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The NOT Good Times with Dell Tech Support
- Thread starter joepunk
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I had a similar expierience. It take them forever as if they are with 30 other customers. The in the end they tell you that you have the wrong guy.
I don't find this unbelievable at all. Dell should support the hardware and software they sold you. It sounds as if your optical drive is working. Your problem is with Vista (no surprise there). This is a Microsoft support issue. No love for Dell here but they shouldn't be expected to support a user upgrading their OS unless they sold it to you.
So technically if you rang them back up and just blagged and said you had bought it from dell then they'd agree to help you?
Dell drove me to buy a Mac!
Their support drones are just script readers, they have absolutely no thinking power on their own.
I have a dimension 8100 that hasn't worked right since day 1. Aside from that, my 19" Flat Panel started to die.
The conversation went something like this.
OK Sir, are you sure you have electricity going to the recepticle? Are the lights on?
Umm yeah, the computer is booted and I see an image on the screen, but the monitor keeps blinking out.
OK Sir, Do you have a lamp?
I'm sure I can find one, why?
Sir, please unplug your computer and plug the lamp in to make sure there is electricity.
I just told you the computer is already booted.
Sir, please follow my instructions, this will go much more quickly.
... 45 minutes later.
Sir, please hold as I speak to my supervisor.
Sir, we have determined the problem is your Video Card, we are sending one out to you right away. Thank you for calling Dell.
It was nice of them to upgrade various parts of my computer before actually sending me a monitor that worked.
What really pissed me off, is I had upgraded the Warranty to 3-year in-home repairs and they absolutely refused to send anyone to my house. I was tired of working on the POS.
Ultimately I bought an iMac and won't be buying PC's any more.
Their support drones are just script readers, they have absolutely no thinking power on their own.
I have a dimension 8100 that hasn't worked right since day 1. Aside from that, my 19" Flat Panel started to die.
The conversation went something like this.
OK Sir, are you sure you have electricity going to the recepticle? Are the lights on?
Umm yeah, the computer is booted and I see an image on the screen, but the monitor keeps blinking out.
OK Sir, Do you have a lamp?
I'm sure I can find one, why?
Sir, please unplug your computer and plug the lamp in to make sure there is electricity.
I just told you the computer is already booted.
Sir, please follow my instructions, this will go much more quickly.
... 45 minutes later.
Sir, please hold as I speak to my supervisor.
Sir, we have determined the problem is your Video Card, we are sending one out to you right away. Thank you for calling Dell.
It was nice of them to upgrade various parts of my computer before actually sending me a monitor that worked.
What really pissed me off, is I had upgraded the Warranty to 3-year in-home repairs and they absolutely refused to send anyone to my house. I was tired of working on the POS.
Ultimately I bought an iMac and won't be buying PC's any more.
I can verify this type of experience with Dell first hand. IF you can navigate through their answering machine nightmare and actually get to a human, it's guaranteed to be the wrong person. Then when they forward you, there's a 50% chance you'll be disconnected and have to go through the process again.
They are well known for the Catch-22 situations they put you in. To their credit, once I did get them to send me a bootable CD with XP on it to reinstall on a customer's computer that was irreparably hosed with spyware. Every other call I've had to make to them was a waste of time.
They are well known for the Catch-22 situations they put you in. To their credit, once I did get them to send me a bootable CD with XP on it to reinstall on a customer's computer that was irreparably hosed with spyware. Every other call I've had to make to them was a waste of time.
Please don't take this personally, but this is an Apple site. If you wish to rant about Dell, this site is a favorite:
http://www.ihatedell.net
The whole Dell "thing" is too emotional...
http://www.ihatedell.net
The whole Dell "thing" is too emotional...
So technically if you rang them back up and just blagged and said you had bought it from dell then they'd agree to help you?
Don't be ridiculous. I'd expect them to check if they sold it.
Given all the horror stories you see about upgrading to Vista, had I been the OP, I would have contacted Dell and asked if they would support me if I purchased the Vista upgrade through them.
Asking exactly the same question twice in row, how stupid. Sounds to me like your "customer service representative" doesn't even speak English and was just feeding you the pre-written answers that seemed the most appropriate on his checklist.
"Have you tried turning the computer off and on again?"
Sounds to me like your "customer service representative" doesn't even speak English and was just feeding you the pre-written answers that seemed the most appropriate on his checklist."Have you tried turning the computer off and on again?"
Please don't take this personally, but this is an Apple site. If you wish to rant about Dell, this site is a favorite:
http://www.ihatedell.net
The whole Dell "thing" is too emotional...
Yeah but we don't like Dell so it's good that stories like this pop up here.
Just visit that website - you'll get a ton!
(happy place, I must go to my happy place...)
Yeah, but we like the stuff off that website being mirrored on this website. It's a confidence booster for our self-esteems collectively.
in Dell's defense, i've had premium customer service for my XPS desktop, but XPS owners have their own customer service line.
haven't had to call Apple yet, but im sure it's good too.
haven't had to call Apple yet, but im sure it's good too.
Have you tried turning the machine "off" then "on"?
If the problem continues, try re-installing Windows...
problem 39018 with PCs
hardware maker will say its the software, software makers will say it the hardware!
hardware maker will say its the software, software makers will say it the hardware!
How very true. They refuse point blank to help most of the time on that basis. Anything that doesn't carry their name 'sorry sir, we can't help you with third-party applications' .
Useless. In that regard you'd think there'd be a general Technical Support that will help you regardless of hardware and do their best.
Don't fool yourself. Apple pulls this all the time.
They are especially fond of pointing at third=party software when they can't figure out whet the hell is wrong with your system and they've run out of ideas.
Nope, either we will send you a replacement out as soon as possible ... or
Please wait while we connect you to the Dell Store so you can purchase a Dell branded fire extinguisher in the meantime.