Disgruntled and unhappy customer

So I'm on to my 4th SXPS 16. It's been one hell of a ride. Today the power supply for my second system, which I'm curently using, failed. But an hour later it started working again. @*$&^£. I was playing a game and I could smell an electrical burn comming from it. Anyways, below is the email I sent to a bunch of Dell execs and the correspondence that followed..

Sent: 2009/5/1

Reference Numbers:

Customer No.: GB8768467
Order No's: 23809107, 23919212, 23977232
Dispatch/Purchase Order for latest replacement order: 4025201663

To whom it may concern,

So where do I begin. I honestly do not know. All I hope is that this email gets sent to the correct person who will understand what customer service is all about. Not some mindless, headset-wearing automaton at Dell UK's call center.

18/03/2009 - I place my online order for my very first Dell Studio XPS 16 with Avinash K. Kumar the online sales person. Everything goes according to what I would expect. Payment is made and a few hours later I receive an Order Confirmation email from Dell. The next day I receive numerous calls from a Dell sales rep confirming all address details. Which I guessed at the time was all company policy.

29/03/2009 - I receive an email from Dell giving me the bad news that they will not be able to make delivery on the previously agreed date of 02/04/2009. The new Estimated Delivery Date will now be 14/04/2009. After numerous unanswered emails, I find out, from Avinash K Kumar the Dell sales rep that helped place my order, that Dell had RGLED LCD stock issues. Nevertheless at the time I saw this as a minor. After all, this is a customised system so I was not fazed about the late delivery.

08/04/2009 - I receive my first system (order no.: 23809107). She was a beauty. But unfortunately there where noticeable manufacturing faults which at first I tried to ignore but I decided that spending £1500 on a high-end system did not warrant the defects. Faults I found are as follows:

Left LCD hinge cover was slightly open (I am not the only customer with a faulty left hinge cover. There are many other customers from all over the world with this same defect on their laptops); Keyboard back-light flashes when it lights-up and the network card never connected at 1Gbps.

I also found that the Roxio, PowerDVD and Facial Recognition software installation media was never shipped with the laptop. I called the Customer Support and they explained that I should have selected the media when I ordered the system. I find that an absolutely atrocious explanation. Firstly there was never an option to have the installation media shipped with the machine. Secondly the laptop came installed with the software so surely I should get the installation media shipped with the system. Dell ships MS Windows and Works with installation media why not the Roxio, PowerDVD and Facial Recognition software. What happens if the PowerDVD becomes corrupt and I need to reinstall it? If Dell doesn't provide the media I won't be able to play my blu-ray movies. If they don’t ship the media I wouldn’t mind having to download the software. At least then the Dell execs will still be able to keep costs down and there shareholders happy.

Fortunately I was able to get hold of Akanksha Mishra from Customer Support who was able to arrange Getronics to send me the PowerDVD software which I received yesterday. For more information on why I was not able to get the Roxio or Facial Recognition installation media, see the email from Akanksha I attached.

13/04/2009 - I call Dell Customer Service and after 1h 30m of being transferred between numerous representatives, I was transferred to a very efficient Dell Customer Support representative. Her name was Jasmine or Reta. She placed the replacement order over the phone and 3 hours later I received my Order Confirmation email.

21/04/2009 - Current System - My replacement system is delivered and as far as I could see it doesn't have the same faults my first system had. As I go through the steps of testing the system I open Windows Media Player and play the first available song I could find. But something is wrong. At first I thought it might be the sound card drivers but after updating them and even reinstalling the OS only the subwoofer/off-center speaker produces sound. The left and right speakers were totally dead. I even opened the machine, removed the palm-rest and made sure all the speaker cables were connected, but to no avail. I couldn't find anything wrong. That evening I tried calling to have another laptop sent but again I was transferred from department to department and after spending £15 on pre-paid cellphone time I decided to call it a night.

22/04/2009 - The next morning I was met with the same troubling inter-departmental finger-pointing and after 1h 15m I was told that the customer support department does not order or authorise replacement systems anymore. It was now the job of the Technical Support department. After speaking to a Technical Support representative he said he could not help me but that I should receive a call within 24 hours from someone that will place the order.

3 Hours later (good response time!!!) I get a call from Shareesh an incompetent sounding person informing me that he will be placing the replacement order for me. What troubled me the most was that he kept asking me the specification of my machine. Surely that information is available from the previous order's items??? Nevertheless I was assured the order had been placed and that I should be receiving an email confirmation soon. Shareesh also gave me dispatch number: 04025201663. After waiting for almost a day the confirmation email, unfortunately, never came. For the next few days I tried enquiring about the order from numerous Technical and Customer representatives all of whom assured me that the order was placed. I even spoke to a very unpleasant and irritable Technical Supervisor who was clearly not interested in his job. Even he assured me that the order had been placed. The weekend came and gone, still no email confirmation.

27/04/2009 - Monday I receive the first email confirming my order which includes my order number and the specifications attached in PDF format. I also see that the order was only placed on Monday. According to Swechcha from Dell Customer Services there was a technical error and the order was only placed on Monday instead of 22/04/2009 as promised by the numerous people I spoke to the week before!!! I wish I could speak to that very unfriendly Technical Supervisor face to face and see how he explains this "technical error".

29/04/2009 - I recheck the order status of order 23977232 and find according to the packing slip the Optical Drive is a DVD drive instead of a blu-ray drive as I originally ordered (Order no's: 23809107 and 23919212) . I wish I could tell you how I felt. I couldn't fathom going through the whole process of reordering for the third time. Obviously someone made a mistake. The item numbers are almost the same. It should’ve been item number 429-13367 and not 429-13366.

30/04/2009 - The next day I call customer care and get transferred to technical support (as if I didn't know that was going to happen). After explaining what had happened the technical support person says that according to the dispatch number 4025201663 the machine will be fitted with a blu-ray drive but I tried telling him the packing slip states its only a DVD drive. Again he assures me that it will be a blu-ray drive. But how can I be sure? Dell previously promised that the replacement order was placed and yet almost a week later it wasn't. The technical support agent says he’ll transfer me to Customer Support, but I hung-up as I was too upset to continue the charade any further.

So my question is this. Is there someone at Dell who can confirm that the optical drive installed in my replacement system (order number: 23977232) is in fact a blu-ray drive. If the wrong drive was indeed fitted, instead of having the delivery company send the wrong machine just have it redirected back to the manufacturing plant in Poland to have the correct drive fitted. Otherwise when it arrives on Wednesday (6/05/2009) and it indeed has the incorrect optical drive I'll just a have to send it back again. This would mean that Dell would have to spend more money on sending me a fourth replacement system instead of just having the third system refitted with a blu-ray drive.

As I said above, I can only hope that this email arrives in the right person's mailbox and that I get a speedy resolution to this saga. Otherwise I'll have to take this further and maybe even take my story to the papers. I'm sure Dell will agree that in the current economic climate that would be most unfortunate.

Yours sincerely,
Mr Ryan Rutzen


Later that afternoon I got a call from Latha who works in the Dell Corporate department. She appologised provusely and ordered my fourth replacement system.

Here is my reply after I spoke to Latha:

To who ever reads this,

I just received a call from Latha in Indian who is with the Dell Corporate Office. She has confirmed that order 23977232 has in fact been shipped with a DVD drive instead of a blu-ray drive. She suggested that a technician be sent to have the drive replaced once the system was delivered. But I did not find that appropriate as the machine would need to be opened and who knows what would go wrong. So instead I requested that another replacement be sent. She agreed and said that she will be placing the order and will be calling me once an order number has been generated.

I appreciate the call from Latha and that Dell has acknowledged my complaint. Lets hope everything goes smoothly with the fourth order.


Here is a list of all the addresses I sent the original complaint to:

[email protected],
[email protected]
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected]

I got the email addresses of the Dell execs below:
http://consumerist.com/consumer/exec...ves-321353.php

I await the delivery of my fourth system which should be on or before 19th May. I can only hope and pray that I don't have any problems with it.

 

Oish..

I hope that your 4th system turns out to be your final one for you...

If not, I would simply ask for a refund then...And, potentially start *fresh*, or revisit my options...

Yes, that's a good list..it gets fast replies..I have used it in several threads here.

*fingers crossed* for you. After all you have gone thru, you seem to have remained somewhat patient, for that itself, I give you kudos.

Cin

 

Thanks for the words of encouragement Cin.

Yes, I am by nature a very patient person. As long as I know for what and until when I have to wait for something I can be patient. But I become impatient when I get left in the dark.

 

Remove your order number and/or customer number from your post.

people can look at your order, and details.

 

Aaaaand Dell wonders why they are losing market share.

 

Thanks owais,

I don't mind they can look all they want. They can even come visit me if they really want to.

 

yeh, i dont like giving random people my address and name on the internet. plus, they can find out your system tag.

anyway, im also on my 3rd system soon. wednesday i think is what the delivery company said. i ordered a replacement last money after 1 hour of just trying to get transferred to the customer care dep (kept being diverted to xps tech support).

1st had a broken LCD.
2nd system has broken keyboard and dents.
3rd system hopefully works.

or what il do is get an outlet system and once that breaks, they can give me a new one.
i wanted a new laptop so i paid a little more, otherwise i can have a T9400 (2.53ghz) and everything the else same on my laptop for £100 less.


also for £1300 on the outlet there was a laptop of your spec, 6gb ram and a 128gb SSD last time.

im getting so pissed with dell now, im going to try and call on monday and act like i want a refund for all this hassle and get then difference between my and the outlet system(thats how much they would sell for if i returned mine, and save both of us the hassle )and they might forget to take my old system back considering the peple who work in those call centres cant even redirect a call to the right place.


Also, Roxio, PowerDVD and Facial Recognition are all on the dell utilities and drivers disc. Roxie is crap anyway, try nero.

 

I checked my Utilities and Drivers disc and it doesn't have the Roxio, PowerDVD or Facial Recognition software on it. It is possible that it's on your disc as your system is a Dell Outlet system.

Or it could be that Dell has made changes to its software media shipping policy and is now including it on the Utilities and Drivers disc. I'll check when my new system when is delivered.

 

Oh that sucks, they really have terrible quality control. Regretting your username much?

 

no, my system atm is brand new.

i was thinking about returning it for a outlet, or trying to get the difference between an outlet system and mine.

also, maybe reinstalling vista using dell's vista reinstall disc, gives you Roxio, PowerDVD and Facial Recognition to begin with?

 

Yes. Very much.

When I created it I was so excited. I joined just after I placed the order. I am pondering whether knowing what I know now whether I would have ordered it in the first place.

 

i think dell will say no togiving me the difference. il just stick with me xps if the next one is ok because i dont want to wait for laptop to go back, money to be returned to my back acc and then wait for a outlet system to come up.

but if the next one is messed, then im definitly going to give it back and get an outlet system just to them off.

 

Hey this is like reading de ja vue, I know what they are like! useless!

 

SO... I got my forth system yesterday and guess what the new system's HDD light isn't working and the primary headphone jack only plays the right channel.

I don't know anymore. Does anyone know of any alternatives. I need a blu-ray drive and a proper graphics card.

Waiting on Dell UK's corporate office to reply to my email about the issues with the fourth system. Will keep you guys posted.

 

Wow, it really seems like the Dell Europe assembly plants are doing a horrible job. I haven't heard of such issues happening in the US, at least not consistently like they have you. As for the other guy thinking of scamming Dell so he can get an outlet price, I hope someone from Dell reads this and tells you to get lost.

 

Dell Europe is really horrible!

I had:
A studio 1535 (scratched by a engineer, 5 times they went onsite with the wrong parts)
A replacement 1537 (DVD drive was broken)
A replacement 1537 (2) (A lot of other problems)
A replacement Studio XPS 1640 (Dust behind screen, tinteling palmrest, scratch on top of the lid)
XPS 1640 went to reparation center came back with faulty speakers and broken hinge lights.
2 times an engineer on site with the speakers and LCD screen, and now finally everything works....

 

It's really disgusting. I don't know what the hell is going on with Dell EU lately.

If Dell refund's me I'm thinking of buying a Macbook Pro. But I'm really in two minds. I don't want to convert to Apple. I despise Apple.

Maybe someone is trying to tell me something.

 

lol that would be cool, although i would probably get rid of mac OSx and put in windows...

i have also had a lot of problems with dell, first my mobo was replaced 3 times, then my palmrest... 2 times.. then my heatsink another 3 times, and now, my computer has broken antennas and scratched lid paintjob, all thanks to the soft care of dell techs, but ive been mailing a dell rep and its been a pleasant experience all in all, just asked me for photos of the damaged parts and now im just waiting for him to confirm the parts hes gonna send in

my m1530 is awesome, and it beats the crap out of any macbook anytime.

i would think twice before buying dell again though...

 

I've also experienced some of what you describe SXPS16FTW.
I'm in the UK and ordered a Studio XPS 1340 in February.
The first one stopped charging its battery after 3 days - otherwise seemed a very good build. But I refused to have the motherboard replaced and demanded a replacement laptop.
The second one ate the first DVD I tried to play and wouldn't eject it. Dell wanted to replace the DVD drive. Again I said No - but they insisted on drive replacement. Whilst this was going on I noticed that the display didn't seem to be so clear as on the first laptop. It turned out that they had provided a CCFL (?) screen rather than the LED screen on my original order. After I convinced them it was their error and not mine - they sent a third laptop. I have had this one for 3 weeks now - and it seems to be good. Fingers crossed.

What has really upset me, has been all the time spent on the phone convincing the 'robots' that there really is a problem and that I would rather Dell delivered me a working computer then I would not have to be be talking to them.

Why wont they admit to the problem and try to help, rather than resisting helping?? That has certainly been my experience.

The Studio XPS 1340 is a great machine, but the quality control of the build is poor and the 'Premium SXPS Support' is extremely frustrating at best. If you are going to buy one of these - you sure need patience.

Geoff

 

I totally agree with you Geoff.

The Indian call center people really are robots. Its like I said, mindless automotons. They all probably have a checklist they go through. Who knows they might even be under some sort of Hindu mind-control. It is just so frustrating! I want to tear out my hear and go native on the guy at the other end of the line.

The only light at the end of the tunnel was this lady from the Dell Global Escalation Management Team-Consumer. She only contacted me after I emailed all the of the Dell execs. She helped me sort out the mess but unfortunately I am now sitting with the fourth faulty system. Hopefully I'll get a call from her tomorrow.