Dell Customer Service Nightmare!

I know there's lots of Dell poor customer service stories out there, and I just wanted to contribute mine. This is a warning to anyone out there who is purchasing through the Dell Outlet (Refurbished Center).

In September 2007, I placed an order for two systems that I found on the Dell Outlet website, an Inspiron 1521 (laptop) and an Inspiron 531 (desktop). The laptop that I ordered was advertised with the 15.4” 1680x1050 WSXGA+ Glossy display. I placed the order over the phone (I wanted to discuss some add-ins, so I didn’t just place the order online). The order was placed without a problem, but the rep told me that the order number would not be generated right away so it would be a few days before I would receive a confirmation email. Apparently, the Dell Outlet system is not connected directly with the regular Dell system, so it takes a little while to propagate the order.

Three days later, I received a confirmation email and the system was shipped within the week. When I received the product, I noticed that the display was incorrect! The system that I received had the 1440x900 WXGA+ display! I looked up the order number online and it also showed the WXGA+ display. Had I noticed that before it was shipped, I would have probably canceled the order. I contacted my sales rep, and he sent me the description from his system of the computer that I ordered which definitely listed the higher end WSXGA+ display. I called immediately and was transferred between a few different agents until I found one who promised to submit a replacement order for a new laptop with the WSXGA+ display. The agent gave me an “Exchange Number” and informed me that a “Replacement Order Number” would be generated when the exchange was processed.

I spent the NEXT TWO MONTHS calling 4-5 times a week speaking to various agents and their managers who could only tell me that the order was “In Production”. Through this time, an order number was never generated, so I could not check it online! Every time I would call, they claimed to “Escalate” the order, but that never seemed to do anything. Every one that I talked to made reference to the “replacement laptop” that I would be receiving within the next few days. They could never explain why I had been promised to receive it the previous week because it had not yet been processed.
Finally about a week ago (almost the end of November!), I got an automated call that my order was (finally!!) shipped which included the order number. I looked up the order online and found that the system in the mail was a replacement for my desktop!!! As mentioned above, NOT ONE PERSON mentioned that the replacement order was for the desktop, but apparently that’s how the exchange was placed two months prior! I of course refused the delivery and proceeded to sit on hold with customer service for another 3 hours before I finally got someone to submit a request for “Corporate Management” to call me back. Did I mention that I've averaged about twice the number of minutes on my cell phone over these two months than any time in the last two years?

The next day, I got a call from another agent (supposedly from “Corporate Management” who, after I explained the situation, promised to submit another replacement request WITH the upgraded WSXGA+ display. As before, it took three days to get an order number. When I finally did, I looked online and was not surprised to find an order for a laptop with the incorrect WXGA+ display!

I am still in the process of trying to find a representative that can correctly sort out this issue, and I am getting very frustrated in the process. I wanted to post this as a warning to anyone purchasing from the Dell Outlet (maybe even Dell in general?) that you need to CHECK YOUR ORDER once it’s been generated because they may change something on you! If you do have this problem, it is very difficult to get resolved because it seems that they can only replace the system "as it is listed on your packing slip". The problem is that I did not order or pay for the system that is "on my packing slip"!

Just a note on the level of their customer service, I choose Dell about 10 years ago because they had great customer service back then. Every time I had a problem with my first Dell computer, they were very eager to help and get my problems resolved as quick as possible. Usually, they would arrange for overnight shipping both ways, so the machine was fixed and back to me literal in a matter of a couple days. With my second system I purchased (about four years ago), response times from customer care started to become a little slower, but I never had a problem getting them to fix any issues I had with the system. Now, it seems like Customer Service doesn't actually want to help me solve any of my problems! It has turned into a bureaucrat nightmare trying to find someone with the authority to actually service the customers! Really, how hard is it to simply change a part number on a replacement order? It seems that they refuse to actually give me system that I paid for! Nobody really seems overly friendly to me either, they all just act like there's nothing they can do so they don't care to talk with me.

Over the years, I have made many recommendations to friends and family to buy Dell. The reason I always gave is not that they have superior products, but that I have always been impressed with the customer service. I’ve probably been single handedly responsible for over a 100 new Dell customers over the last 10 years, but I can’t honestly say that the customer service is at the level that I remembered it! For that reason, I will not be buying Dell in the future, and I recommend to anyone who it considering so to carefully weigh how poor customer service rates in their book! Keep in mind that the systems they sell use the same parts as most other name brand computer manufactures, so really you're just buying the looks/aesthetics of the system and the company's customer service!

 

Crap...I just ordered a system from there! I really hope that you get your problem solved. Maybe it's time to write a clear, concise, letter or email to corporate explaining your situation, and how you will not recommend Dell again. Here's a site with more information (addresses) to get you started.

How to start the process: http://consumerist.com/consumer/com...nch-an-executive-email-carpet-bomb-259713.php

Almost forgot-There is another thing you can do. E-mail details of your problem to [email protected]-apparently these people are supposed to be able to solve issues like this

 

Holy hell! I haven't the time to read all that!

Try writing in bullet points

 

Sorry to hear your bad experience from Dell. But I have to admit, Dell was pretty good back in the days. I remember the first Dell desktop I purchased back about 10 years ago and it was near perfect with great customer service. Things did seem to get worse when I purchased my Inspiron 8200 (6 years ago) and my Latitude D620 (~3 years ago). Everytime I spoke to a customer rep it was always a nightmare. Besides the heavy Indian accents (which I really had a hard time understanding), nothing was really solved. It was always the typical "try formatting your hard drive" or "try downloading the newest drivers"... all of which I did prior to contact Dell.
Either way, I'm sure there are better reps that offer real help. Some members here on the forum has experienced really good customer service and will tell you how great they are. But for me, I'm totally with you and feel your frustration

 

The DELL "customer service" is non-existant! Plain and simple!!

HOWEVER....the DELL XPS tech support ARE EXCELLENT!! And they are based in Ireland (from 9am - 6pm) or in Canada...at least when phoning from the UK!

So any time I have a problem I just call tech support, and if its to do with a replacement system I go straight to the XPS tech support manager (I have the number for his direct line ).