I needed an inexpensive laptop to tide me over until I saved enough for a great desktop, so I called Dell and told the saleswoman what I was looking for. She told me that there was 12-month interest-free available, then proceeded to ask me what I would be using the computer for, etc. Based on the 12-month interest-free, I included much more in my order than I would otherwise have done. When she tallied up my bill, she told me that I owe $1400 and that, unless I paid in full on the first payment, I would be charged some gross amount of interest. I asked what had happened to the 12-month interest-free deal she had offered me; she said that was for a smaller computer that was less than $1000. I had had my appetite wheted for the computer I had ordered, so I went ahead with the deal. My computer was delivered very late and when it did arrive, it was not working. I spent many hours, turning into days, fixing the initial problem.
Getting very tired of dealing with Dell and still feeling that I had been given the old "bait and switch, " I called Dell and told my story to the man who answered. (There are so many departments at Dell and none of them is able to communicate with the others — I still don't know what department anyone I spoke was in.) This man told me I would be the happiest customer of Dell that ever was when I hung up my phone. He asked me what it would take to make me happy. I did not respond, but when I found out that the five-year warranty I purchased was more than $500, I asked him if I could have a one-year warranty instead. At first, he refused, saying that the five-year was mandatory. Then he relented and figured the new cost; since it was still more than $1000 and according to him I thus did not qualify for the deal, I told him I would return the computer but insisted that Dell pay for the shipping. He agreed and put in the pick-up order. When I began to pack up the computer to return it, I remembered that the man had offered me what I termed a rebate; so I called Dell again and asked the woman who answered if, given the inconvenience I had been put through, she could give me a rebate that, together with the lesser warranty, would bring my bill below $1000. She figured for a long time and came up with a figure that she assured me would do what I wanted. She then told me to call back after several business days to confirm that her figures had been received by the proper department.
I called back and was told that the bill was a little over $1000; but that did not matter, as the computer I had purchased was not the one on which the promotion of 12-month interest-free applied. Why, then, I asked, had the two people done figuring so that my bill would be below $1000? The person was unrelenting. Several e-mails were exchanged between various departments and me, to no avail. Customer Service told me to contact Financial Services and Financial Services told me to contact Customer Service. The last e-mail I received told me that it was my credit score that prevented me from getting the deal I wanted. I replied to that e-mail and then called the number given in Dell's e-mail.
Naturally, I got someone from Singapore; I asked to be transferred to someone in the U.S. That person told me about the promotion connection and that I had not purchased the correct computer. After I explained, unsuccessfully, about the new terms Dell, through its agent, and I had agreed to, I asked to speak with her supervisor. I explained to the supervisor that I had a new contract or at the very least new terms to the original contract based on the conversation I had with the woman who had given me a "concession" in order for my bill to be less than $1000 so that I could receive the 12-month interest-free account. I told her that based on the offer that I had accepted, I had kept the computer. She went back to the promotion connection; so I asked to speak with the legal department, since clearly this was a legal issue that was beyond the comprehension of the person with whom I was speaking. She informed me that legal does not take phone calls and does not have an e-mail address. Further, she could and/or would not contact them herself. I could write a letter to them and she gave me their mailing address. I asked that she send me an e-mail giving the details of our conversation. She said she would/could not, but that she would send me one telling me that I did not qualify for the promotion. I asked what assurance I had that any letter I sent would reach the Legal Department, since that address was general correspondence. I further asked if my account could be held in abeyance until I heard back from Legal and was told that it could not and that I would be paying interest everyday as in the original agreement.
I do not trust that Legal will receive any letter I send. This is a legal issue that must be dealt with by a lawyer. Customer Service at Dell has a mantra they speak and they have no room to do real customer service. The only rational person at Dell with whom I spoke was the woman who did the calculating to get my bill below $1000. Why would she do that if I still would not qualify for the account I wanted?
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