Shipment Nightmare

Here is a sad story of how to turn a Dell fan into Dell hater. Full names excluded to protect the guilty.

Dell Computer Corporation
155 Gordon Baker Rd.
suite 501
North York, Ontario M2H 3N5
Canada
Attention: The Manager
Order # 14266886

On Oct. 13, 1999 I placed my online order and anticipated delivery within
the approximate stated delivery date of nine business days.
On Oct. 18,1999 I received confirmation of the order, given an estimated
date of arrival of Nov.1,1999 and provided with two order numbers, one
of which has never worked. I accept that there may have been a delay as a
recent payment I made to my credit card may not have been processed yet.
Several days later a printer cable was delivered.
I continued to check the order status online. The information stated that
the order had been shipped from the Ontario hub on Oct.22,1999 and the
arrival date was now Oct. 25,1999. When the order did not arrive on
Oct.25,1999, I requested my staff to check with Purolator. She was advised
that Oct. 25,1999 was the date Purolator had picked up the order, but according
to the online order status information this was not correct. In light of
this confusion we decided to wait until Nov. 1,1999, which was the initial
delivery date provided. I then received the Canon all in One unit.
On Oct.29,1999 the monitor and speakers arrived and the Purolator driver
commented that there was supposed to be three units not two. He could not
provide a delivery date for the missing unit.
When the computer did not arrive on Nov.1,1999, I sent an email asking for an update.
In the meantime I also had my staff person trying to track the order with
Purolator. In response to my e-mail, I received a telephone call on Nov.3,1999 from Kris XXX. I confirmed the situation and advised that Purolator was requesting a copy of the manifest / weigh bill. Kris stated that Purolator was under the mistaken impression that two units were missing. I was told he would be checking into this and would try to get
back to me later the same day. Although staff followed up with messages, we heard absolutely nothing more for six days when I finally received
a voice message on Nov. 9,1999 from Mr.XXX, inexplicably advising that delivery was made on Oct.29,1999.
I phoned the support line within an hour of his message and again went over the details with Janice, local XXX. She advised me there were
no records of my previous problems regarding this order. As I was phoning from home and not the office, I did not have Kris's last name or
local number for her, but left this information on her voice mail about 10 minutes later. My staff person also contacted Janice to advise that
Purolator was again requesting the manifest / weigh bill. Purolator wasapparently trying to confirm that they actually picked up three units. I found it surprising that they were going through us to get information from you rather than the parties dealing directly with each other.
When I did not hear back from Janice later that day, I left another voice message the same day advising that I really needed that computer system and if it could not be delivered in 7 days (by Tuesday, November 16,1999) then I would be canceling the order and purchasing a replacement.
To date, TEN DAYS later, I have heard absolutely nothing more from Dell.
My staff has been in contact with Purolator on numerous occasions. They continue to ask us to provide information that we don't have, such as the
manifest. Purolator states they have tried, but have not been able to get this information from Dell.
Purolator has now sent us their Claim for Loss form asking for the account number and other information we are unable to provide.
To say that I feel completely abandoned, caught in the middle and disgusted with the lack of efficiency and follow up courtesy would be an understatement.
While I appreciate the delivery times are estimates, this situation is intolerable with still no end in sight. I recognize this matter likely involves internal theft and not business fraud but could this matter not be
settled more timely and efficiently between the two parties to the shipment contract?
I cannot continue to operate on this basis and have already suffered a loss to the non profit society that I head.
Your records will show that this would have been the fourth Dell system purchased by me in the past 16 months. I will also require additional computer systems in the near future. As well, I had been responsible for other Dell orders as I had advocated Dell products to both personal and professional contacts (many of whom were apprehensive purchasing online,sight unseen).
It is unfortunate that this matter has completely skewed this relationship.
Instead of advocating on Dell's behalf, I plan to file a formal complaint
with the Better Business Bureau of BC. Should I incur a direct loss I will also pursue this matter in small claims court based on the unfair principles
involved.
I find it astounding that though I did not choose Purolator; was not a signatory
to a contract with them; not advised their insurance maximum was $2,500 (which fortunately I believe may cover the one unit computer loss in this case);
do not know if the computer was even picked up from Dell, your company appears to be completely washing their hands of any responsibility.
I wish to return the components delivered thus far, they are available to be picked up at anytime. Copies of this e-mail is being sent to several Dell
links in what I hope is not a vain attempt to bring this frustrating, time consuming ordeal to an end.