Unsatisfactory service and equipment Dell XPS 15 9570

I sent the following e-mail letter to Dell yesterday and their reply is in a screenshot at the bottom. I have lost all confidence in Dell service and equipment. Dell is losing yet another long term customer. 

Dell,

I ordered a new Dell XPS 15 9570 laptop on 9 May 2018 for $2359.98.

I received the computer on May 17th, and upon start-up, I received 3 errors and the computer would not start properly so I called Dell and spoke with someone in Technical Support. They remotely accessed the computer, verified the errors and e-mailed me a return label ( [SRNumber:965266834] Agent: Jan_Orville_836846 #RT# [Dispatch Number: 355815544]) to return the machine for repairs. I had only had the machine for 1 hour. I returned it to the Depot with the shipping label within 2 days. 

On 24 May I received an e-mail from the Depot Station saying that they had received the machine and were beginning repairs. I called Dell Service and requested a new machine. I was told that my request had been granted, and that a new machine would be expedited to me within 3-5 days, and the repaired machine would be sent back to me unrepaired and that I needed to ship it back to Dell since there was no way for the Depot to ship it directly to Dell). [SRNumber:965266834] Agent: Rods_1054040 | #RT#

I waited a full 7 days before calling to find out where my new machine was. On 31 May, I was told that my new machine had not been shipped yet ([SRNumber:965266834] Agent: Armando_1060354 | #RT#) because they were awaiting authorization, which had already been granted, but still the machine had not shipped yet. I was assured that the new machine would now be sent, and Armando requested expedited shipping.

In the meantime, I noticed that the new machine to be shipped was not what I had originally ordered. It was a UHD, Touch Screen monitor, which I had not ordered, nor wanted. I am a XxX xxxxxxx who computes extensive datasets and GIS intensive software, and I did not want a machine that would require any additional memory to run an intensive screen. I had only ordered 16 GB RAM with my machine because I was not ordering a UHD Touchscreen. If I had wanted a UHD Touchscreen I would have ordered it with 32 GB RAM. I was also concerned about the reduced battery life with an energy intensive UHD Touchscreen, as much of my work is conducted in-the-field, in Xxxxxx, with no capacity to charge electronic equipment for some periods of time. I asked to change the order before it shipped and was told the next day that it had already shipped. I was told that there was nothing that could be done about the battery. I requested that they send me an additional 32 GB RAM for it, and was told that I would have to wait to receive the machine before I could request that (LIZIEL_220072). When the machine arrived, my request was denied because I had already received the new computer (Paul_Lemuel_291039).

The unrepaired machine arrived from the Depot on 4 June, and I had to e-mail Dell to request a return shipping label. I sent it back. I received several e-mails from Dell in the following days “requiring” me to send the unrepaired machine back, and I responded that I already had. When they received it on 19 June, they sent me a confirmation e-mail from Exchange_returns@Dell.com.

I had numerous issues with the new machine (received somewhere around 10 June) and was working with several different technicians to resolve them, among them: the drivers for the wifi and USB ports were not updated and the “Killer” wifi was having connectivity issues and the USB ports would alternate between recognizing and not-recognizing my USB devices. The Microsoft Office Professional software that I had paid for was a 32 bit version (on a 64 bit machine) and would not work with my other 64 bit programs. Armando helped me with some of this, and Jayson (3700VP2 [SRNumber:966931702] Agent: Van_Jayson_1055803), and Gabriel (GABRIEL_1140750). Then, the computer started “freezing” where nothing could be done to access it and it was overheating. Again, I spoke with Jayson_1055803 at Support.

On 14 June, the computer froze while I was on my University campus. I brought the computer to the University of Xxxxxxxxxx (XXXXX) bookstore Technology Department, an authorized Dell sales and service center, and was helped by Xxxxxx Xxxx. He diagnosed the machine, with the assistance of Dell Support ( [SRNumber:966931702] Agent: Mel_1060353 | #RT#), as having a bad motherboard. Mel told Xxxxxx to send the computer back to Dell, and that Dell would send me another, new machine within 3-5 days. I called Ed 7 days later because I hadn’t heard anything. He hadn’t heard anything, either, and he suggested that I write an e-mail to Dell. This is that e-mail.

It is now 23 June 2018. I ordered a new computer from Dell on 9 May 2018.

46 days from my original order and I still don’t have a computer.

6 and a half weeks from my original order and I still don’t have a computer.

I have been sent 2 (two!) computers that had such significant hardware errors that they needed to be sent back to Dell.

I have been sent the WRONG computer, that I did not order, and my request to make that right with a RAM upgrade was denied.

I have been limping along on my XxX analysis with my old Dell Studio 1558, which works, albeit slowly, and cannot do some of the things that I need a faster computer to do. I had spent 4 days setting up the XPS before it crashed completely and was sent back – losing some of my work and ALL OF MY TIME.

At this point, I would like to know where my new computer is and when I can expect it?

I would like to know if this is the quality of service that I can expect form Dell in the future?

I would like to know if this is the quality of equipment that Dell has degraded to and if I can yet expect a third machine to fail on me?

I have been a loyal customer of Dell for years, and I consider these incidents to be unfortunate, but I consider your treatment of me and my order to be completely unacceptable.

If, indeed, a new machine can be sent to me within 3-5 days, I continue to request an upgrade to 32 GB RAM (or that the machine sent meets my original purchase request of a non UHD Touchscreen machine). In addition, I would like an extended, comprehensive warranty for all hardware, software, and technical assistance, for 5 years, including shipping – all at Dell’s expense, not mine.

IF THESE FOUR REQUIREMENTS CANNOT BE MET:

1. a new machine can be sent to me within 3-5 days
2. an upgrade to 32 GB RAM (or that the machine sent meets my original purchase request of a non UHD Touchscreen machine)
3. an extended, comprehensive warranty for all hardware, software, and technical assistance, for 5 years, including shipping
4. all of the above at Dell’s expense, not mine

THEN I WOULD LIKE TO CANCEL MY ORDER FOR A FULL REFUND.

You can respond to me at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX with a written reply.

Thank you,

Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx

I have also attached the text of this e-mail in a .pdf document.

 

Below is a screen shot of the reply that I received that night (23 June 2018).