Dell Computer Tech Support HORRIBLE customer service Ripoff Nationwide

I called Dell Tech Support on Friday, September 9, 2005. It was one of the most irritating experiences of my life and I will NEVER EVER buy another thing from Dell as long as I live. First there was the frustration of their "if you want x, press 1" routing system, then their loooonnngg hold time.

Then I got a tech with an accent I had a hard time understanding, plus I'm hearing-impaired. The man began rattling off his "how-can-I-help-you" spiel and I tried to interrupt him to tell him I'm hearing-impaired and to please speak slowly. He said "My name is (unintelligible), thank you for calling Dell, have a nice day" and hung up. I had to go through the whole horrid routing system again.

This time I got a tech who said he'd talk slowly for me, but he told me to do something to the computer that I didn't understand. I asked him to repeat what he wanted me to do, and he said, "My name is Steven, thank you for calling Dell, have a nice day" and hung up again!

By this time I've been on the phone for over an hour trying to get help. I'm nearly in tears. This time I get a woman who tells me that before she can help me I have to buy a service plan because she can't find me in the computer. Frustrated, I let her put 105$ on my credit card. Then another long hold with another tech who disconnects me!

I'm in tears by this time. Fortunately I get a very nice man with a lovely British accent who apologizes profusely and takes great pains to help me. Unfortunately he can't, but tells me he'll get me a refund for the $105 he says I shouldn't have been forced to pay in the first place. He transfers me to refunds.

I get a horribly rude woman who acts impatient when I explain my hearing problem and talks to me in almost baby-talk tones. She says it will be a month before I get my refund. I can't believe it and say I want my refund NOW. She snaps "You will get your refund in 30 days, thank you for calling Dell, HAVE A NICE DAY!" Her voice steadily rises until she's shouting the have a nice day part, and she hangs up on me.

I've been on the phone for THREE AND A HALF HOURS with these horrible people. I call back, in tears, and get a nice woman who is appalled by my story and explains that no, it doesn't take 30 days to get a refund. It will show up in a week. She apologizes even though none of this is her fault.

Now, I've worked customer service before, and I agree that people who curse or shout should be hung up on, but at no time did I do any of those things. With the two notable exceptions, the reps were rude, condescending, insulting, impatient jerks. Dell has the absolute worst customer "service" I've ever had the misfortune to encounter.

Obviously customer satisfaction means nothing to them, but maybe the loss of business will. I certainly won't buy another product from Dell as long as I live and will make sure that any other prospective Dell customer I meet knows exactly what kind of treatment they'll get if they're foolish enough to give Dell their $

Helaina
Raleigh, North Carolina
U.S.A.