I hate Dell
Jan 20, 2007, 2:33 pm
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: About 45 miles NW of MCO
Programs: Acapulco - Gold, Panama - Red, Timothy Leary 8 Mile High Club
Posts: 29,238
I hate Dell
I ordered a laptop from the Dell outlet. It was listed as a 'scratch and dent' model. I get my confirmation email. It will be ready for shipment in 10 days! ...? Here is an excerpt from my email to Customer Service:
Did I miss something? I feel deceived. I ordered a scratch & dent laptop from your outlet. I paid an extra $19 for 2 day delivery. Now, you're building it? It takes 10 days! I needed a computer now, not in 10 days. What do you do, scratch it at the end of the assembly line?
Disgruntled,
BamaVol
The response, all the way from India:
I understand from your email that you wish to know status of your
order. I apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused; I
will be happy to assist you with this request.
I was concerned to read in your letter in regards to the Dells service
and support that made you dissatisfied. By bringing this to our
attention, you provide us with crucial data in our ever-vigilant
efforts to raise our standards.
Please be informed, second day shipment will be applied on the order
once the order has shipped from Dell.
The estimated ship date of order number 488047492 is 1/29/2007. Once
the order is shipped on 1/29/2007 order will be delivered to you as per
your shipping method second day shipment.
I hope this takes care of your concern, please feel free
to contact me for any additional support.
You may receive a survey requesting your feedback on your Dell
experience. Please take a moment of your time to complete this survey
and provide us feedback on how we deliver to your customer needs.
Thank you for choosing Dell.
Respectfully,
Sikinder_S
When I regain my composure, I'm ready for a long unpleasant trans-global conversation with equivalent results.
Did I miss something? I feel deceived. I ordered a scratch & dent laptop from your outlet. I paid an extra $19 for 2 day delivery. Now, you're building it? It takes 10 days! I needed a computer now, not in 10 days. What do you do, scratch it at the end of the assembly line?
Disgruntled,
BamaVol
The response, all the way from India:
I understand from your email that you wish to know status of your
order. I apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused; I
will be happy to assist you with this request.
I was concerned to read in your letter in regards to the Dells service
and support that made you dissatisfied. By bringing this to our
attention, you provide us with crucial data in our ever-vigilant
efforts to raise our standards.
Please be informed, second day shipment will be applied on the order
once the order has shipped from Dell.
The estimated ship date of order number 488047492 is 1/29/2007. Once
the order is shipped on 1/29/2007 order will be delivered to you as per
your shipping method second day shipment.
I hope this takes care of your concern, please feel free
to contact me for any additional support.
You may receive a survey requesting your feedback on your Dell
experience. Please take a moment of your time to complete this survey
and provide us feedback on how we deliver to your customer needs.
Thank you for choosing Dell.
Respectfully,
Sikinder_S
When I regain my composure, I'm ready for a long unpleasant trans-global conversation with equivalent results.
Jan 20, 2007, 3:24 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Athens, GA
Programs: Delta PM,UA 1P,
Posts: 902
I had a similar experience with Dell, when you have your trans global conversation expect a lot of " No Problem I will take care of this right now" but nothings really gonna happen.
I hate to say it but I had to get downright nasty to get my situation corrected and it still took a month.
Good Luck
I hate to say it but I had to get downright nasty to get my situation corrected and it still took a month.
Good Luck
Jan 20, 2007, 3:40 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT; National Exec
Posts: 65
Buy from Apple
I recently just bought my first Apple Macbook and I've been so happy with it, it makes me mad I didn't switch over a long time ago. Matter of fact, Apple is so good I selected 2 day shipping and I got it the next day (all the way from China-USA). Also all the programs that I use on a reg. basis still works on a Mac (MS Office, Webex, Live Meeting, Adobe, etc).
Jan 20, 2007, 8:55 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Chicago
Programs: United GS, AA Plat, Starwood Gold, AC
Posts: 367
But to be fair to them, they probably "remanufacture" computers that have been returned, and that's probably what they need to do to yours. Maybe it got dented/scratched on the way to another customer, who returned it, and it needs to be taken apart and put back together to make sure it is OK.
Jan 20, 2007, 11:22 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 37,486
Scratch and dent machines ALSO come off their production lines in Malaysia.
It is probably a half finished notebook with no optical drives, no memory and no CPU, so it goes through the same process of assembly as a normal machine:
Production in Malaysia
Placed in special pallets
Flown to TX
Software installation
Placed in a packaging line (aka shoving it in a box).
A scratch and dent machine is not always something that is sitting in a warehouse in Austin.
It is probably a half finished notebook with no optical drives, no memory and no CPU, so it goes through the same process of assembly as a normal machine:
Production in Malaysia
Placed in special pallets
Flown to TX
Software installation
Placed in a packaging line (aka shoving it in a box).
A scratch and dent machine is not always something that is sitting in a warehouse in Austin.
Jan 21, 2007, 5:25 am
#11
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 6,425
Q When do Dell Outlet purchases ship?
A Systems are typically scheduled to ship within 24 hours of approval and verification of order payment. Occasionally, however, factory delays or issues with payment verification could delay order shipments.
http://www.dell.com/content/topics/s...&~section=main
A Systems are typically scheduled to ship within 24 hours of approval and verification of order payment. Occasionally, however, factory delays or issues with payment verification could delay order shipments.
http://www.dell.com/content/topics/s...&~section=main
Jan 21, 2007, 5:35 am
#12
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Exclusively OMNI/PR, for Reasons
Posts: 4,188
I honestly don't understand all the grief Dell gets. I've had two Dell laptops, a PDA and a desktop over the last 5 years, and my company has standardized on them (with a brief excursion into Thinkpads, but we came back). New equipment virtually always arrives well before the "scheduled" date, both for my company and my wife's.
While I've certainly had to have my laptops serviced (I do, after all, travel with them and often use them in sub-optimal conditions), I've never had a service issue that wasn't resolved within 48 hours. I've had 2 hard drives, a keyboard, a video card, a heatsink/fan assembly and a palm rest/bezel replaced. I was always given the option of doing it myself or having a tech sent on-site.
For both hard drives, I received significantly larger replacements; a 30GB for the first laptop's 20GB, and an 80GB for the 2nd laptop's 60GB.
I'm sure that the vast majority of Dell's customers get similar service. It's unfortunate that a couple of bad experiences can attract so much attention . . .
While I've certainly had to have my laptops serviced (I do, after all, travel with them and often use them in sub-optimal conditions), I've never had a service issue that wasn't resolved within 48 hours. I've had 2 hard drives, a keyboard, a video card, a heatsink/fan assembly and a palm rest/bezel replaced. I was always given the option of doing it myself or having a tech sent on-site.
For both hard drives, I received significantly larger replacements; a 30GB for the first laptop's 20GB, and an 80GB for the 2nd laptop's 60GB.
I'm sure that the vast majority of Dell's customers get similar service. It's unfortunate that a couple of bad experiences can attract so much attention . . .
Jan 21, 2007, 5:52 am
#13
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: SPG gold; otherwise just base in everything so far, but learning!
Posts: 489
Never again
I do not plan on ever purchasing another Dell and if someone asks what kind of computer to buy, the first thing out of my mouth is "just don't buy a Dell." I have actually had little positive experience with them and I do not know anyone who has. The only comments I've heard from those with Dell is that they will never again buy from them.
I switched over to Apple and cannot be happier. Before that, I had a Thinkpad and loved it (not sure I would buy a Lenovo Thinkpad, though...)
A colleague of mine had the "thin and light" Dell (M600, maybe) a few years ago. A design flaw made the screen scratch and crease. Luckily, he had purchased the on site warranty and they had to send a technician to replace the screen it every few months. Only after the third time or so did they admit there was a design flaw. Until then, they maintained nothing was wrong.
From the Dell outlet, the last time I checked, they don't let you customize the computer, so how would it be siting without a hard drive, optical drive, etc.? And if it is not all assembled, why offer it for sale?
As an aside, I've always found that I get stuff almost as fast with standard shipping. When I ordered from Apple in June, my first items arrive the very next morning (standard shipping). My custom built MacBook from China arrived 6 days after the order was placed.
The last two hospitals I have worked at have standardized to IBM/Lenovo.
fuzz
I switched over to Apple and cannot be happier. Before that, I had a Thinkpad and loved it (not sure I would buy a Lenovo Thinkpad, though...)
A colleague of mine had the "thin and light" Dell (M600, maybe) a few years ago. A design flaw made the screen scratch and crease. Luckily, he had purchased the on site warranty and they had to send a technician to replace the screen it every few months. Only after the third time or so did they admit there was a design flaw. Until then, they maintained nothing was wrong.
From the Dell outlet, the last time I checked, they don't let you customize the computer, so how would it be siting without a hard drive, optical drive, etc.? And if it is not all assembled, why offer it for sale?
As an aside, I've always found that I get stuff almost as fast with standard shipping. When I ordered from Apple in June, my first items arrive the very next morning (standard shipping). My custom built MacBook from China arrived 6 days after the order was placed.
The last two hospitals I have worked at have standardized to IBM/Lenovo.
fuzz
Jan 21, 2007, 5:56 am
#14
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: SPG gold; otherwise just base in everything so far, but learning!
Posts: 489
Maybe you can have them put in a bigger scratch so you get a bigger discount...
Sorry, I know it is frustrating. Let us know what happens, ultimately. Maybe you should just cancel it and buy elswhere...
I love how the representatives from overseas (whether the Philippines or India, etc.) are so obviously reading from a script!
fuzz
Sorry, I know it is frustrating. Let us know what happens, ultimately. Maybe you should just cancel it and buy elswhere...
I love how the representatives from overseas (whether the Philippines or India, etc.) are so obviously reading from a script!
fuzz