I tried to order a laptop computer. For some unknown reason the order got put on hold possibly because the day I ordered my bank was performing software upgrades and the debit card I used could not be authorized.
Sounds like a simple enough problem to fix to anybody with four or five functioning brain cells but I guess Dell can only afford people with less than 3 functioning brain cells.
After getting two emails informing me that the order was put on hold and required attention I called Dell credit card services and explained the software upgrade at my bank. This was on Friday the day I put the order in on line.
The fellow I spoke to suggested they put the order through again on Monday. Ok, fine lets try that and have a good weekend. Well Monday moring I go online to my banks website and wouldn't you know there is a charge from Dell dated the day I placed the order.
I ask myself how can it be that Dell's web site is telling me the order is still on hold and yet my bank shows a charge from them. So I call customer service and the fun begins.
Call #1: I'm asked for my order number and what is the problem by a person with a heavy Indian accent that I can barely understand and have to ask her to repeat herself several times.
She says she will transfer me to the person who can help me and puts me on hold. 45 minutes later another person with a heavy Indian accent answers, asks my order number and name. She explains they will try to put it through again but she can not get the purchase to go through.
She says she will transfer me to someone else who can help and puts me on hold. 1 hour and 11 minutes go by and the call disconnects.
Call #2: Start with customer service receptionist. Heavy Indian accent, order number and name. "I will transfer you sir". 55 minutes go by, another heavy Indian accent, order number and name. Another try to get the order to go through with no luck.
At this point I'm getting a little frustrated and ask if they can explain why the order is not goin through and I'm told its not being authorized. Now keep in mind, I have already spoken to the bank. I'm well under the spending limit on the debit card and plenty of funds in the account.
This person tells me they will have to transfer and put me on hold. Another 35 minutes and the call drops.
Call #3: Start at customer care. Heavy Indian accent, order number and name. Another transfer and hold. 40 minutes later on with credit card services. Heavy Indian accent, order number and name.
I ask to cancel the order since they dont seem to be able to get it to go through. "I will transfer you to the person who can do that sir" and back on hold. 40 minutes later the call drops.
Now the frustration is really building. I figure I have wasted enough time trying to get this resolved and get back to work. I decide to wait till I get home. Keep in mind I have already spent 4 hours and 46 minutes on hold.
Once home I give it another go.
Call #4: Customer service, accent, order number and name. Transfer number 1, hold for 30 minutes. Accent and "I'm sorry sir but you have to speak to credit card services. Transfer number 2, hold for 30 minutes.
"I will have to transfer you to customer care sir". Oh for pete's sake lady they just transfered me to you! Transfer number 3, hold for 40 minutes. This time Technical service in Texas picks up. This is the first English speaking person I have spoken to.
Well he tells me his department can not do anything about orders at all and he will have to (you guessed it) transfer me to the person who can help me.
Transfer number 4, hold for 15 minutes and the call drops.
Ok so I will admit that right about now, the urge to storm out of my house and commit random acts of unspeakable violence on unsuspecting people was getting pretty strong. Not to mention a strong dislike for Indian accents.
Call #5: Do I really have to repeat the obvious? This time I tell customer service to give me the direct number of the department I need to speak to in order to cancel the order. She gives me the number and tells me she will transfer the call.
Hold for 20 minutes and the call drops. It's a reall good thing I don't own any guns and can't afford the air fair to India! I call the 800 number she gave me and actually get through in 5 minutes.
I explain the whole mess to a fellow who actually tries to straighten the whole mess out. He cancels the first order and starts from scratch but no luck. So I tell him to cancel everything.
Well I'll tell you. Thats over 6 hours of my life I will never get back. What a waste of time Dell customer service is. I must have spoken to 20 different people. Non of which could do anything to help.
Just transfer me around endlessly. After this experience not only will I never buy any Dell products. But I will see to it that the company I work for which is getting ready to replace 20 computers will not purchase any from Dell.
In my entire life I have never had such horrible customer service. I recommend and purchase computers for two different companies together which operate close to 500 computers. None will be replaced with Dell products.
I plan on reporting this incident with the Better Business Bureau and whoever else might listen.
Transatlantic
New Milford, Connecticut
U.S.A.
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