Is this Dells idea of improved customer service?

I will try to make this as short as possible. I was at my sister in laws house last night, she has a 5-month-old Inspiron E1505 that I used to check an email. I noticed there was a lot of play (looseness) in the display/lid; another problem was unplugging the AC adapter with a charged battery caused the computer to go dead. I asked her if she was aware these things were not normal and she told me she had bad luck with Dell customer service before so she didn’t want to deal with it, even though it has a next business day at home warranty she would live with it the way it is. I could not believe this so I told her I would call Dell and get it straightened out.

I placed the call and got an off shore tech (expected), I told him about the problem with the lid. After the usual questions he had me pry off the plastic strip above the keyboard and try to tighten the screws that hold the display, tighten a couple of screws on the bottom and on the back. After doing this the lid was still loose. Several times during the call he asked me to hold on extending the wait time substantially. I was curious and asked what if someone did not feel comfortable prying off the plastic strip or did not have a screw driver (not everyone is comfortable prying pieces off their laptop), he replied in an annoyed tone that unless I tried to tighten the screws he could not send a tech to repair it. After a while he came back and said that he would send a new lid/display assembly and a tech would come and install it. I thought this went decently considering.

I then told him about the problem of the computer going dead when unplugging the power cord. I held on for ten minutes and he came back and said, “sir you will have to purchase a new battery”. I told him the computer was only 5 months old and should not need a new battery and if it did it should be covered under the warranty. He said “oh come on sir really, oh just hold on” as if to say I’m giving you a new lid, what else do you want! So I held on another 15 minutes and he came back and asked me the battery serial # and said he wanted to take control of the computer through something called Dell Connect, I had to wait again and he finally went through the process (this was really freaky, he actually took control of the computer). He came back and finally said the battery would be replaced under warranty, would I hold on again? Here is the kicker, he came back a few minutes later and said that there is some confusion; he doesn’t know if it’s the battery that is the problem or the motherboard. To know exactly what the tech would have to bring to repair the laptop I should go to a computer store get a new battery and try it and then call him back. If the new battery does not work than the problem is the motherboard and he would set up a replacement. Not believing what he told me I said are you for real? He came back with; well if you don’t want to do it sir perhaps a friend of yours has a similar battery you can try (I swear this is all true!). I said, why don’t you send the tech with both a battery and a motherboard so he can see what the problem is. He said in his exasperated voice “I can’t do THAT sir”, the best I can do is send a box so you can send the computer in and have it repaired at the depot. I then asked, since the computer has a next business day warranty would it be returned in one day and he replied “sir one day is not going to fix your very critical problem, it will take up to 5 days to send it back to you.
At this point I said fine, I was already on the phone over an hour and a half and worn out. I didn’t want to hang up and call again just to go through another possible similar situation. I also thought it’s better to be fixed at the factory if the motherboard is the problem.
If this is Dells idea of improved customer service they have a long way to go.

 

I would have asked for his rep number, and then asked to speak to his supervisor. The guy has a serious attitude problem, and wasn't being very helpful at all, which is their job after all.

This is one of the reasons I have sworn off Dell, their computers are pretty good, but the people you have to deal with inside the company, are just tools. Which the exception of Dell Business, those guys are always amazing.

 

Dammit who deleted my post! I think its important that people should know what a true quality notebook is.

 

yea dell business is better since you actually deal with Americans lol.

 

Agreed order from small business you will receive much better service if you need it.

 

I had a similar issue with my Dell 8000 Inspiron when it was brand new out of the box. It did need a motherboard and the batteries were OK. I had mail in service. In my opinion, you are better to mail the unit in as the techs there have more resources and parts to throw at that notebook than the guy that comes out to your house. That guy might not have a lot of experience with that particular model where the depot people work on tons of these models. By the way, my 8000 was brand new, but it came back with an older refurbished motherboard that scared the heck out of me. Well I am still using that notebook six years later with a lot of mileage on it. Except for replacing the batteries, fans, and lid hinges, that Inspiron has been a darn good unit for me. Hope my new D820 has the same results.

 

In 2007 I had a problem with my XPS notebook. Microsoft was giving me a warning that the XP Prof wasn't genuine after I'd installed a program for work. Was assured by the barely English speaking support person that reinstalling XP wouldn't work. He said he had a solution, but that it would almost surely not work and that he would only tell me what it was after I paid $70. I asked for his supervisor, and after a very long wait was told the same thing. Seemed crazy to pay that much for advice that they said wouldn't work. As it turned out, reinstalling XP worked just fine...the one thing they assured me had no chance of working. Dell used to be well known for customer support...not the case for a long time :-(

 

Actually, its only within the last year that Dell has really moved most of its 'call' service to off shore resolution and its truly dissappointing.

I am in Canada and it was just announced that over 700 jobs would be lost through the Edmonton Dell Resolution center.

It should be illegal for a company to farm out business to a country for cheaper costs as they are paid less and a savings to Dell.

We see the end result here, a result that will end up costing Dell in the end.

 

In the UK, all the call-centres are based in India, yet when they call you, it's routed through Ireland. Clever...
Anyway, I feel your pain. Most companies here have all their call-centres abroad now, or at least manned by the influx of Poles and other Eastern Europeans looking for work.
Believe me, I'm not making a slur against the people, but when I plunk down £1000 on a computer, I expect customer service and technical support from somebody who can competently speak my language and understand what I'm saying rather than running through the standard checklist on their screen in a monotonous voice.
As an aside, I once called a CSR to see if I could get a better quote on the net. "Angel" took my details, and as I was away for the next 2 days, couldn't answer the phone. When I got back, I had 15 answer messages from her asking me to look at the quote (never received by the way!), and buy through her. 15 in two days...