Dell complaints

[cosbie]

Dell's problems grow out of simple mindset that has evolved over the years: pump it and dump it. Each sale is viewed as a completed transaction not as the beginning of a relationship. Geewizgizmodos and new 'products' will do zilch if you treat customers the way car salesmen treat buyers.

I have bought a dozen Dell systems over the last 3-4 years, the latest being February 2007. I will no longer buy Dell even if it is cheaper and here's why:

1. I order a Dell Dimension 9200 on January 31, 2007. It arrives on February 2. I turn it on and immediately get a EULA that won't let me bypass it. It turns out this is for Google's Desktop Software and Dell is being paid $1 bn to force it down user throats.

Once past said, EULA, Windows Defender keeps barraging me with dire warnings--no virus protection etc. Now, it turns out Norton is pre-installed with a 30 day trial. So I click it and it tells me the trial period has expired (and it's only day 2). So I decide OK, I'll uninstall it--until it tells me the component cannot be found. So I download Norton to try and do a clean install so I can uninstall the damn thing--and it tells me there is an existing installation which I must first remove. So I email Symantec--they tell me it's an OEM and Dell is responsible for support.

So I call Dell and I get connected to Ravi in India. Ravi takes 10 minutes and tells me this is a software issue and they don't do software and he hands off to a guy named Marc in Manila.

Marc also tells me that Dell Tech support does not do software for that I have to call Dell Connect or something. Luckily (or otherwise) I know that is a per incident service ($100/incident). At this point, I lose my cool: first I tell Marc: that my soon to follow diatribe is not personal, and it is only intended to be recorded for training, quality assurance and legal purposes. Marc says what's "legal?". I tell him it is something that the Consumer Affairs dept in CT will subpoena and relay to the attorney general's office after he hears the rumbling on the web.

Whereupon the newly motivated Marc agrees to take a shot, uses remote assistance, tries his level best for 2 hours and then suggests I call Microsoft because he's giving up. I give up too and I take the Vista DVD and do a clean install. All told, the process takes me three days to get to the WOW.

2. Today, April 2, 2007 I discover my keyboard is not working ($20). I go to my Dell account get the order number and customer number and call 'Tech Support' total time spent 35 minutes (Sri cannot bring up any data on his system) after which Sri tellls me I'm in the wrong Center and that I should call 800-624-9897 and 'punch in' my Express service code. I never get the chance -Robot woman routes me to Jai and I find it is the Expired Warranty Service and I get warnings to get my credit card ready. Jai nevertheless, volunteers to 'punch in' my 'Express Service' code and finds I have a 1 -year on site warranty until February 2. 2008. So I ask him to send me a new keyboard. Jai says: "We would except you are in the wrong department".

All this for a $20 keyboard on top of a botched system install.

There was a time when you got replacements simply by giving your credit card number and shipping the defective items back. Today, Dell has a ship it and forget it approach to customers. It's not going to work Michael. The answer is not in cutting costs--it is in upgrading services that you actually deliver not just pile on extended warranties you are loath to stand behind.

Think Lexus not Chrysler.

[QWERTYBOI]

I think you should stay away from Vista for now

[Rocke_T_Sinetist]

Welcome, Cosbie. We know each other from, um, 'another' forum.

I still get exemplary service from my 1998 Dimension. Ordinarily that would make Dell my first choice when it becomes necessary to replace it. But not knowing what I know now.
_________________
Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'

[DOC_Is_Evil]

I agree with staying away from Vista...Especially since my DOC site wasn't even trained on it until 3 weeks AFTER it launched...That was not fun...There are still people at my site who have not been trained on it, and no one seems to care...Then again, I'm outsourced, and that might be why.

[cosbie]

[adymate]

You know this is all for making DELL from 60billion dollar company to 80 billion dollar company within 2 years.

DELL introduced DELL ON CALL (DOC) - Software troubleshooting department ... who was introduced to rip off money from customers.

DELL Changed the warranty policies - giving ONLY 3 months warranty if a customer does not buy extended warranty.

DELL tried to cut down or atleast slow down the process of shipping replacement parts by delaying the process in troubleshooting.

DELL employees in India are given work of 2 or 3 people to cut down on expenditures.

DELL changed the IVR menu and removed a LOT of workers from customer service. The stupid IVR menu DOES NOT WORK! I have routed numerous calls but so many times, a customer who had word with me 30 mins ago, after being transfered 10 times, is still looking for help. Such customers usually recognized me .. HAY, ARENT YOU THE ONE WHO TRANSFERED THE DARN CALL EARLIER?

DELL buys cheaper and low quality products to save on expenditures.

DELL Closes a few contact centers to cut down expenses ...



ALL for making it $80 billion company. Tsk Tsk money ...