"We want to give our customers more tools to fix their own problems and make it easier to call on us for help. My ultimate goal is to create this Dell as a trusted adviser role for our customers. I want it to be so that the reason people will buy from Dell is because of our service. It used to be that way, we lost it, and desperately and very eagerly want that back."
Um, bullshit...
I've been on the phone with Dell since 6:45 this morning, it's now 1:55 in the afternoon, and I STILL don't have any kind of resolution to my problem.
What's my problem, you ask? Here it is, delineated:
- In March 2007, I ordered from Dell an Olympus Evolt E-500 digital camera. At the time of ordering, I also ordered an extended warranty, 2 years at a cost of $34. At the time of ordering, a Friday, the website showed the camera in stock. By the following business day I received an e-mail to tell me the camera was on back order and would be delayed two to three weeks. Okay, no problem. I can wait that long.
- In June 2007, I still didn't have my camera in spite of the fact my Dell account had already been charged for $700+ and I was paying interest on it, though I didn't have the camera yet.
- I finally talked to someone who lives in the good ole US of A who actually spoke English well enough to discuss the problem with me (Texas accent aside...) In his system, my order showed another SIX weeks of back order and we were already on month three. At that time, we decided to cancel the original order and make a new one, exactly the same. I was assured at that time my extended warranty was on the order.
- Okay, problem solved, right? Nope, this was only beginning of what I now call "Dell Hell".
- On June 23rd, I received two cameras - identical in order, same lenses, same camera, same additional memory card. I refused one, accepted the other and spent two months arguing with the finance department to have interest removed from my account. It took me TWO months to straighten that out since I was paying now for TWO cameras.
- Okay, problem solved, right? Nope. Not by a long shot.
- Fast forward 15 months. I have my camera, I'm taking pictures, every thing's fine, I'm thrilled with my camera. Two weeks ago, I was changing out the memory card and a pin got bent so now I can no longer use the camera, getting a card reader error.
- No problem, right? I ordered a two year extended warranty. I can get the camera fixed tout suite. Nope. Seems somewhere along the way, some idiot at Dell cancelled BOTH extended warranties when the mistaken order was cancelled. I have been quoted by Olympus that it will be AT LEAST $300 to fix the camera, which I don't have. I can't order a new camera since I don't have that kind of room on my charge account. I now have $1000 in camera equipment that would be more useful as a doorstop.
I need this camera for my work. I take my own photos for my articles and to not take my photos means I lose a couple thousand dollars on this gig. I've not given up on this. I WILL get satisfaction even if it means paying for it myself and squeezing something out of Dell to make it worth my while... Dell sucks, Dell couldn't care less about the customer, Dell is one of the crappiest in customer service, so much so they have now replaced Sprint in my heart for the worst. Sprint's a cakewalk compared to Dell.
