Last week, when I began receiving an error message on my computer that one file was missing (preventing me from installing Internet software), I contacted Dell and was told that my extended warranty and in-home repair serrvice contract did not cover the software Dell had installed on my computer. This, of course, was not explained when Dell sold the extended warranty and in-home repair service contract.
After nine hours on the phone, most of them spent listening to awful, loud music and Dell commercials, and being bounced back and forth between departments, I was finally transferred to the software help line. I was told that for $253.73, I could purchase unlimited support for one year. My other option was to pay $99.00 for a single incident. I angrily agreed to the expensive one-year plan, because there was nothing else I could do.
The technician who came on line immediately told me that I had to re-install Windows XP, erasing everything on my computer. All that was missing was one, small, file, but instead of helping me acquire it, he told me I HAD to re-install the entire operating system. He guided me through part of the process, but left me to complete it after the drivers were re-installed.
I re-installed the XP Service Pack 2, and the next morning went to the Microsoft sight to download all the updates erased by the re-installation of Windows XP. This took many hours. I went and downloaded my virus protection software, which immediately began alerting me to infected files. I ran a scan and found several that could not be cleaned or deleted.
I called Dell, and after waiting forever, spoke with a virus "specialist, " who told me this call would count as my "second incident." I asked what this meant, and he said that I would only receive help for four incidents under the terms of my contract. I said no, that I had been told I would get unlimited support for a year, but he responded that this was not true, and that Dell had once had such a contract, but no longer did so. My $253.73 contract was only good for four incidents, and I was using up the second. Then, in response to my software virus issue, he told me to go to another Web site and download a program more effective than. I went to the site, and found that it was simply a commmercial site selling a particular brand of software. I did not buy it. My was recently renewed, and had always worked well.
I was curious as to why my computer had become infected, and checked my firewall. It was not working, and could not be turned on. I called Dell, and after waiting forever, again, reached a technician, who told me to uninstall my Windows XP Service Pack 2. I followed his instructions, and hit the uninstall button. I immediately got a warning stating that removing the software could damage many other programs, which were listed. The technician said to ignore this and continue with the removal of Service Pack 2. I did. He then had me re-install it. This had no effect on the firewall. He then said he didn't know what to do. I asked if he would consult with somebody higher up and call back. He said Dell would call me back the next morning at 11:00.
The next day, Dell did not call, so I called Dell. After waiting eternally to speak with someone, I reached a technician in India who told me to uninstall Service Pack 2. I refused, explaining that I had already done this before to no avail, and that I'd had to re-download more than thirty Microsoft updates that morning. He then claimed that my Service Pack 2 CD from Microsoft did not work with the Service Pack I software embedded in Dell's Windows XP CD. He had me look at the registry (but he didn't know what to do with it). While he was looking things up, I used the help feature built into the computer to find out what I could do. When the technician came back on the phone, he started giving me the same instructions I was reading on the screen.in other words, he was doing the same thing I was, using the search feature on his computer to find answers. None of the suggestions was helpful. He then said he didn't know what to do. I told him I'd e-mailed Microsoft for help and hadn't heard back, but did have a case number. He said he would keep my file open, but that if Microsoft couldn't fix the problem, I would need to buy McAfee's firewall software (which Dell, of course, sells).
The next morning, Microsoft contacted me with simple instructions for repairing the firewall. I did as instructed, and the problem was instantly corrected. I spent the rest of the day replacing files destroyed first by the re-installation of Windows XP, and then, again, by the unnecessary removal and re-installation of the Service Pack 2.
All-in-all, I spent almost three full days on the phone trying to get help from Dell. I paid $253.73 for a redundant service contract that was supposed to provide unlimited software support for one year, only to discover the next day that I had been tricked with a classic bait-and-switch. Dell did not correct the original problem, it did not correct the virus problem (which was not a separate incident, but part of the same incident), and it did not correct the firewall problem (also part of the same incident). Dell made me re-install Windows XP, when all I needed was one small file. Dell had me re-install Service Pack 2. The next day it had me uninstall and re-install Service Pack 2, destroying more than thirty other files and damaging several programs. The next day, Dell tried to get me to uninstall Service Pack 2 again.
In October of this year, when my computer crashed, Dell promised to send a technician to replace the hard drive within three business days. Nobody ever called or showed up to fix the computer, and I finally did so by hit-and-miss. I think Dell should pay ME what it would have paid the technician to fix the computer.
I believe Dell is a criminal company run by criminal executives who know very well their employees are selling bogus contracts and damaged products. I suspect, Dell's employees have quotas. I also suspect that its so called repair technicians are punished in one way or another for escalating a call. Most of the technicians are in India, and powerless to do or say anything other than what they've been programmed to do or say. These are obviously the fall guys for the executives, who are completely insulated. If one tries to reach an executive in Austin, one is immediately sent to voice mail. Calls are not returned.
The Better Business Bureau in Austin has had nearly thirteen thousand complaints against Dell in the past three years. If one goes to the Austin BBB site and tries to file a complaint, one discovers that it is a very complicated and time-consuming business. I doubt one-in-a-hundred persons with a complaint actually bothers filing one with the BBB. Therefore, I assume that the actual number of Dell customers with serious complaints against the company must be in the hundreds of thousands.
I'm amazed that Dell has gotten away with this for so long, and in many countries, not just the U.S. Dell says one should read the small print in ones contracts. Fine. The problem is, the contracts are sold over the phone, and we, the consumers, don't have copies to read, or lawyers to explain the details. We have to rely on the honesty of the Dell employees selling the contracts, and, obviously, many Dell employees lie. I was lied to last week when I was sold a bogus "unlimited" software service contract for $253.73, when no such unlimited contracts existed.
This is probably the worst company I've ever dealt with. The customer support is absolutely horrible, the endless hours and hours of waiting on the phone for somebody, anybody to help cannot be described. When a technician says he or she is transferring ones call to a supervisor or advanced technician, one is most likely to find oneself back at point A, because these transfers rarely go through. When a technician gives one a special "direct number, " one can rest assured it is no more direct than any other, and that no amount of money will speed up the process.
Clearly, Dell's "customer support" is designed to frustrate customers into giving up, and to make sure Dell spends a little money as possible.
I'm contemplating filing a complaint with the Florida State Attorney General (I live in Florida). The Austin Better Business Bureau is an apologist for Dell, and devotes much space to defending it, doubtless because (1) it's a member, (2) it's a huge Texas employer and economy-booster, and (3) & (fill in the blank). Frankly, I think the Austin BBB should give more weight to thirteen thousand irate consumers than it does to one obnoxious, unethical corporate giant.
Curt
Tampa, Florida
U.S.A.
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