Dell = Hell

Chris,
Here are a few reasons I tend to lean toward Dell:
1. No one else can support the users I refer to Dell (novice users). I can support them - when I have time!
2. Dell PC's (both laptops and desktops) are well built and researched with decent quality parts. The support site is still tops in my book.
3. I see no one else competing with them in the laptop and pc market worthy of my recommendation. Dollar for Dollar, they(Dell) give you bang for the buck.
4. If something does happen to break on one of the Dell machines, I know I can fix it (worst case scenario). Again, when I have time.
Now, I have run into issues with friends telling me that Dell tech support sucks. Well, have you called HP or Compaq lately. My friend, that is the story all around - sorry to say. Used to be that Dell differentiated themselves by having the #1 support folks on the planet. But when the outsourcing trend kicked in, Dell went with it and that was unfortunate. I for one have to say I now think twice about recommending Dell, but in reality there is nothing else out there I could even lean towards. I typically tell folks that I have had good experiences with Dell machines in general and leave it at that.
Chuck

I have a DELL Laptop, and am very happy with it, and I'm not a novice when it comes to computers. I just flag those blogs as '**** Happens' and go on with my life.

I change out laptops about every 9 months to a year. My daughter has had a Dell laptop for a year (and she is rough on comptuers). After watching her use hers trouble free over that time I decided to get one. I have had it about a month and it works great. I recommend them highly, especially the 600m, we now have 2.

I just don't phone them anymore — I couldn't get anyone online who could understand my spoken English, and so gave up.
If they really bring their tech support back to the US, I'd call 'em.
Meanwhile I do my own tech support.

I have worked for 3 companies over the last decade that use Dell computers. Upon my joining the first, I was a confirmed “clone” guy. After working with Dell PCs and notebooks for the 3 years I was at that company, I began to change my opinion. After 3 more years at the next company I worked for, I decided that the next PC I would buy would be a Dell. I now have 4 Dell desktops (2 were bought as surplus) and 2 Dell notebooks at home. What's more, I have purchased Dell PCs for my less technologically savvy family members.
I have had bumpy patches with their support. However, I have had poor results with just about every computer and component manufacturer I have dealt with in my 15 years in the IT business. Nobody is perfect, what sets Dell apart is what lengths they will go to to make things right, assuming you get their attention.
And yes, I will buy another Dell next time.

Been using a Dell desktop for over a year now, I've had zero problems with it. I recommend Dell to friends and family, I agree the Tech Support blows chunks, they need to do something about that. I purchased the 15 Gb DJ a month ago and the battery life is great!
I'm thinking of purchasing a laptop later next year if budget allows, and yes it will be a Dell! :)

I would recommend a Dell to anyone. Their support sucks, but the quality of the machines they produce is great. Plus they are pretty cheap too.

Dell has the BEST customer support out there! And they are getting better, just got a email from them about their new program. I don't work for DEll but I am a network administrator. We was using Gateway untill I got fed up with them.

yea, i got a dell 4700c and about a few months later, i concluded that it was a piece. first of all, my cpu fan bearings were louder than my other pc's CASE fans! and i had to call about a failed hard drive. i can understand a bad hard drive maybe…but fan bearings……how exactly does that happen???? anyway, i had the same problem with the support as far as language goes. In the end they replaced the unit, but overall i'm not very satisfied with the quality.

I will never buy another Dell. It was cheap, but when I power supply was intermittantly , yet obviously failing, it took weeks to get fixed. This included talking to about 8 people who re-named themselves “bob”, and being told they could not send out the next day service until I ran a diag utility THAT IN NO WAY TESTED for power supply failures!! (voltage levels, etc). No ticketiing… you have to explain it, again, slowly, each time they lose your call.

I hate to be one of those people that say I HATE DELL THE END. well sure i dislike dell with a pasion but i do have to say out of the choices if you are not going to be building your machine (or if purchasing somthing such as a laptop) i dont *hate* dell THAT much.

I have had 3 Dell systems (2 desktops, 1 notebook) over the last four years. Although I can generally fix most of what I break :) on the times I have used their support, I have found them to be pretty good. With that said, is there any company that really has GREAT support? If any company's products were ever as good as they claimed, would anyone ever NEED support?

i've got a chronicle of my experiences with Dell at http://yakk0.org/dell. Their corporate support is great though. Home user support is where they suck.

I've read too many bad things lately about Dell: http://kah731.blogspot.com/2004/11/dell-hell.html
A recient set of Dell problems are found on a popular mailing list's site: http://www.thisistrue.com/dellhell.html

I had a HORRIBLE experience buying a digital camera through Dell.
Tried to turn in a coupon. Apparently some of their phone customer service folks are commission based and with the addition of my coupon, the rep wasn't going to make his nut… so he hung up on me!
I was so angry I called back — as much to vent than anything.
Bought the camera but made a mistake in an accessory I choose and learned the second HIDEOUS thing about buying through Dell:
If you're a buyer, they put you though relatively quickly… BUT, if you have already bought, you get stuck in a slower line… I was on hold over ONE HOUR.
It was the single worse online buying experience I've ever had.
Batting .000 (0-1) with Dell.

I have been using Dell hardware for a loooong time. Everything from web/file servers to their latest laptops. When issues arise, they are generally handled very fast. Customer support has never been an issue with me. I recommend them to all my friends and family and nobody over the last 8+ years has ever admonished me for my advice! I chalk up these bad experiences with Dell had by others as people who had higher than realistic expectations and generally suffer from newbie userism.

This is really terrible. I have been in Dell Hell all day long and last night. I get hung up on, disconnected, connected to wrong people and am just totally frustrated.
Each person I spoke to – Leroy, Wilfred, Mon, Rimman, Caeyn Denise, & Jennifer have been very nice (well except for Jennifer, I guess because at this point I was at my wits end) – I mean there were communication problems, but all in all I realized it is not the fault of the workers. It is the Dell Corporation, and how they set up this technical support system.
All I am trying to do is get connected to the ‘advanced software dept.’ I am having a problem with MS Outlook 2003 (It’s not working) and can’t get any help for it. They do not have a direct phone number for the dept. I need, nor do they have an extension (that they would give out as Jennifer said it was an internal extension) I could dial in when the phone prompt asks for it. So Jennifer told me I needed a fee based service for this software problem I am having.
She just now told me that she would connect me – I asked her if she would call me back if I get disconnected. She told me I would not get disconnected – I told her, I have been disconnected about 8 times already. She insisted I would not get disconnected and guess what? I got disconnected!!! AGAIN!
I asked one of the women I spoke to if she had a union. I wanted to see if they were union workers. She had no clue what I was talking about. I wonder what they get paid over there and if the workers have any benefits? I am sure they get paid a lot less than people would get paid here as that is one of the reasons they outsourced to India.
I just want my Outlook program fixed – I don’t like my other email clients – I did everything I could do – I mean I explored this computer inside out (as far as a computer savvy grandmother could go) and nothing is working.
I bet ya that they treat their major accounts with respect and good tech service, but I am afraid that the regular people who need tech support arenÂ’t their main source of capital so they donÂ’t give a **** about us.
Forget about tech service from Dell. I remember years ago, the tech quality was much better, but since moving over to India, the service is terrible. I will never purchase a computer from Dell again.
Now I wonder what is going to be cheaper, going to a fee-based tech service via Dell (If I could ever reach them) or buying a new computer?
When I called to speak to a person in the sales dept a few days ago to see how much a new hard drive would cost me – oh boy – they were eager as all hell to help me – but hey – when it gets to tech support – forget about it.
I guess the next time I purchase a computer I should try to get to their tech support dept. first to see how they treat the people. I wonder if I could to that without a service tag number.
I am pissed at DELL – I have never been treated so poorly with any type of computer tech service as I have been treated by Dell.
Well - off I go again, to try to get some tech help from Dell. If I ever wind up resolving this problem I'll let ya know.
DR - Bronx, NY

What is a trackback? I see that there are none yet.
DR - Bronx, NY

S

WEll, im a DELL technician, Guys , one thing guys that DELL tech support usually deals in hardware issues, not in software issues.. Lots of people complaining about dell computers and the low quality but in fact it is just a software problem, i think people who bought dell computer are considerably Lucky:) well, if you have any questions just post here
R-DEll Technician..

Waht are ooo talkeeeng aboutttt???? Tek support peechy keennn! Wood ooo leeek a slushy?
Abu

I am in Dell Hell
the drives the drivers the driven
Bought for perceived value
How false this is
I am confused , frustrated, and down right pissed off
Too frustrated to expound , have been in chat with Dell most of the afternoon.
Dell Inspiron 9300, 3 months old, bad hard drive. Bad support. Too much sales volume for anyone at Dell to give a care.

Silly customer you cannot hurt a twinkie!
Yes, sadly it is true that Dell's army of drones also known as their “Home” division customer support SUCK in a major way! They will hang up on you, disconnect abruptly from chat sessions, and basically read the same cue card over and over just to infuriate you.
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, their corporate support has always been great. I have only spoken with someone that had a foreign accent once when dealing with a server issue, and he knew his stuff better than some of the network engineers I have dealt with!

Check this site Out http://www.dellhell.ca

Tech Support POV
well i worked for 2 computer manufacturers already as a technical support representative. let me just clear up a few misconceptions about computer manufacturers. biggest and major point is that in both companies we NEVER do software, we cannot provide any support for that more than reinstallation can fix.
another one is that though (and this is really common) the tech knows the solution he cannot give it out. Why? well because it would be against company policy. You have to understand guys its either your irrate call or our necks.
So my advice really is google it. Forums abound I myself give tech help on some forums for free.
BTW ive worked well of course Dell and the other one well…. just dont have a cow. And I mean DONT have a cow!

i cant stand dells i bought one used thinking it would be ok but noooooo the place i bought it from did not put it in there name and i tried to contact dell but was put on hold. then i finally talked to someone and they say that they cant help me because its not in my name so now im stuck with a crappy dell that doesnt work and dell wont help… so much for #1 customer service..eh DOWN WITH DELL
and if any one has the product code for windows 2000 help me out since dell wont– voices_of_violence1@hotmail.com

The other day I called up Dell a,I went throughthis site as well and could find all speaking about Dell=Hell,biu let me tell u when we dont understant the diffence between hardware and software probs are we genius?Suck Man…Some customer in America even dont know where is the start button how to adjust date and time and suck they call up wait in a queue…..and yell.I ahve got the best tech support from Dell—India

[...] Jeremy Zawodny | Chris Pirillo | Jane Galt | Jeff Jarvis and many of a million others online. Disappointing? Very. I am embarassed to have ever recommended such a company to anyone else, and won’t be doing it again in this lifetime. I am probably not done bitching about this yet, it doesn’t feel “quite” out of my system, so we will see. [...]

http://dellverticalline.com/
I’ve spent about 3 hours on the phone with Dell over the last month, trying to get my 16 year old daughter’s 2005 Christmas present (an Inspiron 6000) fixed. I was busy moving, so she took it upon herself to call in and try to get our “under warranty� laptop repaired. She said the word “dropped� and we are totally hosed now. The laptop’s audio never worked right, the keys started to fall off randomly and then the LCD screen went (which I now am sure is the vertical line issue that Dell won’t acknowledge). She’s 16, she knocked it once harder than she thought she should and felt responsible and was honest with them. Now they say the motherboard needs to be repaired and we have to pay $798. I flipped at that and guess what … the price changed to $490 plus taxes. I gave them a choice since I knew we were doomed because she said “dropped� … I offered $200 to fix the LCD since I knew her words couldn’t be erased off their work order AND we would buy the 3 year, $209 accident insurance OR years of my badmouthing Dell and never being a customer again. They wouldn’t budge. So you know, I feel much more comfortable giving the probably $400 repair money to a local businessman and making sure I tell everyone that Dell products aren’t worth the hassle of the guaranteed repair needs.
They need to tell the customer service people not to say, “Thank you for chosing Dell� at the end of an angry, unsatisfying call! I said,�You are kidding right?�
If any of you have this LCD screen issue go to this website: http://delverticalline.com

and post your case.

i have one dell desktop (and a new one in a few months!) and 3 dell laptops. the laptops are older, but out of those 4, ive had no problems with them at all. the only issues were the screen on one of the laptops not working sometimes because of the constant opening and closing over about say, 6 years. the desktop has only crashed through my own doing. one virus, one bad linux install, and that’s about it. In my books, dell is above all others, and i recommend them to friends and when i look into buying a new one, all i look at is dell.

Imagine my surprise when AutoMotoPortal decided to include me in their round-up for “What Cars Do Famous Geeks Drive… Related Content:Dell = HellBIll Gates Mini-InterviewBackup, Transfer Outlook Express DBXI Met Michael Dell - In PersonI’m Selling My Dell LaptopDell LiesNot AloneDell BadYou’re Not Getting A DellThe PC De-Crapifier

Dell’s DFS completely blew a recent payment I made and canceled my new computer order; no one would help me after three days on the phone and email with them. Additionally, their $9.95 charge for TODAY payment on line is a lie. I have canceled my account and subscriptions with them and will never buy another Dell product. It’s not the merchandise; it’s the deplorable “customer support”–the
worst in the industry. Dell lost a long-time customer and thousands of dollars.

We should talk - I too have been in Dell Hell. At xmas I was pricing camcorder and you have to go close to end of process to find out what your rebate will be and even prices. I never order anything. 1400 dollars worth of merchandise arrived in January. I returned it all - they credited some but refused to give me a statement of what I am paying for. The refused to credit my account for the warranty of the camcorder that I returned. I have been pleading with them to give me a real person to talk to. I have had the run around for 9 months.

I have had only good experiences with Dell, but that might also be because I paid the little extra, and got the XPS package! I have had several problems, but I have gotten help with all of them and I must say that I am really glad to have gotten the XPS treatment. From what I have read, it sounds like all of you have gone through the same hell I go through quite often. I only want to get help from someone that actually speaks English as their main language, I am always agitated at the amount of reliance on the instruction manual! I have that myself, and I read through it before contacting you! Oh well, I am loving the XPS treatment!

-Dave

I purchsded a Vostro 200 business version desktop. After 2hrs and 14 min with tech support they said I had a defective motherboard. Five days later service guy comes with new board and guess what………….. it’s bad too. He calls Dell and arranges for a whole new tower to be shipped and the first one picked-up. The new machine won’t boot-up, recognize my keyboard or eject the disc-drive tray. More wasted time with tech support including a ‘level 3′ tech who was supposed to return my call but never did. I”m hoping that this ordeal is drawing to a close but as of now, the saga continues. I”ve spent roughly 5 hours total on phone calls to Dell and DHL and have been a prisoner in my house waiting on Dell service.and DHL. I have business I can’t conduct and I”m paying for high-speed internet I can’t use. This has been ongoing for nearly three weeks. My old-style Dell maching had lasted seven years. I now am very frustrated and disappointed with Dell. Proceed with caution.