Today is September 29 2008 and on this day I vow not to buy anything from Dell Inc. from this point forward.
My wife says I am to quick to write people and companies off these days. For the most part she is correct. But not in this case. Over the last six years I have one frustrating contact with Dell after another. Most recently they messed up on an order that I place for an item over 16 days ago. The details of this debacle and my frustrated email to Dell customer service can be read below:
“I am not happy at all with the level of customer service I am receiving from Dell on my order. My first order of this product was returned by DHL to Dell for insufficient address information. I was not contacted by DHL about this issue because Dell did not provide DHL with my phone number which Dell has on file.
When I contacted your customer service department this morning they apologized and said that they would send out a replacement order to me. The agent I talked to confirmed my shipping address and said that the address I gave him was the same address they had on the first order. I asked him to be sure to put my phone number on this replacement shipment so if the shipping company had any questions about the address that they could contact me.
After I placed the replacement order I called DHL to see what address Dell gave them for the original order. They said that what they had was this:
Eddie Sprouse
Huntersville Road #383
3611-204 Mt. Holly
Charlotte, NC 28216
What they should have had and what Dell says they had which is:
Eddie Sprouse
3611-204 Mt. Holly-Huntersville Rod
#383
Charlotte, NC 28216
I don’t know why or how Dell changed the address before sending this package to DHL. All I can think of is that Dell uses some type of address correction software that matches the address that customers give with what the US Postal Service Recognizes. What ever the reason THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING.
After I called DHL I called Dell back to tell them that I wanted to change the address on the replacement order. I was informed that this could not be done even though I had just placed the replacement order not 5 or 10 minutes ago. So now I am left waiting again for a shipment that I may never get. I even tried to cancel the replacement order so I could place the order again with another address and again I was told that I could not do this.
I have had problems with Dell customer service in the past and to be honest I use to recommend your company to those I know that want to buy a computer, but sadly I can no longer do this. You customer service is so bad, inflexible, and un-American that I would hate to recommend your company to anyone that I know.
I know that my concerns will be as quickly dismissed as my questions to your customer service department were; I guess I just wanted someone at Dell to know how I feel even if I get ignored. One thing that you all should realize is that your customers want and deserve better service than this. I know that in the past year your stock prices have fell by more than half and I guess you have many more lessons to learn before this company can be turned around. You should start by providing better customer service.”
Oh, I could give you many more reasons not to buy from Dell but in an effort not to bore you completely, I will pass. I just thought some of you would sympathize with my situation and appreciate this heads up on customer service at Dell. I will try to update this later to let you know how Dell responds to my concerns or if in deed I do or do not get my shipment.
By that way I may be letting my prejudice against foreign customer service call centers impede my judgment, but you know when I call a company that has a US headquarters, I expect to speak to an American. The fact that all three calls were sent over seas did not help my attitude in this situation.
Yeah customer service sucks,I use to do it.I use to take a call,and have 4 calls waiting at a time.at times I would put a person on hold and help 3 at a time.Its so easy to make a error,you don’t even know how easy it is until you have done the job.Ive been cussed at at so many times for shipping errors.Anyways customer service is one of those jobs 3rd world countries can have.I would rather dig holes for a living than work that job again,that was a good 2 years of getting cussed at.
By: Brian on October 2, 2008
at 3:58 am
Oh yeah apple computers blow away
a crappy Hp and Dell anyways
I want a apple
By: Brian on October 2, 2008
at 4:01 am
Brian,
I know that some folk treat customer service phone reps like crap, but I would rather speak to an American any day of the week than some dude in India that could give a crap if I get good service or not. I want the customer service to be in house so I can go up the food chain if I need to so my needs get addressed.
I have spoke to the Indian help desk folks a lot. They don’t like to be told anything. They do all the telling and you better like it or they will hang up on you.
I don’t get mad about much but after talking to one of those dudes I want to pack my bags fly to India and have it out with one of these self important American bashing goof balls.
By the way I love my Mac. I don’t think I will ever switch back to a Microsoft PC. It is nice to have something that just works. Also, if I have an issue I don’t have to call anyone. All I have to do is visit the Mac store at the mall.
By: kitejockey on October 2, 2008
at 10:13 am
Hi Mr. Sprouse,
My name is Debbie and I work at Dell’s Headquarters in Texas. I read your blog and would like to help. If you would like my assistance please email me directly at Debbie@Dell.com. I am happy to help any way I can.
Sincerely,
Debbie
Dell Community Liaison
By: Debbie on October 2, 2008
at 3:45 pm
Debbie,
Thank you for your contact information. I hope I don’t have to use it. I mean what I said about not shopping with Dell anymore.
This is not the first issue I have had with Dell and most of the other issues have been similar to this one. The best way I can sum it up is frustration with the Indian call center. I acknowledge that Dell is not the only company to export their call center, however, in my time dealing with dell (about 8 years) I continue to have issues that come directly from this call center.
Now, I have to say that after much pain and aggravation Dell did finally get the part I needed to me. But this is only after they blamed the issue on me and on DHL. I could not understand how they would refuse to own up to creating this problem themselves. I guess Indians don’t make mistakes?
I would change my mind about Dell if they ever brought there call center back to the USA. If that ever happens please let me know.
Just so you know I work for a major organization in the IS department and when the leaders of my department meet with me and discuss computer hardware I am quick to point out the lack of quality customer service I have experienced with Dell. We recently had a consultant tell us we should change our hardware provider to Dell to save some money on hardware. However, because of experiences that many of us have had with Dell I am confident the organization will go another way. Even if Dell can provide what we need for a little less. We have to know we will also get good service and not just cheep dependable hardware.
Also I have not always been a critic of Dell. In years past I have had some very good experiences with Dell. I have bought several Dell systems for my family members and some friends. I have referred many more people to Dell because of the quality of their computers. I do computer repair as a hobby and I also have to say when someone asks me to help on a Dell I am more than willing to help them because Dell systems are some of the easiest to work on.
But again that all pails now in comparison to the issues I have had with the customer service department. It is not that they have screwed up on the shipping from time to time it is the attitude you get from the Indian call center. And frankly I have had enough. Yes, Dell is still a good company with good computers, however, if they continue to use the Indian call centers I will not be the only customer to leave Dell.
By: kitejockey on October 2, 2008
at 10:04 pm