Have you experienced poor tech support?

Here is the email I sent to the CEO of Alienware yesterday. Does this match your experience?

I'll post their responsiveness.

 

I had a horrible issue with Tech support until I was in touch with the head of the Roswell crew. He really helped me out a lot but everything else has been very very poor.

I'm glad that this laptop works

 

Have had a conversation with a "critical Issues specialist" who said they would send the part to me two day express when they get it. I asked if it could be sent overnight and was told no. I asked why a critical issues person was limited to two day mail when overnight is possible. He said he'd look into it.

It is now ONE week since the Tech support team has had this issue. My computer is still inoperative and I have no timetable on repair.

 

That's... pretty much par for the course. Alienware support sucks, and they're not going to try very hard to fix things.

Their Critical Issues Specialists are actually worse than Roswell, because, at least from my experience, the Critical Issues Team treats you like an "issue". Roswell, at least, treats you like a person.

I've gotten overnight shipping before, so being told that it's not available might be a dodge ("It's not available in your case."). Mind you, I've just had a situation where a Roswell tech told me I'd receive something by a certain date (which would have required overnight or two day), but then the part was sent out several days later via Express Saver Pak....

 

Oh, and I've e-mailed their CEO, I've e-mailed Dell, I've filed a BBB complaint. They're still not trying very hard.

 

i found that too.... but why are they not trying??

 

Hope your issue gets resolved, along with someone actually getting your letter that wants to increase the level of Customer Service!

I have had 2 experiences with their CS staff and both were acceptable, not outstanding but nevertheless it was handled so I do not have a horror story.

Do you live in Florida, you said they would send someone to install the problem part? Just don't know of them sending someone, its usually you send the laptop in for repair.

It's however unfourtunate that they sometimes get the old saying "Under Promise and Over Deliver" turned around, I personally thinks its a communication problem between the departments as to way most of the customers grief is so. They do have some talented staff on board, you just have to roll the dice and hope for the best.

 

The video card arrived today (2 Day Fed-Ex). They substituted an Nvidia card for the original ATI. A tech is scheduled to come out tomorrow to install it. Hopefully that will go well.

I was told that the reason the laptop was not sent in is because they have such a backlog of laptops in their repair facility.

 

Be happy you can get tech support. I'm not the original owner of my laptop, and therefor i can't get anything at all. Least i couldn't last time i tried.

 

I can attest to this, my laptop's been sitting in the repair facility for over a week while they diagnose it.....diagnose a broken panel around the LCD........I didn't realize there was much diagnosing that needed to be done for a broken panel.....No...they're just backed up and making excuses which aren't flying with me.

 

Onsite tech guy came today and after diagnosis determined that the issue is the motherboard.

It took him 45 minutes to get the Alienware Tech on the line (using a number for their onsite technicians) to get Alienware to authorize the return to replace the mother board.

For their onsite tech to have to wait 45 minutes to get in touch with Alienware is ludicrous and wasteful.

So I'll ship it back and the saga continues.

drstevej

 

The laptop was packaged and sent at noon today.

Will report on how fast they get it done.

 

Good luck with that, if you had the chance to return it, I would have. I can't say I've experienced anything at all positive with their tech/customer service/multiple escalation teams. They made me wait until I am outside the 30-day return policy and now, they have effectively denied me any redress.

 

mr E,
try contacting Roswell support in my sig.
they are a top tier support unit from AW.

 

Began with Roswell... went from guatamala a guatapeor as some say in Spanish... from bad to worse. Thanks though

 

there support sucks and thats an understatement.Ever since bought out by dell.If it wasnt such a cool looking laptop(m17 ripley)i would have gone with someone else.

 

mr E,
sorry to hear. butfrom what i understand, Roswell is in the states, not elswhere.
you may have not gotten the correct number. you should try again.
ps: are you in the states?

 

he was being facecious. its a saying. kind of like passing the buck or 23 skiddoo in english. And to sundaysinner. AW's support was WAY worse with the clevo machine era (and 766) BEFORE Dell bought them.

I think most of us that had aw years ago and had a bad experience were REALLY HOPING that dell would merge their support, offer transferrable warranties, TRUE onsite support, and COMPLETE CARE.

DIDN'T HAPPEN.

 

Well, I had to call Alienware support in England last week. Suddenly my laptop made a weird sound and died. Pushing the power button did nothing and I though "well, it took only 6 days for this baby to blow up". The idea of sending it back to England for repairs was horrifying!

So, I got served by tech support instantly. At first the guy helping me out gave some information how to open the m15x back panel and reset the CMOS battery. I tried to explain him that I have M17 and the picture in support page (where the instructions for opening the back panel were) is different from my computer. I even opened the backpanel and said "nope, it looks nothing like the computer in the picture you linked to me. Can't see the CMOS battery".

Then he apologized and realized I really have M17. Maybe it was just my rusty english which made M17 sound like M15. After that he quickly managed to help me to reset the computer and we found out my other HDD blew up and since I was running RAID it killed the whole computer.

The hard drives were ordered from here Finland, so I just send the broken one back and got a new in return. My M17 was still fine and the tech support helped me out mapping the problem. He was very polite and he even started talking a bit slower after I said I can't understand anything he's saying. Brits talk like someone is holding a gun in their forehead!

So, problem solved and I have nothing to complain about the AW tech support.

 

Still no word from Alienware.

 

there customer service is luck of the draw like every one elses no one is prfect and face it there are people having horrible days and they hire idiots that lie and say they know it all ...needless to say there customer support is good if you get a good person ....

 

Still have heard nothing.

 

Hello

Well my experience with tech support has been fantastic. Had an M9750 that went back twice for repair and twice repaired by me. Each time they were brilliant till eventually tech support (Randall Jimenez) told me to send it back. He then credited me with the full £2700 I paid for it and sorted out a maxed out M17 in its place. He called me every day to inform me of how things were going and he got the thing pushed through quick for me. 8 days from order to delivery. Cant fault that. And to be fair everyone I spoke with in tech support through the last 18 months have been a credit to AW

 

marshall that is a amzing story like movie quality

 

Well Moo your certainly not wrong thats for sure. Has to happen to you to realize its real and not an amazing dream after a skinful of lagers

 

My email to the CEO....

The saga Continues

 

As an FYI, Miguel Ortiz (Michael as he identified himself normally) was the CS rep assigned to my case after I filed my BBB complaint and also after I emailed the CEO a couple of times. He was very helpful in getting things resolved, although it did take some time.

 

to all...
just an fyi...you may want to eliminate names posted on the forums. unless these people specifically authorized use of their name(s), then you are legally stepping on some very thin ice.
you could be putting careers on the line as well as possible unauthorized use of correspondance that is ment only for the recepient.
just consider this.
you may be hit for slander or find yourself in a lawsuit if anything happens to the named people due to your postings...
just my .02

 

I tried to call Miguel O today. It took me 17 minutes to get to his voice mail!!!!

That is ridiculous.

We'll see if he calls back.

 

Got an email back saying they are working on the system and will ship it back 2 day express upon completion.

Still waiting.

 

Before I post I should say I am a brand new customer of AW, and out of the 8 times I have called for various advice, ordering status etc, only once has the CS been mediocre or bad. For me the CS has been good consistently, but again I'm new and perhaps Alienware has made attemps to reform a formerly bad CS.

 

Roswell is amazing. Call the number and a person picks up! No menus and no other bs. Just a person who is easy to understand and you are done with them in less than 5 mins

 

Another day no reply

 

call roswell steve

 

It's always the same situation with Alienware. They are always trying to avoid your argument. Sadly, lots of people are bashing them due to bad technical support.

And about roswell, it's true they can pick up your phone without any waiting line or something, but it doesn't fix the issue. When you send your laptop to repair depot, they'll always need to send the laptop back to their Alienware headquarter before they ship it back to you. This headquarter, unfortunately, is the problem for everyone. Bs.

 

Will this be the week?

 

Still in repair but communication has improved.

 

No word today.

So much for an expedited repair!

 

Alienware support is BY FAR THE WORST IN THE INDUSTRY from my experience. I have owned Gateways and Lenova computers in the past and have nothign but good things to say about their support. My M15x on the other hand has had to go back twice to Alienware. The first time they had it for over 2 months!!! Now it is in for repairs again and after being told it would take ten days max, I am now on day 42! I call and call and they just give me another @#$%@ excuse, and say they can do nothing for me but escalate my case to the manager! WOW! I will NEVER EVER EVER EVER (lots of evers I know) buy from them again. My friend on the other hand bought a MACBOOK PRO and had a prob with the video card. He took it in to the apple store and walked out 30 minutes later with a brand new laptop. Now there is customer support for you. I may try Apple next time.

I am thinking of filing a complaint with the BBB as well, but not really sure where to start on that.

 

Alienware called today. They are going to replace the unit with a M17.

 

Congratz djsteve you'll love that one no issues with it

 

I'm glad to hear your issue got resolved... Here's hoping the M17 has no issues!

 

Call them up west coast get that m17

 

haha... I did send them an email saying I'd be takingthis further with the Canadian Consumer Affairs office and they have told me they would have a solution by Monday.. so I am patiently waiting well not really - but I'm trying - sucks not playing vid games for like over a month or doing any video editing.

 

Lol I kno what u mean really not much to do.... I told them I was going to cancel if it did not ship in 2 days and it shipped later that night after 29 (34 total) days of waiting.... Phase 56789 all in 5 hours . I emailed alienware CS and roswel and alienware armando

 

I know what you mean! My m7700 was gone for 13 months, but that wasn't alienware's fault (i didn't want to shell out a grand to fix it so i sent it to an independent place, bad call, should have just gutted it myself). Was sooo nice to get it back!

 

How the heck did u get it back?

 

I am up for that.

 

signed, I have been on hold for a hour now, its great.
Apparently windows 64 will no longer have turbo cahce so its been an hour now just to say "ok take it out"

 

just be prepared for a simple laptop with only a illuminated keyboard that will crush games and make all the m15x look tiny lol


Brian ....at least you save 30 bucks lol