Complaint Review: Dell Inc

In 1998 I purchased an IBM laptop for my daughter and enjoyed excellent and repeated technical support by a native English speaker (based in Ireland)

My support from Apple computer is outstanding--I reach a technical support person within 1-2 minutes on most occasions, usually someone in Peterborough, Ontario. On occasion a difficult problem will lead them to transfer me to someone in California.

My Dell support has been essentially nonexistent. A heavily accented person in Central America reading from a script they don't understand. Absolute refusal to honor their "next business day on-site support' guarantee.As you must know, the New York Attorney General has sued Dell for this very issue .

I have pasted below my letter to the NY AG for further details:

In late 2004 I was shopping for a laptop computer for my small, sideline home business. Most of my previous computer experience had been with Macintosh, but certain work applications made a Windows-based computer more practical for my work. I had used such computers often at my regular work, but of course there was a large and experienced IT department to maintain them. I was not really inexperienced with computers, had actually had a job programming one summer long ago, and had owned the original IBM PC in 1982. But I knew that I was no longer up to date enough to install or repair hardware on a Windows system. And I didnt have the time.

My concern was eased when I saw the widespread Dell advertisements for next day on-site parts and labor service available for a price with the purchase of a Dell. After a number of email exchanges with Cordelia (Dede) Kane, Business Sales Account Manager at Dell, I ordered an Inspiron 1150 laptop with 3 years of technical support and 3 years of next business day on-site service in late December 2004. Dell has never honored this warranty and has made it clear that they never intended to.

As the confirmatory email of 12/14/04 (Exhibit 1) shows, the order included Tech Support Initial Year and 2 Year Extended, and Next Business Day Parts and Labor On-Site Response, Initial Year and 2 Year Extended. As Ms Kanes further email of 12/14 (Exhibit 2) states, The service you got on your system is next business day so if anything happened to your system we would come out there to service the system for you.

When the laptop arrived the Norton security system was inoperative. I called tech support but they declined to help or to send a service person. They told me to call Norton who also did not help. Finally Dell advised me I would have to mail the system back for an exchange. I objected to Dede Kane who replied that they [technical support] are the only people that can dispatch someone out (Exhibit 3). So I packed it up and mailed it back.

The new computer operated well for a few months but then the CD/DVD drive stopped operating-it couldnt be opened. Again I appealed to tech support, speaking in September 2005 to Marco in Panama. After wasting some time on the telephone with him I asked for on-site service. He refused, saying he would send a replacement drive, and I would have to remove the old and install the new myself! I objected strenuously, pointing out that I had paid for on-site service. He indicated that Dell almost never would do that, but promised that if the new drive didnt work he would send someone.

When the new drive arrived I installed it with some difficulty. At first it seemed to work, but I gradually noticed that many CDs could not be read-the computer indicated they were blank, even though they were not. Discouraged by my previous experiences I let it go until late 2007. At that time however, I was forced to make several special trips to the hospital in order to read, blend and edit several PowerPoint presentations for a talk I was preparing. This is exactly the sort of task I bought the Inspiron to handle. On October 23 I called Dell support, spoke to Abel (Case 177924147) and spent an hour or so on the telephone getting nowhere. I had to leave for an appointment but by arrangement called back upon my return (800-456-3355, Ext 7413400). Unfortunately Abel did not return my call then or on the next day. I called again on 10/25 and was assured he would call within 15 minutes. When he called 45 minutes later I told him I wanted on-site service. He refused, said I would have to speak with his supervisor.

I then wrote a certified letter to Michael Dell asking that they honor the warranty (Exhibit 4). The only response was a phone call on 11/12/07 from Adrien Taylor of Dell who refused my repeated requests to send out a service person, and suggested I should speak with: Technical support!

I would never have bought a Dell without the promise, in writing, of on-site service. Although I paid for this warranty, it is clear that Dell never intended to honor it.

Gene
Plymouth, Michigan
U.S.A.

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