Dell is NO service leader
Written: Dec 20 '99 (Updated Mar 28 '00)
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Pros: It is a Dell and has great performance - when it works
Cons: Don't get sucked in by "next day on site service" it doesn't seem to exist
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| ksikes's Full Review: Dell Inspiron 3500 A366GT |
I am an IT professional who travels 90% of the time and therefore I rely on my laptop to conduct business, banking, and keep in touch with friends and family. Having a Dell in my profession has often been viewed as the equivalent to owning a Cadillac in the 1950s; well made, extremely reliable, and backed by a company who is a leader in service. During my past lives, my pervious employers have given me an assortment of laptops to use for work from Toshiba to Compaq to NEC to IBM to Dell... Out of all of the laptops I have used, the Dell had preformed the best. When I opened my own company last summer I did not even consider looking at another laptop maker to buy from, I went straight to Dell. The performance and quality materials I had remembered about my employer’s Dell attracted me and as a small business owner the "next day on site service" sealed my decision. Without a working machine that travels, my life comes to a halt.
Within 30 days of purchasing my Inspiron 3500 the LCD screen failed to work. At first I was not too bothered, because I had the "next day on site service." Unfortunately I learned the hard way that "on site service" is not exactly service. Here is a time line of what has happen since I purchased the laptop in 05/99 to 3/20/00 - I think you will see I how "great" Dell's support is: (I have removed last names)
05/25/99 Received Laptop (Service Tag W7PS8)
06/25/99 Report Grey Screen Problem insisting to phone Tech it is LCD he says no video card
06/29/99 On Site Service arrives with video card - does not solve problem
06/29/99 Call phone tech and insist that I need a new LCD
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06/25/99 - 07/01/99 8 Days Unable to use month old laptop - cannot see screen
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07/01/99 On Site Service arrive with LCD - problem seems resolved
07/14/99 Report Grey Screen/Self Shut Off Problem to Tech Roy - he doesn't know what to do
07/15/99 Report problem again passed from H to Ronald to J - new mother board needed none in stock will send new laptop (Service Tag W8HFM) told to swap hard drives
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07/14/99 - 07/19/99 5 Days Unable to use month and 1/2 old repaired laptop - cannot see screen and shuts itself off
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07/19/99 Receive Replacement Laptop (Service Tag W8HFM) swap hard drives and send original laptop back (Service Tag W7PS8)
01/20/00 Report Grey Screen problem to Tech Jerry
01/20/00 Called CS B at Dell CS to tell her that so far I had only been able to use my laptop 54% of the time I had owned it (including the replacement laptop) and it was now unusable again and I felt 'Next Day on Site Service' was a false statement because I had not had anything repaired in less than 5 days. I wanted to discuss what compensation I could receive or how to go about returning the laptop. She said all she was authorized to do was offer me a quicken software bundle. I told her that I felt that was insulting considering that I had paid for a working computer with 'Next Day on Site Service' and to this point I have received neither from Dell. She said she would have a CS Specialist call me back by 01/24/00.
01/24/00 - NO call from CS Specialist
01/24/00 Left v-mail for Tech J to ask if this is a known problem with this model since it has happened now three times
01/24/00 On Site Service arrive with LCD - problem of seeing screen seems resolved - cannot open many programs, running very slow
01/25/00 Left v-mail for CS B alerting her to the fact that no CS Specialist had called
01/25/00 Left v-mail for Tech J same as 01/24/00 and screen was acting funny again like the start of the last problems
01/25/00 Spent entire day backing up and reloading programs
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01/20/00 - 01/26/00 6 Days Unable to use 6 month old replacement (and repaired) laptop - cannot see screen, open many programs and running very slow
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01/26/00 After reloading programs laptop still running very slow
01/26/00 Tech J called he said he would send a shell for a refurbished 15 inch because they had no 13 inch like I have in stock. I told him I was not agreeable to that because I had bought a new laptop and wanted new parts and because I had a very expensive attaché case that would not accommodate the 15 inch. Told him I was expecting a call from a CS Specialist.
01/26/00 Left CS B v-mail alerting her to the fact that no CS Specialist had called
01/28/00 Left CS B v-mail alerting her to the fact that no CS Specialist had called
01/28/00 Left Tech J v-mail alerting him to the fact that no CS Specialist had called
01/31/00 Left CS B v-mail alerting her to the fact it had been 11 days since I first spoke with her and no CS Specialist had called
01/31/00 15 inch shell arrived - not happy don't want it left Tech Joseph v-mail to that effect
02/03/00 Called Tech J to tell him I had blue lines moving on my screen - neither of us knew what was wrong
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02/04/00 Spent day backing up and reloading software seemed to resolve problem of lines but still moving slow - one day of use lost
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02/08/00 Still no CS Specialist call after 19 days of first contact with CS so call and ask for one receive John (very rude) he said they would not do anything for me and it was tech department's responsibility to make laptop right. Since I felt I deserved compensation or opportunity to return laptop since it had not worked a great percentage of the time I had had it and after 3+ tries the tech department could not make it right I asked to speak to his manager. He said his manager M was not in but would call me the next day Feb 9th.
02/08/00 Left Tech JV v-mail to update him on the situation.
02/09/00 No call from M
02/11/00 Searched Dell web site for CS snail mail address to write letter, could not find one- tired to call CS several times and kept getting cut off during holding message - seemed Dell was having phone problems
03/14/00 Received letter from L saying I had an over due account - spoke to her, told her the situation she stated a CS Specialist would call me within 24 hours
03/20/00 To this day no one other than JV and L have called me back, I have not heard from a CS Specialist, I still have the 15 inch shell, and after 18+ calls, 2 laptops, 4 parts, 3 on site service calls, 19 days of down time and 10 months of diligent badgering on my part I still don't have what I paid for or any satisfaction for all the time I have spent on Dell hold, reloading software, down time waiting for 'Next Day' service...
03/20/00 Sent e-mail to L with the date-by-date description of the dispute with Dell
03/20/00 L sent e-mail reply stating that the issue had been escalated to her supervisor
03/20/00 CB CS Lead Specialist at ext 61319 called apologized for all the problems and asked what he could do to make it right – we agreed they would send an HP R80xi multi functional printer at no cost
03/20/00 V-mail from JV tech apologizing and asking to call him back to let him know how he can help
03/21/00 JV tech sent e-mail apologizing and asking to call him back to let him know how he can help
03/21/00 e-mail to JV tech and L and CC: CB Lead CS Specialist to let them know I had spoken with CB and we believed we had the issue of compensation resolved
03/24/00 Returned extra shell to Dell via airborne
03/27/00 received HP R80xi from Dell via Fed-ex – problems with setup had to call HP toll line for assistance several tries with HP tech Shane before it worked he instructed me it had 13 month warranty but that I needed ‘proof of purchase from Dell to be able to send it in for repairs
03/28/00 Sent e-mail to L to ask if she could confirm that the shell had been received and my account credited back to a zero balance
3/28/00 Sent e-mail to CB Lead CS Specialist to thank him for his help and ask if I could get a proof of purchase for warranty/repairs
I write this review in the hopes that other people will know before purchasing a Dell for their service reputation, that "next day on site service" is not truly service and not necessarily next day, it is only part replacement without diagnostics and dependent on how good the technical rep can diagnose your problem over the phone and if they manage to have all their ducks lined up in a row when it comes to shipping - AND if your machine only works 3/4 of the time during the first 60 days that you own it, don't expect anything in the way of that “extraordinary” Dell customer service, (don’t even expect ordinary) that you hear people brag about. In my experience it doesn't exist! Although I am happy to have received the HP R80xi OfficeJet as a peace offering - I thinkyou will agree it does not compare to the amount of time I have spent trying to resolve the issue or all the lost days of work due to the lap top being down - better than nothing - lets hope Dell starts to get its act together.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 2,000+
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Pentium II
Processor speed: 301-400
Screen Size: 14"
RAM: 64
Internal Storage: CD-ROM
Hard Drive (GB): 4-6
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Epinions.com ID:
ksikes
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Reviews written: 1
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