Dell Computer Corporation -Hell on Consumers *Consumer Suggestion *UPDATE ..inside story from Dell employees & Former dHell tech support rep

I agree that early on, DELL computers were made properly and serviced properly. I still have my first DELL, an i316sx (Intel 386 16MHz, 0.75MB RAM) and it still works!

Like many businesses today, they reserve the quality service for those who pay for it. For example, where I work is a 100% DELL shop, meaning all of our workstations and servers are DELL computers. When you buy a service plan, you get that onsite service and parts replacement. Depending on how much you paid for the service plan, you can have a tech onsite within 4 hours with a brand-new replacement part. All the places where I have worked (I'm a computer network admin/engineer) that have had DELL service contracts have had excellent service. I once called DELL because a gal had spilled a cup of coffee into her brand new laptop. Because of the service plan the company had, a tech was there 2 hours later with a brand new laptop. Thus you need to pay for the service plan if you want good service.

DELL does, as many other companies do, offshored their telephone tech support. I started out as a telephone service tech, and I can vouch for those who say that the point of techsupport is NOT to solve the problem, but to get you off the phone using a script and technical jargon that non-technical people will not understand.

DELL is not the only company out there with poor follow-up service for "regular" customers. I also agree with the poster who said you should either build your own or seek out your local tech shop that will custom-make a computer to your specifications.

If you're savvy enough, go to DELL's auction site (dellauction.com) and buy a refurbished or off-lease computer and then customize it how you want it. They are great "barebones" systems for the money (usually pretty inexpensive).

I had an old Dell. It was built like a brick shithouse, and worked well.

Unfortunately, at 166Mhz, it's not practical to use anymore.

New US computers are trash. All the quality is gone. They are trying to compete with low-priced Asian products. American wages make that impossible.

Avoid computers made in America. Stick with Asian quality.

If I bought a Dell, I'd try for a complete refund.

I had an old Dell. It was built like a brick shithouse, and worked well.

Unfortunately, at 166Mhz, it's not practical to use anymore.

New US computers are trash. All the quality is gone. They are trying to compete with low-priced Asian products. American wages make that impossible.

Avoid computers made in America. Stick with Asian quality.

If I bought a Dell, I'd try for a complete refund.

I had an old Dell. It was built like a brick shithouse, and worked well.

Unfortunately, at 166Mhz, it's not practical to use anymore.

New US computers are trash. All the quality is gone. They are trying to compete with low-priced Asian products. American wages make that impossible.

Avoid computers made in America. Stick with Asian quality.

If I bought a Dell, I'd try for a complete refund.

I had an old Dell. It was built like a brick shithouse, and worked well.

Unfortunately, at 166Mhz, it's not practical to use anymore.

New US computers are trash. All the quality is gone. They are trying to compete with low-priced Asian products. American wages make that impossible.

Avoid computers made in America. Stick with Asian quality.

If I bought a Dell, I'd try for a complete refund.

I have also been ripped off by Dell. I purchased a computer from them and had a multitude of technicians to try to get it working properly to no avail. The service was horrible when I went online or called the helpline. I ended up sending the computer back within a 30 day period. They only gave me partial credit which I questioned and they never responded to my many letters and phone calls. Of course, this was eventually turned over to a collection agency while late fees continued to be added to the balance. Again, with no response from Dell! Each time I called, I was given a different number to call and waited 30 minutes before talking to someone who again gave me another number!..This has made me very bitter toward this company. I am advising everyone to steer clear of Dell!...I reqret the day I ever heard of them!...It now appears in order to keep my credit record clean, I'll end up having to pay nearly $500 to them for late fees and a new computer that was returned within 30 days!....If they do everyone like this, no wonder they are a multi-billion dollar company!....DELL SUXS!

I wonder what type of warranty was purchased in addition to the "factory" warranty. The type of warranty that I purchased with my Dell was for "In-home service" and "Next-Day" shipping on parts. Although this was years ago, I would imagine that this type of warranty would be available today.

I have had several repairs to my Dell. The customer service line is a hassle, but I have never called a 1-800 line with any business and had a "pleasant" experience. These places are often staffed by college students (just working to get through college) or adults with little or no education past high school (unless they are in the "true management.") Asking for a supervisor is never going to get anything. More people should realize that the "supervisor" is the tech sitting next to the person that answered the phone or the "senior leader" for that group of cubicles.

As far as actual parts and repair, the technician has come to my house and placed NEW parts. One time a part was on back-order, so it took longer. I always started my calls to Dell by telling them what warranty I had before I told them what was wrong. I am not familiar with computer repair. I just called them and someone came out.

Be sure to check out all optinons. Even if you do know what you are doing with your own "at-home" computer repair, wouldn't it be nice just to have someone come to your home and do it? Most people who I know that are computer "fix-it" people have a few computers in their home. It wouldn't hurt for one to wait a few days for the repair person to get there.

Ok, i am an ex sales rep for a large segment with in the public sector. If you go online now to try to purchase a $349 machine you will find when you hit the configure button, it jumps back to $600+. UPsell! UPsell!! Upsell!!! You would think as good as product Dell is supposed to be that they would not have to use this bait and switch.

The computer industry is worse than the used car industry. You buy a nice shiny box, with who know's inside, and service by abdulla across the world who doesn't give a rat'z azz on what you really need. Or better yet understand you or vice versa!

Aside from that is all the ex frat kids that work there. They wouldn't know how to sell a blanket to an eskimo.

Recently toward the end of my three year warranty I developed video problems. I spoke to Dell tech support who had a brand new 19 inch p991 monitor sent to me in less than 24 hours. The monitor wasn't the problem. I returned it (all at Dell's expense of course) and within two days a service rep had come to my house and installed a new (and better) video card.



I have had mostly good and satisfying results from the tech support people. These "Rip-Off Reports" are puzzling. Maybe it's because I live in Canada and ordered my computer through Dell Canada.

My sister and alot of our friends do work at service zone in lakecity,fl. wich does trouble shooting and other things for dell customers,we sit around and talk about this stuff all the time,its ridiculous the way they have to treat the customers, forced to hang up on them if the customer gets upset about the runaround,not only that,some people call to check out ordering and prices,payments etc. well a few weeks later they end up with a computer at their door wich they werent ready to buy yet,when they call to try to return it,its too late,there stuck with it,also some use a credit card to purchase the computer outright,next thing they know its on a finance plan wich is way more expensive,not to mention its not what they wanted,these companies say they help people,all they do is feed on the poor misinformed consumer.

As a tech support employee (a Senior Tech, actually), I can assure you that many of the above experiences are unusual. Furthermore, Dell does NOT outsource all of it's tech support. Yes, a good bit of it is, but a lot of it is also handled internally, and that percentage will be greatly increasing throughout this year until only a small amount is outsourced. I am an internal employee.



We are required to ensure that certain steps have been performed before dispatching parts, so please be understanding if we ask you to do something you don't like. We would prefer to troubleshoot thoroughly and get the problem fixed the first time than to do a lousy job and have to keep trying.



In regards to keeping parts and selling them on EBay, I wouldn't try that. First of all, they WILL come after you (remember, they've got your address and phone number). That could also be considered theft in many areas. Also, giving false CC info is considered credit card fraud. Secondly, if you keep the part, your account will be placed on hold until it's paid for. That means you will be able to get no phone support and no warranty service.

They filed the following rebuttal to the above Rip-Off Report:



Their email: stitt9@flashmail.com

Their name: Matt



Their relationship to the company: Consumer Suggestion



Rebuttal:

If your DVD can read a CD in DOS then the drive is not faulty. Get into DOS and try every cd that you have, just DIR each one and make sure it is reading. If it fails in DOS the drive is bad. If it works in DOS the drive is good and I would try to run a utility such as Norton Utilities and see how many system problems it can find and fix.



Also, check the device manager and find out who manufactured the drive. Go to their website and get a firmware update. See if that solves the problem.



Good luck

This email is a rebuttal to RipOff #5362.

It was sent by Former tech support rep at private@something.com.



Dell Computer Corporation - Hell on Consumers *Consumer Suggestion *UPDATE

inside story from Dell employee (#5362)



They filed the following rebuttal to the above Rip-Off Report:



Their email: private@something.com

Their name: Former tech support rep



Their relationship to the company: Advocate



Rebuttal:



I spent 8 months working for Dell's "support". I should put Dell's in quotation marks too, seeing as how the techs don't actually work FOR Dell.

Dell subcontracts all their tech support. So I never actually worked FOR Dell. I've seen a real Dell employee maybe... 3 times. Not actually

working for the company you support really does crappy things for treatment of the customers. Most tech support agents really don't care about what they say or do becasue there's no Dell employees for miles. And if they do screw up(and get caught) the management just sweeps it under the rug and never tells Dell about it so big brother can think they're doing great things.



And about the troubleshooting runaround, yeah we hated that too. It's not fun having to make people go through all the crap they did before. But we need permission from a "senior" tech before we can send a part. Most seniors are rather anal about it and the customer's request usualy is left entirely up to the senior who, if he's having an especially

bad day, can simply deny it and make the support agent and the customer jump through MORE hoops. And here's a nifty little tidbit of information.



There's a thing called "call metrics". Which means we had to end the day with an average of 16 minute call times. Which means the only thing we were concerned about would be getting the customer off the phone. This is usualy done by finding another company to refer you to(a schwing), pretending to be disconnected, or just plain lying. The one thing I've heard the most from seniors and anagers in the past has been "get them off your phone."

The aggravating thing is that almost every call is some ATROCIOUS problem that takes days and days to fix. Like the time I got a call from a woman who's computer would make her body go numb the minute

she turned it on or got anywhere near it.

We placed it eventually... AFTER TROUBLESHOOTING. And never ask to speak to a manager. It's company

policy to have you talk to another tech pretending to be a manager so that there's no way you can get anything out of him. We were always told to say

the managers are "non technical". But really you're speaking to a senior tech, the guys we call when we have to (god forbid) replace something. Or

when an issue crops up (hourly) that totally defies logic.



Like systems that will refuse to play the win98 cd and ONLY the win98 cd. Not just not play it, but spit it out. I'm glad to say I left dHell a few months ago without a word to management. Couldn't swallow the crap anymore.

This email is a rebuttal to RipOff #5362.

It was sent by John Meyer at Private@private.com.



Dell Computer Corporation - Hell on Consumers

*Consumer Suggestion (#5362)



They filed the following rebuttal to the above Rip-Off Report:



Their email: Private@private.com

Their name: John Meyer

Their phone number: 6549856985

Their relationship to the company: Advocate



Rebuttal:

Im a Senior Technican for Dell Computer and they layed eveyone off including me and the hold time is around two hour wait. The only advise I can give you is the next time you have a problem and they send you a part they ask for your credit card number and you need to make one up. We never run an authraztion or nothing. Try it! and keep your parts and sell them on ebay.



You will get a collection notice from Dell but just throw it away, they dont have your ss# to report it to your credit.



If you want an easy cdrom replacement tell them the light is not coming on and you tried it another Dell at your work and it does the same thing.



To get a monitor just say the light is not coming on. If you speak to a supervsor you can get a system exchange.



If you want a refund just tell them somthing crazy like: The computer is giving off vapors and making me blind. Or just say I know where Micheals office is in Las Camas. You will get a refund along with a General Release contract saying you will never call Dell or do business with them.



Never ever tell Dell you will sue them because they will give you the address for the legal dept and you will never get to talk to a rep again, and the legal will do nothing i you wirte them inless it from a Licensed Attorney then they will bend over backwards.

This email is a rebuttal to RipOff #5362.

It was sent by The Internet Consultant at mbrey@maxxcorp.net.



Dell Computer Corporation - Hell on Consumers (#5362)



They filed the following rebuttal to the above Rip-Off Report:



Their email: mbrey@maxxcorp.net

Their name: The Internet Consultant

Their phone number: (817) 658-1000

Their relationship to the company: Consumer Suggestion



Rebuttal: Consumer Suggestion

Since you are Knowledgeable about computers I would recommend that you BUILD YOUR OWN. I have seen way too many problems with BRAND NAME computers.



Also their cost seems to be higher and their specs aren't as good as what a Clone can be made for. I would suggest to ALL CONSUMERS, support your LOCAL computer shop or Technician. They are local and they don't want to hear you YELL when something

goes wrong cause they know you wont just call, but you will show up in person. Plus, you can spend your $$ better by getting Better Quality parts for areas that are more critical to your needs.