Direct2Dell

Recap:  We are a small consulting firm that wants to purchase a new Inspiron/Vostro laptop for one of our remote workers.  We have been dealing with Dell for over a decade.

We started to buy the computer online, but our online Web interface did not provide as many configuration options as the internal Dell sales team.  Additionally we have found that the internal sales team usually can bring the price down even more than the online option.  (We are “under the care” of the Small Business team.)  Our odyssey began  on August 24^th – 3 weeks prior to this writing.   Basically, we have received no attention and are still waiting on a reply email “to our rep” from four days ago.

First, although we are very small consulting company, our primary consulting is with the Fortune 500 and government agencies.  For example, we have one client that just put in an order for over 2,000 Dell laptops.  We consulted with that client on that purchase, and specifically steered them away from an HP solution, instead to purchase a set of Dell M90s (like one that we had in the office.)  Treating a small customer (like us) poorly will be reflected in our recommendations to Dell’s (potential) larger clients.

Second, I don’t consider it appropriate to keep anyone waiting three weeks for a purchase.  I would have long ago purchased online if I had the same options that your sales reps have.  We have had a comfort level and trust with Dell for almost a decade.  Experiences like this do not engender trust and move us to the point that we are considering another supplier.

Hi Kenneth,

I never did learned my lesson... after experiencing so much issues with the Latitude notebook that is being used by the company that I've work for... Eventually that line of notebook was dropped and the company settled for another brand.

I would agree with you that Dell's customer service is so poor.  I don't even know how they got the award mentioned above. I'm not even sure if Michael Dell or his management team is aware of how poor their customer service is.  Queue time is normally more than 5 minutes... At a minimum talk time is about 30 minutes .... maximum will be around 3 hours... From my own personal experience, things doesn't get resolved... promises are being made but not being delivered.... =(

Hello Mac.

My experience with customer service is that they are happy you told them when you would be out of country. Now they know they will not have to deal with you after that date.

I dealt with them inumerable times. Not only do they not remember you or your problems but they give you some type of number so they have a record of the issue and what they "resolved". What does the number really do? Placates you for the moment but frustrates you the next time you deal with them and it turns out to be useless.

Anybody who reads this be forewarned. DO NOT BUY DELL!

 FIRST, HOW DO I UPGRADE TO VISTA.   A DELL 520 PURCHASED DEC.  

 HOW LONG HAVE I TO UPGRADE ?  MM

I ordered a dell laptop (Inspiron 1501, AMD Turion 64 MK-36 (2.0GHz/512KB). When I ordered it over the internet it said clearly "Free upgrade to windows vista. Simply pay for shipping and handling".

When it arrived on the invoice it said windows vista upgrade $45.

I called dell numerous times and emailed them countless times. They gave me a service number all the time. When I called back or emailed back the service number I gave which is supposed to give them some type of history as to what previous customer service people did or said seemed to be no help.  The responses ranged from I was going to get it for free (which never showed in my account) to I had to pay for it. And everything in between (like a $25 credit and so on and so on).

I do not want a credit. That's an insult. I would rather do without. But I saw with some satisfaction  today dell is going throu some rocky times. I will never order a dell again and I have ordered about ten items from them over the years. It used to be good service. But all that's gone.

Rebecca: Sorry to hear you are having problems getting your hard drive replaced, or that you lost a hard drive at all.

If you can please submit another comment with the e-mail address filled out, I can have someone from our Tech Support team contact you directly to make sure we can resolve the issue. 

Well I'll have to admit, I was very pleasantly suprised that someone from Dell contacted me to see if they could listen again to my situation, especially since it had been over 6 months since my purchase. 

Lionel and Mira were very professional and arranged to have my situation resolved to my complete satisfaction the very next week.

I didn't experience any of the problems in dealing with Dell that I have read here on this post, so I am now happy again to say:

"Dude, I'LL for sure be getting another Dell".

 Keep up the good work, there IS hope :)

As a struggling student I was pleasantly surprised by the ease and "affordability" of purchasing a Dell Inspiron 600m through (Dell)financing - in spite of the 18.99% interest rate!! Since I knew that I would most likely be using my new computer at work (mine sites), I made very sure to purchase the "3 Years Return to Depot and CompleteCare" extended warranty.

In December 2006 the screen for my Inspiron was damaged while at work, and upon speaking to Andrew in Tech Support I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly and easily the repair/replacement would be.

Unfortunately, this was the only positive experience I have had with Dell. From my being returned to the wrong address after repairs (I was away on holidays at the time and had arranged for it to be returned to my home address....apparently that "can't be done"); to a lump sum payment not being applied to my account; my address not being updated (apparently that is my fault, as I did not inform every single department that my address had changed. Silly me)... the list goes on.

 My real concern lies not just with the abundant miscommunication, extensive wait times (20 minutes on average) and multiple transfers between deparments, but with the quality of care offered me by Dell Customer Service Representatives. In every case (apart from the glorious Andrew)  I leave the conversation feeling frustrated and helpless. It seems no one at Dell cares about my concerns as they are invalidated by constant interruptions by the Customer Service Agent and by comments such as ou're on the wrong side of the tracks", "we tried to reach you but you didn't update your contact information with this department", "it's not our problem",  and "you can't do that".

I like my computer. I liked the (apparent) ease and accessibility  of purchasing exactly what I wanted when I needed it. However the lack of any kind of customer "care" leaves me cold and in need of a new company to purchase all further computer/electronics.

If this is Dell's "20% Improvement"  well, thank God I never had to deal with Dell before!!  

"If you'll re-submit a comment with a valid e-mail address, I can have someone from Customer Care contact you."

I did submit a valid e-mail address before and I just did again this time. I even tested it to make sure that I had it right and got my "test" message.

If you want good customer support hire real employees not temps and for heavens sake give them a fixed schedule and not a rotating one, you cannot imagine how disruptive and difficult it can be on people with children. I have considered working for Dell in the past but have stayed away for that very reason.

Dell rocks :o) 

Why I will never buy another Dell Computer, and how Dell execs can learn a lesson from this post...

Your chosen method for selling computers is over the internet through a website, or basically what used to be called catalog sales.

Companies that sell through catalogs (such as clothes companies) can expect to get a lot of returns for exchanges, because the people that order the products are not at a location "actually" trying out the product in person before they order. That is the nature of the business model that Dell chooses to employ.

I ordered a new computer last summer at the recommendation of a co-worker who also ordered one a couple of days earlier. The only difference between mine and my co-workers was that his monitor size was 17" and mine was 15".

When his and my computers both arrived, I was wishing that I should have ordered a 17" monitor with mine instead. I received a catalog with my shipment and went to the monitors page and saw that the retail cost for a 17" monitor was $10.00 more that a 15" monitor.

Since my monitor was not even unwrapped from the shipment, I called Dell to ask if I could send my monitor back (at my expense) and pay the $10.00 difference + return shipping?

The agent's response was NO, and that in order to return the monitor and get a 17" monitor, I would have to return my original monitor and pay an amount equalivalent to about the cost of purchasing a 17" monitor seperately. She said the "package" cost for the monitor was differrent than the "package" cost for the other monitor, even though the "retail" cost was only $10.00 more.

This type of pricing, this type of reasoning (I didn't buy it, but "she" had to to keep her job) and this kind of disrespect for the customer's who purchase your products and spread the word about your company has lead me to one conclusion:

"I would NEVER buy another DELL computer again in my life!!"

Sorry :)

  No question about it: Dell is definitely on the right track in turning around its customer service problems. I am pleased to say that all the issues that contributed to my six months of Dell Hell have been or are about to be resolved.

  In the space of a week since my first grumbling post on Direct2Dell - which to their credit, they published - I have been contacted by Dell Customer Advocate John Blain who quickly set the resolution of my hardware issues into motion. Hopefully within a few days, I will have replacement hardware. What really makes me comfortable is the knowledge that if the problems aren't resolved, I can turn to John and Dell's Customer Advocate program. Putting it bluntly: that is truly cool. I don't see - and I don't think Dell intends - Direct2Dell and the Customer Advocate Program to be a replacement for regular customer service and technical support channels, but rather as an escape route when those resources aren't cutting it.

  I think the truly important point is that Dell is clearly trying to put an end to the difficulties of dealing with the company - and I think these two initiatives are just a part of the picture.

  One thing I didn't expect as a result of my postings was the opportunity to speak at length with a Dell executive. I am truly impressed that someone at that level would spend that much time on the phone with me. I'm just an ordinary home business user who has bought six Dell laptops over the past several years. In terms of financial importance to Dell, I'm not even rounding error. But this Dell executive took the time to talk with me, candidly admit to the problems and told me some of the plans being implemented to bring Dell back to the customer satisfaction levels it used to enjoy. Moreover, he also resolved the remainder of the outstanding issues I had with Dell.

  To receive this level of attention to my problems is flattering - to have all my problems resolved so quickly restores my faith in Dell. Yes, I still feel the pain of beating my head against the wall for the past six months - and I am still aghast at some of the "customer service" I received.

  But the reality is that Dell's new outreach efforts - Direct2Dell and the Customer Advocate Program - work. Direct2Dell allowed me to voice my anguish and Dell Customer Advocate team member John Blain moved to resolve my hardware issues in a flash. That's what the programs were put into place to do - and they worked for me.

  The contact with Dell's higher management was completely unexpected and, obviously, both flattering and welcome. From what I heard of Dell's plans, I think there is a very good chance that within the next several months, there will be a lot less complaining about Dell's customer service.

   What I find mind-boggling is that Dell's performance in the last week has converted me from "lost customer who would never buy another Dell computer" to very satisfied customer (with still healing bruises) whose issues have been resolved. In business, I'm not easily impressed by anything other than performance - and in this instance, Dell has truly performed.

  I think the days of Dell's customer service problems are going to be dimming memories of the past in short order. Personally - and particularly after my experiences of the past week - I wouldn't hesitate to buy Dell or to recommend the company to friends and clients. What's really cool is that that's the way it used to be - and it's really nice to feel that way again.

  Thank you, Dell.

Jerry

dellownersgroup.typepad.com

Jeff V.: That experience shouldn't have happened. I'm sorry that it did.  We will continue to focus on improving support for US consumers.

I see that the issue with the notebook wasn't resolved. I'll have someone from our support team contact you. 

I agree that no matter how much we improve over time, we should always strive to do better. It should be an ongoing process.

I hope we give you a reason to become a Dell customer again in the future.  

So, after finding a site that would give me GMT time (how convenient!), I waited until the required 4 pm Februrary 1 GMT time to try the dellvistaupgrade site again.  http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/  Oops, it still doesn't work.  I guess I could ask Kevin Rollins about that...

I have two issues with Dell support.

1. I have a case number from Dell (delivery problem) that I got from speaking to a case manager.  Very courteous person.  But, now that I have that, I have nowhere to verify online that status.  The closest page I have is this:

http://support.dell.com/support/supporthistory/search.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

And that doesn't come back with anything, even though I tried filling in any of those fields (service, tag, customer).  The phone number I was provided was some Vancouver number that seems to be some general VOIP number that other companies, including Dell, uses.

2. The "chat" option should be discarded altogether.  Some companies have great IM/chat, where you actually feel you are the only person that you are being chatted with.  Not so with Dell.  Just try it.  Dell actually provides you a log of the call.  Then, try to do it by phone.  The phone resolution will be at least 4x faster, and I'm being conservative. 

I get the feeling that Dell's technical know-how outshines its customer service.  (i.e., they are too big for their own good.  Basically, "sell-sell-sell, and we'll worry about after-sale support if we can.")

Against that, though, is the fabulous Systems Configuration tool that Dell provides us. 

Anyway, I hope this does you some good, because I want Dell to succeed in the future.

Tom

Lionel,

You obviously don't get it. You should be making those posts - frequently.

Here is my experience with Dell Vista Upgrade support issue.

  The Earth shakes! Dell responds! In great profusion, no less.

  Jatin responded to my third request to Technical Support and is arranging a service call. Lionel responded here and I received three e-mails from Dell Customer Advocates Andrew Durrett and John Blaine and someone in Dell management.

  Though I am still dealing, at the moment, with the troublesome E1705, there is light at the end of the tunnel - and it doesn't look like it's another train headed my way.

  Do I think the Direct2Dell has played a major part in getting this far by (surprisingly to me) publishing my obviously critical postings? Absolutely. Would I be this far along to resolving my tech support issue (which is not my only issue with Dell) without Direct2Dell publishing my postings? I doubt it very much.

  So I thank the folks at Direct2Dell. When Scoble writes his next book on business blogging or does a new edition, I think Dell may figure prominently as an example.

  Am I a happy camper now that I received the attention I sought to this particular problem? Will I now cheer the "virtues" of Dell? No.

  The last six months of dealing with Dell have been absolutely miserable. I will not easily forget or forgive being told by one Dell "Executive Services" representative that I should take my computer business elsewhere simply because I was complaining about the delivery problems I had encountered with the E1705 I had ordered for myself as a 64th birthday present. And that was only just past the beginning of my problems with Dell.

  But for the moment, at least, my Technical Support issues are much closer to resolution than before and that is due in large part, I think, to Direct2Dell. Thank you. I hope this example helps you convince the doubters in Dell management that corporate blogs can be productive when you let unhappy customers express their grievances. I may not be happy with Dell, but I certainly appreciate Direct2Dell letting me post.

Jerry

dellownersgroup.typepad.com

  More than forty-eight (48) hours have now passed since I responded to the automated response to my e-mail query to Dell Technical Support. The automated response told me to "reply to this document to be contacted by a Dell Technical Support representative (normally within one business day)". This may come as a shock to Dell which seems to operate in its own universe, but 48 hours, from Tuesday through Thursday is two business days - with no response.

  I admit to being surprised by Direct2Dell's publishing both my posts so far and perhaps a third will be too embarassing to Dick Hunter (or, more likely, his ghostwriter), but the reality is that Dell is once again demonstrating what millions already know all too painfully well.\

  Dell sucks.

  There is such a place as Dell Hell.

  Dell simply is no longer competent at serving its customer once it has its hands on their money and the product is out the door. And Dell doesn't appear to care, beyond making publicity-snarfing noises.

  Perhaps Dell shareholders and the analysts who follow the stock need to ask just what the $150 million that's being spent to improve Dell customer service is buying them. Forty-eight hours and Dell can't respond to a simple technical support e-mail?

  Whoever is writing in Dick Hunter's name said "we are investing $150 million to expand our call-center network, hire and train additional technicians, add new online tools like DellConnect, and change business practices that caused you frustration (removal of rebates, expanding warranties, etc.)."

  Well, I am a Dell victim and here's a Dell practice that's causing me frustration, aggravation and anger: the absolute contempt Dell shows me as a customer who is having a months long problem wirh a Dell product. Of course, I shouldn't feel special because Dell does this to millions of customers.

  Hunter or whoever is writing in his name says "[j]ust as we’ve been honest about where we need to improve, we think it’s fair to point out a few successes." Personally I'd prefer you focus on just one Dell failure: the failure, so far, after more than 48 hours to respond to my technical support e-mail.

  I will acknowledge that my curiousity is engaged about the corporate dynamic(s) at play within Dell. I am truly surprised Dell is publishing my posts, lamenting as I am about Dell's lack of customer support. I am even more surprised that Dell's technical support still has made no effort to contact me, even given this newest exposure of its ineptness.

 What am I missing here? Are we on TV? Is this some kind of contest to see how long a Dell victim will be able to maintain their cool before lapsing into a tirade of four-letter words?

  I'll provide another status report at the 72 hour mark. (Is there an office pool going at Round Rock on how long it will take for tech support to respond? Put me down for 96 hours.)

Jerry

dellownersgroup.typepad.com

  What would be the reaction of Michael Dell (Dell Chairman), Kevin Rollins (Dell President and CEO) or Dick Hunter (VP Customer Eperience and the author of the posting above) if their Dell computers were malfunctioning and they didn't receive a reply to their e-mail to Dell Technical Support sent 38 hours ago?

  We'll never know because Mssrs. Dell, Rollins and Hunter don't have to suffer the indignities of being ordinary Dell customers.

  Thirty-eight hours ago, I sent an e-mail to Dell Technical Support (a reply to the inane automated response my original e-mail generated) and I have heard nothing. So while Dick Hunter brags "the time a customer spends in our call queues has dropped by 70 percent and we’ve seen a 20 percent improvement in resolution rates", I sit here with no resolution to a months long problem with my Dell Inspiron E1705.

  How difficult is it to manage the e-mail function of a technical support department? I even included the Microsoft KnowledgeBase Article IDs of the only two articles that describe my problem and provide solutions. Talk about making it easy.

  I can't deal with Dell's telephone support. Aging and its natural consequence of diminished hearing make it very difficult for me to deal with Dell's non-American English speaking tech support representatives. My conversations with them are laden with "What?", "Could you please say that again?" and "Could you please speak louder?" Add that to the fact that Dell's technical support representatives are reading from a script and clearly have no idea of the technology involved and telphoning Dell is not a viable option for me. (I have around 40 years experience with computer technology and dealing with someone who clearly knows little or nothing about the problems being discussed - and won't admit it - is irritating.)

  So, 38 hours without a response to my e-mail. Last time, a few weeks ago, it took several days to get a response to an e-mail to Dell technical support. So Dell is allegedly spending $150 million to improve the Dell customer experience - and Mr. Hunter boasts of the improvements already made and vows that Dell will not stop until its executives (not the customers) are happy with the support Dell provides.

  So tell me Mr. Hunter, would you and Michael Dell and Kevin Rollins be happy if 38 hours after you wrote Dell technical support, you had no response? What excuse or explanation does Dell have for this miserable level of service? Or does Dell think this is the level of service its suffering customers deserve?

 Jerry

dellownersgroup.typepad.com

  Dell e-mail technical support still sucks. Being old and having a hearing impairment doesn't work well with the heavily accented non-American English speakers Dell has on the phones, so I use e-mail.

  Sixteen (16) hours after my second e-mail (the first being answered with an inane automated reply), I have no response. The last time,t it took several days and three e-mails before I got any response.

  A 20% improvement in resolution rates - and we have only Dell's not-to-be-trusted word for that - still leaves hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dissatisfied Dell customers residing in Dell Hell, doesn't it?

  I admit, however, that I am surprised to see someone signing himself as Dick Hunter posting here. I've tried reaching Dick Hunter and learned that he is very well protected and insulated at Fortress Dell. I've chronicled my sad experiences with Dell at dellownersgroup,typepad.com and the real Dick Hunter is a major player in the drama.

  Personally I think it would be a fascinating thing if Michael Dell, Kevin Rollins, Dick Hunter and others anonymously called Dell technical support with an independent third-party recording the experience so we could all see how much they enjoy the misery and frustration they subject so many millions of Dell customers to. I think it will be a cold day in Dell Hell before that happens.

  Finally, I have to laugh when the person claiming to be Dick Hunter says "We know there is much work to be done before we’re happy with the support we provide you." How about making US . . . the people who actually suffer at the hands of Dell . . . happy? I love the phrasing here. It's the opinion of Dell executives that counts, not the opinions of Dell's victims. The real laugher for the day, though, is: "While we continue to improve, we thank you for speaking out and ask that you keep sharing your thoughts with us, so we can make even greater strides in positively engaging with you." Again the emphasis is on the Dell "us" - not the Dell victims. Dell doesn't seem to permit negative comments about it in its support forums or here. Perhaps that's why there are more than 4.5 million hits on "Dell customer service problems" on Google.

  I would suggest that Dell pay more attention to the real US . . . the people who daily suffer frustration, anger, disappointment and more at the hands of Dell . . . than the opinions of its easily self-satisfied executives.

 Jerry

dellownersgroup.typepad.com 

Congratulations on the recognition you're receiving for the ongoing improvement in customer/technical support. I'd like to relate a mostly positive experience my wife had with Dell technical Support this past Sunday.

On Sunday night, my wife had the opportunity to take advantage of the Complete Care warranty she has on her Inspiron E1505 notebook.  All that was required, was a replacement keyboard, which yours truly would install for her. No need to ship the notebook anywhere, no need to send a Dell technician. Lucky her, I'm sufficiently qualified to handle the task.

So my wife chose to use the online web-based Dell Support chat.

Initially, it looked like she was about to have another horror story to tell. The technical service reps records weren't accurately reflecting her Complete Care warranty status.  Whooops. But, the technician did a little more digging, and while the warranty was valid, my wife was asked to check back the next day, so the record could be updated accurately. 

The next day, she tried again, and with little fuss, the new keyboard was shipped.  Today, my wife is happily tapping away on her notebook.

The End.

I brought this story up because just a year ago, from experience, I believe she would have had to go through a series of headaches to get the account record updated. And from there convince a support rep to ship a keyboard, and not insist the whole notebook gets shipped back to Dell.

So, I see the improvements occuring, and I welcome the continued efforts Dell is making to improve their quality of service.

Also, I have always found that the support reps English skills have always been far better typed than spoken. While I prefer using the phone to get an issue addressed, Dell's online chat support has consistently been an easier method to communicate more complicated problems to support reps. But, I'm glad to hear that phone support is improving. Kudos. 

Regards,

-WhatsUpDell

I'm planning to replace my current Dimension 4300 (which I use for my small business) in the next 2-3 months. This will be my 4th Dell in the past 10-12 years. Since I know that from time to time I will need to go "under the hood" to add/replace components as well as just blow out any accumulated dust--and have had serious problems with the latch jamming on current/former Dimension--I thought I'd go over to one of Dell's stores here in Los Angeles and look at it before making final decision as to model, configuration etc.

I called the store to ascertain if they had the Dimension 9200, 520 and 521 on site. No "business" models in the store, only "home" models. OK. Since the 410 is the same as the 9200 I said fine, could they let me see the system open so I could actually view 1) how easily the case opens and 2) view how accessible the expansion slots are.

First, the sales rep on the phone did not know the 410 was essentially the same as the 9200.  Second, I was told that opening up the computer would "void the warranty"!!!  Third, Dell sales people were not allowed to open up any of the computers at the store.

Maybe it's me, but I find these responses somewhat strange. I particularly think that one of your own people would not make a ridiculous assertion about voiding the warranty. 

If you ask to look under the hood of a car you're considering buying, wouldn't you expect to have the showroom staffer whip that hood up for you?  And I hardly think one needs to worry about a customer swiping a HD or cable any more than one would be able to swipe a set of spark plugs or a battery.

So I guess I'll have rely on the pretty website pictures and downloading the owner's manuals for the 9200/520/521 with the stick drawings of the interior.

Personally I have always had pretty OK experiences with Dell tech support. I think things have been getting better and no matter what the people have always been extremely friendly and courteous.

Once I was asked to install a piece of diagnostic software which I was not a fan of and found it to be quite invasive, but I guess if it does the job then it's ok.

I think the biggest thing is response time. People want to know something is being done. A more interactive online ticketing system with a knowledge base (rather than primarily phone calls) would be the best way for me to get support.