Experienced customer service wranglers will tell you that if you’re going to buy products from Dell, buy them as a small business owner, since they get better customer support. I’d hate to see what kind of support reader Benjamin would be getting for his Vostro notebook computer if he weren’t a small business owner, then. [More]
dell hell
Dell: Prove To Us That Your New Monitor Isn't 10 Years Old
By 8.4.11
Did you know that Dell has been making one particular model of 24″ flat panel HD monitors for a decade now? G. didn’t. That’s why he was surprised when he contacted Dell to find out the warranty expiration date for his monitor (manufactured in March of 2011) and they couldn’t provide him with that information. Worse, the confused customer service rep was convinced that the monitor was, somehow, ten years old. [More]
Letter To Michael Dell Frees College Student From Dell Hell
By 1.10.11
At the end of last semester, Alex experienced one of the great college student nightmares of our time: his Dell laptop fried itself shortly after the warranty expired. While he Fortunately, he had a few things going for him: his father had originally purchased the computer on a credit card (American Express) that extended his warranty protection, and Alex knew enough to research the specific problem. AmEx’s repair offer didn’t satisfy Alex, so he summarized the situation in a letter to Dell founder and CEO Michael Dell. [More]
There Are No TVs Here, Only Dell Hell And Despair
By 8.26.10
Brandon tells Consumerist that he found the best deal around on a huge Vizio TV from Dell. Unfortunately, instead of finding himself in 47″ HDTV bliss, Brandon found himself condemned to weeks in Dell Hell, while the company threw out empty promises and conflicting excuses, and in the end simply can’t deliver the television that Brandon purchased. [More]
Dell's Tech Support Will Stop At Nothing To Help Break Your Computer
By 3.24.10
Janna’s Dell laptop broke, but it was still under warranty. She tells Consumerist that she contacted their technical support by web chat, imagining that it would be simple and easy to get a computer under warranty repaired. Her journey through Dell’s tech support began with the chat rep encouraging her to grab a screwdriver and take her computer apart herself, and somehow got even more discouraging from there. When she finally got Dell to take the laptop in for repairs, Dell somehow helpfully cracked her LCD. [More]
Dell EECB Results In Free Replacement Motherboard And AC Adapter
By 3.24.10
How long should an AC adapter for a laptop last? Michael writes that the adapter for his Dell Inspiron laptop stopped functioning after less than two years of use. He finds this unacceptable. While most people would have shrugged and ordered a new adapter, not Michael. He found the situation unacceptable, and deployed the fearsome power of the executive e-mail carpet bomb. [More]
Dell, I Do Not Appreciate Your 5 AM Wakeup Robocalls
By 2.6.10
A few years ago, Kate made a horrible mistake. As the IT contact for her employer, she gave Dell her cell phone number. She tells Consumerist that apparently this gave the company license to give her status updates on the company’s Dell orders between 5 and 6 A.M. Pacific time. Even after she no longer worked in that position. Even after repeated phone calls and e-mails begging Dell to stop calling her. The worst part? Kate isn’t the only one. [More]
Dell Will Overnight Your Replacement Laptop Within 18 Business Days
By 11.5.09
Rob tells us he ordered a Dell laptop from their outlet store, but received the wrong machine. He says he called up Dell and asked for them to send the computer that he actually ordered. “Sure,” said the nice folks at Dell. “We’ll overnight you the correct computer within eighteen business days.” Rob was confused.
Get Your Piece Of The Dell Fraud Settlement
By 9.18.09
Inside: Video – Cuomo and plaintiff Cary Lou Canfield lay down the law at Consumers Union earlier this week, and more info on getting some bucks from Dell.
AG Cuomo: Dell To Pay $4 Million For "Defrauding NY Customers"
By 9.15.09
If you live in New York State and purchased a computer from Dell using a Dell-financed “no interest loan,” today may be your lucky day, dude. Based on a settlement with New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, the computer company will pay $4 million “in restitution, penalties and costs to resolve charges of fraudulent and deceptive business practices that scammed consumers across New York State.”
This Certified Refurbished Dell Laptop Comes With Large Scratches And A Pirated Copy Of Microsoft Office
By 5.30.09
Ever wonder if “certified refurbished” is just corporate doublespeak for “not entirely broken crap?” Well, at Dell, it is! The refurbished Dell Studio Joseph bought as a gift for his father-in-law arrived with large scratches and a CD-R in the optical drive containing a pirated copy of Microsoft Office. Dell’s response? They’re willing to take back the laptop and waive the restocking fee, but that’s it.
EECB Saves Reader From Dell Hell
By 1.2.09
While we never like to hear the awful stories that come through our doors, it’s a relief to know we can help. Listen to Reader B.J’s harrowing Dell tale, and the EECB that saved the day.
Dell Doesn't Care Where You Live, Keeps Delivering Packages To The Wrong Address
By 9.7.08
Elizabeth went out and bought a Mac after Dell twice sent Windows XP replacement CDs to her old address. After each failed delivery attempt, Elizabeth called Dell, which repeatedly promised that they’d get it right next time. One CSR even claimed that he personally called DHL to change the shipping address. (He didn’t.)
"Dell Is Chasing Me Into The Arms Of Steve Jobs"
By 5.9.08
Reader Julia writes in to say that Dell owes her a $70 gift card and when she didn’t get it they simply told her “too bad.” She’s wondering if any other Dell customers were similarly “cheated.” She sent an EECB to Dell and a quick summary of her problem to us:
Man Sues Dell And Wins… By Serving Court Papers To The Mall Kiosk
By 12.13.06
A NJ man successfully sued Dell in small claims court using a unique approach. He had the court papers delivered to a Dell kiosk in the local mall. [More]
‘Dell Hell’ as Marketing Metric
By 12.8.05
We have avoided posting about the “Dell Hell” marketing analysis all day, for many reasons, only one of which involves alcohol. Another is that Jeff Jarvis mentions us in the same post, and we were afraid that our whirring circle jerk might send parts careening off the internet. But you know, we can only be sent a link so many times before we capitulate. (Keep that in mind when next you have a product to hawk via email).
