call windows. while this was going on, my computer was useless and i lost valuable work time. i almost threw the dell out the window but the systems manager from my husbands company came over and worked some magic and got my computer working. however, i haven’t installed sp2 and i’m not going to. this is my 3rd dell and i will probably upgrade my computer in a year or two but i guarantee it won’t be a dell, and i may go to apple since i’m so disgusted with microsoft.
If you want customer service, don’t buy from a major manufacturer. Everyone knows that.
Buy from the shop down the road which puts them together themselves. Then it’s easy to return it when it breaks, and you will be talking to a real live person, not to someone in India.
You have been expecting ‘the machine’ to treat you like a human. That’s just stupid, you have yourself to blame for that.
I’m torn now. My family’s last three desktops have been Dell computers. When I buy a new one, my current gets handed down to my brother who hands his down to my mother (who has the least need for performance and speed), and I was about to buy Dell again.
I’ve rarely had to call Dell – the last time was in 2003, for a dead DVD drive. The tech I spoke to was in the U.S., listened to the troubleshooting I’d tried (and didn’t make me do it all again), recognized that I knew what he was going for when we went in the box to swap cables so didn’t talk to me like a novice, and when we confirmed it was the drive rather than the cables, had a new drive sent to me within a few days.
But things can change in two years. I guess I have to decide whether to rely on my own (but dated) experiences or anecdotal (yet more recent) stories from hell…
DELL Products & Service – UK Experience
DELL Customer Care, Service & Support: Score 000/100!
Purchased System which included DELL GPD20C (Mitsubishi HL6945) Monitor at a cost of some 1,314 GBP in February 1994. Within an eighteen month subsequent period had two replacement Monitors shipped due to total failure, shortly thereafter the third Monitor failed – all assumed identical fault/failure. NONE of the Monitors shipped, including the original were new; ALL were used/repaired units! Monitor has remained in the box ever since – over the years, numerous e-mails/faxes/snail-mail have been directed to DELL UK & USA Headquarters for attention, also to Mitsubishi who deny having experienced any problems whatsoever with the particular chassis/Monitor build. All just “bilge†from my experience, I have had three Monitors and all having been previously repaired!
Have got absolutely NOWHERE in my efforts to attain a just outcome with DELL.
The moral, just like the majority of other sector dominant Companies, there is always another “sucker†around the corner. Think carefully about purchasing DELL!
! UPDATE !
Still on Dell’s case! Have repeatedly faxed DELL Texas HQ, which generated ‘ phoned communication from DELL Ireland, even received a letter from Janeann Dempsey from their ‘Executive Support Team’ …sent more letters etc., but there remains apathy of conscience to any responsibilities to the customer, where the passage of time should not negate liability. The FACTS are they NEVER supplied a NEW working Monitor from purchase, simply shipping older, repaired replacements …Model IDs & Serial Numbers are proof!
Anyone who would like to contact me about their issues with DELL products, then please feel free to e-mail mailbox@blue2ict.com
I’ve had the pleasure(!!) of using various laptops over the past few years, and but for Compaq, Dell would have taken the honors in terms of user unfriendliness and poor build quality.
Consider this: the volume control buttons only work when you are logged in and at the desktop (not even when the desktop is locked). What prevents Dell from rewiring those to the BIOS so that volume can be controlled in any OS/state as long as the system is powered up (look at how IBM handles it. They even have the display brightness work at hardware level).
Or just press the laptop lid gently and u can see outlines of your fingers on the display.
Kvetching apart, this post seems like a lesson to each and every corporation, American or not, tech or not, to take customers *seriously*. Unless you are a state monopoly in middle-of-nowhere in Afrika, customers are the ones who make or break your revenue numbers and they are your major ’stakeholders’. Keep customers happy and the cash registers would keep on ringing. Time for some Business 101s, eh?
PS: To set the record state, I did have problematic keyboard in a Dell notebook I used for a while. Had to call the customer support 2-3 times, and go thru the rigmarole of “Boot into DOS mode, press keys.. bla bla”, but managed to talk them into sending me a replacement keyboard. The delltech was there next day, and he fixed it in 5 mins flat. I guess I was one of the lucky ones
I am reading all of this while I am trying to chat with India. I bought a Dell notebook from my daughter to take to college. She used it 2 days before it wouldn’t work. She spent 4 hours on line with tech support in Bombay and they couldn’t get it to work. They were supposed to send someone to the house to fix it. They never called or showed up, in spite of at least 8 phone calls. All I want is to return this piece of crap and get my money back.
I am all for helping out 3rd World Countries, I personally own a gallery/ shop that is sweatshop free product. I have seen the 60 Minutes shows on how farming out Customer Service to India is assisting them in getting out of poverty. They seem to be working so hard at losing their accents and their efforts are admirable. But at what cost domestically?
I called Dell last year to inquire about computers, and of course it was re-routed to India. I decided even tho the woman was lovely that if I am going to drop $1500 on a system I want to understand EXACTLY what I am getting. How irriating this barrier was with that issue but also, I felt like I was having a technical conversation 6000 miles away!
We have our own CS reps here in North America that are now unemployed due to outsourcing. It irritates me that at the end of the day, Mr. Dell isn’t employing overseas companies out of the goodness of his heart, but rather appeasing his shareholders and their bottom lines, needing unrealistic returns in an economy that has flat inflation rates by saving $. Ug. What a quandry. Or is it one?
Company after company are looking to overseas production at a cost to North American workers needing to make more than 4 cents a day. In our house we have a litany of products that we just don’t buy (Nike, Wal Mart shopping) because we don’t support their business models.
Dell Hell is unneccessary because at the end of the day your customer service people are your front lines. HP has similar problems ( my folks bought a lap top in Canada, took it to Arizona on their trip and the CS team there refused to receive the product defective because it wasn’t purchased in the States? please!) All companies have hellish responses now, and if you look at the quantity of product being produced, I am sure their Returns are not as high. Let this blog be a lesson to Big Business: we have outlets to communicate now, more powerful than the Ralph Naders.
Listen, be receptive to your customers, not shareholders. Be a leader in Technical Support (they say you can make the best impression with a customer during a RETURN).
LISTEN!!!
staci
I have more Dell “customer service” than I want!
I am not a Dell customer–but I get plenty of calls from Dell customer service center in Bangalore. After many, many months and many, many, many phone calls from Dell, Inc in the wee hours of the morning–always having the caller quickly hang up–I finally got it figured out: The favorite bank of Dell Service Center employees in Bangalore has the same first seven digits as my local phone number here in the heart of Dell-Ville–Round Rock Texas. If any of the geniuses Dell hires hits the U.S. button on their phones rather than the local button while attempting to call their bank, they call me instead. Bangalore banking hours = Round Rock Texas sleeping (or attempting to sleep) hours. Needless to say, I have gotten very little help from Dell in resolving this problem. Any suggestions from anyone that won’t cost me any money?
UK Customers, address for communication with DELL Direct is Boghall Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland …Bracknell HQ a waste of time!
Telephone + 353 1 286 0500
Have a contact name: Janeann Dempsey, Executive Support Team, Dell Computer Corporation.
Anyone with a DELL wishing to contact me about their technical issues, no strings attached – I may be able to assist, but NO promisses, simply e-mail as much detail as possible to your issues to mailbox@blue2ict.com
As a designer, I had always used Apple Macs. They were industry standard but not particularly good and their service was always poor. Then I had to buy a pc and was advised to go with Dell. I bought an Inspiron which was generally ok, although I did need to contact tech support in Ireland on a number of occasions.
I then bought a Dell desktop for my wife and began to experience the sort of problems I read about above. My Inspiron finally gave way to a Latitude D500 which this is being written on – so far, and I hope this won’t put a curse on it, the Latitude has been fine – excellent in fact.
In the meantime, I have changed, replaced and upgraded numerous Apple Macs. Apart from needing them for work, I certainly would not recommend them – I think both the hardware and software are of poor quality – my Latitude has been a much better machine than any of the Macs I’ve ever had.
It will be interesting to see Macs with intel chips next year – if that means I can build a Mac system with pc components, I may well do that – I’m fed up with paying through the nose for wonderful looking Apple machines that don’t work.
As to Dell, its a shame but I fully endorse the comments of one of your bloggers above – if you buy things to a price point, you usually get the results you pay for. (Apart from overpriced Apples that is).
Confused,
I always buy Dell and would always recommend them, never had a problem and none of my friends have either, the question is will you allow pro Dell customer have a say, I have had 4 Dells in 8 Years and cannot fault either there Customer service or quality.
As consumers are we being to greedy, I realise it is good to keep corporates on their toes, but at the end of the day we are all in the business of selling something and how would we like it if we did the best we could and then were torn apart on a blog.
There has to be an element of realism in dealin with large corporate companies.
9.5 hours, seven technicians (including one English speaking witch), two return calls well after midnight MY TIME, and the damn thing still does not work. I have purchased 6 Dell Desktops – but its not a DELLemma for me, will never buy another one.
service tag B2BJB51
We just received our new Dell, minus any back-up disc should we need to reinstall anything. Dell claims that you can request these cd’s.
(see)
http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=sw_mediaexp&message.id=1895
Seems you will only get these if you buy the more expensive models.
email support told me to call customer support. Customer support told me I couldn’t have the cd’s.
If you go to this website:
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kb/en/document?dn=1091713
You are instrusted on how to make a backup CD. I don’t have this tool evidently and this is a brand new computer.
Dell must think that the hard drives are immune to crashes ore serious problems since they claim all you need is on a seperate partion and the “helpful” tech will assist you in retrieving information on a broken/sick hard drive.
I’ve had hard drives completely erased after power surges in our area.
What idiot came up with the “Dell through the rules of the Media Reduction Initiative” and the need to make customers ask for something which was clearly paid for?
My next complaint is delivery, all we have gotten so far is the CPU. When I check with the UPS tracking service to find out where the monitor is at it says that “THE SENDER HAS REQUESTED A HOLD AND WILL PICKUP AT A UPS FACILITY. UPS WILL HOLD FOR PICKUP FOR 5 BUSINESS DAYS”
What is up with that?
And why does a printer need to take so long in production? God only knows when it will show up. So much for 3-5 day shipping.
This is our third Dell and each time I have to deal with customer service Ijust want to scream.
This definetly will be our last Dell system.
YES, DELL-HELL IT IS
Two years ago, fighting my Dell computer with Windows ME, down days, lock-ups, all sorts of weird things, but then someone told me ME was unstable and IT WAS NOT MY FAULT AS I HAD THOUGHT. So, I called Dell, fought, demanded XP, but they denied me. A 12 year old kid showed me that on the front it had not been designed for ME. No satisfaction,so I began writing poems Ode to Michael Dell, and sending them to Hewlett Packard’s CEO.
A few days later I would always get a call from a Dell guy.
Well, they never made good with XP.
So, I decided to republish those 16 poems at: http://www.Dell-Hell.blogspot.com I’m 80 years old; I want them to live on into eternity!
Following is a letter I have sent to Michael Dell and his vice president Michael George. I will have to wait and see what happens if anything.
Date: September 2, 2005
Problem: Dell Inspiron 8600 (purchased December 03)
The PCMCIA port on my laptop died again. This is now the third time this has happened. I use this laptop for business and now feel that I can no longer trust it. After finally reaching a supervisor in corporate headquarters, I felt maybe the problem would be fixed. What I wanted to do was replace this laptop with another brand that Dell sells; we would even pay a difference. He would not even consider this. I am totally disappointed with the managers views and I am hoping that maybe you can help us.
First, we use a specialized PCMCIA card called a 1784-PCMK card from Allen-Bradley and we use the card in the Dell to connect to industrial processors.
My business partner has the same laptop and his motherboard has had to be replaced twice already.
I explained to your manager that we know other people that have other brands of laptops and have had no problems and his professional recommendation was maybe we need to buy from another company if we are having so many problems with Dell.
I explained to him that my company has bought many computers from Dell and soon will need 5 more; his attitude still was there was nothing more he would do besides replacing the motherboard again. I went on and told him that besides buying only Dell computers, we recommend Dell to our customers and as a result a lot of them now buy from Dell. His attitude of helping us still did not change.
I tried to explain that we have other Dell computers that have never had a problem using the PCMK card. His recommendation was maybe I need to use one of our old laptop computers; in this case it was a 3500.
I tried to explain that service techs have told us that they have replaced many motherboards on the 8600 for similar problems. He told me this was the first that he had heard of it.
This particular laptop has voltage problems when using the PCMCIA slot. I know it for a fact and I do believe Dell is aware of this problem but may be looking at the cost factor instead of customer satisfaction.
I have always in the past been a loyal Dell customer and hopefully in the future will again be a loyal customer once this problem has been resolved.
Based on many of the depressing stories of Dellmageddon here, I’m a little interested in wondering what the real issue is here. Sure, every company has their share of employees that cannot seem to complete the job description for “customer service”. But it seems as if we’ve had a transformation from complaining about customer service to complaining about the quality of their products. Which one is it all of you?
If you’re going to complain about Dell’s lack of customer service, that’s fine. I’ve had problems in the past with them as well. Its frustrating, I know. And the power of bloggers to affect the company is astonishing.
But we can’t keep bringing up the lack of quality in their products to support our ideas that Dell has bad service. It’s everyone on heres fault for trying to take the cheap way out and buying a dell. It’s common knowledge that their computers burn out faster then their low grade plasma screens. You get exactly what you pay for when it comes to computers.
You wanna save money trying to buy a computer? Expect it to suck. The same goes for cars, real estate, in fact anything. You made the choice of dealing with their overestimated customer service by being cheap and buying a dell in the first place. As mean and brutally honest as that may sound, I feel it to be the truth.
Accept the fact that you guys messed up by buying those pieces of shit in the first place, don’t blame it on Dell. THEN you can start to complain about their lack of exceptional customer servce.
If you people would just learn to speak Indian, you might finally get some descent service from Dell.
Update: Sending the letter to Michael Dell did help, I just got off the phone with someone from Dell and they have told me this issue will be resolved to my satisfaction and they will be contacting me on Tuesday to go over all the details in getting this laptop replaced.
Taylor: just what kind of service are you providing your customers if you give them crappy products to start out with? Customer service starts with the sale, not when you pick up the phone because something has gone wrong.
“Customers demand cheap”, NOT TRUE!
“Customers WANT value for money”, TRUE!
I have been in the Retail Electronics Business for years …don’t be fooled …it is NOT the customer conrtrolling the market and downward pricing …the large Manufacturers & Resellers dictate what the customer gets and at what price. Quality is no longer an issue, this has been replaced by a culture of product/sales requiring the immediacy of obsolecence and “bulk” sales to remain “on top”!
I know the buying public would rather pay more and have less “angst”, than cheap and not even chearful! Unfortunately the market now dictates there is in fact very little choice, everybody and his uncle is on the same bandwagon. Sony USED to have the key: innovative, proportionally costed quality product with excellence of customer service, but no longer …they now market expensive “style” along with an expensive Parts & Service model. Michael Dell’s inception of a direct sales business, removing third-parties from the chain and passing those savings back to the customer could be considered to be most laudible, IF the promise of excellence in product quality and of service were to be maintained, trouble is all these promises levitated to the ‘ether’ …MARKET COMPETITION is NOT the reality, MARKET DOMINANCE AT A COST IS! The NHS and various other State bodies have now embraced DELL …do they ever get things wrong? …I think so, OFTEN!
I am in my own terrible version of dell hell. I composed a letter which i would like to send to some high ranking dell execs, including michael dell. can you help me acquire these e-mail addresses? Many thanks.
Where are you Kate …which Country? I can let you have a Fax Number in the USofA which prompts some action, where ever! If you are in the UK, contact the Ireland address as in one of my previous postings, along with mentioned contact …you can always contact me via mailbox@blue2ict.com or bluetwo@onetel.net
I am having similar problems with a Dell computer. Nobody in Dell listens to what I say (no replies to my lawyer, either). I’ve spent hours on the phone calling their “award winning customer service”. Sent many letters. What I got? False promises and a broken computer to keep!
I am about to give up fighting with them and starting a blog – just like you did. At least future Dell customers (if there going to be any) will avoid problems by reading these blogs.
Very disappointed in my Dell laptop–a few years ago my old one was fine. This new Inspiron is extremely noisy, has a tinny keyboard, an extremely short battery life, and the design includes an uncomfortable position for the wrists for keyboarding.
Next time it will be a ThinkPad….!
Looking for a quality VFM Laptop, consider an ASUS …visit the website
Global:
http://www.asus.com.tw/products.aspx?l1=5
United Kingdom:
http://uk.asus.com/products1.aspx?l1=5
viva la blogsophere.
Hello Everyone:
I have a small business and recently purchased a Dell desktop. I admit that I am not very computer savvy. I needed to speak to tech support a few times and had terrible luck. I decided to cut bait and send the machine back. I was told that I would be charged a 10% re-stocking fee. I accepted. I shipped the machine back and now am finding out that my amount due is not the 10% re-stocking amount but that amount plus the sales tax I paid plus the original shipping costs. I have been on the phone since 6:30 p.m. trying to find out why I am being charged more than the 10% amount I had been quoted.
I am now on hold with customer service (again) and just asked to speak to a supervisor. I am still holding (49 minutes) and it is 9:45 p.m. Oh wait, I think I am getting through. No, I have now been switched into the tech support line. Still holding, 54 minutes and counting. I guess I will call the headquarters tomorrow and try to receive some help.
For what it is worth, I originally had an IBM and for some reason decided to switch to a Dell. I have had good luck with the IBM tech support and hopefully will continue to receive that same type of service on the new IBM/Lenovo I just purchased. I wish you all good luck.
p.s. By the way, 59 minutes and no tech support. Oh yeah, I didn’t want to speak to them anyway.
I too bought a Dell. I have been multiple power supplies. I had one fire after another due to the “power supply.” I returned equipment but never got credit for this and am being billed for equipment I returned. I cannot get a statement to show how they computed the amount they claim I owe. And, they claim Dell Financial is separate, but I should still get credit for material returned to them at their direction.
I have some bulldog collection agency working for Dell calling me 24/7. My life has been a nightmare. Stay away from Dell unless you want to enter my nightmare!
I have the email address for Michael Dell. michael_dell.com
I have been going nuts with the harrassing phone calls and now I send him an email for each call I receive. So far this a.m., 5 calls and 5 emails! I told him I will bombard him with an email for each call.
I know it won’t matter to him, but I can at least feel that I am doing something!!
Pat Wheeler
[...] Die Firmenpolitik von Dell, nicht auf öffentliche Diskussionen – vor allem auch in Blogs – zu reagieren, hat sich nach dem jüngsten Aufregungen um Dell wohl doch geändert. [...]
Dell Hell is alive and well—i paid 1600.00 for a inspiron 9200 laptop hasnt worked right since i got it. waited 5 months for a box to ship it back finally received the box they kept it 3 weeks and returned it to me unrepaired with a typed note that says “your bill for the repairs was not paid so we are returning your system to you” what bill—soooo i stupidly called them to find out that they would like me to pay 498.00 for spill damage. heres a clue i neer spulled anything on the computer also, i sent it for monitor repair since it never worked right and received it bck with them telling me on the phone that i needed a new motherboard new memory cards and new fans. Funny how all this works I just bought this in December of 2004 and have been trying to get it fixed for 8 months. In the last 2 weeks I have talked to 27 cuatomer service reps–all indian. 3 technical support reps–also indian. and finally a supervisor in the us when i pushed the wrong buttons and got tot the business division, He says he will help however–I think he wanted me off the PHONE. Does anyone have email addressed for general counsel or for executive in us at dell, I am going to email until they answer or I am going to file suit against them if I have to. Can anyone help???
Hi
Thanks for all of the info. I’m writing this on my husband’s Toshiba Tecra since my Dell 1150 is dead. The power cord is in and shows green but the computer battery light shows yellow for a few seconds when I try to turn it on then dies too. I’m sure the warranty is up too. Any ideas??….besides, of course, never buying one again. I have no idea how to test another power cord to make sure it’s not a problem with that instead of the computer.
Simone …
Try removing the Battery, then powering up with the Mains Power Supply. Not sure of the DELL powerline configuration in this instance, but it should work without the Battery. The Battery could be defective. To ascertain any more on this issue without further related information thereto!
e-mail: mailbox@blue2ict.com
Dell,DEll,DEll…if only someone pulled my coat to you B4 i spent $700 opn a P4 Dim-i’ll start w/ Ink,of the Black type, which, according to your Ink Meter, was only 3/4 empty, but refused to print anymore,even after i set the Prefs for Darkest-all the wasted time E-mailing u for advise or a reason why-all the un-pronounceable names that said ‘We rec’d your E-mail, and the Ref # is…’ 12 different Ref #-you couldent even respond or refer to to my original E-mail-your ‘Techs’ referred me to ‘Microsoft Solution Center’ Doc #’s-that did’nt even refer to ink prob’s!-But my latest “DELL”- my system re-boots itself when it is sitting idle- I will not bore u w/ how many ref’s to ‘MS Sol Ctr’ doc’s, $ how many ‘The person who responded to your E-mail is not available, I will be assisting you-my name is (insert constanants here) (no, I am not racest) Thanx for the Vent…
Update: My new Dell laptop arrived on Friday. They sent me a Inspiron 6000. I think the lesson I learned is if normal tech support does not work, start writing letters and emailing. In my case I sent emails to Michael Dell and his vice president Michael George. Most people will give up and that is what the companies count on, if you are one of the few that won’t give in, then sooner or latter they will have to deal with you and hopefully the problem will be resolved.
Mr. Jarvis:
I have been DELL”D
I have just finished my last conversation with the bullies from LTD Financial Services-it of course, ended in a heated screaming match-all o ver my DELLHELL experience.
I, too, spent countless hours trying to find one person who spoke fluent English-without an accent and was not stationed in India! I found that to be an impossibility. As I left the santuary of church this morning pondering whether the the big bullies from LTD would begin their harrassment of me and demand “I take a pen and write my name to a check or”, I’m not sure what the else was to be. I do know that I’ve spent this last half year in pursuit of obtaining the coveted address of the president of Dell. For days and hours-of which adding all the hours and calculating wages thereof, I could have purchased multiple units of Dell-I spent methodically searching for someone who would even listen to my plea. No one is equipped to take any responsibility as far as consumer satisfaction and no one person is going to let out the coveted address or name of Mr. President Dell.
I was sent a model that was lemon, or a dud, or a stripped down model of some semblance of a viable computer. Upon calling DELL I was assured by someone posted in India that I would be sent a part to make my computer viable for all sorts of needs including floppy disks. Plus the rebate to be sent to me of upwards close to $140.00 was never sent. Again I was assured that this would be taken care of and sent to me.
But after the computer crashed four times and I was assured that it was not Dell’s fault, I spent countless hours with Adelphia to correct the problem, only to find that the crashes were definitely due to the Dell computer. So, I consulted and hired two computer experts, one finally gave up in making the system work and told me that even if the part to be sent came, the system could’nt accept it because the computer was sent with no area inside to adapt to floppy disks or anything else- in other words I could not add on to the computer over time if and when I needed.
But it “DELLHELL’ still goes on… When I first called DELL in the first 30 days, I had stated that I wanted to return the unit, but they were so amicable then, and said no don’t do that because they were sure the parts were adequate in bringing the computer to the level I needed. So, you guessed it, I decided to wait because I thought this was a company of “Award-Winning Service and Support”! Now the time alloted to return the computer had elapsed and I was informed that even though my problems were within the first 30 days it was too late to return the computer without the charge of $100, because now it was passed the 30 day time alloted. I had been duped to believing DELL would indeed be my friend and guide me through this unfortunate experience.
I did send payment in full to what I felt was more than adequate for the computer sent and the time spent to track people to talk with, and for the part/s that never came and the rebate that never materialized-this check was marked in full satisfaction and accord and DELL had no trouble in cashing it. I did this with Dell’s financial services’ employee who had assured me once again that would take care of everything. I now realize that was just their DELL way to get payment. I do have a copy of the check. I had truly hoped this would solve the financial problem at least, and prove that I was willing to pay if someone would help. All that happened was that I was again duped into believing their lies. I was manipulated into believing DELL would support me especially if I showed true faith in holding my end of the deal. Dell has no conscience and believes they are above the law when dealing with unsatisfied customers and inadequate computers.
One other vitally important matter, when I had first mentioned all my problems to a DELL representative of their consumer financial department they actually stated “well that’s not our fault”- in other words give us your money even if the product you got was a lemon and we lied in our representations to you, and lied willfully to snare you into a DELL web of unconscionable levels of fraud to its consumers. Further, they will continue to wreak havoc on your life and threaten to destroy your credit and send bullies from the jungle to impede on any happiness you might have in a days time!!-All for the almighty “dollar”, that the majority of DELL employees can’t even pronounce correctlly.
There are still so many convoluted tales untold in my saga but I have grown weary and will close my lamentation. But I will say that I’ve begun a Better Business complaint. I am also writing a Wall Street Journal editorial so all of America can share in the true knowledge of a deceitful company that not only doesn’t deserve its self-proclaimed title of superior service, but most importantly uses fraudulent marketing to snare its “victims”!
Mr. Jarvis and all who have been Dell’d-Thanks for your ear!
Well gentlemen…I can relate.
I just went through a month long ordeal of inefficiency, ignorance and dishonesty with Dell’s Sales, and customer support “system”. And still didnt get what I wanted.
I was even lied to by “supervisors”. So going up the food chain doesnt much make a difference in their system as well.
1. “Couldnt” upgrade OS on basic laptop….Im an IT industrialists…I have upgraded several machines’ OS’s. SO for this large PC breeding megaCompany to say they couldnt staggered me. But, they upsold me a more expensive so I could get XP Pro instead of Home.
2. In the ad, free Wireless NIC. Salesperson “No, it’s $19.95″
3. Free printer…or I could upgrade to an All-in-One for $29. Does it fax? I repeatedly asked the sales person. “Yes, sir” He replied all 3 times. Come to find out…one more piece of bullshit to through on the lawn of weeds. No fax.
On top of all of this, they dropped my order the 1st time, lied to me about the re-order and finally after the 3rd re-order my order was shipped. I spent at least 6 hrs on the phone to get a laptop that costs about as much as the 6hrs of my life I lost. I should have received it for free.
I am an IT consultant, and I take it as a slap in the face that, for years, I have recommended Dell…no more. I will stay with local manufacturers. May be $100 or $200 more, but the customer WILL get what he wants.
I have six Dells. And, I must say, over the early part of my experience with Dell, I was very satisfied and impressed with their quality and especially their customer service.
However, I am a changed man. Little by little, incrementally, they’ve gone to hell in the proverbial handbasket. They really blew it when they outsourced their tech support to India. No matter how the Bangalore companies try to train their techs, the accents are often impenetrable, the timing of their verbal responses is so weird and their tone and attitude can be supercilious and insulting to say the very least. I’ve been given such incorrect and harmful advice by these techs that I currently don’t call them, I’ve found a local IT company to service my machines at my expense. So, Dell you’ve “saved money”.
Recently, like a damned fool, I bought a Dell server and a Dell Desktop. And I put the desktop on a Dell Financial Services “Preferred Account” whatever the hell that means. Now let’s be clear: I’ve been buying Dell for over ten years. I owned Dell stock, for gosh sake. I am known as an ‘early payer’ in all my accounts. Somehow, the last payment we sent in seems to have hit the snail in snailmail. It hasn’t gotten to them on time. The payment due was $27 dollars. We sent a check for $200 at the beginning of last week. So with a ‘past due’ or “delinquent” amount of $27, the geniuses in Bangalore had some gal with a thick accent and a nasty attitude call me at 7pm on Sunday night! When I told her we’d sent a check, she became abusive.
So, today, I called in, spoke to a ’supervisor’ and obtained the total buyout amount and have just mailed them a check. And that’s the last money that Dell will ever get from me.
go to this URL: http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/corp/biographies/en/msd_index?c=us&l=en&s=corp
which is Michael Dell’s bio on the Dell website. I love the quote, “…the company he founded in 1984 with $1,000 and an unprecedented idea — to build relationships directly with customers.”
Boy have they lost their sense of direction!
Goodby, Michael Dell. Have a nice life.
Add me and my family to the growing list of people who are incredulous with the customer service and products at Dell. I will do what I can to communicate to others about the horrible products and equally horrible customer service at Dell.
Does anyone have any suggested alternatives for seeking a refund on a faulty Dell product: court, Better Business Bureau, etc.?
It seems Dell’s policy is once we got your money good luck getting help from us. They have had my laptop for over 2 weeks and they still can’t tell me where it is or when I’ll get it back. I would like to write to Michael George where did you send your letter?
I posted a comment on Dell’s community site and in a few hours they took it down because they said it HTML in it which is bull, but in those few hours I got many replies from people with customer service problems.
Does anybody know if I sue them in small claim court where I should serve them?
I had a friend who is a computer geek to come in and fix my computer. It turned out that the norton program was stopping the printer from loading. You would think that after I spent over 4 hours on the phone with dell they would of figured out this problem. They wanted me to call microsoft at $99.00 an hour and it turns out it was not their problem. Michael Dell and Michael George should be ashamed of selling computers with faulty software. I told a friend yesterday who was going to buy a dell not to do it. Buy an HP. I should of stayed with them but was swayed by the cheap price at dell. I guess you get what you pay for…a cheap defective computer.
I WILL NEVER EVER BUY ANYTHING FROM DELL AGAIN AND I WILL STOP ANYONE I KNOW FROM DOING THE SAME. FRIENDS DON’T LET FRIENDS GET DELL.
NO MORE DELL LIES!!! NO MORE DELL!!!
A recent message of mine to Dell.
Thank you Sir, but I went through this very same response and requests after the FIRST cancellation. Phone calls, dialing menus for this and that, going on hold. Nice people, promise to help, promise to get personally involved. Then I wait a week for the product and it gets canceled again. No calls, no explanations. NOTHING. I know how big corporations are. You’ve proven you can’t handle a fan replacement in weeks, AT LEAST! Why on earth should I invest more time on the phone, with the same people and department that have wasted weeks of my time with empty promises and conflicting information?
What will make your system not cancel my order again?? NOTHING! Your system can’t handle this fan. The same thing will happen again and Dell won’t care. Only I will care. I need a fan, Dell only needs new customers.
WHY ON EARTH DO YOU CANCEL ORDERS FOR THE SECOND TIME AFTER ALL THOSE PROMISES AND YOU DON’T EVEN CALL OR EMAIL ME????? This is a HORRIBLE thing to do to a loyal customer! This is a BAD system that cancels time and again without someone stepping in to help.
YOU ARE CUSTOMER SERVICE, YOU HAVE MY CODES, AND YOU CAN’T EVEN LOOK UP WHAT IS WRONG OR JUST GET ME A FAN? I TAKE THE TIME TO WRITE, BUT GET NOWHERE. WHY IS THE BURDEN STILL ON ME TO WORK THIS OUT???? I’VE DONE MY PART–TWICE!!
NO, YOU SAY, I MUST TAKE MORE OF MY TIME AND TRUST DELL TO SOMEHOW FIGURE OUT ALL THESE PROBLEMS. This is MORE proof that Dell has a bad system–they take the EASY way for Dell and put all the work on the CUSTOMER!!
MEANTIME, THE WEB IS LITTERED WITH POOR CUSTOMERS LIKE ME WHO CAN’T GET PARTS FROM DELL, JUST APOLOGIES AND PROMISES, PROMISES AND APOLOGIES.
DO A SEARCH YOURSELF. PEOPLE EVERYWHERE SAYING DELL CAN’T REPLACE DELL PARTS MORE THAN A YEAR OR TWO OLD. DO A WEB SEARCH, YOU’LL SEE! WHY DID I EVEN BOTHER A SECOND TIME???? I KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN. I DEAL WITH COMPANIES EVERY DAY AND I COULD TELL.
IMAGINE IF I DO AS YOU SAY AND TRY AGAIN AND THE SAME THING HAPPENS! IMAGINE HOW I’D FEEL!? I DON’T WANT TO FEEL LIKE AN IDIOT FOR LETTING DELL FOOL ME THREE TIMES!!!!!!!!!!
ONCE I HAD THE BEST THINGS ONLY TO SAY ABOUT DELL. NOW I HAVE NO FAITH IN DELL. I DON’T KNOW HOW TO SAVE MY 8100. I THINK I SHOULD JUST GET A NEW MACHINE FROM SOMEBODY ELSE.
YOU WERE #1 FOR TOO LONG. YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT YOUR CUSTOMERS LIKE YOU USED TO. I NEED A COMPANY REALLY WANTS TO KEEP CUSTOMERS AND THAT CAN SHIP A PART WHEN THEIRS FAIL THEIR CUSTOMERS. GOOD FANS DON’T EVEN DIE AFTER FOUR YEARS. BUT AT LEAST IT BEAT YOUR HARD DRIVE. THAT DIED AFTER TWO!!
JUST SEND ME THE FAN, OVERNIGHT, FIND ONE — AND OVERNIGHT IT. ANY COMPANY CAN HANDLE THIS. THIS IS NOT HARD!!!!!! HOW BAD IS DELL THAT YOU CAN’T HANDLE FAN! FOR SHAME!!
IF YOU CAN”T, SEND THIS RIGHT UP THE CORPORATE LADDER, RIGHT TO THE VERY TOP IF NEED BE, BUT GET SOMEBODY WHO DOES HAVE THE “TOOLS” AND KNOWS HOW TO SOLVE A BASIC PROBLEM. DON’T ASK ME TO DO DELL’S WORK FOR THEM. I HAVE TRUSTED DELL AND DELL HAS FAILED ME. HOW DARE DELL ASK ME TO CALL AGAIN OR LIFT A FINGER AT THIS POINT. YOU SHOULD BE EAGER TO DO SOLVE THIS EASY PROBLEM AND LET ME HAVE SOME PEACE. SOMEONE OF THE THREE WHO PROMISED ME AS MUCH SHOULD ALREADY HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THIS!!! DELL PROMISES MEAN NOTHING TO ME NOW.
JUST SEND ME THE FAN, OVERNIGHT, FIND ONE — SOMEWHERE ON THIS EARTH AND OVERNIGHT IT.
OTHERWISE I DON’T NEED DELL. EVER! I WILL THROW THIS 8100 FROM MY ROOF AND LAUGH!! I WILL SHARE MY STORY WITH EVERYONE!!! THERE ARE OTHER VERY GOOD PEOPLE WHO MAKE COMPUTERS!!!!
THEY WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MY BUSINESS FROM DELL!!!!!
GOOD DAY!
I own a Dell Inspiron 600m, got it back it June of this year, and coming from either the motherboard or the memory bay, is a sharp ringing sound that has done nothing but drive me insane the past week. What’s even amusing about it is that it doesn’t do it when Windows isn’t loaded, as when it’s in DOS and doesn’t do it when I push the down key on my notebook. I swear to holy bajesus that it makes a sharp ringing sound. I will never buy another computer from dell again.
Oh dear Mr Michael Dell, roll up your sleaves, get stuck in and sort out these DELL dissatisfied soles, who have paid their hard earned dues for a wholly crap service.
BEWARE your nice contracts with UK Government Departments, NHS, Education etc., may soon be in jeopardy when they find they discover the monster embraced!
Ignore your customers at your peril, although I expect your millions re safely stashed away before the crash!
Where is the Monitor I paid 1,314 GBP for way back in February 1994?
Attn: Darla Jenkins
Dell, Inc.
Legal Dept. – MS-8033
One Dell Way
Round Rock, TX 78682
fax: 1-512-728-7100
I see Dell People.
I have had the unfortunate problem of being burden by the company that I supported for so many years when I complained of my high interest rate that I requested be reduced. Within two weeks my next invoice was sent to me increasing my interest rate to over 30%. It seems that because Dell is losing its market share it is allowing Dell Financial Services to make up for its shortfalls. My wife and I have been dell customers since 1999, but we plan on paying off our terribly financed loan from DFS and never go back to Dell again.
Below is a copy of the email I sent to Dell and it’s response from one of their customer service reps…
My email complaint: “I am looking for a lower interest rate… this is the second PC I’ve purchased from Dell and I’ve been making regular payments with little or no issues… I don’t feel like a preferred customer. I want it lowered… I’ve had a good experience with Dell but I’d hate to stop being a customer due to your practices at DFS. If it is not favorable I will pay off my account within a month or two and never purchase another Dell. I look forward to your answer.”
Their response: “Dear Mr Copeland,
Thank you for contacting Dell Financial Services (DFS) regarding your account.
Please be advised that the interest rate offered to you was strictly based on your credit report. Additionally, this decision was processed by a computer generated scoring model, for your privacy and security, and unfortunately, is not negotiable.
Please keep in mind that with the Dell Preferred Account, all customers are provided a 25-day grace period on any new purchase. There are no annual fees, no down payments and no initiation fees. There are no minimum purchases required, you can make additional purchases at any time and there is never a penalty for paying off balances early.
As of today’s date, your current account balance is $XXXX.XX. Keep in mind, however, that because interest accrues on your account daily, you may have additional finance charges assessed on your next regular statement. Our records indicate a minimum payment of $XX.XX due by 10/03/2005.
To make a payment over the phone, please contact our collections department at (800) 443-1592. Please keep in mind that there is a $10.00 fee for this service. You may also mail your payment to:
Dell Preferred Account
Payment Processing Center
PO Box 6403
Carol Stream IL 60197-6403
Please refer to your 19-digit account number on your payment and have your check payable to Dell Preferred Account.
If you have not already, we invite you to visit our new and improved website at http://www.dellfinancialservices.com. We now provide a variety of account information including balance, available credit, and the date and amount of your last payment received. You can even update your billing address online as well.
Of course, should you have any other questions regarding your account that are not addressed by our website, please do not hesitate to contact us at (800) 283-2210 or respond by return e-mail. We will be happy to assist you.
Sincerely,
Shirley Mayrose
Customer Support
Dell Financial Services L.P.
Thanks for nothing, Shirley (oh maybe I should be thankful for the rate hike)! When there customer service takes a dive it is very evident in every aspect of the “Dell Family”. By the way, I am working my way up through middle management very quickly at our educational institution (which has a contract with Dell) I will make sure my institution here’s of this blog and all of the dissatisfied customers – most of all me! Have fun on the slippery slope!
Bruce Copeland
A Very Dissatisfied Customer
I knew I couldn’t be alone! I bought an Inspiron 700m a little over a month ago and it’s been a nightmare. Mr. Dell and his CEO need to check into what’s happening at the hen house since it seems no one is paying attention and 99% of the staff are either not impowered to actually help you or just not capable of thinking off of their pre-written response script. I’m going to give it until the end of next week. If they still aren’t listening then I am filing a compliant with my State Attorney General. The electronic form is right there on the AG’s page and waiting. He’s running for Governor. Dell would make some nice PR! I can’t be the only citizen in Florida with this problem.
Part of it is so stupid it boggels the mind. My order for the memory sticks was suppose to be 2 sticks equaling 1 gig not 2 that equaled 526k or whatever. (Please bear with since I am no tech.) That’s what I ordered then that first order was lost in the great beyone. The guy actually found the order, but it had to be re-entered (who knows why) and he made a mistake. No biggie… After checking the order online later we realized the error and called to let them no. It went down hill from there. On the tech side, my screen keeps going red (maroon to be more acurate) and they have assured me it’s not a harware issue. The first two tech were really nice and helpful, but it did it again last weekend. I called and left a voice mail message on 9/11 (should have been an omen), but haven’t heard back as of 9/17.
I sent the following replay to them after receiving a customer care survey from Dell as a result of me trying to get help through their email to tech support. I almost didn’t bother asnwering it, but once I started to see the questions I figured what the heck. “Would you recomend to your friends….Dell?” Not if I wanted to keep them! Here’s my response that went with my answers:
To Whom It May Concern,
I will give your department credit for at least sending this survey out. I can’t begin to tell you what a nightmare this has been since I ordered my laptop last month. The customer service on the home purchase side, for the most part, has been the most incompetent and uncaring service I have seen in a long time, if not ever! There have been a few shining stars I have come across, but not many. Those folks I did send “thank you” emails to, including the one that apparently caused some of this mess by not re-entering my memory specs correctly. I also have case #110841342 going on and it remains unresolved. “Erica” was helpful with me during our initial call unfortunately my last service call to Dell on Sunday (I believe it was Sunday) has not been returned.
People have just been outright stupid at times and I don’t even like using that word. Others have just been rude, like one of the last people “Bruce” I spoke to who after being asked numerous times to transfer me to a supervisor. I have apologized more times than I care to think to your staff for getting so frustrated on the phone. I’ve started out many a conversation stating “Let me apologize now if I sound short, but you have no idea what a nightmare this has been…” Then I end up being transferred to the business section, put on hold for 20 minutes or more, only to be told I need to be on the home consumer side and then transferred back to their phone loop for another 15-20 minutes only to be told I just need to place my order again when someone else has told me they can see the order in the system. I spent nearly 6 hours one day on hold with your company, getting cut off, calling back, getting transferred, etc. You bet I have ended up getting short with some of the folks on the phone and I do regret it. Keep in mind that your staff have actually REFUSED to transfer me to your customer support team when asked. One finally did and I ended up speaking with Angelique Thomas and (?) Loomis. They were both very helpful, but some how my order disappeared out of the system for a second time as did the first one. I emailed them both on Friday, but have not heard back as of yet.
I can’t begin to tell you how infuriating it is to walk around my office and see the hundreds of “Dell” boxes that have recently come in and to know the hundreds of thousands of dollars we have spent over the years. I can’t even purchase a simple home use basic laptop. Trust me, I plan to pass the word on next time staff want to make a purchase and expect me to authorize it. They are going to have to find someone else who will.
I would very much appreciate it if someone from customer service would contact me as soon as possible to let me know how to return this laptop and just make this all go away. The last person I asked to do that for me told me it was too late to return it since it had been “over 21 days” since I received it. It’s not my fault that something so simple couldn’t be worked out in all this time. All I wanted was a laptop with the memory configuration I ordered. How simple is that?
Please feel free to contact at any of the numbers below. I have also listed my home email address for evenings and weekends. I look forward to hearding from someone very soon.
Sincerely,
Nancy XXXXXXXXX
Customer Number XXXXX
xxxxxxxxxxxx.com Home email Weekends and Evenings
XXXXXXX Mobile
XXXXXXX Home Evenings and Weekends
XXXXXXX Work M-F
copy: to file
Info to Dell Financial Services @ http://dfs.us.dell.com/Service/Contact/disp_ContactDFS_View.asp
My worst regret out of all of this is that I didn’t use my American Express Card. I let myself get sucked in to the 0% so they have me at both end for the moment!
Best of luck to everyone out there! I hope to be looking for another laptop very soon. I can dream can’t I????
Nancy
Nancy …
Display probems …have encountered this problem before …consistent with Grahics Chip or Motherboard routing (defective component soldering) almost certainly Hardware related …exactly which Plant does DELL originate?
Latop, try an ASUS!
Dell has the worst customer service of any company I have seen – as of late. Despite many telephone calls within days of purchasing the receiving the computer – Dell put me off and blamed other issues until my laptop was out of warranty and now refuses to address the issues to resolve them. What a huge waste of money and trust. They even called me last evening to see if I was satisfied with the resolution of my horrific issues with a 9-month old laptop I have never been able to use!!!! Of course, I said I was not satisfied. They promised to pick it up to fix it and send it out for repair over the months only to cancel those things internally and then not tell the customer and state that I would have to pay them to repair their problems. Does any have idea to resolve these matters? Thanks Susan
By the way, if anyone has ideas on getting my issues resolved with a Dell Inspiron Laptop that I have never been able to use because it has never worked properly, please email me. I am in dire straights here and am looking for suggestions. Thanks! Susan ctadsc2@ocnjcc.org
Today I have returned my Axim handheld! It hasnt worked properly since the day I got it. I worked with customer service finally they decided to sendme a replacement but thats not what pissed me off the most.
When I ordered the Axim I wanted the complete care package, but the salesman didnt include it. Two days later looking at the invoice I called and wanted to get added (the item hadnt even shipped). They informed me that you must order it a time of purchase. Ok fine I was irritated but sometimes shit happens.
However during the process trying to get if fixed I was interviewed by some supervisor for a custome service survey. During the process, I said I was generally pleased in that the device was going to be returned, but told them of my frustrations over not getting the complete care package. She told me would investigate. She calls back. She says that I can get the customer care within 21 days purchase. This was confirmed by another supervisor I chatted with repair process.
So I call customee care as directed. After a 25 minute wait I am told I need to call the extended warranty department to get that done. So I call extended warranty and get a very snotty representative who informs that I cant get the extended care because it must be purchased at time of service. I ask for supervisor and get put onl hold for another 25 minutes.
Finally I tell them I want a refund so they send me back to a 20+ minute wait to customer care to return the device for a refund. I going to buy a different palm pc from another company now and no more dell for me.
Take it easy, for every dissatisfied dell customer, there is one for HP, Compaq, IBM, etc. No matter what blogs, press & media, you think you have influenced with your story, I am sorry to say you’re not making a difference.
Ever heard of compaqsucks.com? It’s been around for years. Do you think people buy less compaqs because of this site? Not a chance. A few kids got together and thought they would put ‘em outta business by making a site about how much they suck! Good luck…
Response to posting by Peter!
HP/Compaq; IBM; Sony and of the “ilk” have adopted the same Customer Service/Support model as DELL! Doesn’t mean to say they are right …of course electronic products fail, it is a matter of how a Company deals with such, that is why perhaps the direct sell is not such a good idea. I can remember when Resellers of Sony, Panasonic etc., were “vetted” for competency of handling their product and providing full service & support facilities …now you can collect the Plasma Screen/latest high-tech toy along with a shop for the Groceries! The wheels have come off!
We are also unsatisfied Dell customers. We have purchased previous Dell products with little to no problems, however the purchase of the Dell Dimension XPS last October was the exception. Within five months the hard drive and the monitor crashed. After numerous hours on the phone, the hard drive was dispatched by a technician, who installed it and walked away. A refurbished monitor was send. Five months later the hard drive crashed again. Once again, it was hours and hours on the phone with Dell before I finally got someone to replace the tower – and of course, they only would replace it with a refurbished one. The monitor had a few problems, but continued to work. Approximately 3 to 4 weeks later, a replacement tower arrived and was set up. Within 24 hours we were having problems with it. It was losing time, freezing up, and moving very slowly. I spent all day on the phone with Dell Saturday. They had me move a jack because they said when it was built it was put in the wrong place, they had me download a patch, etc., etc. and the problem continued and then the monitor finally crashed. Technical support assured me that a battery (which they think is the problem) and a monitor would be dispatched. I called them today, the battery has been dispatched, but the monitor dispatch was cancelled, so I had to spend another hour on the phone with them. (And this was after leaving messages all day that still have not been returned). It’s a shame I can not bill Dell for my time on the phone with them because of their product – I know I have at least 60 to 70 hours logged already, let alone the costs to have a computer technician keep setting up my system. I am very disappoined with Dell’s products and service. I have filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, but from what I read, my complaint is the same as they are getting from lots of others – product problems, technical support problems, and long extended waits on the phone. I hope that consumers will consider my complaint as well as the many listed above before they deal with Dell. We bought their best product, and it has been a NIGHTMARE.
Hi, I recently set up a Dell complaint forum.
I think it would be helpful to other customers if you can post your complaint/opinion in the forum.
The Website is
http://www.ydell.com
Thanks.
I have had 7 dell computers all but the current one have been great. Any problems have been taken care of by Dell Tech Support over the phone. My current unit a XPS GEN 4 developed a problem which the Tech spent an hour with me to correct the problem. It was decided to have a Tech sent to my home to correct the problem. The next business day on site in my opinion is a myth. The third party support cannot even do next business week. It was two weeks before the third party could schedule me in. In other words I had a $5000 paper weight on my desk. I was able to fix the problem myself in this case by reseating the memory sticks. Dell must get a handle on their 3rd party service or others like myself will be going to another brand for the next purchace. I must say the Dell Techs were very courteous and helpful and one even told me I was not the first to complain about the 3rd party service.
I bought a Dell Lattitude CPJ-650 few years ago and I found out later that my Dell keyboard stucks at the i, h keys. Checking on internet in various forums complained by a huge base of disastified customers with this problem, I found the problem is caused by heat from CPU making the keyboard to fail intermittently and talking with Dell customer service is like talking to the wall. I learned my mistake then that I should use a search engine to search for problem with any piece of computer & peripherals, i.e. typing “Dell CPx problem”. That Dell laptop problem left me a poor taste of Dell for a long while.
When my 2 kids going to college lately, I didn’t even bother to check on Dell so I bought 2 HP laptops for my children, of course after using Google to check on that HP model. I did buy 4 Dell servers for my company and 1 for my own use because the price was so cheap like throwing away price ($200 plus/minus), also after checking whether the model has problem or not. But laptop, no thanks Mr. Dell. I will buy it from someone else.
I too have been through Dell Hell. As a college student, I was frustrated that I spent more time trying to get my laptop to work than doing homework. Just as the author of the letter, I too type my thoughts on an Apple PowerBook. Where is my Dell now? In my closet collecting dust because they kept sending me defective parts. I even took pictures of one of the four replacements that was damaged at their repair center. On top of that, I took pictures of a hard drive that was sent where pins were bent to the point where the hard drive couldn’t sit properly or function at full capacity. I spent $2000 on a Dell Latitude D505 with a three year waranty. I have to say it was by far the worst investment ever made. In conclusion, the lesson I learned is to investigate the company before purchasing a product of such a high price. Thus, the Apple PowerBook was the replacement. Also, I wrote letters to Michael Dell and REC representatives who refused to cooperate or give a refund because of actions taken on their behalf. In fact, the only reason I don’t sell the Latitude is because I would feel too guilty placing the burden of the Latitude D510 on anyone else’s shoulders.
Can someone provide me the email address for Michael Dell or a C level executive? I’m a former C.O.O. and have my own Dell Hell horror story to convey.
Jeff,
You obviously are a dick. As for the problem with your sons laptop, that is a common problem with all manufacturers, laptops are not specifically meant for gaming, but thats besides the point. Quite plainly I can see that from the very start you wanted to be an asshole to dell…and they decided to ignore you. Dont go thinking that your pathetic ass blog is going to hurt dell. Go ahead and be like a little bitch and go get an apple…have fun with no programs!
Contrary to what others are saying about their machines, I really do like mine (except for a minor problem that was shipped with it). Of course, I got my machine 3.5 years ago, and “Dell Financial” financed it. Now here I am with less than 6 payments remaining, and each time I’ve been a couple of days late, I’ve received phone calls that forward me to non english speaking people from India. I’ve only been late 3 times in 3.5 years, and never more than 10 days!! So, last time I actually spoke with someone, about 18 months ago, I really let your rep have it. Now here I am in September, my payment was due on the 14th., and on the 17th. I started getting “out of area” calls but now when I answer them, the line disconnects. Are you routing these calls through New Orleans? As the days have progressed, so have the number of calls. What started as 4, has now (on the 23rd.) accumulated to 9. I sent the payment yesterday. Do you effing idiots think I would default on the financing now? How do I know it’s you? Because about 10 months ago I was late and the calls, just like these, began 3-5 days after the due date and they quit 3-4 days after the payment was mailed. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out, and since I have no other encounters like this with any creditors, I know it’s you. The saddest part of all of that is I call your toll free number to advise I will be late, and I never get a representative after waiting for 20 minutes so i hang up. If you want a nice computer, (at least) order the Inspiron. If you want it financed, and you may on occasion encounter a financial difficulty, go somewhere else !!!
From Miss: Linda Kona.
Abidjan Cote D’ I voire.
Email: ( lindakona014@yahoo.co.nz)
Dear One,
For my safety and security of my future I am making this proposal to you for our mutual benefit. This however is not mandatory nor will I in any manner compel you to honour it against your will. I am Miss: Linda Kona , 22 years old and the only daughter of my late parents Mr.and Mrs. Kona . My father was a highly reputable busnness magnet-(a cocoa merchant)who operated in the capital of Ivory coast during his days. It is sad to say that he passed away mysteriously during one of his business trips abroad on the 12th.july. 2004. Though his sudden death was linked or rather suspected to have been masterminded by an uncle who travelled with him at that time. But God knows the truth! My mother died when I was just 4 years old, and since then my father took me so special. Before his death on july 12th, 2004 he called the secretary who accompanied him to the hospital and told him that he has the sum of Three million, Five hundred thousand United State Dollars.(USD$3.500,000) deposited in a bank here in Abidjan which he use my name as next of kin .
He further told him that he deposited the money with my name as the next of kin, and finally told him to tell me where to find the documents of the deposit which he said was in possession of his lawyer in sealed documents held by him and asked me to collect it from him and all the necessary documents to this fund. I am just 22 years old and a first year university undergraduate and really don’t know what to do.
Now I want a trust worthy person who can help me to transfer this money and provide an account overseas where I can transfer this funds.This is because I have suffered a lot of set backs as a result of incessant political crisis here in Ivory coast. The death of my father actually brought sorrow to my life.I am in a sincere desire of your humble assistance in this regards. Your suggestions and ideas will be highly regarded.
Now permit me to ask these few questions:-
1. Can you honestly take me as your own and help me.
2. Can I completely trust you?
3. What percentage of the total amount in question will be good for you after the money is in your account?
Please, Consider this and get back to me as soon as possible so that i can forward the documents to you after we have agreed on the conditions for your assistance. My life is not safe here and i need to be out of here as soon as possible because now that my father is dead and with me only as a female child, my uncles will be seeking to kill me so that they can have all my fathers properties. i really don’t want to struggle anything with them in terms of properties but my presence will still be disturbing them. thank God they are not aware of this fund in the bank hence, I want to leave here as soon as you help me to lodge it into a safe account in your stable country and then send me some amount to enable me prepare to meet you. Without your help, i will find it difficult to travel and transfer it myself alone with my little or no experience.
I am waiting for your urgent reply with your contact phone number so that i can give you the contact of the bank were my late father deposited this money
for you to contact them as if you are my late father’s partner.
Thank you so much.
My sincere regards
Miss Linda Kona
[...] Many create blogs to espouse a point of view or advocate for a specific cause. I have learned that this can be a doubled-edged sword in a service industry. Sure, one achieves a modicum of satisfaction by pontificating in the public domain. Perhaps others will even agree with the commentary and link to it, elevating the blog in the search engine rankings. Occasionally, one’s musings could catalyze change or a consumer movement, as was the case with the recent tirade by BuzzMachine’s Jeff Jarvis over his issues with Dell Computer’s customer service. [...]
Michael Dell, still “shafting” us, more “gloat” at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml;jsessionid=V5O0A1KY3RZK3QFIQMFSM54AVCBQ0JVC?xml=/money/2005/09/25/ccprof25.xml
The Sunday Telegraph 25/09/05
I also have a major probelm with Dell and can’t find Dell’s email address or Fax #. Can you help please?
Many thanks,
sally
E-mail address for Michael Dell: -
michael_dell@dell.com
Not sure if it reaches its destined target / such has never prompted any replies!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
However, this FAX Number certainly has
DELL US HQ.
(512) 283-7261
Anybody who is in the UK, can provide Contact / FAX & Telephone Numbers to their Irish Division and also receives attention!
I have bought several Dell computers over the last 12 years. The first ones were excellent machines; HOWEVER, the last four that I have purchased have been increasingly terrible. I purchased one for my church in January, 2005 and purchased the onsite warranty. In the seven months since purchase, the hard drive has crashed and been replaced, there continues to be problems with the operating system when you try to log on and now tell is trying to say that it is software problems not hardware – when they just replaced the hard drive three weeks ago and reinstalled everything themselves. I have tried to speak with customer support for over four hours this morning and keep getting pushed from one place to another but I always end up in INDIA. I WILL NEVER EVER purchase another Dell computer.
Sir;
Our company has to use Dell in our business to power many of our products. We have had nothing but trouble with Dell’s customer service. When our Sales Rep is not at his desk we cannot order a computer. When he is at his desk, he never calles you back. We have asked to have another. This request has gone un fulfilled. Example. We ordered a Dell without a monitor. When the shipment arrived there was a monitor. We contacted Dell to have the monitor returned, they sent ups a new computer without a monitor. However, they charged our company with both computers. Way to go Dell! You are loosing another customer.
John Borchert
Government Sales
My complaint is about a supplier that Dell employes. My son is a college music student and when we purchased his lap top from Dell it was with a set of speakers vital to his education. These speakers were promised on 8/22/05 and of course we have yet to see them.
Dell now tells us they have been discontinued because Dell no longer uses the supplier. If I want comperable speakers I will have to now on 9/27/05 reorder from Dell. What poor customer service, complete lack of communication, not to mention my biggest complaint the Dell’s Customer Service Department:
1. They are rude and talk down to customers with their scripted answers.
2. They are nameless, try to get the name and number of a person in charge it’s impossible.
3. They disconnect you, lie to you, really do not care, and are for the most part clueless.
4. They bounce you from nebulous dept. to dept. with the same result THEY MADE THE MISTAKE BUT THE ONUS GOES BACK TO THE CUSTOMER.
5. When you try to contact a corporate person via email – forget it – they must know how bad there customer service really is.
Therefore, before going through “Dell Hell” get in you car and purchase your computer from a person with a face and name and a proactive leader to who they report to. I know that what I will do and for Dell – you are a perfect example of most American Customer Service – uncaring, uneducated, and if we are lucky soon out of business.
Test
So many comments regarding poor customer service, let me shed some light on why:
1. Dell treats their vendors and suppliers very bad
a. Payment terms: EOAP50- End of accumulation period, 50. This basically means that the suppliers don’t get paid for 50-75 days. This attracts bottom feeders to the supply chain….the list is long of companies that Dell has put in to BK because of their vendor management processes. They also require price reductions each year, further requiring the supplier to cut costs that impact overall quality performance.
2. Hitting the wall- Dell is hitting the wall in the US market and has no choice but to drive prices lower (reduce costs), as they have done for the past 12 years. The problem is they cannot execute on a global basis. Each region has it’s own business owners and processes. Dell is not growing market share fast enough to offset longterm US revenue declines. What this means is they have created the need in the PC industry to outsource customer service, tech support functions, and even some sales functions to India and areas of APAC. If Dell pulled those functions back, they would be in the RED on every PC they sold…..ala IBM, which sold the unit to Lenovo who IS a global player in the largest growth market in the world: CHINA. Dell cannot compete in China due to the inability to leverage US infrastructure; come on English is spoken pretty much throughout the world now, take some culture classes and increase leverge like everyone else in the business. Use this leverage to focus on the core problems of product quality and customer service training/monitoring.
3. BPI- Business Process Improvement- What a joke. This is nothing more than a bunch of people working on spreadsheets touting huge savings, thereby appeasing executives. This is the BUDGET Six Sigma, developed internally. You have to make investments for continued quality.
4. Engineering- NONE!!!!!!!! Dell doesn’t engineer anything, make no mistake, they are a direct reseller!!!!! Which means if your don’t own the engineering, poor product quality is the result.
From an APPLE customer, former Dell customer, I would not recomend buying from Dell, and as a shareholder, SHORT their stock longterm. They are too far down the path of globization, or lack there of, to fix this train wreck.
To the former submission. Virtually ALL electronic components now come from China. Don’t make excuses for DELL, they are the instruments of their own demise, but taking everyone else with them. They are the WALMART, TESCO …get real, it is not the customer who dictates what they will pay from a product, but these greedy marketeers. Why not apply the same ethos to the so called “Professional” trades such as Lawyers/Solicitors etc., don’t see any “discounting”, “minimal margins” there …perhaps this business should also be “outsourced” to China to attain “value-for-money”?
I am 3 weeks into my Dell problems, with no resolution in sight. My computer was supposed to have a DVD burner, 512 MB Ram and 80 Gig hard drive…the one I received has a DVD Rom, 256 MB Ram and 40 Gig hard drive. Sounds like I got half the computer I asked for. So far 3 techs have been out to replace various items, only to make matters worse by crashing the computer. Now all I get is a blue screen. I have asked for a new computer but haven’t heard anything in over 24 hours. Imagine that!!
Today I received three pieces of mail from Dell. Confirmation of an order I have repeatedly cancelled over the last month. An invoice for nearly £1,000 ($2,000). And a brochure of Dell special offers.
I have just spent another 30 minutes on the phone to Dell to try to cancel my order for the fifth time. Dell are absolutely the worst internet company I have ever dealt with – it’s worse than going back to the 1990s.
The original Internet order could not be processed because the web site was only partly working. The web-based tracking system didn’t recognise the order for several days. The prices quoted in Dell brochures, on the web site and by the call centre were all different. I had very little confidence that I would get the PC I ordered. The estimated delivery times were not honoured because Dell had run out of parts. Promises of early delivery made on the phone and by email by Dell were wrong.
Once it worked, the online tracking system quoted a delivery date over 3 weeks away, so I cancelled the order and bought a computer from Compaq instead. (It is absolutely faultless and excellent value, by the way. And it took one hour to drive to the store, buy it, and drive home again.)
The paperwork Dell promised did not arrive for nearly two weeks, long after the order had been cancelled. Emails confirming the cancellation arrived, but other documentation was posted suggesting the computer was on its way. I repeatedly emailed and phoned to see what the true situation was, but no-one could tell me anything trustworthy or accurate.
A delivery company phoned to say my cancelled computer would be delivered shortly, prompting more attempts to cancel it. I was assured by Dell it was cancelled. Very early on a Saturday morning a courier phoned me saying he was outside my house delivering my Dell PC. So the repeated cancellations and promises were worthless. The courier was sent away.
Today Dell has sent me ANOTHER order confirmation and an invoice for the cancelled computer. Nobody at Dell has any idea whether or not Dell has taken money from my credit card account. In fact, at no stage at all has it been possible to find out if Dell has wrongly taken money from me.
Now, Dell’s job is to deliver computers. It plainly cannot do that in a reasonable time. It cannot manage its supply chain. It cannot co-ordinate its prices. It cannot process orders properly. It cannot keep its web site working correctly. It cannot accept a cancellation. It cannot tell if it has taken money from a customer. It cannot keep in touch with its courier companies. It cannot keep its promises. It cannot keep its customer informed (being bombarded with useless and inaccurate information by letter, email and phone calls is NOT being kept informed). Its Customer Care phone menu system is impenetrable, impersonal and useless.
So, every aspect of Dell’s performance has been appallingly bad, right from the very start. To score perfect 10s for incompetence over three weeks takes real talent. Utterly amazing that the company is still in business at all.
Here is a funny story. So I had a probelem with my notebook motherboard an called supprt. They shipped me a box. When putting the unit into the box, I dropped my notebook and broke the LCD screen (big crack across the entire screen). I figure, hey, they are going to repair it anyway, so I figure once they see the screen is broke, they will put the repair on hold and call me; I actually called tech supprt and they said they would make a note and notify the repair center. Seven days after sending my notebook in for repair, I get the unit back in working fashion; even with a working LCD. They didn’t even charge me for the screen. I called back to customer service (30 min hold) and told them there had been a mistake made, and they said, huh, “Looks like you got a good deal.” When I asked them if they could take a credit card for the repair service, the rep said they had no outstanding bills on my account.
Not paying for repairs like this will keep me coming back for more. Now this is customer service!!! Not so sure this is best for shareholders, but hey……..
Hello:
I have a good story. I left a message earlier about my bad experience with Dell (Sept. 7th). I finally received a response from a rep. at Dell and they handled my situation in a fair manner. Persistence pays off.
Good luck to all of you.
G.
THIS IS THE HONEST TRUTH. TIME IS ALL AN ILLUSION. THE CORPORATE HADS AND PEOPLE RUNNING THIS COUNTRY MUST HEAR THIS. SPREAD THIS MESSAGE. IMMORTALITY AND ABSTINENCE WOULD SOLVE ALL WORLD ISSUES. PEOPLE MUST PRACTISE THE HUMILITY AND HONESTY OF SAINTS AND THEN THERE WOULD BE NO WORLD PROBLEMS.
HERE IS EVIDENCE OF IMMORTALITY COMING!!! IF THIS IS TRUE, THEN TIME IS SIMPLY A TOTAL ILLUSION!!!
This is not a “Match Game” joke. The above is a serious FACT, an absolute!!
3 weeks ago, I bought an Inspiron 6000. I started having problems with erratic cursor movement and had called the tech support. After spending numerous hours with the Indian Tech Support, I was asked to do a “PC Restore” to solve the problem. The Tech support does not have any idea who can handle this problem. I was put to ten different technicians from ten different departments before somebody could walk me through how to fix the issue.
Today, I made a call to upgrade memory from 1GB to 2GB on the same computer that I bought 22 days ago. This computer has two memory slots of 512MB each. To upgrade to 2GB memory, the sales rep said that I should buy two 1GB memory sticks and throw the existing ones. I came to know that the company policy is 21 days from the date of sale to return any purchases. I called one day later and they are not willing to exchange the memory.
One more thing, during one of the calls to the tech support, when I was put on hold for few minutes, one of the automated messages said that I could participate in a customer survey conducted by JD Power Associates regarding the customer service. So, I asked the technician to connect me to JD Power Survey line. This rep from India did not know what JD Power was. He put me on hold for few minutes and got back to me saying that there was no survey line – He asked me go to Dell website and search for it.
I have been a repeat customer of Dell. But, from the experience I had with the Customer care, I won’t buy another one.
A few weeks before my service agreement expired I had problems with my Dell system. The nice folks in India suggested several ways to fix the problem but none worked. They did manage to drag out my case until the service agreement expired & then they refused to help me even though the problem was reported prior the to expiration date. At first they said the would honor the agreement but then backed off and left me with a dead Dell that I had to take to the local repair shop.
I have always had Dell PCs & I even own their stock but all that is changing.
Jeff, thanks for giving me a place to post this and to read what other folks have to say about this once great company.
I was on the phone with Dell for 7 hours – LITERALLY getting transferred around. No rep found it odd when it was 3 hours…or 4…or 5.. – I basically went to work with Dell. They refuse any customer service. They don’t know enough english, so they skip righting notes in your acct. They keep transfering you around.
GET NAMES, BADGE NUMBERS, & EXT NUMBERS FROM WHO YOU TALK TO YOU. AND THEN BUY A MAC!!!!
Bought a new computer for my 81yr. old grandmother-got it all set up and then proceeded to work on it for THREE DAYS STRAIGHT it never would connect to the internet-DELL HELL-is right. Terrible experience with customer service-they even hung up on us! Customer Care would tell us to call Tech Support then Tech Support would tell us to call Customer Care and that happened THREE times…it was a nightmare. We got them to LET us send it back for a full refund-but we had to pay a restocking fee and the shipping and insurance fees…for a maching that never once connected to the internet. This company is for the birds.
Bought a Dell Plasma 42″ HD TV. Stopped working within 20 days due to HDMI issues. Dell didn’t provide a replacement until 3 weeks later. Dell still hasn’t provided a service to reinstall my TV on the wall another 4 weeks. I’ve got holes in my new home from a lousy initial installation, and $3000 piece of junk on my wall, another $3000 piece of junk on my floor. I’ve spoken to Dell every day for the past 2 months now begging for a resolution. Nothing. I am complaining about BOTH Dell’s product AND their customer service. I highly recommended not purchasing from Dell.
Thank you for creating this Dell Hell ranting forum. I have been waiting for this day for several months. Finally my horror story will get out and can prevent others from falling into the same trap. The text below is the exact letter I sent to FIVE different ’senior’ Dell Customer service agents. I also sent this letter to their head office and emailed it to every high ranking Dell employee who’s email address I could find.
Guess what response I got?
NOTHING! Not even a simple reply.
Here it is…
To whomever might be concerned in continuing to help a dissatisfied customer,
So you understand where I’m coming from, here’s a little background:
Practically every component that could be faulty has been and practically everything that could break has broken.
- the entire LCD screen had a large cluster of pixels burn out
- the motherboard needed replaced TWICE
- the CDRW drive broke twice and the mechanism that clamps it in also broke in an isolated incident
- even the structure of the note book has fallen apart. i had to get a panel replaced because it had dislodged and was prohibiting me from powering the system on. One of the plastic pieces on the side of the monitor has come very loose and will probably soon break or lead to damage to the monitor.
- the ethernet jack only works if I hold the cable into the computer and angle it a specific way
- the battery died within the first year (I know this is expected..but is frustrating nonetheless)
- the windows ME operating system was HORRIBLE and I was basically forced to spend a significant amount of time and money completely replacing it with XP and reloading all my work and programs. I also had to upgrade my RAM to run this new operating system which was an unexpectingly costly affair.
- the floppy drive has never worked and I am too annoyed with constantly having these things break that I haven’t bothered to call you to come and look at it.
- the mouse has also been broken for quite some time but I am now, out of desperation and frustration, needing to get it fixed
- and, of course, just a few weeks ago the hard drive crashed…a huge loss and a GIGANTIC hassle….espcially seeing I am doing business in Asia and all my programs and backup are in Canada.
WHAT ELSE IS GOING TO GO WRONG????
WHY WOULD I EVER BUY A DELL NOTE BOOK AGAIN???
WHAT’S STOPPING ME FROM TELLING ALL MY FRIENDS, CO-WORKERS AND FAMILY HOW HORRIBLE DELL PRODUCTS ARE!??!?!
I turn to you, the customer service experts, for these answers. Given all the issues I have faced and valuable time I have lost, my impression of Dell is overwhelmingly negative and I am extremely dissatisfied by your product.
I hope that you can see this from my perspective and understand the incredible frustration these issues have caused me. As a person in business I understand the power of word of mouth and how one negative comment has at least 10 times the effect as positive one. I am curious to see how good Dell’s customer service actually is and whether or not satisfied customers are an important part of the Dell mission. If it is, I imagine that there will be a proposed solution to do away with my current ‘note book from hell’, proving confidence in your product to want me to test out a different system….one that actually works!
Sincerely,
Andrew H
Can you believe it!?!? No response. None whatsoever! If that isn’t admitting that your products suck, I don’t know what is.
I own and run a local computer repair shop,I have way too many hell stories from dell and others, I also build custom built computers designed to user specifications. I remind all the old but true too this day quote. ” you get what you pay for” I have built over 200 systems for clients of mine and to date have never had 1 come back with a major issue, not to say I have not had material failure; however those minor issues were corrected within 24 hours at no cost too my customers. The bottom line is you buy junk you get junk, be it apple, HP, Compaq, Dell, Gateway, Emachine or any other computer bought as a generic do it all cheap computer off the shelf. Do yourselfs a favor and visit your local computer shops, first make sure they are reputatable and second buy a good computer with local service. You will not only help yourselfs but also support your local economy. I am not sure how most work; however when I deliver new systems they are completely setup and running before we leave the clients residents, yes I said residents we setup in home.
Here is my letter to Dell, can you please tell me where to send it so that it will actually be read?
Thanks,
Eric
erozens@sbcglobal.net
__________________________________
October 11, 2005
To whom it may concern:
The purpose of this letter is to convey my complete dissatisfaction with my Dell purchase. I purchased a brand new Dell Inspiron 1150 laptop in April of 2004 through your website. By March of 2005 I started having problems with it. For no reason at all, my laptop would power off and need to be restarted. As the problem became more persistent, I reported it to Dell and had to send it back for repair. The main board, bottom case and video cable were replaced and it was returned to me at no cost (under warranty). I was disappointed when I got it back as all of the labels on the bottom of the case were messed up and it didn’t appear that much care had been taken to return it to me in the condition in which it was sent. Regardless, I was pleased with the turn around time of the repair and figured I wouldn’t have to worry about my laptop anymore.
I have taken exceptional care of this laptop despite how it has performed; it has never been dropped or abused. In August of this year (2005), I started experiencing the exact same problems and it began powering off again. I called Dell and explained what was going on. Since I only purchased a 1-year warranty (big mistake), I was informed that I would need to replace the motherboard myself at an astronomical cost (nearly what I paid for the laptop). I stressed that this was a recurring problem but that didn’t seem to make a difference.
I understand that I no longer have coverage under the warranty but I’m terribly bothered by what I have learned about this particular laptop and Dell products in general, specifically my power issue. From reading in Dell’s forums and various technical websites and blogs, it appears that hundreds (if not thousands) of Dell customers have complained about repetitive issues with Dell products only to fall on deaf ears. Why doesn’t Dell acknowledge this as a design or engineering flaw and make things right with me (the consumer)? Even though I knew I couldn’t afford to purchase a high-end laptop when I started shopping for one, I was very concerned about quality and reliability. I had always heard good things about Dell so I decided to buy one. I would certainly have expected that a Dell laptop would last longer than 16 months! The part I find most frustrating is that Dell has not offered me any assistance or amicable solution. Your customer service agent just kept apologizing as though that would slowly make me understand that I was out of luck and to just deal with it. He actually suggested I try to find a motherboard on Ebay, I just had to laugh at that.
I consider myself very brand loyal. If I find something I like, I stick with it and am very resistant to change. I will definitely avoid purchasing anything manufactured by Dell in the future. I will also be sure to share my experience with as many people as possible. I’m not a marketing guy but I did hear somewhere that a happy customer may only share his experience with 1 or 2 people whereas an unhappy customer will tell around 12 people. I think I’m somewhere past 12 by now…
Sincerely,
Eric Rozens
Hi:
Tell me what a person can do that is being ripped off by DELL…..it seems Michael is such a Tech Giant …no one dare challenge him…….and who cares at Dell? One lady at DELL told me there was no supervisor or person higher than she for me to speak with…..laughable….but……..I can find no contact info for the CEO or Chairman.
Any insight is appreciated.
Lisa
This is my problem it explains it in our letter we wrote them. DELL SUCKS!
My letter to Dell
Dear Dell:
I need your help with a situation I’m finding increasingly frustrating.
Approximately on April 7, I purchased your two top-of-the-line laptops-Inspiron 6000 and an Inspiron 9300. This model’s features clearly make it one of the best machines on the market. After about 10 business day they shipped the computers and this is when all the pandemonium occurred. Your company shipped two of the Inspiron 6000’s. Which we only wanted one 6000 and one 9300. It clearly stated in our order # that we ordered a 6000 and a 9300. The 6000 had a different operating system, incompatible with everything in my office. After numerous attempt’s of calling and holding on the phone I was able to talk with a representative but we some how got disconnected (They do it on purpose b/C they don’t want to deal with any problems). After calling back and another hour of convincing on our part. Finally, your company acknowledge that we were indeed correct about your mistake. You agreed that they put all the sticker information: Product ID, Service Tag number etc….any way the wrong information on a 6000 when it should have been an Inspiron 9300 17 in. Then we got disconnected again. Then after calling back I spoke with a VERY RUDE lady by the name of Natasha “She stated, we needed to pay for the shipping and they would credit back our account of the charges involved.†I told them that it was their fault and they needed to have it picked up by Fed Ex …..(Not us)! She stated it was not in the policy that they pay for shipping returns. I then asked to talk with her supervisor and she stated she was too busy. Then she put me on hold for 20 minutes and then told me well Ok that they were going to send an order to have it picked up. As of May 17, 2005 still we have not had any one pick up the incorrect computer.
The following day after I spoke to your order department, who assured me that the correct 9300 Laptop would be delivered by the next 3 business days. The computer did not arrive, until 7-10 days later. In the time of waiting for it to be shipped we had placed many calls wanting to know when we would get the correct computer. All they could say is “Well it is still in the manufacturing stageâ€. When we asked about the shipping information for the incorrect Laptop that still had not been picked up they told us that it would be sent out for pick up the next day. Which they never did. Then finally, when the 9300 arrived we used it and were dissatisfied because it kept crashing and freezing up. In the process of all that we had to restore the computer to a previous date consequently loosing our data for work related information.
We had to waste approximately 5-6hrs of just trying to convince you of your mistake. Calls for technical support have kept me holding 20 to 30 minutes each time and we have been disconnected on several occasions! Plus time in writing this letter!!!!!!!!
The technicians that I finally reached offered no help and could not understand English very well. Also offered incorrect advice without fully understanding my difficulties.
Their quick answers—and unwillingness to remain on the line while I try their advice—invariably do not solve my problem.
I’m faced with starting all over with another long wait on receiving information to send back our computers, another technician, and a machine that I still cannot use. I think you will understand why I am upset at the manner in which this order was handled. Your excuses and apologies to us are of no comfort. This incident is a horrible way to treat customers. In fact we have ordered many computers from Dell in the past. Your products are some what more expensive but we have been pleased with the service from your company before until now. We have no other option to be forced to buy from another vendor because of this whole incident escalading. I will expect a full refund from your company and information needs to be placed to pick these computer up and if not we will be contacting our attorney.
I can clear say that we will never order from you again especially online.
Obviously, you know what must be done. We are frankly at the end of our patience with Dell. What could have been a relatively simple problem has, through your company’s unresponsiveness, grown into something that is costing me a substantial amount in lost work time
Sincerely,
Nicole Brown
Currently 10/12/2005 We just ended up keeping a Inspiron 6000 but it took forever to get the correct credit from the 9300. They just credited us for the 6000. So we contacted our bank and wrote them a letter explaining our situation and the bank gave us the correct credit amount after 5-6 months. So here is the last update. So my Inspiron 6000 LCD screen cracked. I called dell and asked them if it was under the warranty. (Not to my surprise it was not). Dell stated that we could not get any information because we had a red flag on our account. They said the computers we sent back were lost and they never received them. After hours on the phone AGAIN I explained that they were the one’s who sent to have them picked up and it was not our problem if whoever they had pick them up lost them. It would be different if we sent them our self. Finally we were able to get the red flag removed. Then I found out that the LCD screen is not covered so it’s going to be like $500 to get it replaced. I am just going to see about getting the part shipped and having someone else install it. If I shipped my computer back I would be fearful that they would accidentally loose it. DELL SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi all you unhappy Dell consumers. I think the issue is they need to go back to basics. Dell has to understand that the customer is always right
Anyway to my story I run a computer Security business with many customers buying Dell PCs, the other day I had to custom order a Dell replacement motherboard for one of the systems (Don’t ask, lol). All I wanted was a part number and a price for the motherboard. When I asked for the quotation, I was immediately asked for my phone number, when I declined to give my phone number I was immediately told that if I did not provided a phone number they would not quote the price or part number. After talking to a supervisor (Robin #338583) it was explained that the phone number was a requirement due to company policy but was not entered into the system (just written on a piece of paper to call back in the event of disconnection). I explained simply that I did not care to provide a phone number that I would call them back in the event of disconnection. Well this was no good, eventually I was FORCED to give a phone number JUST TO RECIEVE A PRICE AND PART NUMBER. Yes I am overly cautious about my privacy, but this should not effect my ability to get a simple quotation!!!!!!
P.S. Could someone provide me with a email address to a sales V.P. or Michael Dell. I’d like to escalate the matter MUCH furthur, and explain to Dell that a little flexibility goes along way
Thanks in advance,
Perry Ellsworth
pellsworthas@gmail.com
I’m so sorry I did not find this blog before. Last month I ordered with Dell and if I would have known I would enter a Kafka book, I would have taken my business elsewhere. My order was cancelled because they don’t seem to match payments with orders very accurate. After giving the payment details they told me they would contact me as soon as the payment was found. One week later I called them again and asked them about the status of my order. The payment was found, but due to the cancellation the order had to be rebooked by the rebooking department. Ok a rebooking department…, that sounds nasty, doesn’t seem to happen only once or twice. Not at all, due to the workload this department is way behind in his workload. Ouch. A rebookingdepartment which is behind in his workload. I’ve asked for a confirmation of the receiving of the payment which she would send. Still waiting and I think this is the start of a long nightmare and reading all of the above I’m still a newbie to that nightmare. Thanks for all the stories, I’m so sad-glad to be part of this new community.
Dell lost another customer –
Award winning service NOT!
After numerous attempts to speak to a real person (on 2nd day after opening the box), I learned that software installed (Microsoft Office) is not their responsiblity. However, you can pay $99 to speak to some about it one time.
Here is the log:
Welcome to Dell Chat. Please wait for an available agent. You will be notified when your chat is accepted by an agent.
{ 11:59:19 AM} () I looking for Dell’s award winning customer support for what I just unpacked yesterday.
The session has been accepted.
{Mohanavelu 12:00:00 PM} At the end of this interaction you may be offered the opportunity to provide me with feedback. In order to do so you will need to click the “End Chat” button rather than using the “X” at the top of the screen. You may rate this interaction on a scale of 1 to 9 (1 being worst and 9 being best). I appreciate your feedback.
{Mohanavelu 12:00:09 PM} Thank you for contacting Dell Consumer Customer Care Chat. My name is Mohanavelu. Please give me 2 minutes to review your question.
{Mohanavelu 12:00:16 PM} how may I help you?
{ 12:00:42 PM} Case #
{Mohanavelu 12:01:28 PM} I will check that for you.
{Mohanavelu 12:02:18 PM} May I have your phone number and full address with zip code for security purpose?
{ 12:03:08 PM}
{Mohanavelu 12:03:22 PM} Thanks for the verification.
{ 12:05:47 PM} hello
{Mohanavelu 12:06:38 PM} Please tell me what you want to resolve the issue?
{ 12:08:16 PM} There is an apparent problem with Microsoft Office that was installed. And I want to have it fixed – but DO NOT understand why I have to pay for something that came wrong.
{Mohanavelu 12:10:01 PM} I see in my records that you have warranty only for the Hardware Support, if you want to get any software support you have to pay for it.
{ 12:11:05 PM} Why doesn’t Dell support what it sends?
{Mohanavelu 12:13:54 PM} Bruce, we do support as per our Warranty. As per the software you have to place get separate warranty for it.
{Mohanavelu 12:16:29 PM} Bruce, I have not received a response in over a minute. To ensure that I have addressed all your questions or concerns, please respond within the next two minutes to allow me to continue our chat.
{ 12:16:42 PM} I’m sorry to hear that being your answer. I don’t think Michael will agree with that approach to sending something that doesn’t work and be told that ‘oh if you want it to work you have to pay for that.
{ 12:17:31 PM} No you’ve not addressed the issue – except to say we don’t support what we sell you.
{Mohanavelu 12:18:04 PM} I do apologize for any inconvenience caused.
{Mohanavelu 12:18:28 PM} We do support, what we sell, however, it depends upon the warranty and other supports you purchase.
{ 12:21:11 PM} If I would have known to expect faulty equipment then I would have went elsewhere to purchase. Given that every computer I’ve purchased (4) has been a Dell this is a sad day. You are telling me you support with extra costs to make something work initially – that it bogus!
{Mohanavelu 12:22:13 PM} I understand your concern, however, I see in my records that you have no software support for your system.
{Mohanavelu 12:22:32 PM} If there is any hardware issue, sure we will be able to resolve your issue.
{ 12:23:56 PM} no one has tried – only trying to sell my $99 support for faulty materials sent with the computer.
{Mohanavelu 12:24:45 PM} Bruce, I see in my records that there is no problem with the Computer, and I see in that there is software issue.
{Mohanavelu 12:25:14 PM} Please do speak with the Software issue to resolve your issue.
{Mohanavelu 12:25:18 PM} Is there anything else I can assist you with?
{ 12:26:05 PM} Please provide me your real name and a physical address for the “Customer Service Department”
{Mohanavelu 12:28:19 PM} My name is Mohanavelu and the address to contact the customer service department is:
{Mohanavelu 12:28:32 PM} Dell, Inc.
Attn: Executive Support Team
One Dell Way
MS 8210
Round Rock, TX 78682
Dells customer service is horrible. I’d like not to think the customer service is not intentionally difficult to access, but whenever I call the sales line, I think otherwise. Just to check on an item for exchange, took hours and hours without help.
I’m so glad that WSJ TV published an email in regards to the problematic customer service issues with Dell Computers. Maria read the email and quoted that Dell himself, did not know that so many cusomters were unahppy. Clearly, its sales division and its after sales division are “MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.” Once the sale is done, the service is done.
Oh how I wished I had found this site before sending myself to Dell Hell in June of 2005. I have had software problems since the day I recieved my machine. Well since one week after recieving it. That is when the “Dell recommended” Aloha Bob package showed up and blew up the Dell Inspiron6000. Well I did the vaunted “f11″ And now my Office Outlook is screwed up and it will not open any power point presentation that is not created on this machine. I have called Dell and they have directed me to Microsoft because it is a software error…. but as you all probably know… according to Microsoft… the software that comes on a Dell computer is not a Microsoft Product because it has OEM in the serial number. Hmm then why does it not say… Dell Office 2003? Sorry I digress. So back to Dell a number of times to people who you can not understand on the phone who only want $50 to fix your problem in the next three days but can not promise to fix your problem. They claim they can not promise to fix it because of federal law? I hope my Chevrolet dealer does not find out about that law. So now I am perusing the Yellow Book for a local repair shop with somebody who is old enough to shave. Dell? Never again. Thanks Mikey. My dream to be seated between Billy Gates and Mikey Dell on a cross county airline flight. I can dream can’t I?
this is a great blog after alll !!!! I am totally in support of DELL and happy to say that I have been a great fan of them for the past 5 years.
I bought a inspiron 2200 very lately and so far it seems to be going exceptionally well. I do not seem to be having any problems. I guess it depends on the way we use the PC. dell is a great company and I wish to say that I would make sure to promote it between my friends.
I tried to extend the warranty for my Dell C610, and as you can think, I got pissed by the customer survices.
“You have to call another line….OK?” (The same line, just different option, which I never heard about the key word “warranty” when I listened to the options)
“They are off now, you have to call by….OK?” (It’s just 3:00 P.M. in LA)
“They will tell you which number to call if you call in their office hours….OK?” (When I said that I was refered by other Dell warranty extension service people)
OF COURSE, NONE OF THE ANSWERS SHOULD BE OK!!!
THESE QUESTIONS EVEN SHOULD NOT BE ASKED BY CUSTOMER SERVICES!!!
Why should I call another line? I spend more than 20 mninutes just been transfered here and there…. A computer company like Dell can’t build a database that utilize all the inforrmations of their products and help the customers by the first customer services when we called? If you can’t, how can I trust a computer company which can’t build a database by their own?
I have to indicate that, last time I called to ask for replace the screen for my laptop (because of a growing dark spot), it took me more than 1 and half hour talk to the customer services, and I had to repeat more than three times to different service people.
Dell….
Dear Sir/Ma,
LETTER OF BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP
We are one of the Major Marketers of all brands of GSM mobile phones like Nokia/Samsung/LG/Sony Ericsson/Motorola/Alcatel/panasonic, all Brands and Models of Nextel Phones. We are a registered firm and one of the leading brokers in the G.S.M/MOBILE PHONE Market in Nigeria. We do have Brand New phones in stock. Our brand new Phones are in their Original box with all accesories, unlockes and are ready to be used anywere in the world. All phones carries one year International warranty. All accessories intact. Our prices are very Competitive. We look forward to a good trading time with you. Thanks! Mike Davidson, General Secretary omega plaza phones limited e-mail us at
omegaplazaphones@yahoo.com
Thank’s and God bless.
Mike Davidson(Sales Rep)
Nokia 1100– US$55
Nokia 2100– US$45
Nokia 2300– US$60
Nokia 3100– US$65
Nokia 3108– US$60 !
Nokia 3200– US$75
Nokia 3230– US$95
Nokia 3300 – US$85
Nokia 3310– US$25
Nokia 3315– US$29
Nokia 3330– US$30
Nokia 3350– US$35
Nokia 3410– US$35
Nokia 3510– US$40
Nokia 3510i– US$45
Nokia 3530– US$50
Nokia 3595– US$45
Nokia 3610– US$55
Nokia 3650– US$185
Nokia 3660– US$195
Nokia 5100– US$65
Nokia 5140– US$110
Nokia 5210– US$40
Nokia 5510– US$105
Nokia 5550– US$50
Nokia 5170iR– US$39
Nokia 6020– US$130
Nokia 6670– US$105
Nokia 6630– US$175
Nokia 6100– US$80
Nokia 6108– US$90
Nokia 6220– US$105
Nokia 6230– US$110
Nokia 6260– US$135
Nokia 6310– US$69
Nokia 6310i– US$70
Nokia 6500– US$60
Nokia 6510– US$60
Nokia 6600– US$135
Nokia 6610– US$80
Nokia 6630– US$175
Nokia 6170– US$145
Nokia 6650– US$82
Nokia 6800– US$105
Nokia 6820– US$110
Nokia! 7200– US$185
Nokia 7210 Turquoise– US$100
Nokia 7230– US $120
Nokia 7250– US$120
Nokia 7250i– US$120
Nokia 7260– US$135
Nokia 7280– US$155
Nokia 7600– US$165
Nokia 7610– US$195
Nokia 7650– US$160
Nokia 8250– US$65
Nokia 8310– US$90
Nokia 8910 Titanium– US$160
Nokia 8910 Black– US$165
Nokia 8910i– US$185
Nokia 8890– US$115
Nokia 8850 Special Edition– US$105
Nokia 8850 Gold Edition– US$110
Nokia 8855– US$115
Nokia 9210 Communicator– US$195
Nokia 9210i Communicator– US$195
Nokia N-Gage– US$110
Nokia 9500 (communicator)– US$210
Sony Ericsson P800– US$155
Sony Ericsson P900– US$205
Sony Ericsson P910i– US$210
Sony Ericsson T20e– US$35
Sony Ericsson T20s– US$39
Sony Ericsson T28s– US$39
Sony Ericsson T28 World– US$45
Sony Ericsson T29s– US$49
Sony Ericsson T100– US$30
Sony Ericsson T105– US$35
Sony Ericsson T200– US$45
Sony Ericsson T230– US$55
Dear Sir/Ma,
LETTER OF BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP
We are one of the Major Marketers of all brands of GSM mobile phones like Nokia/Samsung/LG/Sony Ericsson/Motorola/Alcatel/panasonic, all Brands and Models of Nextel Phones. We are a registered firm and one of the leading brokers in the G.S.M/MOBILE PHONE Market in Nigeria. We do have Brand New phones in stock. Our brand new Phones are in their Original box with all accesories, unlockes and are ready to be used anywere in the world. All phones carries one year International warranty. All accessories intact. Our prices are very Competitive. We look forward to a good trading time with you. Thanks! Mike Davidson, General Secretary omega plaza phones limited e-mail us at
omegaplazaphones@yahoo.com
Thank’s and God bless.
Mike Davidson(Sales Rep)
Nokia 1100– US$55
Sony Ericsson T310– US$50
Sony Ericsson T600– US$69
Sony Ericsson T610– US$130
Sony Ericsson T630– US$135
Sony Ericsson T68i– US$105
Sony Ericsson T68m– US$110
Sony Ericsson Z200– US$100
Sony Ericsson Z600– US$170
Sony CMD-J5– US$30
Sony CMD-Z7– US$35
Sony CMD-J7– US$40
Sony CMD-J6– US$40
Sony CMD-Z5– US$90
Sony CMD-MZ5– US$155
Sony Ericsson R520m– US$100
Sony Ericsson R380 World– US$90
Sony Ericsson R380s– US$105
Sony Ericsson R600– US$35
Sony Ericsson S700– US$175
Sony Ericsson K500i– US$180
Sony Ericsson K700i– US$189
Samsung SGH A200– US$50
Samsung SGH A300– US$40
Samsung SGH A500– US$70
Samsung SGH A800– US$70
Samsung SGH C100– US$85
Samsung SGH E400– US$125
Samsung SGH E600– US$129
Samsung SGH E700– US$130
Samsung SGH E715– US$155
Samsung SGH-E810– US$140 !
Samsung SGH-E820– US$150
Samsung SGH-E800– US$155
Sams ung SGH-E850– US$140
Samsung SGH D410– US$150
Samsung SGH D500– US$155
Samsung SGH P400– US$135
Samsung SGH P510– US$139
Samsung SGH N188– US$110
Samsung SGH N288– US$60
Samsung SGH N500– US$60
Samsung SGH N620– US$60
Samsung SGH M100– US$45
Samsung SGH P400– US$140
Samsung SGH P410– US$145
Samsung SGH P500– US$155
Samsung SGH Q105– US$40
Samsung SGH Q300— US$70
Samsung SGH R220– US$30
Samsung SGH R225– US$25
Samsung SGH S100– US$90
Samsung SGH S200– US$100
Samsung SGH S300– US$105
Samsung SGH S307– US$130
Samsung SGH S500– US$109
Samsung SGH T100– US$100
samsung SGH S105– US$35
Samsung SGH T200– US$125
Samsung SGH T400– US$60
Samsung SGH T500– US$90
Samsung SGH T700– US$99
Samsung SGH V200– US$105
Samsung SGH VM680– US$100
Samsung SGH X400– US$105
Samsung SGH X410– US$130
Samsung SGH ! X426– US$129
Samsung SGH-C200– US$125
Samsung SGH-X460– US$140
Samsung SGH-X450– US$130
Samsung SGH-X120– US$99
Samsung SGH X600– US$145
Samsung SGH-X610– US$140
Samsung SGH-Z105– US$120
Motorola A008– US$50
Motorola A388– US$70
Motorola A388c– US$120
Motorola A820– US$65
Motorola C330– US$20
Motorola C331– US$25
Motorola C332– US$30
Motorola C333– US$35
Motorola C350– US$69
Motorola E360– US$60
Motorola E365– US$110
Motorola E380– US$95
Motorola E398– US$125
Motorola MPX200– US$180
Motorola Accompli 008– US$49
Motorola Timeport 280– US$80
Motorola T190T– US$25
Motorola Talkabout 191– US$25
Motorola T720– US$65
Motorola T720i– US$85
Motorola V3Razor– US$145
Motorola V66– US$60
Motorola V60– US$70
Motorola V60i– US$75
Motorola V70– US$105
Motorola V80– US$115
Motorola V290–! US$80
Motorola V750– US$125
Motorola V3688+– US$20
M otorola V8088– US$30
Motorola V525– US$139
Motorola V300– US$130
Motorola V400– US$125
Motorola V500– US$130
Motorola V600– US$140
Siemens A35– US$15
Siemens A40– US$19
Siemens A50– US$25
Siemens A52– US$29
Siemens A55– US$30
Siemens C45– US$30
Siemens C55– US$35
Siemens CL50– US$70
Siemens CL55– US$65
Siemens CT56– US$30
Siemens M50– US$35
Siemens M55– US$120
Siemens MC60– US$79
Siemens ME45– US$50
Siemens S45– US$60
Siemens SL42– US$65
Siemens SL45i– US$69
Siemens S55– US$85
Siemens SL55– US$125
Siemens SX45– US$155
Siemens SX1– US$180
Siemens Xelibri 1– US$60
Siemens Xelibri 2– US$70
Siemens Xelibri 3– US$110
Siemens Xelibri 4– US$80
Siemens Xelibri 5– US$65
Siemens Xelibri 6– US$85
Siemens Xelibri 7– US$85
Siemens Xelibri 8– US$95
Nextel i55sr– US$65
Nextel i! 2000plus– US$35
Nextel i58sr– US$30
Nextel i530– US$35
Nextel i205– US$20
Nextel i305– US$25
Nextel i35s– US$29
Nextel i88– US$30
Nextel i90– US$59
Nextel i95cl– US$70
Nextel i60c– US$40
Nextel 6510TM– US$110
Nextel i730– US$85
Nextel i733– US$95
Nextel i736– US$105
Nextel i830– US$115
Nextel i860– US$125
Nextel i930– US$140
SERIOUS AND LEGIT BUYERS WANTED
I purchased a Dell Inspiron 9300 top of the line laptop for $Aus 3000.
I have had two attempts with the helpdesk trained (fob you off monkeys) reading from a resolution sheet and not yet solving the problem which Dell was responsible for in the first place.
I am an Aussie high school teacher who has outlayed my hard earned cash and now seeking a legally entitled tax break on my outlay.
Dell has been incapable of suppling a purchase invoice with my correct name and details on it. They shipped to my school with the school’s name on the invoice. This is despite me supplying the correct name and shipping address. I need the correct detailed invoice to reclaim my tax rebate.
In the first instance I contacted the original salesman who gave me an Australian contact. Before I could contact him, my home machine with the contact details on it crashed.
Second instance was to contact the Dell customer relations person who was quick in returning my enquiry. I sent him details in return and his response was to quote ” highlight my concerns with the respective team who will get your request done in the shortest time possible.”
That was ten days ago readers 13th October.
The Dell computers may be high quality but the after sales service ,which I believe I have paid for, is not. I wonder how many boards I can tell my story on before dell fixes their problem?
Are you reading this MR Dell
Customer 2540284
My Dell 8400 was purchased for me by the workers compensation board of British Columbia as a potential solution for some stress related problems that had occurred at my workplace, however had we known that it was going to be virtually impossible to speak to anyone in this hemisphere regarding problems, the promises that have been made and not kept regarding compensation over delivery hassles for Dell 962 that has not worked since I put the first refill in the machine and when I tried to find out where I could purchase Dell refills because as a life choice, I don’t use credit cards! And on the rare oh occasions idea managed to complain I received no response whatsoever. My response to this is I have begun to lobby my place of business which is a large and powerful union the workers compensation board of British Columbia and my apartment building and anyone that will listen, not to purchase Dell under any circumstances. Should anyone from Dell care to respond I am prepared to listen to one more round of BS sincerely, D White
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I am just starting work for Dell in Tech Support and they seem to be listing to there customers because there are adding a couple of thousand support personal to there ranks as I write and are building a new support center in Edmonton for North Americian support so it can only get better.
i bough a inspiron laptop from Dell here in the UK on the 25th October 2005. On delivery, the laptop did not work, a engineer was booked to come on the following friday, i took the day of work, i then get a phone call to say engineer can’t make it, so thats one day lost! The appointment is then set for the 31st Oct 2005 between 9-5pm, after 5 phone calls to Dell, he arrives at 7.15 pm! spent over 1 hour and could not fix it. Why? because he was given a faulty motherboard! how bad is that! as a result i have lost two days of work. I spent a total of over 4 hours on the phone and sent over 10 emails to Dell’s call centr in India to the sales rep i bought the system of, all i got was 5 ” out of office” automated replies. I then phone John Allen, Teresa, Mr Rana (head of Bangalore office) and lots of other people. Not one of them said sorry, we will compensate you. Up to day, the laptop is at home still not working. Mr Michael Dell, if you are readign this, take note, your company is going downhill. Your customer care dept is terrible. As a customer you get put on hold, then onto Technical help then back onto customer care and you end up talking to someone in Bangalore!
I would stay well clear of dell, i would advise anyone thinking of buying dell, dont!!!!!!!!!, does not matter how cheap!!! go to a shop and buy a apple or a sony! Even if someone paid me, i would never in my life touch another dell machine. Id anyone at Dell is reading this please email me at hanifloonat@hotmail.com and lets get this sorted. It is impossible to get a contact point for Michale Dell, so i found this website and found i am not alone, there are thousands like me, suffering, stressed at “dell diseace”
A gauge for wisdom.- The growth of wisdom may be gauged exactly by the diminution of ill-temper. ......
Hello everybody in this forum, i work in Dell as tech. support rep. and something that i always tell our customers is this: if you want to buy a Dell, don’t buy inspirons or dimension they are the bottom line of our products, all the problems that we can find in those product we fix them so they are not going to happen in our top models(latitude, optiplex, precision workstation, xps(non dimension), poweredge server), so you are complaining becuase your system are not working…? obviusly, that would happen, you are using toyotas and you think you have a ferrari, so next time save more money and try to go for something good, something that you can really trust on, we test all brands of hard drives, memories, motherboard in all of our bottom models and we take the good ones and we use them in our top system, that’s the point, you want the true…?, here is the true…….
when you pay £700 for a basic laptop, you expect the best! its not cheap for £700, you can go out and buy others but much cheaper. Its not ait to say that the inspirion laptop is the cheapest, its not! for the same money you can buy a toshiba, sony or even other reputable brands.
My point aside from the above is that Dell’s customer service is really bad! the call centr in India are the worst, then you got guys like Mr Rana and Mr Aemon Mcnaulty who just lie through their teeth! these two guys are unreal! they have more coffee and dinner breaks than a bunch of chimpanzees at the zoo! Never ever touch a Dell!!!!!!!!!!! why go to hell , when you can buy a dell from hell, and they tell you to go to hell!
It’s really the small things. I tried to get a cool laptop cover from Dell. You would think that they would be able to send the right one for the model I gave them….THREE wrong laptop covers later and I am still going round and round with customer service. Now they will not credit my account..because the return date has expired! Never mind that that I notified within the correct time and they chose to send me another wrong one!
ok you can say, 700.00$ is too expencive for a laptop and do you think toshiba, sony, hp, alienware, gateway they are going to last longer than one dell, don’t even think about that….. you guys really make me lough a lot, come on…?, it doesn’t matter where you are becuase the best tech. support people for dell they are outside the U.S., some of you guys know how many crazy stuff i have heard about people calling gateway wish have a call center in the U.S., or Alien ware, and how many complaints you see about hp….?, come on start being realistic here, is not Michael Dell foult it’s your foutl becuase you don’t read, when you are signing, no person that have call this call center where i’m at rigth knows what his service contrac ses about his system, and no one knows about how many type of warranty dell offer, you guys call our sales group and ask for the best computer and how much you are welling to pay 300.00$ dim 2400 or 3000 those 2 system does not have diference rather than the numbers, it is stupid from your site too
and one last thing, look the 75% of the call in tech support it’s something that is related to windows, it doesn’t matter what version, the only good advice that can someone with cumputer knoledge can give to Mr. Dell and Mr. Rolin is change the O.S. to mac or linux or something else becuase windows it’s piece a crap, don’t never ever relia on windows or any product coming from microsoft, the 10% of the call they are something relate it ISP (internet service provider) that’s is the reason why when you call dell you have to pay if you need help with either software or ISP’s becuase we build hardware “NO” softwares even if they say dell it’s just for comercial purpose, and the other 10% of the call it’s something like how to, for example how to burn cd’s, how to make a wireless network, how to reinstall windows, and the last 5% believe it or not is something relate to hardware, like clicking noise in the hard drive, overheating, the system runs very loud and so. i guess all of you may think i’m in love with Delll but gues what…?, no i don’t like dells system, they look ugly for me, but i need to tell you the true, in the market rigth now for me rather build my own system beside talking or figthing or crying becuase no one wants to take care of it, if make you own computer (pieces by pieces) you know what could go bad and how to fix it by you own and you don’t need to relia on someone else….
stop being stupid, i’m not north american(just to inform you guys remember americas it’s from Alsaka to Argentina¹) and i’m not indian in burn in latin america i work for dell latin america and we in latin america we lear something about all the yankees company they never do what they promise, so you can’t spect the heaven from any USA company becuase they will make you see “the ring” and i’m telling you the true, in latin america all replacement parts goes new but if you have your system in USA they go refurbished(LOL) ask someone and he will tell you that i’m not wrong, hahahahahahahahahahahaahahah……. and they will never ever send you a new part, so come on……?
¹Amerigo Vespucci:
Naming the New World
I returned to Portugal in June 1502. Although my fleet had not explored the islands off the coast of Asia, we had discovered a continent between Europe and Asia previously unknown to Europeans. My name was given to North America and South America because I was the first to recognize that it wasn’t a part of Asia. I claimed to have explored these continents in 1497, and it led the mapmaker, Martin Waldseemuller, to consider me, instead of Columbus, as the man who discovered North and South America. He suggested naming these continents after me to honor my expeditions.
Those who deny chance.-No victor believes in chance.
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Antithesis.-Antithesis is the narrow gate through which error is fondest of sneaking to the truth. ......
Dell make computer, computer no work right, me no understand computer, Dell bad. Apple easy, me understand one mouse button, Apple good.
Dell doesn’t build the parts they just build the computer out of them. Same parts as everyone else builds computers out of.
The one thing needful.- One thing a man must have: either a naturally light disposition or a disposition lightened by art and knowledge.
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Being deep and appearing deep.-Whoever knows he is deep, strives for clarity; whoever would like to appear deep to the crowd, strives for obscurity. For the crowd considers anything deep if only it cannot see to the bottom: the crown is so timid and afraid of going into the water.
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Forgetting experiences.- Whoever thinks much and to good purpose easily forgets his own experiences, but not the thoughts which these experiences have called forth. ......
If one has character one also has one’s typical experience, which recurs repeatedly. ......
Books which teach how to dance.- There are authors who, by representing the impossible as possible, and by talking of morality and cleverness as if both were merely moods and humours assumed at will, produce a feeling of exuberant freedom, as if man stood on tiptoe and were compelled to dance from sheer, inward delight. ......
Jokes. A joke is the epigram on the death of a feeling. ......
How courageous people are won over.-Courageous people are persuaded to a course of action by representing it as more dangerous than it really is.
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After careful consideration; I’ve decided to start the migration to an IBM only policy. Although I have far less experience with the IBM ThinkPad then the Dell Latitude, every bit of information points to a better product all around. I’ll post again once I get a few new IBM ThinkPad’s to test. I discuss this more at my blog: Atlas-Tuesday – Dell Laptops Suck
Rational thought is interpretation according to a scheme which we cannot escape. ......
A criminal is frequently not equal to his deed: he makes it smaller and slanders it. ......
What? You search? You would multiply yourself by ten, by a hundred? You seek followers? Seek zeros! ......
And to say it once more. Public opinions- private lazinessess. ......
The lawyers defending a criminal are rarely artists enough to turn the beautiful terribleness of his deed to his advantage.
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The thought of suicide is a powerful comfort: it helps one through many a dreadful night. ......
Poets treat their experiences shamelessly: they exploit them.
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Even the most courageous among us only rarely has the courage for that which he really knows. ......
I too purchased the “Dell Dream” and ended up the the Dell Financial Hell. Purchased my Dell online and was offered the great deal of “no payments for 6 months”. I opted to pay for my Dell through online banking and well before the 6 mth deadline. Following the instructions I received from Dell Canada Corporation I paid my bill and carried on using my Dell. Well I guess Dell sold my invoice to Dell Finance who started deducting monthly from my bank account. It has taken me 4 months to get them to even acknowledge they have taken my money and now taken monthly payments in error. Get this! Dell Canada receive payments and do not transfer over to Dell Finance they just hold on to the money – hoping for what? My Bank had to fax proof over to Dell Canada and then I am told it will take 4 weeks before they can cut me a cheque. Reason? Well once they have made a mistake and it has been for more than 2 months they need to investigate. Meanwhile they owe me 100’s of dollars for doing nothing more than paying my bill through the account they had directed me to pay. Apparently, Dell finance does not talk to Dell Canada and you can never speak with a supervisor!
Dream on Dell if I ever buy another computer from you. I am now looking at buying a new computer for my home, one for my daughter off to do her MBA and one for my other daughter attending University. Thanks for all your help Dell !!!!! NOT.
Losses.- There are some losses which communicate to the soul a sublimity in which it ceases from wailing, and wanders about silently, as if in the shade of some high and dark cypresses. ......
And to say it once more. Public opinions- private lazinessess. ......
How courageous people are won over.-Courageous people are persuaded to a course of action by representing it as more dangerous than it really is.
......
Eddy,
you are too loyal to work for Dell. My point is this. You buy a dell, you go to customer services, they take your details 10 times over and still not nothing. Is not true to say, the others are the same, they are not! i have just bought a sony from a sony shop, sony customer services phoned me next day to see how things were, could they do anythign else? how cool is that? thats customer service for you. Dell customer services never get back to you , its does not matter if they are in India or the UK, all they do is give you a service tag, take details and string you along…… I have spoken to people in customer services , i have already named and shamed these guys in previous postings, they promise you lots, deliver nothing. Eddy , you are to kind to dell. I too have my own business, if i treated my customers in the same way, i would be filing for bankcrupcy now! its all about customer satisfaction at the end of the day, its the small customer that pays your wages, its not Mr Dell or your human resources ctr. If you cannot keep your customers happy, you lose them , its simple economics, you do not need a degree to figure that out.
Need.-A need is considered the cause of the origin in truth, it is often merely an effect of what did originate. ......
Whom do you call bad?-Those who always want to put to shame.
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How one tries to improve bad arguments.-Some people throw a bit of their personality after their bad arguments, as if that might straighten their paths and turn them into right and good arguments-just as a man in a bowling alley, after he has let go of the ball, still tries to direct it with gestures. ......
What do you consider most humane?-To spare someone shame.
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TODAY I SPENT 1 HOUR ONLINE WITH “DELL CHAT” IN ORDER TO HAVE A FAULTY $20 MOUSE REPLACED. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN TRANSACTED IN 10 MINUTES MAX IF Dell’s representives had been effective. I am FRUSTRATED by Dell’s lack of customer service. If I was a stockholder I would be pissed at Dell’s inability to deliver on this critical function. I will certainly be wary in the future.
Another sad story of long waits for customer service holding on line. Bought a Dell 4600c for my 3rd grade son.
Side drive never worked properly. Basic games would freeze up. Apparently this design had more than normal share of problems. After three weeks of frustration with customer service. I bought an Imac G5 for my son.. Enough said
Mr Michael Dell, CEO and Mr Michael George, CMOm DELL COMPUTERS:
Dell 4100 and Dimension E510 (4 years apart) both unsatisfactory b/c programming and mgt. philosophy SEEK TO MANAG USER ibnstead of seeking to LET USER MANAGE his/her own workload and time. Dell “helps,” its search enging, and other nonsense appear automatically, unbidden, in the midst of my work process. Further, formerly excellent features, frim highlighting letter by lett eer, to auto-saving of text in composition, have disappeared or been altered so as to make user management more difficult, repetitive and time consuming. Dell foundation’s fine work aside, you cannot serve the world well without serving the genuine needs of your customers. Imposing corporate will on customers will lose you business. I have been “conned” into Dell’s MS Word for the last time. I’m off to Apple ASAP signed: Your former customer of 19 years.
HI Can you help me in getting HTML code of any webapge into an array
I am using
$html = file_get_contents (‘www.url.com/index.html’);
$my_array = explode(” “, $html);
$numElements = count($my_array);
for($counter=0; $counter
Can any one help me out. Thanks in Advance
Imran
The champions of truth.- Truth does not find fewest champions when it is dangerous to speak it, but when it is dull.
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End and goal.-Not every end is the goal. The end of a melody is not its goal; and yet as long as the melody has not reached its end, it also hasn’t reached its goal. A parable. ......
Whoever does not know how to find the way to his ideal lives more frivolously and impudently than the man without an ideal.
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Prohibitions without reasons. A prohibition, the reason for which we do not understand or admit, is almost a command not only for the stubborn but also for those who thirst for knowledge: One risks an experiment to find out why the prohibition was pronounced. Moral prohibitions, like those of the Decalogue, are suitable only for an age of subjugated reason: Now, such a prohibition as “Thou shalt not kill’ or “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Presented without reasons, would have a harmful rather than a useful effect. ......
Posthumous men- I, for example- are understood worse than timely ones, but heard better. More precisely we are never understood-hence our authority. ......
Against an enemy. How good bad music and bad reasons sound when one marches against an enemy! ......
Good memory.- Many a man fails to become a thinker for the sole reason that his memory is too good. ......
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SONY ERICSSON R600– US$49
SONY ERICSSON T20e– US$49
SONY ERICSSON P800–US$225
SONY ERICSSON T20s– US$59
SONY ERICSSON T28s– US$59
SONY ERICSSON T28 World– US$69
SONY ERICSSON T29s– US$79
SONY ERICSSON T600– US$79
SONY ERICSSON P900–US$275
SONY ERICSSON T300– US$79
SONY ERICSSON T68i– US$89
SONY ERICSSON T65– US$89
SONY ERICSSON T20—US$75
SONY ERICSSON T310– US$69
SONY ERICSSON T39m– US$79
SONY ERICSSON T66– US$79
SONY ERICSSON R520m– US$89
SONY ERICSSON A3618–US$60
SONY ERICSSON R380 World– US$89
SONY ERICSSON R380s– US$69
SONY ERICSSON T68m– US$79
SONY ERICSSON T610– US$129
SONY ERICSSON P700– US$200
SONY ERICSSON Z100–US$301:00USD
SONY ERICSSON P910–US$400:00USD
SONY ERICSSON Z500–$204:00USD
SONY CMD-MZ5– US$169
SONY CMD-Z5– US$89
SONY CMD-J5– US$69
SONY CMD-Z7– US$79
SONY CMD-J7– US$79
SONY CMD-J6– US$79
SONY CMD-J70– US$49
MOTOROLA T250–us$29
MOTOROLA p7389–us$25
MOTOROLA T2288–us$45
MOTOROLA Talkabout 191– US$19
MOTOROLA C330– US$49
MOTOROLA V66– US$59
MOTOROLA v66i– US$59
MOTOROLA TALKABOUT192– US$49
MOTOROLA V51– US$69
MOTOROLA V50– US$69
MOTOROLA V70– US$69
MOTOROLA V60– US$69
MOTOROLA V60i– US$69
MOTOROLA T720– US$69
MOTOROLA ACCOMPOLI 008– US$69
MOTOROLA TTIMEPORT 280– US$69
MOTOROLA MPX200–US$199
MOTOROLA I730–US$299
MOTOROLA V300–$99
MOTOROLA M6088–US$65
MOTOROLA STARTAC 328–us$29
MOTOROLA TIMEPORTP7389–US$45
MOTOROLA V60G–$100
MOTOROLA T190/T191–US$25
SAMSUNG SGH-S105– us$80
SAMSUNG SGH-N620– US$49
SAMSUNG SGH-A800– US$59
SAMSUNG SGH-A300– US$69
SAMSUNG SGH-R210– US$69
SAMSUNG SGH-N100– US$69
SAMSUNG SGH-N400– US$79
SAMSUNG SGH-T100– US$59
SAMSUNG SGH-A400– US$59
SAMSUNG SGH-S100– US$59
SAMSUNG SGH-A200– US$59
SAMSUNG SGH-T400– US$69
SAMSUNG SGH-S300– US$69
SAMSUNG SGH-A500– US$139
SAMSUNG SGH-T500 Champagne– US$129
SAMSUNG SGH-V200– US$159
SAMSUNG SGH-T200– US$149
SAMSUNG SGH-R225–US$15
SAMSUNG SGH-E715–US$175
SAMSUNG SGH-V206–US$105
SAMSUNG SGH-A460–US$65
SAMSUNG SGH-V205–US$100
SAMSUNG SGH-R220–US$30
SAMSUNG SGH-N740–US$45
ALCATEL One Touch 501– US$39
ALCATEL One Touch 311– US$35
ALCATEL One Touch 701– US$43
ALCATEL One Touch 511– US$49
ALCATEL OT525– US$39
ALCATEL One Touch 512– US$9
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panasonic TX310–$115
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PANASONIC GD35– US$39
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PANASONICT X320–US$110
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PANASONIC TG4000—$210
SIEMENS A55–US$40
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SIEMENS A50– US$35
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SIEMENS C55– US$49
SIEMENS M35i– US$59
SIEMENS M50– US$49
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SIEMENS SL45i– US$69
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SIEMENS S55 Camera– US$39
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SIEMENS A40–us$13
SIEMENS SX56–US$165
PHILIPS Fisio 120– US$19
PHILIPS Fisio 311– US$29
PHILIPS Fisio 620– US$21
PHILIPS Fisio 825– US$29
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NOKIA 3210– US$30
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NOKIA 3510i– US$69
NOKIA 3530– US$100
NOKIA 3200–US$75
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NOKIA 3315–US430
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NOKIA 8210–US$65
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NOKIA 7110– US$109
NOKIA 6170 $210 USD
NOKIA 7210 Turquoise– US$109
NOKIA 7250– US$175
NOKIA 7650– US$140
NOKIA 8310– US$85
NOKIA 8910 TITANIUM– US$165
NOKIA 8850 SPECIAL EDITION– US$165
NOKIA 8850 GOLD EDITION– US$150
NOKIA 8910 Black– US$165
NOKIA 9210 Communicator– US$210
NOKIA 6170–US$268
NOKIA 6260–US$283
NOKIA 9210i Communicator– US$210
NOKIA 8910i– US$210
NOKIA N90..120USD
NOKIA N91…130IUSD
NOKIA 6600 …40USD
NOKIA 8800….50USD
One is most dishonest to one’s god: he is not allowed to sin.
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Iron necessity.- Iron necessity is a thing which has been found, in the course of history, to be neither iron nor necessary.
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I would love to go to hell
THREE HOURS ON THE PHONE WITH INDIA!!!!!!!!!! No customer support, nor service. My sales associate was in South America, and the terrible cue card readers in INDIA!. I dont mind the ethnicity, but pretend you care and know what the hell you’re talking about!!!!
I have a dell laptop , which i really like, and the customer support has been really good , but what i do have a problem with is the ability to make online payment and have to pay a convience fee, most of the other online services that i use are proud to get the money, not charge, it is a convience for the customer ,no doubt, but you get your money in a timely fashion, so why should i pay you for that convience, makes no sense to me.I have always been proud to have and own a dell and have been recommending my friends do also, even after the interest fiasco from financial services, but the convience payment it too much, do it cause it is the right thing to do, not cause you can skin people out of a nother ten dollars for doing something that brings you cash flow in a timely manner
I recently bought a Dell computer because I knew that Dell had the premier customer service. Four months later, it stopped working.
After 2 1/2 hrs on the phone troubleshooting (after diagnostics, he asked me to remove the hard drive, the motherboard and the internal modem card), I asked for a supervisor. After establishing the fact that I was an “uncooperative customer,” the supervisor agreed to send out a technician.
The technician came and replaced the motherboard and the hard drive, losing of course all my data, since I had not backed everthing up since I had total faith in Dell for quality systems.
Then I had to re-load the software.
After I re-loaded my McAfee, I was told by my computer that my service tag number was not valid. I called Dell’s wonderful support team again. They told me that the service tag was valid, SO FOR A FEE, I could have software support to correct the problem that they caused on my 4 months old computer!
TOMORROW I PLAN TO TAKE OUT A FULL PAGE AD IN THE SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE THAT SAYS “DELL SUCKS.”
12 hours on the phone with Dell. I could barely understand them…..apparently they could barely understand me. At one point they actually had the nerve to send me to a supervisor to confirm I would give them a positive customer service rating (on their communication skills!) Never did fix the computer. Its now at a local repair shop. Add me to the list of people that will never buy Dell again.
As I type this. I am in Dell’s hold “cue” in the Live help. I have been there for 3 hours now. The first two CSR’s would not answer any question directly. The ignored my question 8x for a supervisors name. Simply responding with “We suggest you call our customer care number at @%@^% then they disconnect. The Dell reps also give fake names. You will see when they sign on a name such as “Jose” then when they speak they will respond with something like. “Hello my name is Andre how can I help you?” All questions as to which is their real name are ignored as well. If you ask more then a few times they disconnect you. Do yourself a favor and buy a custom built machine from your local PC shop! Just some advice from a NASA tech and IT consultant for 10+ years. The sad thing is I liked Dell’s till I ran into a problem I could not fix. I feel sorry for the typical user. Stay away!
http://www.TechsInCars.com
-Patrick
By the way I am “next in que” for 26 minutes now. The CSRs are going very out of their way to avoid answering questions.