I have experienced a very tragic, stressful, depressing ordeal this year with a company that I would always hear on commercials stating "they have # 1 customer service rating". This definitely was not so. I do not understand why the news has not bothered talking about such companies and issues. If I would have heard the general consumers experience before hand; which I have now read 100s; I definitely would not have purchased my computer from them. This company is Dell.
I know your first reaction is probably - what? Dell? I could not believe it when I started having this awful experience. I was impressed throughout my life with the product Dell markets, but I now realize that Dell is not the same company any longer.
I have gone to a lot of web sites and read the awful and horrifying experiences that the Dell customers had experienced and are still battling. Part of me was glad to hear other people having serious issues with Dell because I felt like I was not alone with the same type of problem.
I'm not talking about your general, basic, easy to fix, quick problems. I'm talking about some very serious, negligent, fraudulent, time consuming problems; also known as awful nightmares that never end. I had gone to the extreme such as: filing complaints against Dell with the Better Business Bureau, FTC, Attorney General, and now I have posted the issues on many consumer web sites. I'm definitely not alone on this when I was reading 100s of other Dell complaints at such web sites.
Again though, it really shocks me and disappoints me that such horrifying ordeals could have been prevented; considering we have the media there to alert us of such businesses. The following is my horrible and terrifying experience with Dell. I have also read even worse experiences from other customers on different web sites.
I purchased a lemon Dell Dimension 4550 on January 29. From that day on, it was nothing but a never ending nightmare. I was suppose to have a Dimension 4550 Pentium 4,60 gig hard drive with 2.54 ghz processor. Along with that, I was to have a black printer that matches the computer. The computer was to be sent within a few days; considering it takes them 2 days to build it. I was very suspicious at the beginning when I placed the order over the phone.
The first problem was when it took almost 1 1/2 hours before a sales rep answered. The second problem was the extremely rude attitude he displayed to me. Along with his attitude, he was constantly trying to rush me off the phone. There was also a serious language barrier. This sales call center for Dell was based out of India. That's an issue of its own. I now realize 9 out of 10 of my calls go to India. I don't like that because, not only does it show the causes and effects of our high unemployment rate in the US, but also there's the major conflict with the language barrier. It was very hard to understand what this person was saying. I was suspicious about this person and my order, so I called back the next day, and hoped that I would get a hold of someone who spoke English to review my order.
To my surprise, yet as expected, it was not what I ordered.instead of the 2.4 ghz, they were sending me a 2.0. And at the same time, instead of 60gig hard drive, they were sending me a 40 gig hard drive. The printer, I did not find out until I received it, it was not right either.instead of black, it was purple! Ick! I don't have anything against purple, I'm just a guy and prefer a more manly color. Anyway, the main purpose was for the printer to match my computer.
What made the ordeal worse was the type of response they would give me regarding this. They would tell me that there's no difference in a 2.0 and 2.4 ghz. Same with the hard drive. To me, that's the same as being served H2O2 instead of H2O. I think there is a difference between Hydrogen Peroxide and Water even if it's the difference in the quantity of Oxygen. It's still different and you'll get different results.
I know from experience there's a difference between a 40 gig hard drive and a 60 gig hard drive. But of course, this is the Dell customer/sales/tech support service that I'm talking about, and as I have dreadfully learned, this is normal service from them.
I then told this person, to cancel that order and send me the proper computer I ordered. Her response was "it's too late; you will have to wait until you receive the computer in the next 3 wks, then call back in and request for a return order and after Dell gets the return, call back to order another one. And it will take 6 - 8 weeks for Dell to credit your card back. I could not believe this". Not only that, but she mentioned it being 3 wks before I get the computer and I was promised 1 week at the most.
I specifically stated to the sales rep when I placed the order that I would pay more to have it shipped faster and his words were "ok, ok don't worry, you'll get in a wk;" you know, that typical I'm too busy for you attitude that he displays while rushing my sales order.
I have constantly had to call Tech Support for problems with the faulty, malfunctioning hardware. 90% of my calls all went to India. They were and still are the rudest uneducated Tech support reps I've spoken to in my lifetime. Not only would I be on hold many, many times for well over 2 hours before anyone would answer, but worse yet, they would automatically hang up on me right after they picked up. I've read similar stories regarding that matter also.
I have spent well over 350 hours so far this year dealing with Dell. That is unacceptable. They have sent me awful and faulty parts, and had to replace that computer in July with one that was suppose to work. When they replaced it in July, they replaced it with a refurbished computer and lesser/older programs. It was a never ending battle.
Many times I called in regarding the hardware malfunctioning, their response would always be to reinstall XP. They would also read word by word of off this Dell web site that's avail to everyone. To me, that's not real knowledge that a true tech support rep would suggest. I knew it was not XP I should be concerned about because I would get warnings suggesting it's corrupted hardware failure.
Many suggestions these reps would suggest for many different problems would usually make the matters worse. Also, they have deep thing about always wanting to replace your video card, sound card, and hard drive. That and the famous Dell Tech support Saying "reinstall XP" is their solutions to every single problem.
I had to reinstall XP a few times within the last month and every time I reinstalled it, an error message would show up on the window while the XP re installation CD was still in the drive; stating could not create or find certain and many. Dll files. It would also suggest that the CD was corrupted and continuing the XP installation may cause it to malfunction again.
I then called tech support to tell them I needed a replacement XP re installation CD and I explained word by word what had happened. Their first response was " oh, you don't need those. Dll files at all. Just go ahead and reinstall XP again."
They must think everyone is stupid. That made no rational sense at all. I'm just glad that our Doctors don't talk like that when they're performing a operation. After I convinced this person it was the corrupted CD, he then turned around insisting it's my hard drive. He just knew it was my hard drive. He insisted I needed my hard drive replaced. I then told him I don't care if he wants my hard drive replaced, considering with my warranty, it will not cost me a penny, but I know for a fact and from the warning messages that popped up onto the screen that it was the CD. These warnings on the screen were specifically stating the issue resulting from a corrupt CD.
Finally this tech support rep from India told me he will send the CD and also schedule a time for someone to replace the hard drive. I then told him, I will need the CD shipped ASAP, considering I can not do a thing until then. Not only that, but my warranty covers overnight delivery for such issues. This was on a Thursday that this call took place.
It's now the following Monday and still no re installation CD. They also told me that XP and all of the original programs will be preinstalled on the replacement hard drive when I get it on Monday. It will be like it was the day I got the computer. When the contractor gets here with the hard drive, he installs it right away and as expected, there was no windows XP or any other programs installed on there. I then called back and stated that, then asked when I will be receiving the replacement CD, and this person said that there was no such order for a replacement CD. I could not believe this. This was very unethical. And this has been happening all year long since I purchased this computer.
The situation with the CD is very similar to the many situations I've had with them not returning the phone call when they promised. Sometimes they would tell you to do certain things that will take a while to complete and they will call you back in 30 minutes to help you complete the task and to check on the outcome. 10 out of 10 times, they would fail to call back as promised. You would then be stuck with having to call Tech support back and explain the whole entire ordeal again.
For the CD, they finally sent it, but I never got it for about 5 days. So, I was without my computer for another 5 days. So much for my job. This time they were to send a return sticker and envelope to place my corrupted CD in. I was then to call the Airborne Express # and set a time for them to pick up my return package. When I received the CD, there was not a return sticker, slip, nor envelope for it. Yet I get an invoice the next day from Dell stating if the replaced part isn't returned within 10 days, I'm liable for the invoice.
By now, I am so fed up with talking to the unreliable customer/tech support. I first contacted the Escalation Dept at the Corporate office and left numerous messages along with my # to call me back at, but to no avail. I then email dell customer service regarding the CD return issue, and get a confirmation email stating it's scheduled to be picked up on 11/18.
Then that night, I also get 5 emails within 18 seconds all together stating it's a confirmation regarding my computer being returned. They had sent me 1 confirmation email after another with this fraudulent and negligent, false return order that I never placed. It was 5 of those same emails sent to me in 18 seconds.
I then emailed them back stating that I never placed such a return order nor did give them any type of authorization to process such an order. I then stated that it was a return order for the CD they replaced, not the whole entire computer. After finally getting confirmation, along with the typical automated " I'm sorry for the inconvenience reply" they confirmed it was wrong and canceled the computer return order.
Again to my surprise, it's now one day later and I receive the same exact computer return confirmation email 5 times in less than 20 seconds. They just keep popping up in my inbox. I can not believe this company.
I then called Airborne Express at the # on my slip and confirmed with them if there was such an order scheduled on 11/17. The rep at Airborne told me there was 5 pick up orders for the 17th. I then told her that that is not valid, but there should be 1 scheduled pick up for the 18th and that was for the CD. She told me that she doesn't have any control over that; which is true, but I needed to contact Dell. I then told her I had contacted Dell twice before calling her. I did so by email; considering that's advertised by Dell as one way of getting tech/customer service, and I had also contacted the Escalation Dept leaving another message regarding this issue.
I was so angry then and told this Airborne Express rep what I've been dealing with regarding Dell, and she told me that they all hear horrifying complaints and issues from Dell customers regarding all sorts of serious issues; such as the ones I've explained so far. That made me feel good to see that everyone is battling the same horrible battle. This lady said it's also because of all the horror stories she's heard from the Dell customers that she will never buy a Dell. The same now goes for me. I will never again in my lifetime purchase any Dell products.
If you would like some confirmation regarding how awful and corrupt this company is, please spend a few minutes at these web sites. Some of the stories you will hear will have you spinning in circles. And keep in mind, now days not many people bother expressing issues they are dealing with such as this. So considering that, we all know that there are millions more of such issues regarding this out there. The following websites will confirm how bad Dell's service is:
Http://www.bbbonline.org
http://www.consumerreports.org/
http://baycomputers.Us/pgms/Dell Computers.htm
http://www.planetfeedback.com/
http://www.complaintbook.com/
http://usacomplaints.com/
http://www.thesqueakywheel.com/
http://www.uspeakout.com/
http://www.baddealings.com/
http://www.fightback.com/
http://www.ftc. Gov/ftc/consumer.htm
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/
If you have read this far, I know it's probably a lot of reading and misspelling; considering how stressed I am, then thank you.
Regards
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