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XPS 710... another motherboard bites the dust
I've owned a dozen or so different Dell computers over the past 15 or so years.
Without question, the XPS 710 (at least the one I bought almost 3 years ago at a premium PC price) is the only one I've had that lived up to the reputation that so many IT-types ascribe to Dell. Basically, it was junk.... nothing more. Over the past three years, I've had to reload my operating system and all installed software on 3 different occasions (e.g. lost hard drives), have had two motherboards and power supplies fail, replaced fans, the raid system never worked, and am now waiting on an 'exchange PC.' Of course, every time a part can stopped functioning, I couldn't simply replace the junk parts with real and proven parts (e.g. a power supply and a motherboard with proven reliability) because the Dell parts are proprietary. I've lost days to this PC. I think it actually cost me more in a business sense, in time lost, than it costs me as an investment in a 'reliable' state-of-the-art computer system.
Interestingly enough, the 'exchange PC' solution which is ongoing is the 'last resort' for Dell since they no longer make the junk motherboard upon which this machine was built. Moreover, the expensive one-day service that is a must-have warranty for a product as unreliable as the XPS 710, turns out to be a '21 day turnaround (that work days) for the 'exchange PC.' I refer to solution as the 'exchange PC' since Dell is unwilling to share any details on the specs of the PC. My machine failed again last week and Dell didn't have the manpower to build one over the past 7 days. So, I'm simply supposed to go without a PC for 21 days in anticipation of the wonderful replacement for the lemon I've used for three years. And, no matter what system they send, I'm less satisfied than I would have been had they simply told me what type of system they would build after they hired enough help or allocated the task to a Dell employee who would make fixing my seemingly irrelevant problem a priority.
In the end, before becoming the chagrined owner of an XPS 710, I never really understood why my higher tech-oriented friends always put Dell down. Now, I fully understand. At this point, even if Dell sends a great PC, how can I can I put the time and frustration of the previous one behind me? Will I ever buy a Dell again?
The Alienware was a good solution, until Dell bought that. Now, I worry that Dell will turn it into the same set of problems it has build into its desktop line. Why not make a PC with parts that Dell customers can replace when they need to get the machine up and running quickly? It's just way too much down time to expect customer to accept without a solution. I would have been fine with a PC from the outlet store shipped sooner, so I could get access to my hard drive back quicker.
Note to Dell…. the length of computer down time matters to people who purchase the one-day service warranty. In our minds, we’re not paying for a 21-day solution. If that’s what you are selling, that’s what you should call it. That way you don’t establish expectations that lead to unsatisfied customers. Moreover, the last thing we want to hear is that the 21 day solution is in the ‘fine print’ of the warranty contract that we purchased. That’s good for covering your legal problems, but it won’t help you retain customers and the later is more important to your business success than is the former. Ask someone in Customer Care, but not today. Why?
Today, after talking with a Dell XPS customer rep, I was transferred to the Dell Customer Care group (it's not open on Saturdays, so I got a recorded message), I fully understand that I expect way too much from Dell.
Seriously, how would a customer service tech possibly know the Customer Care office hours? Thanks for the transfer, but they don't work on Saturdays. Please make a note of it—and, of course, I have your name, but have been polite enough to not post it. I’ll pass it on to Customer Care when they come back to work.
jnantz
32 Posts
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March 29th, 2010 20:00
Yeah it should for you. I think in all honstey i paid around 250 or 3 bills for the same support. This was 08 for the extended warranty if i remeber correctly. Also just fyi when you get the new system per a tech i talked to today.....you can extended the warranty for another 3 years. Cost about 200-300 depending on the system you get.
*** Edit--->>>>>>>>>
Also your current warranty of course carries over.
dtischerd
48 Posts
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March 29th, 2010 20:00
oh geez.. i guess theres gonna be a shortage of duct tape..lol
RobertYork
57 Posts
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March 29th, 2010 20:00
Yeah, the Aurora won't work at all for any serious video card upgrades. Has 4 slots. Slot 1 is your video card (PCI 2.0, x16), slot 2 is whatever (PCI 2.0 x1), then 3 and 4 are the same, video and whatever. Most the higher end video cards take up two slots each. IE, 1+2 and 3+4. If you put those in, there's no room for sound cards or anything else. That's unsatisfactory.
dtischerd
48 Posts
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March 29th, 2010 21:00
oh Robert i read in 1 of your previous posts that you were getting emails from an American tech..i dont suppose you would mind sharing who that tech is and how we can reach that American tech?..lol
RobertYork
57 Posts
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March 29th, 2010 21:00
I told you how to reach the American tech a couple times. Unresolved Issues. Got an e-mail from her the next business day. It's their escalation line. URL again: (just posted it an hour ago :p)
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dellcare/outstanding_issues?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19
RobertYork
57 Posts
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March 29th, 2010 21:00
I'd suggest the unresolved issues method first. But if not, remember, politeness will get you further.
RobertYork
57 Posts
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March 29th, 2010 21:00
Oh, I don't doubt someone will probably respond, but not Michael himself. He's probably a bit busy. :p And they'd likely just forward it on to the Unresolved Issues line, where I got the e-mail from the 'Executive Support' agent who original told me an Area-51.
dtischerd
48 Posts
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March 29th, 2010 21:00
ahh gotchya..thanx again.
RobertYork
57 Posts
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March 29th, 2010 21:00
I don't think I'm that screwed over yet. And I don't know if you'd get much more support from him. Besides, my machine still sort of works, even if it does freeze up a lot and won't let me into the BIOS or any boot options without freezing after a few seconds. I don't have a doorstop. Yet. This served me well last week:
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dellcare/outstanding_issues?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19
Someone else mentioned talking to the BBB got results.
Also, if you're running a business relying on these machines, and they're down, get a lawyer to review your service contract and have him/her take appropriate action if Dell's not filling their end of the bargain. I would also recommend never relying on one computer working for your livelihood. Always have a backup. And by backup, I mean second computer and alternate internet access.
dtischerd
48 Posts
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March 29th, 2010 21:00
ive been very polite recently and over the past few yrs even when they screwed us with the tech support..ive been polite up to my eyeballs,but i'm getting soo sick of the india techs reading from their stupid scripts...i bet those techs dont even know what an XPS 710 even looks like!
jnantz
32 Posts
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March 29th, 2010 21:00
Yeah it goes to his admin/ global escalation team and have heard can get some impressive results. I run some apps etc... that are useful on this machine business wise and do have backups and a second pc..still not the point on this issue. Just stating that if need be we as a group could get something going to dell to get some more favorable results. Just want whats right, not a hand out :)
dtischerd
48 Posts
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March 29th, 2010 21:00
well i was told on the 24th that it was going to take another 4 to 5 business days to get an order number..soo that puts me at Tuesday the 30th or Wednesday the 31st..if i dont have an order number by the 31st i'm gonna be very upset,and just might email Micheal Dell and give him a piece of my mind!
jnantz
32 Posts
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March 29th, 2010 22:00
Most likely but it also may depend on the approach and how many people that have the same or like issues with a 710 XPS machine. Just saying. Anyone with me here bueller bueller anyone? :)
jnantz
32 Posts
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March 29th, 2010 22:00
Service request should be the same as Case #
RobertYork
57 Posts
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March 29th, 2010 22:00
No problem. I plan on using it again tomorrow if I don't hear from this lady. That'd be a week since her last response.