Saturday, January 24, 2009

DELL< DELL< DELL

Poopsie: aka Snowman, or I eat!:

Now I know what you mean about all that trouble you had with Dell. I ordered my wife a nice Laptop that was on sale for Christmas for two days only. It was an 800.00 Inspiron for 444.00. Of course after I ordered it on 12-12-08 I have yet to receive it, and after 6-8 phone calls and countless e-mails, Dell states it cannot find my order (they are waiting on parts-initial delivery date- 12-12-08!!!! The last e-mail from Dell showed my Customer ID, Order Number and Item Number, yet they say they cannot find what I e-mailed them about!! I copied and pasted their own e-mail and sent it back asking if that helped any! At least it generated a phone call FROM them. I also have a TV card- 133.99, as well as a 55.00 Wireless router that are past the 21 day return policy because they kept pushing back the deliver date of the Laptop while waiting on parts.

Now they are saying that promotion is no longer valid and are pushing to sell the 1200.00 high end laptops. I was at work and they would not talk to the wife about "MY account" We have nothing separate from each other, so I'll have to call and give someone permission to talk with her.

Most of you know I'm going to Tampa (not the brightest idea I've ever had), on Superbowl weekend to see my Dad, who is not doing well health wise. I was going to download all info from desktop to laptop via direct connect- and take to Fla to stay up with a class. It's too much info not to download it straight from one computer to the next. This puts me in a bad situation. Go see my father maybe for the last time- WHICH I AM GOING TO DO!) I'm flying US Scare out of Charlotte- (not a bright idea either as this is the one that---you know.) I swear to my Lord if the seats are still damp I'm getting off that plane!!!! This could have possibly been the same Airbus A320 that took off from LaGuardia, going to where?....Charlotte, going to where?......Orlando!!!!!
I'm going from Charlotte to Orlando non-stop, but I seriously considered taking the flight from Charlotte to LaGuardia to Orlando, just so I could say I've been to NY! The Tickets were same price- how dumb!

Dell does not understand, nor do I really expect them too, how much their inability to supply said laptop has caused me. I will literally fail a 936.00 class that I have an A in, because I'll be missing a week. This is a 9 week class and there are NO exceptions for not doing the work, nor any refunds. That is signed in blood. This has really and truly upset me. Maybe I'm making too much out of it, but I've had the worst and most stressful 3 months that I've had in many a year. School, Sandi's surgery, My Heart, and now my Dad's heart with his Pacemaker going off and the end drawing near. I promise I'm not whining, I just don't need Dell to cause a simple business transaction- something they do for a living to cause this much stress and consternation.


So, How do I bypass all the lowlifes at Dell, get a service rep that can do something about this situation, like honor the price on the sales item, or give me some comp for the hassle/ say they are sorry and offer me an upgrade- they will build another like it but want 600.00 for it and will not budge on the price. Seems to me they must honor the 444.00 price as there were no exclusions that I can remember? They did not even call- they kept having a computer call and said say press 1 if you want to continue the "build": and would follow up in a couple of days with an E-mail you had to respond to as well.

And all this from a company who last week could find no record of my PO number or Order Number!!!!! Or just send me postage paid box for return and credit and no restocking fee for items I have. They want me to pay postage and restocking on TV card and Router while I'm still waiting on parts for the Laptop!!!! I also bought a 47' LCD HDTV from them, as well as my last two computers. You'd think there would be a teeny bit of loyalty there.

I want some testicles in my hand, and I want to squeeze them, until I get the respect and common decency that a valued customer should receive, from a service driven industry. I (we) have been nothing but civil and polite to this point- but it appears it's time to shift to another tactic. Or I want to go public and let others know. But they are so big- it won't even bother them or make a ripple in their pond of business!

Suggestions? Ways to get higher ups' attention? Am I within my rights?

I Ask you or your smartest fellow Bloggers' with experience in this how to get results! I want to be loaded for bear, and go for the jugular when I call Customer Service next. I tend to be way to nice when it comes to confrontation; up to a point. But I don't want to "Blow up" at the inappropriate person, someone who may not have a clue just by reading any notes that may miraculously been kept by customer service. This is the New and Improved John who is sick and tired of always being the polite doormat after he gets screwed. At least they can kiss me when their through!

For want of a Lap Top,

John

PS: I have stayed with Dell because I have decent credit options with them, and am not sure about other stores/companies. I owe no credit cards, outstanding credit bills etc. I just don't want a lot of credit activity to show up during the current economic situation. I can go elsewhere or pay cash, but it was interest free for 1 year with the TV order! So why tie up that chunk of cash?

Thanks everyone for listening to this RANT. I fell some better just writing it out. I know it's not a big problem compared to some, but it is a real one, and it's mine.

J

5 comments:

  1. I feel for you. I have no answers I'm afraid. This is why I avoid buying over the net - you can't see them face to face - no one is accountable.

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  2. John I am so sorry. That is blatantly WRONG!

    I would get all the facts, dates, receipts, e-mails any possible documentation I have and can get my hands on and put it all together...systematically in order.

    You know how to DOCUMENT every little bit of minutia and you know how to write.

    Pray for guidance (sure you have)and ask God to put the right people in your path and remove obstacles.

    They should not be allowed to get away with this.

    I would want names and ID #'s from everyone you speak with. I would be professional even if it means you have to do a jig to keep yourself from losing it.

    You are not a door mat. You are assertive.

    I would ask for all manager names. i would want the CEO's name and address. i would let them know that they are going to be taken to small claims court.

    YOU WOULD WIN!!

    Can you imagine if Judge Judy got this presented to her?

    It is appalling.

    i would let them know that not only are you suing for what is rightfully yours but you will sue for damages...which is reimbursement of your class and reimbursement for the additional time, hardship and stress this has caused you during a time family crisis in which you do not have the luxury of saying oh..I won't visit my dying dad because I have to stay here to work on my computer so I can pass my class I have worked hard in and paid almost a thousand dollars for.

    If you were calling a lawyer and he was billing you for your time on the phone...how many billable hours have you spent doing this.

    I am a Christian. I don't think we should sue for gain...but when they are disingenuous with a customer by misrepresentation and not following through with their promotion and then have the audacity to get ask you to pay more and...and you purchased the large tV, etc...well shame on them!!!

    Maybe you could get media attention. Up here..channel 2 news in NYC has some news team go out and investigate exactly this kind of run around people get. Think they call it 'Shame on you". Don't know if they still do it.. but it was effective.

    Also...WOM is very important to a business. In this professionally factual letter I would let them know that you will never recommend their store or product that you will be steering people away at every opportunity to warn them about the poor customer service and the dishonesty.

    You might want to consider a lawyer that would do it as a freebie where they get paid when you win. Forget what they call it. But small claims is free if you win. I think that is how it works.. not sure.

    I know I wrote this all jumbled up.

    Facts, receipts, copies,names with ID numbers,documentation...and at this point...you WANT more then your computer... you want your class paid for, etc.

    Think of how Jesus responded to the money changers in the temple. There is a righteous anger.

    And be polite.. but assertive. No threats but factual statements that you have exhausted every avenue and now you want the CEO's name, you want everybody's manager's name... all the way up to the top.

    Hi..this is what's going on. I am sorry that you are unable to help me. I have been patient. Now I would please like your name, manager's name because I am documenting everything now.

    Your words obviously but you get the gist.

    I am so sorry this happened to you and your wife and I pray it will straighten out and soon.

    Perhaps they can give you a loaner laptop?

    Sorry so long.

    Take care. :)

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  3. Jeannie- Thanks for the consolation.

    Sea- WOW! You are now my Attorney. I had thought of some of these but I had never thought about a lot of them. You have put together an extremely valuable, logical case. You should write a pamphlet to post!

    I have most of what you suggested, including a time line. We always document names, dates and times, even if it's a false name (some companies do that- they know who we spoke too and usually keep a running computer log of calls, concerns etc on their end.

    Great info and come Monday I will follow up- we did get an informed, nice believer on our last call but I was at work and they would not talk to Sandi which I completely understand.
    Thanks so much for the time and the excellent info.

    I'll be by to check on you both later,

    Blessings,

    John

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  4. I know another blogger who was having huge problems with Dell, both at work and with her home computer. She kept griping about Dell on her blog and low-and-behold...a Dell representative commented on her blog and asked her how to resolve her problem. It seems that Dell pays people to Google blogs to see what people have to say about their products.

    I'd suggest writing a post here every day, about your progress(or lack of) with Dell. Mention their name a lot. Maybe they'll find you and resolve the problem. It couldn't hurt to try.

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  5. here's what you do... you call you start bitching at the first person you get to talk to then you tell them you can't understand their pakistan accent they will transfer you. Keep it up with every person and finally tell them that you WILL NEVER BUY FROM DELL AGAIN AND TELL EVERY OEN YOU KNOW NOT TO AND POST ON YOUR BLOG THAT GET'S 100,000 HITS PER DAY TO DO THE SAME. it worked for me.

    Then hopefully neil will start stopping by and checking on you.

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Incredibly smart relies: