Dell Latitude D620 side USB ports

I’m posting this reply not only to indicate that I too have noticed this issue with my Latitude D620 but also to tell other customers about my disaster with Dell’s Technical Support Service.

I purchased my Latitude D620 about one and a half years ago and noticed right away that the upper side USB port did not recognize certain USB memory sticks with wider plastic encasings and had an unstable connection with my SanDisk micro USB memory stick. (It would intermittently disconnect/reconnect if the memory stick was wiggled or if my arm accidentally brushed against the memory stick.)

I finally decided a week or two ago to ask Dell about this issue. (Of note, someone at Dell must have noticed this because the subsequent model’s, Latitude D630, chassis is modified such that the plastic around the side USB port is more inset.) I was informed that this was not supposed to happen and that the entire motherboard needed to be replaced.

Dell’s contracted provider to my area, QualXServe, contracted with a local manager who initially sent out an incompetent, rude, and unprofessional technician (who apparently had just been hired 2-3 weeks earlier). Not only was it clear that he didn’t know what he was doing, he handled my laptop roughly, and reassembled the computer such that (as it was eventually discovered) one of the wires was sticking out, the plastic covering on that wire was nicked, the top and bottom halves were not snapped back together, the screws were in the wrong locations, the DVD player was locked in with the wrong screw, the system bios was not reset, AND, the new motherboard was damaged.

In contacting Dell that same day for a re-repair service appointment, the tech determined that there was an issue with the motherboard, and I was advised to not use the computer. Two days later, another local (more senior) technician informed me that my computer was not going to serviced in yet another 1-2 days. After many phone calls insisting on timely service, the technician finally arrived to discover the damaged motherboard. However, because he did not have the replacement part, I would have to wait yet another 1-2 days.

Two days came and went. I finally called Dell and the technician to find out that that order had not EVEN been processed. (Apparently, no one had bothered to follow up on this or even notify the customer.) I was told another order for the part/service was being placed.

After two more days, I called Dell to find out that this next order was cancelled. The technician put in yet a third order for the part to ship that day, and I was to be informed if the part didn’t ship. Having learned my lesson, I called later that day to find out the part may not have shipped and that the local contracted service thought it was backordered. Finally, I insisted on talking to the manager, who turned out to be somewhat helpful, and the part, luckily, was shipped later that day.

So, after HOURS of lost work productivity spent talking to 6-7 different Dell technicians, QualXServ, the local manager, the local technician and getting multiple service visits, minor damage to my previously intact computer, and a massive headache, I ended up with nearly the same computer (another plastic part still needs to be replaced) with essentially the same initial problem.

A few things that I have learned:

1)There is no continuity in Dell’s technical support (especially since there are multiple parties involved) and no one follows up with the customer. You should take the initiative and call if you do not hear in a day or two (esp for NBD service). I was lucky to have a nice, understanding boss who let me waste loads of work hours. Apparently, arrangements for parts shipment and technician visits are done in the morning or early afternoon during work hours only. (Dell has yet to provide appropriate compensation for all my time and work lost.)

2)The next-business-day service you paid for may not be next-business-day. In my case, it was next-business-week with the potential for being next-business-month if things had not gone better towards the end.

I just wanted to inform others about my experience so that other Dell customers will not be as unfortunate as I was.