My Experience with Dell Technical Support

I always feel surprise how Dell Computer in most of its advertisement print a caption 'Excellence Customer Service Award' infact every time I found Dell Customer Service with less interest to resolve your query.  Its not only myself but I heard from couple of my colleague.  I recently placed an order for a new Dell Computer System, next day I found a good deal on Dell's website, after numerous calls and emails I was able to reach the sales representative and my utter surprise he flatly refused to make exception in my order, finally I had no other way but very close to cancel my deal when I got chance to leave a voice mail to Operations Manager and I was able to make
changes after passing a stressful moment.

Week later I called customer service inquiring status of my order and almost lost my breath when a person on the other side informed that my second order was cancelled while the original one still active, I was trying to get further explanation but the lady was so rude with me that hung up hone.  Once again I had to contact my sales rep in a rush and found out a totally different view from him that everything is right and my second order is active.  I called customer service again second day to verify my postal address, she confirmed and pretended that all information recorded correctly.  Surprisingly when my order shipped it was delayed for few days due to missing address information
provided by Dell.

Finally after I received my Laptop I found some problem with the hard disk and called Dell Technical Support for help, honestly speaking guy had no idea what I was talking about and he simply told me that since my system is under 30 days I can get replacement, although I think it would be a nice idea if they would have listen to me for a solution.

After six weeks of Laptop usage (roughly around March 7th) my USB ports stopped working and it failed to detect any of the USB devices, I called tech support on March 23, and after 3 hrs of troubleshooting, I was told that system needs to be formatted and whether I have a backup of all of my data, I asked time to prepare the backup, Tech support took my home ph#/ Cell# and made a commitment to give a call back certainly next evening (March 24), I managed to come home a bit
early from my work in a hope that someone will call me, but again nobody called me at all.

As I am also doing partime course, and I was so desperate that in order to access my USB devices I had to buy a separate PCMICA USB port, which definitely cost me dollar amount.

I called once again tech support on April 11, 05 and after an hr of troubleshooting found out that 'Resource CD Set' found missing with my CD package and new order has been placed to deliver the CDs so that I would be able to reinstall all the required drivers.  I have to wait couple of days more.

On April 15 I was speaking with Tech support I was told that to proceed further with the reinstallation procedure I need to renew my McAfee Security service otherwise Dell won't guarantee me with the issue related to the virus, I agree, but the point is I am not able to access my computer properly and smoothly, then what is the point of trial version of software?  Every retailer providing WindowsXP Pro version to new system purchases, but Dell provides Home Edition and you have to buy the PRO version.

I do understand that price of Dell system is competitive but what is the point if you are not satisfied with your purchase and more importantly due to frequent hardware issues how much money Dell is
spending to fix the problem, overheads of shipping/pickup etc etc. its not at all feasible on a long term basis.  Today's retail business world is highly competitive and if you don't monitor closely of your overheads and the service quality you will be kicked out in a way that you never exist, I wonder whether or not Micheal Dell will realize this fact

As now I have to arrange my Laptop back to depot for necessary repairs, I am hoping I won't have problem again in the future.