Dell, you lie! (lengthy, mild)

The BBQ Pit
1

So, two weeks ago I spilled Sprite on my laptop and, lo and behold, it stopped… you know… turning on and stuff. Fortunately, when I called Dell, the tech support guy revealed that my dad got accidental spill coverage when he bought my computer - all I had to do was wait for the DHL guy to come right to my door (later that day, even!) to overnight my laptop to the Dell factory, and then wait comfortably at home for them to overnight it back.

Can they pick it up from my house in New Jersey and return it to me at school in California? “Of course!” the guy assured me, “And call again after they pick it up to be extra sure.”

Not wanting my laptop to be accidentally returned to New Jersey, I indeed called again (a week later, when DHL actually picked up my computer) to be extra sure. “No problem,” the new guy said, “There’s even already a note in your file, but I’ll add another one!” Fantastic.

A week passes. I wonder if I screwed up my computer really bad and it’s just taking a long time to fix. I call Dell again and ask politely when I may expect my computer back. They’ve been trying to deliver it for days, the lady tells me - to my house in New Jersey. “Oh, no,” I say, “I was assured it would be delivered to California.” Apparently, the lady says, I’ve been “misinformed”!! Dell CAN’T deliver a computer to a different address than the one where it was picked up. I’ll have to call DHL to straighten this all out.

The DHL guy kindly informs me that I can’t change the delivery address, and I’ll have to call Dell to straighten this all out. They must “authorize” the address change. “No, don’t hang up on me!” I plead, “Dell told me to call YOU!” Alas, he hangs up anyway.

The Dell guy (now the fourth Dell person) helpfully (actually, I know this is the Pit and all, but he really was kind of helpful) argues with DHL, only to be informed that he, also, cannot change the delivery address on my computer. Apparently there is no one who is authorized to “authorize” the address change. The best he can do is have the computer returned to Dell and add a note to my file indicating that it should be shipped to me in California. This will work perfectly, I’m sure - I can’t believe nobody thought to add a note to my file before! Genius!

How can a company like Dell have no mechanism in place for picking something up in one place and returning it to a different place? I just really want my computer back. I am sad. :frowning: (Or, since this is the Pit, I am REALLY FUCKING sad.)

2

I would imagine they have such a policy in place for security/anti-theft purposes. The customer service reps with whom you spoke, however, should have been aware of the policy and informed you of it so you could have made alternate arrangements.

3

A company like Dell? I can’t think of any company more likely than Dell to have such problems. (Well, maybe General Motors in 1978.)

(And even GM did a better job of letting their reps know what was possible–although they were ordered not to mention it to the customer.)

4

I always heard that Dell had good customer service … I feel so disillusioned…

5

I’ve used Dell for several years, including a couple of service calls. I’ve not had any problems whatsoever (knock on wood). Big company, tens of thousands of customers, unfortunately not all will go right everytime.

6

Dell lies! Also, bear shits in woods and Pope is Catholic. Film at eleven.

(They’ll never get another nickel from me, either.)

7

For their big-money corporate customers, yes.

For us regular home-use schmoes, we get rerouted to subcontractors in obscure corners of the Antarctic, where we’re thankful if the operator can speak English, much less comprehend the idea of what a “computer” is. :wink:

(No offense meant to any real-life Dell customers service subcontractors)

8

Ah, but you see, I was using the corporate customer service line. (Since I purchased my computer through Stanford University, I think Dell considers my computer and I to be part of the Stanford “organization”.) I shudder to think what would have happened if I called the regular home-use shmoe line!

9

They’re even slipping in that arena. I install computers for a bank, and the laptops are all Dell. Lately every single Dell has been missing the cable lock that’s supposed to come with it, and sometimes other things also. I listened in as the Dell people gave one bank employee the runaround about it. Maybe they used to have good service, but lately they’re just coasting on their reputation. I’t ain’t gonna last forever, dumbasses.

10

I feel your pain, shimmery. In my experience, the warmer the reassurance from initial customer rep guy that everything will be handled and nothing can get missed (e.g., “putting a note in your file”), the more thoroughly you’ll be hosed. One guy actually gave me what he claimed was his personal line to get through to him. He still turned into a wraith.