New Premium Service for U.S. Consumers: Your Tech Team

kherrman1 — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:20:02 GMT

Several months ago my E520 lost its audio. I spent five hours with a Dell tech and was told to reload my operating system at the end of the marathon. I did not and wandered through the computer myself, discovered a mute button checked in a program, unchecked it, and the audio was just fine.

Last week my monitor screen was nothing but a series of lines. I spent six hours with a Dell tech. He suggested at the end of the marathon to reinstall my operating system. I hung up, called a local computer technician in my community. He came out, installed a new video card, and the problem was solved. The local tech took 15 minutes from arrival to resolution.

The madness of the two episodes with the Dell tech people is filled with many details of people who have no idea what they are doing. Since I have in-home service from Dell, I asked the Dell tech to have someone come here. He noted they will only come to install a part, will do no troubleshooting. Why did I buy this warranty???

Kenneth J. Herrmann, Jr.,

re: New Premium Service for U.S. Consumers: Your Tech Team

rosalie — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:58:50 GMT

Well i was lucky enough to be part of the beta test and had an absolutely superb experience with Omer K (based in Ottawa). I signed up when the test ended trusting that the paid service would be just as good. Well, I sent email (as I had done before) 3 days ago and got no answer. I sent another email... no answer. What happened to the great service?

re: New Premium Service for U.S. Consumers: Your Tech Team

e bandley — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:50:44 GMT

Just an update to my previous post. Now on Day 7

I was given a number and extension to call by Dell Agent if I problems with repair service scheduling etc and that I would receive a call back in less than 4 hours. I would either be contacted by the same agent or a senior agent as my case was supposedly expedited to a higher level of service.

I was also told to call Bantec directly about scheduling my repair. I called Bantec and found the parts had to be reordered as (the story is now) the parts they received were the wrong parts, How would they know if they could not find them before?

So when this wrinkle came up, I called the number the agent gave me and as instructed left a message. Guess what I have not heard a thing.

Why would or should a customer pay $99 dollars more each year for service when Dell cannot supply the service and support I paid for when I purchased the computer-Complete Care.

Part of me says this sounds like blackmail.

re: New Premium Service for U.S. Consumers: Your Tech Team

E Bandley — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 03:20:42 GMT

"Your Tech Team costs $99 and provides hardware warranty support for your new system and all other systems in your household (that are still under warranty)." posted 7/1/08

Per the Dell Site

Your Tech Team Unlimited For 1 Year - Variable [add $512 or $16/month¹]

So what is the extra $413.00 for?

Right now your india tech support and your warranty service stinks.

I have been calling and chatting for 5 days and no one calls back as they say they will (dell and warranty service company) or can get my computer, a tech to fix it and the parts in the same place as one company has the dispatch and another has the parts but cannot find them as an unknown tech has picked them up. I have the Complete Care package (told it was Next Business Day when Purchased) and it is completely useless.

I might be willing to give Dell $99.00 total to upgrade to this until my warranty etc runs out but not $99.00 to $512.00 per year.

Part of the problem with chatting with "Dellhi" Tech Support is poor phone connections, while trying to decipher the accect, improper English grammar and phrasing, you have crackeling, snapping and humming on the lines.

Will my laptop get fixed ? My guess is in a few weeks or more. Will any of the issues with Dell Support get better - I doubt it, you may listen but you do not do anything about it.

re: New Premium Service for U.S. Consumers: Your Tech Team

Lindsay — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:53:56 GMT

So typical. We are impossible to please. We want all U.S. based tech support, but then typically push and push to get extra discounts...even if the computer is already super cheap due to outsourcing. What do you think the cost will go up to, if tech is completely U.S. based?!?!?! I think it shows huge initiative, that Dell is responding to numerous online blogs about this, as well as responding to the general public, in some way, about the lawsuits that have come up.

No, you probably aren't going to ever see Dell advertise online, about how crappy their service is sometimes, but in my experience, actions speak louder than words.

I, for one, think this is great, and look forward to more positive changes Dell is planning on implementing.

re: New Premium Service for U.S. Consumers: Your Tech Team

Alex — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:57:49 GMT

I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you down the road!

re: New Premium Service for U.S. Consumers: Your Tech Team

Patrick Ozment — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:06:06 GMT

I just finished reading all of the previous comments and I agree with most of them with a few exceptions.

I have three Dell computers and my girlfriend and her two sons have a Dell laptop each. We both cringe at the thought of having to call Dell's tech support which averages about once a month. In some cases we just live with the problem because it's just not worth the ordeal.

My newest computer (purchased 12/2007) is an XPS M-2010 hybrid/laptop/desktop which cost just under $4,000.00. The list of problems I have had with this computer is too long to post here. The procedure so far has been replace, restore, or reinstall and hope they get it right.

Let me get to the point. I am an American, I purchased my computer from an American company, and I expect it to be serviced by an American technician or at least someone that can speak clear, fluent, understandable English. These people are attempting to give you instructions and procedures where one incorrect keystroke can make the difference in success or not.

As far as the techs in India go, most of my side of the conversation consist of "What", "I can't understand you", "Can you repeat that?" Not only does this waste time, it drives my already elevated 'frustration factor' thru the roof. Fortunately, most of the XPS Tech Support is located in the US or Canada but not always, I have also gotten India on occasion.

And as far as being knowledgeable, most of the ones I have talked to in India would have a problem screwing in a light bulb. For example.....my last call was about the XPS M-2010 wireless keyboard battery charging failure (only 7 months old remember). Dell had already sent me a new battery.

The only thing these people can do is read off questions and suggestion from a 'Prompt' card. He kept telling me to "press the battery release button, look at the LED indicators, and tell him how many lights were lit". The XPS M-2010 keyboard battery is released by removing a screw and panel underneath the keyboard and there are NO LED indicator lights. It took me almost 15 minutes to convince him of that. Bottom line....he was totally unfamiliar with the product.

About 40 minutes into the conversation, trying his suggestions, and reading him things off of the screen, he asked me if my system was turned 'ON'. I started laughing so hard, I could barely say "Never mind" and hung up. The problem is unresolved to this date.

If anyone from Dell reads this, please pass this on "To whom it may concern". You may be saving a few dollars by using cheap overseas labor, but in the long run you are slowly killing yourself. Overall, you build a pretty good product, but you have cheapened it by your use of low standard tech support with the exception of the XPS people, they are pretty good for the most part.

To everyone else, please accept my apology for such a lengthy post and ranting. I'm new to this forum, but not to Dell computers. It's good to know however, that I'm not the only one with these problems.

re: New Premium Service for U.S. Consumers: Your Tech Team

Andreas P — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:02:40 GMT

I have had the MOST frustrating time (2h30m) with the Dell "tech" team. I purchased a computer on 07/07/08. I received it on 07/16/08 and have had problems from day 1. It will not pick up MP3s, it will not install the new XP SP3 (freezes my computer), my computer runs endless loops and freeezes when I try to delete browser history etc.... Tech support could not resolve the problem (although they were polite) and basically told me the OS was unstable and "threw there hands in the air".

I called customer support about returning or swapping the computer and I have NEVER been treated this rudely by any customer support from any company. I was shouted at by the "supervisor" and they continuosly talk over me, never giving me a chance or even listening to me.

I have given up hope. I am basically going to mothball this computer and I am now looking at an HP or ACER. Because of how I was spoken to by the customer service department I have also spoken to our company buying department (and I am senior enough to have some sway) and we are now also going to look at HP computers to replace our aging Dells over the next 18 months. We are going to be replacing about 350 machines in the next 18 months.

But I guess Dell could not care - if anyone from Dell bothers to read this.

re: New Premium Service for U.S. Consumers: Your Tech Team

Shawn C. — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 12:26:41 GMT

Hi Guys,

I Just Wanted To Let You know how awsome Your Tech Team is. I called in last night and added it to my existing Dell XPS (which xps support is in the philipeens which I am not happy about at all) Hardware Warrenty Support Contract. They Are Like the Best Hardware Techs that Also do software. It does not get any better than this folks. I have realy been not to happy with dell's service in the past but this product right here is worth it. And when they say 2 minute responce times they meen it. I was not on hold period and thats realy cool. Way To Go Dell for Finaly Letting Us Chose Wheather we want our tech support oversees or in florida.

re: New Premium Service for U.S. Consumers: Your Tech Team

Lee Chikafsky — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:37:39 GMT

i am a loyal Dell customer (family) but I have spent 11 weeks in the technical support wheel and found the experience to be unreal. Lies, deceit, technical staff (at least three) who could not re install Windows XP Media Edition with RAID. I purchased and configured "Dell Recommendations" because I am not well versed and I put my trust in DELL. What has happened to me over 11 weeks should not of happened to a dog. What is most frustrating there is no one in Texas to chat with, provide the documents of this distressing situation, even a certified letter to Round Rock resulted with no response from Texas.

My son who works for a large corporation and purchased his Latitude which came with "Gold Protection" asked me why I didn't take that. Not an option.

If this blog really is read by DELL in Texas, I still would appreciate an email, a call, someone to hear (read) the issues. These individuals who handled my (given many orders and support numbers) case should be ashamed but they are not.