Dell XPS M1730 Service Call/LCD replacement engineer left broken Bezel, and I have to pay for it???

On the 07/08/08 at 16:00 UK time I received a visit I was expecting to replace My 2 week old M1730 LCD which the screen was very dimm.

I work with very High definition gfx and 3D visualizations amongst other intensive and very time consuming jobsand my Job can take me away all over the world sometimes for days sometimes for months.

After the repair was completed I had so much work to do and besides I was leaving next day for a month and a half project. close the laptop lid and that was it until two days later 3000 miles away

So I arrived at the office got laptop out which I always carry with me and I really concentrate on the screen I had no reason to distrust Dell Banctec service reps even though I have any many issues with many machines I bought from Dell I usually work so there's no sun pointing at the screen so I can see properly what it is Im doing but when I opened the laptop there was a bit of sun and I noticed a bit of dust on the screen so I got a special cleaning cloth smother than the one used to clean glasses a can of compressed air gave it a few jets to remove most the fine dunst and this wiped gently the screen with the cloth all the way down cleaning the bezel and surrounding areas when I noticed it.

Below the Dell logo where the screen bezel starts to round up I noticed either side two cracks on the part below Dell chromed logo that creases and goes around the bezel at the bottom. I'm not permitted to use company phone for long distance calls public phones are expensive as well as that leaves my mobile and roaming charges I had once were way beyond £300 on one time my another laptop I was using before this one died.

Once I got back I pulled the Banctec paper work and emailed Banctec if you ever had a service call in UK by Banctec you know what the form looks like and what it says very clearly point out if you have any issues raise with Technician straight away or email us no terms and conditions or nothing implying any other legalities regarding any issue especial concerning time passed are implied described or brought to your attention at any time. 

Banctec replied to me on first email after I explained the issue that they were only a service partner and that they called Dell and ask them to call me regarding this or that I should call them myself. I was tired and went to bed never got any call form Dell. Next Day I again emailed Banctec and explained that this issue was cause by the replacement of the LCD for I never noticed it before they just said it wasn't their responsibility and dismissed me very quickly no concern was show and they clearly had no interest in resolving or helping or taking responsibility

Both emails were also forwarded to a senior member of Dell which had helped me through a previous incident with another machine she was very helpful and perhaps the only one that deserves her job and really looks after both the customers interests and the contracts that are legally formed between both parties.

Anyway I received a out of office reply from her mail I had to go out again on another job for 3 weeks but I emailed Banctec and this Dell senior person while I was away again regarding the issue, I never got a reply so when I got home I though well maybe she is on holidays or something I waited and waited and nothing.

you Must understand I never called Dell support because Bancted paperwork specifically asks for them to be contacted not Dell eventually I had enough and called Dell I don't have use for a landline so I used my mobile. £12 later two times put on hold and no where closer to getting a resolution even after speaking with the shift supervisor and eventually with the Customer Relations Manager who do not understand there is no legally binding document that I signed for this service call that specifies any time limit for reporting any issues resulting from a service call under warranty. This Senior Member and Customer relations manager Clearly had no interest in hearing what I had to say though he took some notes but still failed to understand there is no legal standpoint that Dell claims neither Banctec nor dell are responsible for the technicians incompetence in my view because I didn't report it straight away.

This is now sounding absurd, having a lawyer in the family is indeed a helpful thing and not only that I have studied retail law though I never really went in that direction. Essentially unless Dell can present me with legal documentation with my signature which specifies that I am indeed wrong in believing that Banctec should be held responsible and set this right they have no legal case. I would aslo expect such legal paper work to be produced by the Service company.

I Have submitted a request to speak to another senior manager and will request said legal paper work and because the only legal contract regarding the service which I signed is a legal document I am entitled to bill Banctec for the costs or the repair, the parts costs and any incurred cost that are reasonable like legal costs and my professional fees pro rata on time I spent dealing with this issue.

This is going on until then and this post will kindly be regarded by moderators and in which does not infringe any forum regulations and therefore also does not mention any names but I seriously advise every reader to beware of any repairs and examine your laptops under the microscope before that technician leaves your house and report any faults as you find them I would also urge people to take pictures of theire machines previous repair in the presence of the technician and prepare a paper which will inform him those pictures are of the state the machine was before and you are entitled to ask him to sign that paper work and provide copies in a cd for him to take with him as well as the paper work.

As a personal observation to this ordeal I feel that when you spend thousands of pounds, there should be a little more regard for you as a customer and better service put in place I remember way back to years for another machine which I emailed Dell and then followed it up by unresolved issues and I still haven't received a reply.

Dell chat for sales service is prompt and within seconds dell chat for xps support is never available.

Now is that not funny and interesting.

Sorry I made it long... Wake up keep reading...

Just in case this post is erased dont worry Dell I have a blog and guess what you just made it there unfortunatly at over 400 hits a day this is going to be a hot potatoe. sorry you get what you serve.