Posted: 11/11/2004 2:02:50 PM EDT
Well I just spent the last 1 1/2 will Dell support. The computer isn't mine, it is a friends and I am trying to fix it. It has a sound card failier and it is only a month old. I have been trying to fix it for a month. AAAAHHH!!!!!! I fell better now 
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They have no idea how to use the computer except for internet and e-mail. I tried to kill my self when I was answering all of their "Have you restarted the computer since you got it?" |
As a tech on the other end (not Dell) I can tell you this is not the right thing to start the call off with. You will: A.) not get any of that information other than my first name. B.) piss me off and I will not make any effort to help you. |
I don't care what some guy on the other side of the pond thinks. About the local shop: there isn't a resonably priced local shop around here. |
Dell Support... I worked for a Dell subcontractor fixing Dell computers that were under warrenty by Dell. I wore a nice Dell hat when I went to the job site/customer house and drove a van that had (among others) a Dell magnetic sign. Our only standing order was "Do not RMA". |
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Today most support is outsourced so both th Dell & Gateway calls could have ended up in the same call center in BF India. I used to be one of those warranty support Techs for a major computer corp for about 3 yrs. Most of the problems in customer support came from screwed up "policy of the week" that were piloted to save money but created more confusion about what the tech is truely authorized to do (now) verses what prior policy was. My tech job was outsourced to India. Now I work in manufacturing, making products better and cheaper than identical units made in asia. So much so that most of our product is exported to asia for use as OEM parts. |
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dell had outsource corp level support to india, but then brought it back after too much complaining. Last week I called on a machine that I thought should have had corp level support and got india (it was a personal pc, but pretty sure I ordered it through the company). Anyway, time to rant and rave again on the feedback and next time it will be a us tech support or I will buy no more dells. It worked once, if not I can assemble machines myself easily enough. (might as well if the dells are not comming with bulletproof support). |
If it would work I would do it! I gave up & even wanted to pay outright to fix it( still under warrenty)They wont even let me do that! GATEWAY SUCKS! |
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In the years I've been using Dell computers, I've gone through dozens of servers, up to and including 6650's and 8-way 8450's. I've also been responsible for roughly 300 desktops & various laptops. Every bit of that has been under "Gold" support contracts. Having said that, I believe Dell hardware is by far the best there is. But their support sucks ass. It doesn't matter what level of support you pay for, it sucks. And their system for processing support calls is downright ridiculous. It's particularly frustrating that when I have a problem, I diagnose it down to the last detail, call Dell and explain the situation. But they force me to endure a long string of moronic questions that are geared for 3rd graders. Just this week (Tuesday) one of the drives in a SCSI array failed. I submitted a support request via the web site so I wouldn't have to deal with an idiot (I have a 4-hour parts & service contract on this box). 6 hours later, I asked my help desk guy to call for a replacement. Their tech starts putting him through the grinder and he comes to me (with a cordless phone to his ear) to pass on some of their inane questions. The Dell tech heard me yell, "TELL THAT IDIOT TO QUIT ARGUING WITH ME AND SEND ME A FUCKING DRIVE!!!" Sadly, it didn't stop the dumbass questions.  Now for the exception: I got an Axim through the consumer channels and it was defective. I called India for support and they quickly sent a replacement, no questions asked. The replacement was junk, so another Indian replaced it. The third one was junk to, so I got a refund authorization with no problem. I'm starting to think that if you want decent service, your only hope is the foreigners. Oops. Sorry for the rant. |
I know, It is a failier of the intigrated audio on the motherboard. Send me a sound card and be done. I will just overide the intigrated (is that what the tech name is for it) audio. But nooo, we need to replace the motherboard, but first do this, do that. I think I have an extra sound card here somewere.
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yes, I know. But why sound I replace the sound card with my money when it is a month old and under warrenty? It is their job to get it right. If you buy a car and it breaks down a month later do you just fix it for or do you have the dealer fix it for free? |
Oh yeah, I had a desktop machine go tits up last week. I checked it out and asked one of my guys to call in and get a new power supply. The next day, they sent a tech out with a new motherboard and a couple of other parts, then he needed my input when it still didn't work. I said, "just go get me a damn power supply like I asked and I'll fix it myself." A day later, he brought out the power supply and it works fine now. I had two days of downtime on an important machine because they won't STFU and listen.  I've been to Round Rock and had numerous opportunities to voice my complaints about their crappy support. It's amazing how attentive they are when you're about to drop $200K on a single machine. I tell them I don't want any support other than parts. Don't charge me for support because I know I'm not going to get any. But I wouldn't buy anything but Dell because the hardware is still the best built there is in that class. Hands down. No competition. |
I am with you one that one. I get pissed off your hard drive is getting wiped. Now , no sorry no time for backup. |
+1 In the time that I took support calls for a major computer company, if you called in acting like you had me by the balls, one or more things may happen: 1) I hang up on you or transfer you to Spanish support 2) I fix your problem but put you through every irrelevant, silly, exhausting troubleshooting step (can you say chkdsk /r for no sound? and "if this doesnt work sir we'll need to format/reinstall windows") 3) I'll agree to replace your part, but all you'll get in that Fedex/UPS box will be a screw, you know what you can do with that ... |
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Guy's, until you've been in that chair, had the headset clamped on, and delt with the "Beep-Beep" anouncing another moron has been handed to you... you really have no idea. Tech support people dream of the call where they get a person with a decent education, passable communication skills, and a clue as to what is really going on. - We can work with these people. (Unless they decide to cop an attitude, then 80% of the time is wasted NOT working the problem.) The TRUE stories of tech support read like a Stephen King Novel. BUT the smart ones only call when there has been a legitimate hardware failure, and then the call lasts less than 3 minutes. People out there routinely: Refer to the big box as the modem (even when they have cable internet.) Call in for no video, (because someone shut off the monitor) and it didn't come out of power save when the system booted. Can't find the ANY key. ... this goes on forever.... |
You can't wipe my HD while sitting across the ocean, and only idiots send the HD with the computer to get it fixed because who know what will happen to it. |
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Oh the stories .... Like when you take god awful amount of time to explain to a client that their os will have to be reinstalled, ALL files on the computer will be lost, and they should make backups of anything they need to save beforehand, AND you offer to help them back stuff up even though you're not required to. "Oh thats fine, theres nothing on there we cant reinstall" Start them on a low level format, getting ready to let them go ... "So what about my pictures, I have pictures of my terminally ill wife, will those still be there?"  |
Wow, you had a van? The first Dell guy that came to our place was on a moped. He had to drive over 60 miles round-trip back home to go pick-up a new motherboard for our system. Also, the guy was so scary (prison tattoos, wearing only a vest with no shirt, ripped-up, dirty jeans, etc.) that our receptionist wouldn't let him in the door until I arrived. Back to the support topic, it took us over 18 months to get that guy out to our office for a system that didn't work out of the box. We had a next business day service contract. Next business day to Dell obviously doesn't mean the same thing to them as it does to the rest of the world.z |
I gave up on that dream long ago. I now dream of taking a call from someone who is capable of following basic instructions, and can speak basic English. |