Dell complaints

Licky_201 · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 10:01 am Post subject: Dell now performs magic!

Reader Robin is wondering what sort of new technology Dell has invented that will let them physically repair a broken monitor over the internet. Must be some serious science.

So my friend was complaining to me about how her Dell monitor finally died at the 2-year, 2-day mark (you know, right after the warranty runs out?) and so she called Dell to see if they would help her out. Of course, they are under no obligation to honor an expired warranty, but they did helpfully offer to perform an online service call. My friend (and I) questioned how they would be able to remotely repair a computer MONITOR, but the CSR assured her that they could just "boost the card." Since that meant nothing to my friend, and she didn't want to pay the $40 for them to attempt to repair what is essentially now a piece of office furniture and not a functioning computer, she declined. But not before checking to see if that $40 would be refunded of Dell wasn't able to actually reach through the phone lines or the broadband connection and fix the monitor. Of course not.

Have you ever heard of such a thing? What kind of wormhole does Dell have set up that they can repair a monitor over the phone or Internet? Can they also do a lobotomy? Is it even legal to offer this kind of service when it is clearly impossible?

Thanks,
Robin

We're going to toss this one out to the crowd because "boost the card" doesn't mean anything to us, either. Any explanations?

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 10:21 am Post subject:

We ALL have the explanation. The phone agents are told to lie to sell, just like the salesmen. And they have metrics hanging over their heads if they don't.
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FallenAngel · Super Hater Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 1493

AngelusDaemonicus · Dances with Hate Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 111

The agent is lying for sure. But, it'll never bite DELL in the ass. They'll blame it on the agent, offer all kinds of apologies after dozens of transfers. DELL will claim that the agent will be "talked to" about it, which he/she never will because he/she sold something. The customer will eventually just have to replace the defective piece of hardware, either under warranty... or by purchasing a "newer and better" piece of DELL crap. That, or the agent will start the work, and punt the call to DELL On Call, claiming it's software related and not covered under warranty. Then, the customer will end up spending an additional $129 to $239 and spend several hours on the phone.... just so they can avoid a refund. One way or another, the defective hardware will be replaced and another customer will have gotten screwed by DELL.

Sound about right?
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FallenAngel · Super Hater Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 1493

Under normal circumstances, yes this sounds about right. The actual monitor itself is fried, so until the monitor itself gets replaced, no replacement parts on the system will do much good.

Assuming of course that this allegedly faulty monitor has been tested on a known working system and still fails to work?

Starman97 · Hates with a Vengance Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 94

'Boost the Card'
Means he is going to steal $40 from your credit card.
At least they're upfront about it, even if they use slang.

FallenAngel · Super Hater Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 1493

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 10:44 am Post subject:

The swamis are really getting good at English! Twisted Evil

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Mideastcoast!BT · Dances with Hate Joined: 28 Jun 2003 Posts: 173

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 9:17 pm Post subject:

"Boost the card" is a pretty damned skillful twist of an English idiom.

A contributor came up with this elegant solution: Tell them you're hearing-deficient, and they will transfer you to the best English speaker within the queue, without prejudice.
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paul_dellcc · Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:24 pm Post subject:

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 10:16 am Post subject:

You mean the ATT 'deaf as a stone' department? Where ATT reads the keyboard entries to you and types yours back? Yeh, I got those in the video business sometimes, very time consuming.
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Rocke T Sinetist
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paul_dellcc · Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 4:14 am Post subject:

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 10:31 am Post subject:

I was in the commercial video business and one of our clients was Texas School for the Deaf. I know they had hearing/speaking people working there, but instead of having THEM call, they'd delegate it to one of the students who had no speech or hearing at all, just for practice. It was a chore to deal with, but you go along with it.

The good news was that they were not 'phone fixes' and I'd just tell them to bring it in. No......... you......... don't.......... need.......... an........ appointment.

You know what was fun? Teaching contact martial arts (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) to blind girls! They were quite adept at it, very good sense of spatiality.
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Rocke T Sinetist
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