POOR Customer Service! Not impressed!

Hi there!

I've stalked this forum a few times, and it's nice to finally join! Seems like a great active community, with tons of very nice members

I'm having issues with Dell support. I've never before had issues with them (I have owned four systems in the past) - this is the first time that I've received sub-par service.

It seems once you stray from what their precise policy and instructions dictate, they're unable to do anything but try force you back onto their route of action. This means I'm unable to get any sort of decent response to my queries.


I'll quote my last email to them (I was told I could forward something to a rep's 'leader' - and it took an additional two-three days for the reply that doesn't really address my concerns.)

THEIR REPLY:

Not impressed with this service, and would appreciate any members of Dell staff to see if they agree that this level of service is sub-par. I at least want the issues outlined in my email to be responded to.

Also, peoples' thoughts on the XPS 13? I'm thinking it's the best system for me at this point, any thoughts? How horrible is it going to be, downgrading from a 1080p screen to the 720p screen on that thing? *shudders*


EDIT: I might add that I've been trying to get hold of someone who can say more than the generic "not-even-addressing-my-message" reply for quite a while now. I've been thrown between departments, have had calls from DB Shenker in Australia requesting to pick up my laptop (which I refused).

EDIT 2: Sorry for posting in the wrong section there, I really should know better!

 

Your best bet is to bring this up with [email protected]. The people who monitor that email address are Dell's "Executive Support" staff or whatever special term they give themselves. If you're lucky you'll get a really nice person (I was somewhat lucky) and you should be able to get your story heard, and hopefully that refund.

Mention that you've been through the ringer with dummy responses from the regular Dell Support staff, and that you'd like a full refund (or exchange) for your current XPS15. I would begin with explaining the problems you have with your unit, and then explain the steps you have taken up to now with Dell Support. Be sure to include your Service Tag # as their support staff will be able to use that and pull up all previous support history calls. If they are willing to give you the refund, maybe you could strike up the idea of exchanging it for a XPS 13 and paying the difference (or it might be that they would require you to refund your XPS 15, then using credit with them, purchase a XPS13).

it's too bad you're having problems with your XPS15. I only just got mine as a replacement for my throttling SXPS1645 and I quite like it. Granted it's massive compared to other 15" laptops, but i don't use this as a portable machine, it's a desktop replacement above all else.

 

I've been approved by the finance department for a full unit replacement, or a full refund of my original purchase price. When I asked them if I could have the replacement unit switched out for an XPS 13..

I don't get how this works. Lets pretend I'm returning a laptop that they don't produce anymore.. They would HAVE to switch it to a different model of laptop. So they MUST have the means to do cross-model exchanges. I don't see why I should accept a system that I know has bugs and issues, and doesn't even suit my usage requirements anymore (I too was using it as a desktop replacement, but I now need a portable laptop, lugging my XPS 15 around all day is not great!)

I was thinking I COULD order a new laptop and then only allow them to collect my current one after my new one arrives, but that creates the issue of finding the money to do so - AND, they're happy to replace mine with a laptop worth $2050 (NZD) - or give me a refund of $1880 (NZD). So it's a bit like, eh - if I go that route, I miss out on the "peace offering" of about $170 worth of laptop. If I could get a $170 discount on an XPS 13, that'd possibly be another story.

Thanks for taking the time to reply to me daver, the XPS 15 is a really nice laptop eh?

 

Dell is obligated to provide you with an equal replacement -- that doesn't mean you get to choose a different model, especially when it is still in production. When it is out of production they go by a simple rule -- equal or better replacement (not equal or better $$$ value).

I cannot name a single vendor who would do a cross-model exchange in anything but the most dire of circumstances. What they're offering is industry standard and fair.

Think about what you get if you do the refund route. You get a whole new 30 day return policy for a new purchase, you get new warranty end date, and you get a chance to re-evaluate your needs and maybe even go with another model or brand name entirely. That doesn't sound all that bad even if you have to go a few weeks without a laptop.

The best advice I can give you, if you have to have a replacement ASAP, is to purchase a new laptop on credit and pay it off the moment the refund comes in.

 

This is my second XPS 15 laptop, and both of them have been riddled with issues. I require reliability in a laptop, so please forgive me for not wanting them to throw me another laptop, of which I will likely suffer more and more problems with. (And ultimately end up returning/having things repaired, costing them even more.)

It's good for their public relations to listen to the needs of their customers.

I'm leaning towards buying a new laptop, and then sending the current one back once I have received the new ones. "go a few weeks without a laptop" is simply not an option, I require it for my daily work. I would appreciate from Dell, as a gesture of goodwill, some sort of discount on this unit to compensate for my endless hassels with these systems. On my first system, I had four repairs before they took it back, and this new unit has had the same issues and more (including electric shocks!). Dell regularly discounts their products, and the prices are quite severely inflated for the New Zealand market (the $999 model converts to $1,250NZD worth of laptop, for $1,899 through Dell NZ, I'm wanting to get the $2,199 model which has the 256gb SSD).

I've had an excellent experience with all my other Dell products, and as I said in the email, I'd love to stay as a loyal customer. It just seems a bit one-sided that they're willing to offer a gesture of good will only if I agree to accept another system of the same kind that has already caused me so much hassle.


EDIT I think I may just give in and get a refund processed after I've received my new system. I've swayed away from the XPS 13, until the range becomes a bit more competitive (hopefully with the Ivy Bridge refresh) - see this thread for more http://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-xps-studio-xps/659379-xps-14z-vs-xps-13-a.html

 

br.,
I'm very sorry for the negative experience you've had with our product and support. Please PM me your account info and service tag and I'll try my best to help you on this issue.

Thanks,
Mourin@Dell

 

BR,

I have had a similar experience as you.

I was sent an XPS L702x that had many issues (diagnosed by tech support as shipping with faulty installation of windows).

In less than 9 months, multiple components failed, such that the machine was totally rebuilt (new motherboard, ports, harddrive) & Dell was supposed to install windows and leave me with a perfect machine.

*But* they didn't finish the job, and after 2 OS reinstalls in one week, it still had issues.

Most of the issues I've faced there are 100's of other posts about, leading me to believe there are funamental quality isssues with XPS L702x

A month later, after losing an appauling amount of time (in an age where time is our scarcest resource) I can only conclude that Dell's strategy is to blend low quality control with time wasting technical support. They rely on the fact that most computer users don't know what they are doing and blame themselves (and actively aledge such issues in their phone calls). But I have 28 years experience with computers. So Dell just waste peoples time until they give up.

Mourin, I have asked Dell many many many questions, posed to Sukyana and forwarded to you. You haven't replied to me since I sent you two emails dated May 1st and May 3rd. I know you are working as you have replied to people on this forum on May 7th, so once again you are just wasting my time.

So now I will ask you publically Mourin:

How do you justify:

- Incorrect presales information leading to an original order being cancelled?
- Having to wait 3 weeks for a refund despite no computer ever arriving?
- Shipping a computer with a faulty installation of windows?
- Multiple hardware failures within 9 months of ownership?
- An engineer not completing his job to set my repaired machine up perfectly?
- Someone in tech support suggesting that Dell Mobile Wireless WWAN drivers are installed (despite no such device being present in my machine) to fix an issue with an SD card?
- The time cost of the operating system being re-installed twice in one week, and not leading to resolution?
- Dell not calling me when scheduled?
- Your team suggesting they replace my machine with a machine with another with a slower processor and telling me its an upgrade?
- How is it possible for Dell to make so many errors that cost me time?

And

- How many hours do you think this experience has cost me?
- How many occassions over the last 9 months do you think frustration with my computer has impacted my productivity?
- How much anger do you think this whole experience has led to?
- On what basis do you think I can have any confidence in the machine you propose to ship after all that has happened?
- Do you know that I have lost income and missed multiple deadlines because of Dells inability to fulfill your obligation - i.e. a computer that works reliably with next business day on site service - that far exceeds the value of the computer?
- If your commitment to quality is so great, why are there multiple people discussing the same or similar issues I've faced with my machine online?

Please can you give me a detailed written explanation re: all points raised above.

Please can you give me a detailed written explanation re: everything you are doing to make sure my experience never happens to another customer.

 

Thomas,

Sukanya sent you a detailed email responding to all the questions you asked her. I will be sure to forward that to you again.

I apologize for the delay in my response.

Thank you,
Mourin@Dell

 

Mourin,

Sukanya replied after I posted these questions publically, and as you have confirmed publically, she responded yesterday, on 10 May 2012.

Yet I asked these questions, by email, on April 19th - so it took *OVER THREE WEEKS* to get a bunch of answers that lacked any substance.

In her answers, she demonstrated she had not investigaged my personal experence, she totally contradicted statements made by other Dell representatives (such as tech support stating my computer was shipped with a faulty installation of windows causing problems), or what happened during the onsite visit (when the engineer was supposed to leave my computer with a perfect installation, and not only damaged my computer, but didn't set up windows with all drivers leaving even more problems, such that the next day via phone it was reinstalled again, and the job still wasn't completed.).

According to her, Dell employees are lying in their logs, as she is saying you have no record of Dell suggesting installing a WWAN driver to resolve an issue with SD card (even though I had argument with manager of tech support on this suggestion), and she says that Dell tech support did call when scheduled, when they didn't call at all. I raised this issue with Ritesh (Customer Experience Manager). She denied that you originally proposed to replace a i7-2630qm processor with a i7-2640m processor (while describing this as an upgrade) even though I have this in writing.

She gave no credence to the time cost, inconvenience cost, morale cost or frustration that resulted from an accolade of poor quality control and time wasting processes (such as defaulting to OS reinstall as a test). Maybe you can hide behind terms of limited liability, despite shipping computers with "manufacturing faults" but this is uncool when you consider the experence for customers.

I highly enocurage EVERYONE dealing with Dell to record all telephone conversations of interactions and hold them accountable.

THREE WEEKS, after I have re-posed these questions more than five times, including asking you twice by email and once again publically, is WAY TOO LONG.

Also Mourin, amongst Sukyana's politicised answers, she didn't answer my most important question: What Dell is doing to make sure my experence never happens to another customer.

So Mourin, I ask this again:

What Dell is doing to make sure my experence never happens to another customer?

 

Thomas,

I understand and sincerely apologize for the delay in correspondence from me. Since the issue had been escalated, Sukanya wanted to verify with the legal team that she was providing you with the correct information, hence the delay.

In response to your question to me--each case is different with many variables and although we try our best, we cannot accomplish ideal results in every situation. We value our customer relationships and I for one have learned a lot from working with you and on your case. Personally, my goal is to provide the best support I can to the customers that reach out to me. In the future I hope to continue to learn and better my practices and procedures to provide a more timely responses rate.

Thank you for allowing me to try and assist you and I'm truly sorry again for the inconvenience.

Regards,
Mourin