Dell complaints

[nephyrias]

The first service call that I put in to Dell Technical Support was made a day or so after I had received the laptop. The computer had stopped recognizing the adapter and when I started it up, it prompted me for a 65w instead of the 90w adapter that it came with. It should also be noted that I did not get this message for the first few times that I turned the system on. The service technician was an hour late to begin with and gave me a fifteen minute window before he came by. When he arrived, we had just finished cleaning the house and had cleared a space for him to work at the desk. Instead of that he insisted on using the kitchen counter, because as he put it: “…at least it was somewhat clean.” As if being rude wasn’t enough, he then asked, “You don’t use the kitchen much do you?” No one had any idea what that was supposed to mean, so we just left him alone to do his work in order to get him out of the house as soon as possible. After he replaced the adapter, the computer recognized it and he started packing up to leave. I asked him if that would take care of the resolution problem, because windows kept prompting me to change the resolution to 1280x800, which was what it was set to already. He told me that there was nothing that he could do about that because it was a software issue, but he didn’t take time to look into the problem. When I mentioned that the CSA for Dell Technical Support told me on the phone that a faulty motherboard could be responsible for the problem, he told me that it was possible but since he didn’t know that to be the case then he couldn’t just replace the motherboard without reason. The last few minutes that he was onsite, he attempted to start an argument with me about why I had downloaded the Google taskbar. When I told him that I hadn’t downloaded anything yet because I didn’t want to make any of the problems worse, he more or less called me a liar and justified it by condescendingly telling me, “…you probably just don’t remember.” He left soon after that, and all I could do was just chalk the whole situation up as faux pas.
Within an hour the computer no longer recognized the adapter and so I called Dell Technical Support again. The woman informed me that they would have to send out another motherboard even though the technician still had the one with him that they sent out for the first dispatch. When I asked her to send another adapter as well, she refused by saying that it wasn’t possible for my adapter to be faulty since the little green light was on. I told her that the light was green and worked fine for the bad adapter that he replaced, and after a bit of a hassle she finally agreed to send another one out. The service technician came back out a few days later and was he ever in a hurry. This time no one really talked to him and finished replacing the motherboard in less than forty minutes. This made me really nervous considering that the whole time he was working I kept hearing the laptop strike the table he was working at with such force that we were sure that he had broken something. After he finished, he bragged for several minutes about how it was the fastest that he had ever replaced a motherboard in his life and then he replaced the adapter with the second new one that they sent him, which just so happened to come without a 3-prong cord and so he simply swapped it with the first one that he had replaced the first time he stopped by. Nice and convoluted I know.
Less than twenty-four hours passed when I turned on the computer again. This time it ran long enough to prompt for my windows login when all of a sudden from somewhere under the plastic that the touchpad is attached something made a loud “pop”, like plastic striking plastic. Almost instantly, the whole thing got really hot, which might have happened before but this time I really noticed it and less than ten minutes after having been turned on a blue screen appeared that said, “Fatal exception…” and then before I had the chance to write it down the whole machine shut down and restarted. It prompted me for safe mode and before I had a chance to take any action I got another blue screen and it shut down again. When it started back up this time I got nothing but a white screen and I turned it off. I called Dell technical support again, explained the whole situation and was told by the CSA that I would need to send the computer to the depot, and over the period of a couple of weeks it would be determined whether another laptop would need to be built and sent out.
Wait it gets better. The first box that was sent to my apartment was never delivered and now I’m waiting for them to send another so that I can send the laptop in and wait two months to get it back. Dell Technical support blames Fedex and visa versa. I have a project that I am trying to work on and waiting for the laptop for that amount of time is ridiculous. It puts me behind on my work. I’m trying to publish a website and edit a book, but I need the computer to do these things. The only reason I haven’t gotten a refund as yet is because my girlfriend recommended buying a Dell because she had a great experience. I guess I’m writing this letter in hopes that someone will come to the conclusion that I have, that it makes more sense to keep this laptop and its problems at the depot and just send me one that works. When I told Dell Tech Support that I needed the computer back A.S.A.P., he told me that this was “the courting period and that I was still deciding whether or not this laptop was a good fit for me.” That’s an awful way to look at the situation and I told him that. I have made my decision based on the specs of the laptop, that’s why I purchased it and PAID IN FULL. Courting implies that I’m getting a feel for what I have purchased, but the truth is that Dell has as yet to deliver what I have purchased and that’s where we are at present, and that’s how I see it. When I told him that he just said, “yeah” and that was the sum total of my experience. Does anyone in this company have a professional attitude concerning their products, or do I just need to get a refund and find a company that does take pride in its products and service? At this point, if I find out that it’s going to be more than a week to get what I have paid for, then I am going to request a refund and buy a laptop somewhere else, and definitely post my experience with Dell on every forum that I can find, send a few letters, and at the very least tell everyone who asks about getting a Dell not to bother, not if they plan on doing something other than court the laptop and spend hours they are not at work on the phone with Technical Support.

[Apathy]

Considering all of the problems you have had with this laptop in less than a week, I would not even bother sending it to the depot for repairs. You need to make a decision very soon because the 21 day return period clock is running on this laptop. If you do not return the laptop before 21 days after you have received it, you will not get any kind of refund (unless you raise all kinds of hell with customer service and there is no guarantee that you will not get stone-walled here either). Your best bet is to return the defective laptop as soon as possible for a full refund and then get a laptop from a local retailer with in-house technical support. At least with this option if something goes wrong with it, you have a physical location to take the laptop to either get support or return it for replacement.
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Q: How do you know Dell Management is lying to you?

A: Until proven otherwise, Assume EVERYTHING coming from Dell Management is a lie.

[05TigerWong]

Quickly send that laptop back!! Once 21 days have passed, you are going to own a lemon for the rest of it's life (which is not long). I would know, I am still stuck with mine.

[incident_man]

If you keep the unit and have it sent to depot for repair, there's no guarantee that it will come back fixed (or even come back, for that matter). DHell's depot repair is done by a third party and there are plenty of examples of what happens when DHell outsources parts of its business to third parties. Having worked in one of their returns queues, I have to agree that your best bet is to return it NOW. Call and request a CRA # and do not accept any of their "offers" or discounts to keep the unit because once problems start they are highly unlikely to ever be rectified. Don't ever buy another DHell either, not even in a retail store, because to them, customer service is a cost and DHell is in cost-cutting mode.
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Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.

[nephyrias]

I am unable to get a refund from Dell because the bank that I purchased the computer through I no longer have an account with. It was pretty much the last purchase I made with that account before I transferred my money to a different account. Also, when I received the box to go to the depot there was a Fedex label and a DHL call number included. Following their instructions I called DHL and lost a day setting up a delivery time. Regardless of how this goes, when the 21 days are up and they try to stick me with this laptop, then I will seek legal action and I will never buy another Dell. Either way there will be a post of this sort in every email box and forum on the net even remotely associated with this company. I am resourceful and incredibly patient so they had better hope that they get it right this time. I got the devil in my hip pocket in the shape of a pen.

[incident_man]

Regardless if you have the account any more or not, DHell is required to refund your money if you request a return. Call it 'buyer's remorse' if you have to, but get that CRA now.
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Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.

[nephyrias]

I attempted to get a CRA number with multiple Dell departments and I was told by everyone that "regardless of the circumstances" that it would be impossible to receive a refund by any method other than the method paid and the card used to make that payment. No matter how many times I told every CSR that I talked to how sorry I was for the inconvenience and even mentioned that according to the law I was entitled to compensation and since they were unable to provide the product that I paid for then they had to provide me with a refund even though I couldn't receive it in the method that it was provided. I was told point blank by every representative that I talked to, including those from other departments that while I was still eligible for a refund, Dell was not going to give me one. The deadline has passed and I think my only option at this point is to seek some kind of legal action, especially since, once again they have proven to be ineffective and lost my laptop.

[cranraspberry1]

I bought a Dell laptop for my daughter for college. Ordered it end of August. She did not have it for the first day of school.

After about a week and a half she started having problems with the keyboard and mouse pad not working.

She called Dell, they logged into her computer and fixed it. I’m not sure what they did to the computer. But is was working. About a week later same thing started happening.

I called Dell, and stated I wanted to return the computer since we were already having many issues.

I was told the return policy is 21 days and it was now 23 days. I explained that we had called
previously, but got no where, I needed to go through tech support and was assured they would fix my issue. after
going round and round and me complaining enough, they sent someone to our home to replace the keyboard and mouse pad.

That worked for a few more weeks. Again the same issue, certain keys just don't work unless you hit them about 10x and really hard, and the mouse pad was still not working, we were using an external mouse.

I called Dell again and argued I wanted to return the computer, after relentlessly arguing for about 3 hours and trouble shooting, Saving all data on the computer, reformatting, and still not working, I was finally told they could send me a new machine!!

By this time, I am really disgusted with Dell and really don't want anything to do with them!!!
I asked if i could get another model, not wanting the same model, I feel I would have the same issues if I got the same model and I was willing to pay more $$$$.

I was told NO!!! has to be the same model, after being worn down I agreed to accept the same model. Just to get oof of the phone after 3 hours of doing tech support. I Was told that was not an option. They were going to call back on Sunday to confirm that the new computer was going to be sent.

My husband was home and asked if we could upgrade to a different model, he was told that was the option I chose. When he asked what my options were
he was told take the computer or not!!! He expressed that, that was really not an option.

So our new computer was being shipped!!

I contacted my cc company to see what my options were with them. I was told after calling for support 3x it was considered a lemon and I should return the computer.
And file a dispute for a charge back with the cc company.
I downloaded the paperwork and faxed all the info to the cc company. I Contacted Dell, that evening through chat, to try and establish a timeline for the cc company.

I since received a letter stating I need a third party letter from a computer
professional w/ a business card stating the computer was not working properly.

I went to one place and the guy uninstalled the mouse drivers and on reboot it was working, the keyboard however was still not working properly.

If you hit the keys gently and one at a time the keyboard works fine but I don't think that that is how it is intended to be used.

The guy said he did not feel comfortable writing this!! So, obviously he did not want to get involved, he said he recommends Dell computer to all his clients.

If you type normally all the keys do not work. If you type slowly one key at a time it works.

I left and went home. After restarting the computer once at home the mouse pad was not working again and the keyboard still was not working.

I went to another computer place and they wanted $90.00 to look at the computer.

Since then the other computer arrived, someone told me to just return the computers, they have returned many computers to dell without a problem.

So, I went to fedex and returned both computers, one with an authorized return and one with out. I contacted Dell, they have received both computers.

When I asked for a credit they said it was not an unauthorized return, therefore I am not entitled to a credit.

When asked if they were going to keep the money and the computers their response was it was not authorized therefore no credit!!

They are just ridiculous to try and argue with. I can't believe that Dell let's them treat customers this way.

I contacted my cc company again, and spoke with a manager who said they would fight for a charge back, and the third party letter really
helps to enforce that there was an issue with the computer.

I advised her I would go back to the place where I originally took the computer to see if I could get a letter. She also stated that they would have paid for someone to look at the computer
and provide a letter and a business card.

Currently I have returned both computers and do not have a credit.

I contacted the attorney general’s office and was advised to file a complaint.
I am off on Fri and will contact some other places.

Where is the contact info for the office of the president!!!

Anyone have any other suggestions????

[incident_man]

Nephyrias,

Your next step now is to bring in either the Better Business Bureau or the Federal Trade Commission and tell them exactly what has transpired to this point, including all the efforts you have made to obtain a refund and their responses to you. That will get results. I mentioned the Federal Trade Commission the last time I dealt with them and they changed their tune really fast.
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Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.