I will never buy another Dell as long as I live

While my situation is not as bad as yours (yet anyway) I can relate to the disconnects on the phone.  It happens so often I have come to expect it whenever you get put on hold or are transfered.  Its almost as if they are doing it on purpose....I mean come on, are your phone systems really that bad?

I am blogging this on my website, but the story is not even done yet! I have it in draft form still.
I never thought it would go so long... 8 months of. Here is my nightmare so far.

This is a true story as unbelievable as it will seem when you read it. What I find most unbelievable is how Dell is still in business running it like this. After about four months of with Dell, I realized I need to document everything. And the story is not even over  and it has now been 8 months and 4 computers later.

9/2013--My Acer is overheating and cannot handle the level of video processing I need for my business.
I start shopping for a computer that will last me for years and be durable and reliable. Read review of M4700 for PC Magazine and think it is a good deal and good computer for my needs.

Buy it on 9/13 this deal includes Pro Support which is very important to me given my bad history with Dell and terrible customer support. I am billed and the warranty clock begins even though it is another two months before I am able to use the computer. Takes a full 6 weeks to get it. They ran out of some part.

Oct/2013-Does not have a writable DVD/R, somehow I missed that on the order. Send it back. Takes another 4 weeks

Nov/2013 Arrives- I find out I now do not have Pro Support, and they will not give to me since it my mistake when I did not order the writable drive. Too busy to set it up, leave it for a few weeks.

Dec/2013, start moving files and setting it up but working on two computer for a month. Finally get all programs installed, start using it and I start getting blue screen of death and multiple shut downs when doing anything to do with videos, and then it becomes just random blue screens and shut downs for no apparent reason.

January 2014- Starting to blue screen all the time, before it was once or twice a week. Get Dell Remote help-  3 hours middle of the night and cannot fix it. Dell Remote- another 2 hours and they cannot fix it. Computer will not do any video work. The primary reason I bought it. I start to find lots of other people in the Dell forum having the same issues. Lots of broken computers and blue screens that pop up constantly.

May 2014- Dell finally give up and decide to send me new computer. Will take 2-3 weeks to get to me.
Better one they say. I ask them to upgrade me to Pro Support since I have had so many problems, they say no.

Late June/2014 New M4800 arrives- spend hours moving files, reactivating all my graphic and web design programs, office suite and many many programs I use for my business. Two weeks later, I am uploading some work online and the computer goes black. Will not start, all lights on top of board just blinking.

July 2014 Call Dell, hours later, looks like the motherboard is bad. I have no computer and now I have no access to my emails and my business files and everything I need. Tech comes out two days later, changes motherboard, video card and more. Computer still not working. He has no idea what the problem is. Orders another motherboard, comes back two more days later, works on it again and deems the computer  "not fixable". I call Dell, and they CS Rep tells me not fixable does not mean it cannot be fixed. I argue with him, how can they say that? I need another replacement computer and before another 4 weeks. I now have no access to my work from the last 8 month and emails and they suggest I borrow a desktop from someone so I can use the hard drive!

I have an external set up but it is useless for this situation on a laptop. The guy tells me I will have to take the computer apart following his directions on the phone before they will send me a replacement. 
What the? Dell is going to force me to take the computer apart on the phone before they will send me a replacement? I have already taken apart two other computers and I am getting sick of this. All I wanted was one computer that worked. I have spent so many hours on this and now they are forcing me to disassemble a computer? What kind of service is this?

I hang up and cry. I am getting so behind on my work. I have to get work done and I can't. I call Anthony, my tech guy who tried to fix the computer and he is shocked at what they want me to do and says him and his boss will try to help me get a replacement computer faster. He will try to reopen the case and talk to someone at Dell. They are independent contractors and I can see him fighting to not say anything negative. He feels really bad for me, but he has no power either over what they do.

I take a break from talking to Dell, since I do not have another clock of hours free to phone them, be disconnected and do battle with them again. Every time I phone I have to mentally shore myself up to deal with all the hang ups and non helpful people and telling my story over and over since the departments I deal with do not talk to each other and NONE of my problems are documented for other dept to read. It is a nightmare. I realize there is a good chance I will have no computer for weeks now, so I start digging out all the old computers I have and my Acer that I bought the Dell to replace.

It is Friday and the replacement dept is closed and no one can help me until Monday. I call my credit card and try to get a refund and the refund dept is closed for Citibank until Monday too.

My Acer has to be on top of the air conditioner to work. I put on a sweater and work standing over the air conditioner. I spend the weekend transferring all files from 8 months ago to my Dad's computer.
The windows  "easy" transfer takes 9.5 hours. I spent the next 3 hours reactivating and installing programs that do not transfer over and digging out old licenses and codes, which are all on a list on the broken computer.

July 29, 2014 Monday Morning: First I call Citicard,a refund would solve all my problems. I desperately want to forget Dell forever and just buy a different brand. Citibank Card refuses a refund. They tell me since Dell has a 3 year warranty they cannot help me. I cry as I hang up. This is the first time I have not used my American Express card for a major purchase and I am seriously regretting that choice right now. I called Citibank before I used the card to buy this computer  and they told me they had the same replacement/refund policy as American Express. Amex would of refunded me. You can depend on them when it comes to stuff like this. I will never buy anything big with my Citibank card again.

I decide to try again with a different CS Rep. I am hoping they will not make me take apart the computer that is unfix-able before they order me my 3rd computer but I have my tools out and I ready to do that if that is the only way I can get my replacement computer. 

Dell phone service is the worst and after I finally find the right dept I ask for a refund and they say no way, but when they put me on hold  I have learned being put on hold means you will be disconnected with Dell. I think "hold" is code for hang up on this person. I added up how may times I have been hung up/disconnected up by them and it now over 30 times. Total real number. Can you imagine if I was a boss or an employee for Dell? This would not be happening to me.

I am logging everything and each person I get, I ask for their name and I ask them to call me back if we get disconnected. In the two hours I am trying to get help this morning I end up calling Dell over 8 times . One of them says to me before he disconnects/places on hold me, "our software is.". Two of the 8  people who disconnected me swear they will help me and promise to call me if we get disconnected but never call me back. Another one said to me earlier in the day, "we have been having problems with some of the parts for these machines". I have first names for everyone, but they are not real half the time and you can never talk to them or find them again. Two hours later, 8 disconnects and 5 times telling my story and entering all my information on the phone and listening to  their hold music, which I now hate with a passion.  I get a CS Rep named Eric who says he will take my case and take responsibility for it.  He will order me a replacement. Erik assures me he will take charge of my case and I will not have to keep talking to different people. I get the confirmation email saying it will be coming in 10 business days.

The usual 2-3 weeks of not having a working machine. Another day shot. I cannot do any work for my clients and the work is piling up. The kids beg me to buy a computer from anyone but Dell and just sell the next one they send me on Ebay. I feel like how can I do this to someone else? I am not sure how the warranty would transfer over and honestly, I feel like it would be dishonest to stick someone with this problem.

7/30 Computer replacement number 3 arrives. I try to remove the hard drive from broken replacement machine number 2, but one of the 5 screws you need to remove to take out the hard drive is stripped. One screw away from getting my life back. I call Dell. 
Customer Service- Says her name is "Alex" I ask to be sent a tech person to remove the screw. On hold and on phone for one hour. Refused. I am told they do not do that. I need to take it somewhere and pay myself, or mail the computer back in and they will then send me the hard drive back.
Time frame 10 business days. I have now not had my work computer for over 5 weeks.I beg, they refuse. I take the computer to the hardware store and they use their extractor tools and cannot get the screw out. They try everything. I love my local hardware store.Thanks True Value Hardware in Castro Valley, you guys are the best. They are like your old time neighborhood store. They are actually right in the middle of a neighborhood. They seem to have a little bit of everything and are generous in offering to help you when you have those odd problems. I come home and email Eric, my cs rep who promised he would take responsibility for my case, and I ask him to please help me. Here is what he emailed me back 24 hours later.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I have to inform you that I no longer work in the workstation department. I have moved to a different department and no longer have my old cases, including yours. Your case will be given to a new case owner. I have confidence that they will be able to resolve your issue.".
I just laugh at this. I am at the point now, where the only thing that will make me feel better is to publish my story and leave my honest reviews all over the internet. Dell will spend millions on getting new customers and then they will treat them like this. What is wrong with this company? I will become the walking anti-dell person in my personal life.
A grim reminder of what can happen to you with Dell if you have any kind of problems. I email "Mary" who told me her name was Alex yesterday, but my follow up email is from Mary. I now ask for a confirmation email every time I speak to someone but I only get these about 1 of 5 times. I have learned to try to force them to email me while I am still on the phone. I beg her to help me. No response... ever.
I know now to call, no one will help you twice. Just expect that if you buy a Dell. You will never have one person who will actually help you. They all pass the buck and you cannot get real names, extensions or anything.

7/31 Call CS Rep name is Karla. 1 hour. I make sure Karla will call me back when I get hung up on. She is wise and never puts me on hold the entire hour we are talking. She just puts the phone down instead. I seriously believe this is the ONLY way Dell will not disconnect you. I feel hope, she may be actually trying to help me. I request this be processed so I can return the computer and get the hard drive back. I am ready to box it up and go back to the UPS store for the 4th time to return a computer to Dell. I ask her if they can expedite it somehow since I am now 5 weeks with no working computer.
At this point I do not expect anything. I have stopped telling them how I run an online business and cannot do my work and have the last year of my life on that hard drive. Why bother? They do not care. No one has cared in the least during this entire 8 months other than my one CS Rep John, whose email I cannot even access any more and they would not give it to me again when I asked. Karla has to talk to several different departments and after much time on hold, (but not actually on hold, thank goodness), she tells me they are going to send a tech to my house to remove the screw. Seriously? Can you even believe this? I begged Mary/Alex yesterday and she was cold, and was quite adamant there was no way that would happen. I express my disbelief to Karla, who just says I am glad I could help you, it will be 3-4 days for the service call? Well better than 10 business days which is more like 3 weeks.

Independent Contractor for Dell Anthony comes out two days later and cannot get the screw out.
Now it almost 5:00 for Dell and I will not be able to get any help again until Monday, This guy Brian tells me I am out of warranty before he even bothers to read my file. I tell him I am on my 3rd replacement computer from them so I am most certainly not out of warranty. And to look up my service ticket, he puts me on hold and... Click, disconnected. Every single time. Like clockwork.

I call back go through it all again and the rep, Josephine says I have to place you on hold... I scream no, before she can do it (and disconnect me again), and I beg her to just put the phone down.  She does and I hear all the people talking on the phone, wow, that is loud and then after about 5 minutes it goes silent.....oh no, please please do not disconnect me again.... I have to just sit here and wait until the operator comes on and says, "if you would like a make a call, please hang up and try again". Wow, I actually have that memorized  from being hung up on so many times by Dell and hearing the hang up message. Josephine it now telling me the warranty is not showing up. Honestly at this point I think I should write off the 2000.00 for this machine and forget it. I have easily lost 10x times that is billable hours and work over this period of not being able to get my work done, and on the phone trying to fix things with Dell. Josephine processes the return order, and I ask her how can I be sure I will get this hard drive back? I do not trust them at all. I do not hang up until I get the email from her confirming everything. Also word to any of you other people suffering like this out there, do not let them place you on hold! Tell them to just put the phone down. It is the only way you will not be disconnected.

Since I bought the first Dell Sept 2013, I have not use of my new computer for 4 months. So half of the time since I placed the original order. As of today I am looking at another 2 weeks until they send me back my hard drive. I still do not have a usable computer to get back to my work online.
I have been forced to recreate work, and cobble work together as best I can for my clients. My email is a year out of date now and I have no access to programs and files on the hard drive that has a stripped screw.

TBC....

i thought i had it bad... we're on 3rd motherboard for two M4800's.   dell used to be good...going downhill fast

I'm waiting delivery of a Dell XPS 15 laptop, and after reading about the unbelievable glitches and hardware/software problems along with the bsod, I am dreading receiving it. I relied too much on reviews from YouTube instead of actual owners of this machine. It's like waiting to go to war it seems rather than the joy of owning a beautiful, reliable computer. The whole experience sounds scary.

Update to this sad story. Dell ended up sending me the next version of the Precision, the M4800. It was the third computer in this saga. It worked. I have been using it ever since. However, this was my final Dell purchase. The next time I replace my work laptop, it will not be a Dell. The customer service is just too awful. If you never need it, and your computer works for you, then you would never know.

I was going to buy an expensive computer from Dell in the next few days. I was just looking at details and writing out questions I have, but after reading this review about Dell's service (there's nothing more I hate than having to speak to people across the world who (a) don't speak English all that well and are hard to understand, and (b) just foist you off with some dumb and useless excuse). I have read other similar complaints about Dell's customer service and support from other professionals, as well. This post has finally stopped me from buying from Dell. Ever! My last computer was Dell and all went well after an early hard drive failure (someone came and changed it out, and all has been well for 5 years now). I think I'll just keep this ol' girl, maybe take her in and get her all cleaned up and pretty for New Years and save myself around $2,000. Goodbye, Dell. With horror stories like this one, you won't be in business for many more years, anyway.

When I reread my story, it was like PTS all over. It was a nightmare. I documented all of this and sent it to Dell corporate and no one even bothered to respond. They are the worst ever. It really was that horrible.

No one in my family will ever purchase a Dell again. I have bought my kids Acers, and recently a HP and we have had no problems, but once again I have not had to use either of their customer service dept.

Dell needs to do something with it's customer support. It is the 7th circle of ***.