My Dell Hell-my lucky duck dreams have died
Dear Mr. Dell,
I am writing to tell you of the absolutely horrible customer service experience I have received from your company. I own a Dell Inspiron E1505 which I have happily used for over 3 years. I have been completely happy with it and have had no problems with the exception of replacing the hard drive last summer. However I have used it hard and minor issues made me decide to get a new more reliable computer to take with me on my month long study abroad in Munich, Germany. So after months of researching all kinds of computers I came back to Dell because of the reliability and good service I had experienced in the past. Even though I really wanted a 13” or 14” I decided on the 15”studio because of the features, price, and color (spring green). The ordering process was a dream. I started online but ended up with team Jaguar helping me with an ease and helpfulness that is rare in ‘customer service’ today. I also ordered accessories: matching speakers, mouse, ear buds, and a Cannon Camera I had been researching for over a year for which you offered the best price.
I received my new laptop on March 20 and was immediately in love with my new Studio. Working full time and going to graduate school did not leave me much time for using it, but I spent the next 2 weeks installing my MS Ultimate suite, avast security software, ASU software, and learning the features on my computer. I went through and set all the programs to my settings and transferred my music. I also downloaded some pictures from my new camera on April 2, exploring more computer features as my family drove to the mountains for spring break. However April 3 disaster struck when my computer with out warning started up with a screen requesting to go into safe mode. However it would only go to a blank screen. In the mountains with no phone service I was unable to call for help until my vacation was over. Thus began a nightmare of ‘customer no-service’ that continues until this day. Work, class, homework, and wasting hours calling or chatting with Dell “customer service” was all I did for weeks. I spent weeks, days and hours speaking to representatives at all levels (basic, supervisor, mangager)in software, hardware, and customer service, even being hung up on several times. Most representatives were difficult to understand and no seemed authorized to really help with my problem. Only one person (some one in software) ever spoke directly to me and not with a scripted answer telling me the code I got from running a diagnostic meant my hard drive was dead. Finally many more calls later they sent me a new hard drive. As it was a brand new computer I insisted on factory installed software and a technician to install it. So more days and phone calls to arrange for a tech. And still I had to go through hours of calls to install web cam drivers that were missing. Two day later and after only using my computer with the NEW hard drive for a couple of hours I began to get the ‘blue screen of death”, the one I used to get right before my old computer's hard drive failed. Also messages saying‘imminent hard drive failure back up all data’. Again calls, this time they sent me an empty box to send my whole computer to a service facility. I thought to get another new hard drive. Instead I received the computer back a week later with no documentation as to what was done to it and the same hard drive. Oh and they had had to call me twice at work when they had it-even though they had my case number and I thought the details on the problems.
May 5 in tears from frustration and stress(remember I first received my new Dell on March 20) I again worked my way through levels of customer no-service to find out that all they did was run a diagnostic. Now the “customer service” had the nerve to try and talk me into running another diagnostic, erasing and reinstalling the software on this second hard drive. I had to spend hours insisting that I needed a replacement computer especially when someone finally said it might be the mother board. There seems to be a disconnect in customer service when replacement is interpreted as return. I kept hearing over and over that I could not return a computer after 21 days-and I think counting from the day it’s shipped is not appropriate as I did not receive it, in my hands until March 20 and I have a FedEx signed receipt. I only finally got off the phone when I was assured someone higher up was going to call me with in 24-48 hours. That person Fuzial did and finally authorized a replacement. Of course here it is 2 weeks until I leave on my study abroad-the reason I purchased a new computer more than 2 months ago, and I don’t even have an expected ship or delivery date on this new system.
I do not believe in getting anything less then what I am paying for-a new computer that works and has all of the software and hardware factory installed. I should also note a problem with the lens on my camera purchased at the same time was resolved with one visit to the Cannon website, one email, and one phone call where I only had to push one button to speak (for only five minutes) to a real person who spoke so I could understand them. My camera was shipped there and back, fixed in less then a week.
I hope that you seriously look at your customer service policies. I have told this story to many people who have also expressed dissatisfaction with Dell. Yet I still love my old worn put Inspiron and find myself defending Dell to a degree (go figure). I think you generally have a good product-my whole family has 1 or 2 Dells. However because of the customer service I feel obliged to share my experiences with the appropriate people and my confidence in any new dell products has been severely compromised.
I am writing to tell you of the absolutely horrible customer service experience I have received from your company. I own a Dell Inspiron E1505 which I have happily used for over 3 years. I have been completely happy with it and have had no problems with the exception of replacing the hard drive last summer. However I have used it hard and minor issues made me decide to get a new more reliable computer to take with me on my month long study abroad in Munich, Germany. So after months of researching all kinds of computers I came back to Dell because of the reliability and good service I had experienced in the past. Even though I really wanted a 13” or 14” I decided on the 15”studio because of the features, price, and color (spring green). The ordering process was a dream. I started online but ended up with team Jaguar helping me with an ease and helpfulness that is rare in ‘customer service’ today. I also ordered accessories: matching speakers, mouse, ear buds, and a Cannon Camera I had been researching for over a year for which you offered the best price.
I received my new laptop on March 20 and was immediately in love with my new Studio. Working full time and going to graduate school did not leave me much time for using it, but I spent the next 2 weeks installing my MS Ultimate suite, avast security software, ASU software, and learning the features on my computer. I went through and set all the programs to my settings and transferred my music. I also downloaded some pictures from my new camera on April 2, exploring more computer features as my family drove to the mountains for spring break. However April 3 disaster struck when my computer with out warning started up with a screen requesting to go into safe mode. However it would only go to a blank screen. In the mountains with no phone service I was unable to call for help until my vacation was over. Thus began a nightmare of ‘customer no-service’ that continues until this day. Work, class, homework, and wasting hours calling or chatting with Dell “customer service” was all I did for weeks. I spent weeks, days and hours speaking to representatives at all levels (basic, supervisor, mangager)in software, hardware, and customer service, even being hung up on several times. Most representatives were difficult to understand and no seemed authorized to really help with my problem. Only one person (some one in software) ever spoke directly to me and not with a scripted answer telling me the code I got from running a diagnostic meant my hard drive was dead. Finally many more calls later they sent me a new hard drive. As it was a brand new computer I insisted on factory installed software and a technician to install it. So more days and phone calls to arrange for a tech. And still I had to go through hours of calls to install web cam drivers that were missing. Two day later and after only using my computer with the NEW hard drive for a couple of hours I began to get the ‘blue screen of death”, the one I used to get right before my old computer's hard drive failed. Also messages saying‘imminent hard drive failure back up all data’. Again calls, this time they sent me an empty box to send my whole computer to a service facility. I thought to get another new hard drive. Instead I received the computer back a week later with no documentation as to what was done to it and the same hard drive. Oh and they had had to call me twice at work when they had it-even though they had my case number and I thought the details on the problems.
May 5 in tears from frustration and stress(remember I first received my new Dell on March 20) I again worked my way through levels of customer no-service to find out that all they did was run a diagnostic. Now the “customer service” had the nerve to try and talk me into running another diagnostic, erasing and reinstalling the software on this second hard drive. I had to spend hours insisting that I needed a replacement computer especially when someone finally said it might be the mother board. There seems to be a disconnect in customer service when replacement is interpreted as return. I kept hearing over and over that I could not return a computer after 21 days-and I think counting from the day it’s shipped is not appropriate as I did not receive it, in my hands until March 20 and I have a FedEx signed receipt. I only finally got off the phone when I was assured someone higher up was going to call me with in 24-48 hours. That person Fuzial did and finally authorized a replacement. Of course here it is 2 weeks until I leave on my study abroad-the reason I purchased a new computer more than 2 months ago, and I don’t even have an expected ship or delivery date on this new system.
I do not believe in getting anything less then what I am paying for-a new computer that works and has all of the software and hardware factory installed. I should also note a problem with the lens on my camera purchased at the same time was resolved with one visit to the Cannon website, one email, and one phone call where I only had to push one button to speak (for only five minutes) to a real person who spoke so I could understand them. My camera was shipped there and back, fixed in less then a week.
I hope that you seriously look at your customer service policies. I have told this story to many people who have also expressed dissatisfaction with Dell. Yet I still love my old worn put Inspiron and find myself defending Dell to a degree (go figure). I think you generally have a good product-my whole family has 1 or 2 Dells. However because of the customer service I feel obliged to share my experiences with the appropriate people and my confidence in any new dell products has been severely compromised.
posted by Lucky Duck Dreams at
3:47 PM
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1 Comments
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