hesse

I just got off the phone with Dell customer service and would like to give credit to their great service, something that we've been asking for!

Yesterday I received a replacement unit for my wife's Axim which had d-pad problem. The process of getting the replacement was a painless one to start with except the long wait time.. :)

And when I received the package yesterday, I found an extra AC adapter in the box. I was only supposed to get the main unit replaced and I didn't even get AC adapter when I ordered my wife's Axim. So I wasn't sure about what to do with it. <_<

So I called Dell today to ask what to do with it... (only waited about 10 min!!) and the rep said to just keep it. Must have been something they just threw in in case I cannot get access to my cradle right away. I was very suprised by this. She asked to return just the main unit. :)

I also asked about my rebates. I was getting very worried about two rebates I sent, one for my unit and one for my wife's. I heard many people had trouble with rebates because the packing slip didn't have the rebate listed. I also was worried about the rebate policy listed on the rebate form. It said that I couldn't combine the rebate with any other offer. But I used initial 10% discount they offered!! So I wasn't sure if I would get my rebates or not... I explained this to her..and she agreed that the entire rebate thing was very messy and she offered to give me $100 credit so that I don't need to worry about rebates!! :o Wow!

Now I longer have to go to rebatestatus.com every day! This is great!

My experiences with Dell so far have not been that great. Sometimes it was good and sometimes it was horrible... But I think I am seeing a lot of improvements... Think about how fast Dell reacted to our d-pad action button complaints. Very good sign...

By the way, the customer service rep I talked to was Merilyn Stevens! Thanks Merilyn!

Cheryl

Good to know there is at least one good customer service rep at Dell. I have had nothing but trouble when I call :( congrats on your success :D

eltaka

In defence of the support people.
Companies need to pay more attention to these folks as they are the ones taking most of the crap from frustrated users. Most of the time it's a 50/50 shot that you will get a support person who will go out of their way to get it done for you. Usually these type people don't last too long in the dept. as they probably move up or elsewhere either because of frustration (no support from their supervisors) or because the got a better offer at another company.

My opinion is try hard to hang on to the good support people and give them incentives to want to stay. Just my suggestion, since I've done support work for corporate america.

Dell support has been good to me, not perfect but good.

Thanks Dell

B)

dbman

I have to say that I've called Dell several times regarding my rebate and order status. The people that I have spoken with were polite and professional. In all cases, they did their job! I have nothing but nice things to say about their support.

I believe what goes around comes around and if you treat a sales or support person the way you want to be treated, they will treat you the same way. I have done customer service and support many times and there is always the customer that comes out of left field, using threats and hostility before you can even get their name. I think these customers are afraid that unless they come on this way, they will be ignored. In most cases, nothing could be further from the truth. Keep in mind that the person you are talking to has been trained, has procedures that must be followed, has supervisors that have the authority to correct any problem and that you are talking to a real person, just like you. Treat them right and they usually treat you right. If you find that the person you are speaking with can not solve your problem, ask to talk to that person's supervisor. Keep moving up the ladder until you find someone that is able to help you.

axhandler

I agree dbman...if you call and your being a little beatch then that's how your gonna get treated. I have always had better luck getting what I want be being nice to the rep that I'm talking to. They are much more willing to help you if your not making threats and cussing...not that I ever did that :D

Cheryl

I would never talk to a customer service person like that. I have worked in customer service forever, at least it feels like that. I do think that sometimes you do need to be assertive (not witchy) to get the help you need.

HackMeNot

I need to put my two cents in on this customer service issue.

Humans deserve respect no doubt but you can't say all customer reps are handling their jobs to the tee. Let me explain a situation I once had with Sprint for my cell phone.

I purchased a handspring treo 300 last summer and couldn't use it to go online so i called the sprint number for customer support.

#1- Humans love gadgets that make life easier....automated answering machines waste our time. Obviously companies are using these machine so as not to have their employees time wasted in order to boost productivity.

After pressing a dizzying array of 3's, 2's, 5's and 1's I was put on hold to wait for the next available customer service representative for 1 hour and 45 minutes. I hung up.

#2- These hold times are sick. We have plenty of better things to do with our time rather than to wait for someone.

A day later I tried to call and was again put on hold for about 1 hr 30 min before someone did answer. This customer service rep was polite and helpful for the most part but could not address my situation and told me I would have to speak to tech support. She transferred me to tech support. I was on hold once again for 1 hr 20 min. That's a total of 4hrs 35min. of my life gone on hold time.

#3- Did I mention these hold times are f----- up?

Anyway they said it would be fixed in 2 days. Two days passed and it still didnt work. I called again and waited on hold for about 1 hr and went over the story once again with a new customer service rep. This rep transferred me to tech where I once again had to repeat my story. Once again I was promised within 48 hours my new handspring treo 300 would be able to go online.

I was disappointed again 48 hours later when it still did not function as advertised. So this time I call and when I get through to customer rep I went through my story again which upset me that I kept having to repeat myself. The rep says she'll transfer me to tech. I said I didn't want to be transferres to tech and that I would like to speak to a supervisor. She snapped back "what can a supervisor do for you?" to which I had no answer because I don't know what a supervisor can do for me. So frustrated had I become that i hung up.

I understand people have rough days. I am a train conductor providing customer service to millions of New Yorkers every day and I understand customer reps are not mind readers and can only get things done within a given set of rules and regulations that must be adhered to. I also understand there tends to be a lag in information communicated through the layers of personnel within authorized to handle different situations by title or chain of command.

Anyway, as soon as this one year contract with sprint is over I am going to switch carriers.

Thank you people for hearing me out. I just needed to vent. LOL.

__________________
My personal digital assistant whispers to me in my sleep. She says "We don't need no steeeeeeenkin' cumpoootahs...".

HP 548, Sony T615, Sony NR70V, Toshiba E740, Handspring Treo 300, Dell Axim X5 400

cavuu

I have called Dell Canada twice, hold time less than 5 minutes and service rep excellent. No complaints, I don't think it could be any better. :)

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fvj48

I have to speak in defense/support of Dell’s Customer Service…I have been reading with interest all the negative experiences noted with Dell Customer Service and feel obligated to add my two cents...I too elected to have the latest and greatest, jumped in and got the Dell Axim (400version)...I knew and accepted full well that any new system will generally have "undocumented variances" (bugs) that I would have to work through...I too spoke with Dell Customer Service multiple times, all to my satisfaction...Received the missing items timely, then ended up getting a replacement in response to D-pad issues…Would have been totally positive, but I have to say that I disapprove of the new fabric slip case and that there was a strange power connector in the box with the replacement the handheld works great…Makes no difference I kept the original ones and returned the replacement items along with my old one today – the point I am trying to make here is that you can participate in the resolution or be a part of the problem...I am still waiting for the leather case I purchased on my original order - has been reprocessed and should be on the way - nothing major to keep me awake at night...In all my interaction with their Customer Support Staff I have never had any negative experiences/issues/feelings...I too spoke at one point to an individual with a foreign accent...The result/outcome was very positive...My five (5) plus years of positive personal experience with Dell can not be a fluke...I believe that the end user/caller has to accept some responsibility for the quality of the call and resolution...In my position as Director of Customer Relations in the healthcare arena I am constantly amazed at the manner in which (when I become involved in) a "he said"/"she said" disagreement and/or a caller disenchanted with the response received, that the true underlying issue is failure to effectively listen to/accept/actually understand what the someone is being told...From my perspective Dell is doing a great and commendable job, so much so, that I am currently researching the Dell line of laptops and am going to upgrade from my Inspiron 7000 within the next 60 days…I simply don’t and can’t believe that I am the only person who has had a positive experience.

enob

My 2.5 cents worth:

I have had both good and bad experiences with Dell support, depends on the rep you speak to. Like any oraganization there are some motivated and some not motivated people. I work as a system admin for a large IT company and I call many different companies for support and services and Dell for the most part does a good job. I agree with what was said about companies putting some incentives in for their support staff.
After all most people will purchase additonal products from a company that has a good support record and as we see at this site word travels...

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Distorting Time

SUNARISE

I work with Dell at various levels from my home stuff to major accounts and I do not like the wait times. They remind me of the "bad" days when you would hear from Compaq's phone system "Your expected wait time it 37 minutes". Customers get real upset when you are sitting on hold for a $100+ and hour.

I get far more runaround from the Dell home support as the Dell hardware support for systems is very simple and you get good techs most of the time.


I would like to see Dell's tech support staff start there conversation with "My name is Steve, my id is 23434". This would get rid of the accountability issue that lets Dell's CSR bail on you or just plain give you the run around. Most of my complaints are the quick hand offs to another dept that wants to send you back to the same Q as you just got thrown out of.

Then I would like to see a smoother transition of calls to the RIGHT depts. Wait times are extremely long and then when they send you to the WRONG dept you get the re-waiting time as you drop into another Q from "triple hockey sticks".

GET ME TO THE RIGHT DEPARTMENT AND GET ME THERE FAST! IS THAT TO MUCH TO ASK
:D :D :crooked:

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SUNARISE
Axim 400MHz - D-Link DCF660W -
Otter Armor Case - Sena Blue/Black Case - Nit-Ize Case - Moonlight-tech 3 Piece Cable Set - Digipower DPS-9000 - 3400mah battery - 512 CF Card - 256 CF Card - 256 SD Cards - 3COM Network CF Card

justonemore

Not to chew away at you at your suprise for receiving xtra charger, but...... as a rule of thumb if shipping is 50% or mor or actual COST ( not retail ) of an item, they would rather bite the bullet.