PPC 2003 update not available in Australia or A/P - Page 2

tazcal · 07-11-03, 04:19 AM

Quote:

"The Pocket PC 2002 Premium Operating System was the OS which offered to you during the point of Sales. You can see "BOS-010-Microsoft(R) Pocket PC 2002 Premium" in your quotation.
In fact we have not started to offer Pocket PC 2003 operating system during the point of your purchase. This is because Microsoft has just started to release its new operating system for handhelds, PocketPC 2003, on June 23.
I am sorry to tell you that for the Asia region, we are not able to
provide you with Pocket 2003 OS . Appreciate your understanding and thank you so much for your support."

This does not make sense! I have ordered an AXIM. I'm still waiting for it to arrive (24 days and counting). I have been in contact with DELL a number of times by phone and they have explained to me the delay is due to WM2003. As you can work out I placed my order well before 23rd June. They assure me that when it arrives it will have the new OS. I have been in contact with some other Australians who have said that they have already received the AXIM with WM2003. My point is that the new OS is available but DELL seems to have decided not to release the upgrade on CD in this region for existing users. Who makes these decisions? It seems we don’t matter to them in the big scheme of things. How hard is it for a big company like DELL to reconfigure the US upgrade with local setting and release the CD here? (Perhaps there is more to it!)

Well I’m sick of it! I’ve had enough of being treated as a customer that’s not worth worrying about. I know that I’m not relying on an upgrade being released but only by chance. If I was in the unfortunate situation of needing the upgrade I would want as much support as possible. So you can count me in. I have email Trevor Townrow, I’ve signed the petition and will support in any other way I can. I think it is worth following as many avenues as possible to ensure they listen to us. I’ll also assist in any other way I can. It is important that users in Australia and surrounding areas develop a support network to help each other.

As far as I’m concerned this goes further than just the new OS upgrade, this is a matter of service. As mentioned previously in this thread, the customers in this region pay far more for computer devices and associated components than other areas, I think the least we can expect is quality service in return.

I am going to upgrade to a new desktop in the next 3 months and was planning to purchase from the DELL range. I will be watching closely at how DELL handles this matter and seriously consider alternative options for my next computer.

ejay · 07-11-03, 04:37 AM

Way to go tazcal. Thanks for your support. Keep em coming!!!!

ejay · 07-11-03, 04:43 AM

By the way folks, I did ask for a reason that Dell would not be providing the upgrade and this was the response:

"This is our management's decision .
They have advised that will be no plan to offer the upgrade to customers in Asia Pacific."

Not very helpful in explaining the reason why. In other words: "there's no damn reason for it its just our policy".

dougproctor · 07-11-03, 04:58 AM

This whole release thing worldwide seems to be a mess. I suppose in the UK we are lucky in that they are going to release it........... eventually! The States seems to be in the same position with delivery dates slipping by the second. When you ring, if you can get through, depending on who you speak to, you get told one thing or speak to someone else a minute later, you get told something else. Or better still , get too many enquiries so let's pull the page/ordering system off the website.
The list of software that won't work with it grows daily, people report it as being really sloooooooow and if Dell's own periperals won't work with it yet, what chance have other companies?
I suggest you're probably better off not getting it yet, opinion will eventually sway their decision and you might get the product with some of the bugs taken out.
Have a nice day (or is it night yet over there?).

07-11-03, 06:59 PM

Doug,

I agree that the performance of WM2003 on the Axim is not looking great, but I think the principle here remains... it should be up to us to accept and install the upgrade if we want to - not because some totally uncaring corporate giant tells us it won't realease the upgrade, but gives no reason for it. We in the A/P region get p***ed on again and again with things like this - not just from Dell, but from the other big companies like MS, Compaq/HP and others. I lived in the UK for 10 years before coming out to Australia and I get so frustrated with this attitude -like this region just doesn't count.

One other thought: perhaps the reason we're not being offered the upgrade is because Dell A/P have looked at the performance of WM2003 on the Axim and decided not to release it until a patch or whatever is released. Of course, they can't state this publicly (that'd be too honest by far!) so maybe the policy is to keep schtum about it until an improved release is out - unlikely, but still a possibility.

In the meantime, because I need this development business I am going out to buy an iPAQ - I don't want to as theya re expensive and I do not really want two PDA's, but WM2003 works well on it and for me it's a crucial business decision. My point remains though - it should be to *us* as Axim owners to take or leave an upgrade that is available to the rest of the globe!

Finally, if anyone at Dell A/P reads this, then consider the following: I do PDA development and consultancy work for two very large, worldwide corporate organisations in Australia. One of them is considering the purchase of about 400 PDA's with WM2003 and has asked me to recommend the brand and model(s) to buy... I WILL NOT BE RECOMMENDING THE AXIM BECAUSE YOU REFUSE TO TREAT YOUR CUSTOMERS WITH RESPECT... SO YOU CAN KISS GOODBYE AT LEAST ONE VERY LARGE CORPORATE AXIM DEAL. My other client is also considering going away from iPAQs to Axim's - again, I will do all in my power to persude them otherwise unless we see some positive action on this issue by Dell A/P.

Mike.

ejay · 07-13-03, 03:32 AM

Hows the pettition going???

All you ax owners in the AP region don't forget to sign the pettition refffered to in this thread!!!!!!

07-13-03, 05:02 AM

I just signed the petition too...

DefSac · 07-13-03, 05:47 AM

15 signatures. soon i'll email it to the A/P manager (don't want to go through the help desk bs)

Update: I have sent a copy directly to the manager and one to the Dell staff. The email is below:

Dell Australia,

Could the recipient of this email please forward this to the Dell A/P (Asia/Pacific) manager.

I am emailing this on the behalf of myself and a group of Axim owners in the Asia Pacific region.
We were shocked to discover that although the other regions were getting an upgrade to Microsoft’s new PPC 2003,
that “Based on anticipated customer demand, Dell will not have a program in Asia Pacific to upgrade to PocketPC 2003 for existing Axim customers.” (Dell Representative).

Upon further inquiry into the reason behind this, a member of aximsite.com (you can read the forum thread at http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showt...5&pagenumber=1) received the reply
"This is our management's decision. They have advised that will be no plan to offer the upgrade to customers in Asia Pacific."

I am trying to contact the management with this email. To help the organisation of people’s concerns, I have started a petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/dellaus/petition.html . This petition has 15 signatures at the moment, and this number rises every day.

One aximsite.com member states “Well I’m sick of it! I’ve had enough of being treated as a customer that’s not worth worrying about.”.
I feel this is the reflection of the general feelings that A/P Axim owners have.

Another member states “Finally, if anyone at Dell A/P reads this, then consider the following: I do PDA development and consultancy work for two very large, worldwide corporate organisations in Australia. One of them is considering the purchase of about 400 PDA's with WM2003 and has asked me to recommend the brand and model(s) to buy... I WILL NOT BE RECOMMENDING THE AXIM BECAUSE YOU REFUSE TO TREAT YOUR CUSTOMERS WITH RESPECT... SO YOU CAN KISS GOODBYE AT LEAST ONE VERY LARGE CORPORATE AXIM DEAL. My other client is also considering going away from iPAQs to Axim's - again, I will do all in my power to persuade them otherwise unless we see some positive action on this issue by Dell A/P.”

Think about this: Several people who have signed the petition are loyal Dell customers who have bought Dell desktops, laptops, and of course Axims. Then there is the 400 Axims. The message stated in comments on the fourm and on the petition basically says “I will not be buying from dell again”. Surely this kind of business is worth offering some upgrade CD’s to customers who have already given you their business.

Please do not tell me to email another department, several people have gone through this runaround, and I would like to escalate this to the Dell management.

What we would like is a program implemented offering existing members upgrades through either the CD upgrade or a free trade in deal where a PPC2003 model replaces their existing one without a restocking fee. You will find this described on the petition site if you visit it.

Please respond with either a solution or a watertight reason why our business isn’t important enough to warrant some upgrade cd’s.

Kind regards,

Joe Pollard.

JandG · 07-14-03, 03:30 AM

Signed it, although I have received my Axim 400 on Friday 11/07/03 with WM 2003.
Cheers

Burnt Toast · 07-14-03, 04:18 AM

I wonder if it's even Dell's call on whether they are offering the new OS to Asia / Pacific... did anyone even consider that this could be Microsoft's call?

DefSac · 07-14-03, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Burnt Toast
I wonder if it's even Dell's call on whether they are offering the new OS to Asia / Pacific... did anyone even consider that this could be Microsoft's call?

One would then wonder why

a) The new Dell's are shipping with it.
and
b) The iPaqs have an upgrade program here.
c) Dell says that it was their management’s decision.

But it is possible, though unlikely.

ejay · 07-14-03, 05:33 AM

Interesting, interesting, interesting....

I had another email to Dell customer service in the pipeline and this is the reply I recieved to this one:

"Thanks for the email. I've tried to check for you, but the information i've got now is, the upgrade is not available for Australia yet. I'll let you know when it's available."

They obviously don't communicate with each other at Dell, nor do management communicate their decisions with the CS reps.....

DefSac · 07-15-03, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ejay
They obviously don't communicate with each other at Dell, nor do management communicate their decisions with the CS reps.....

That's why I addressed the managment and not the cs reps, because they wont tell them anything.

According to the support desk, my email has been forwarded to management, I'm awaiting their reply...

Quote:

Good day and thank you for reaching us at Dell Asia Pacific Customer Center (Dell APCC) via website.

Your feedback and comments are important to us.

We are pleased to acknowledge that your inquiry has been logged with us with the Ref:CE/AU/07858/04. Your enquiry will be channeled to our managment in order to assist you better. The respective personnel will be contacting you shortly.

Should you require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Once again thank you for your feedback and it is indeed a great pleasure serving you.

Have a pleasant day!

Yours truly,

APCustserv
Dell Services Asia Pacific Sdn. (330298-M)
Email: apcustserv@dell.com < <mailto:apcustserv@dell.com>>
URL : <http://www.dell.com/ap> < <http://www.dell.com/ap>>

captaint · 07-17-03, 11:27 PM

I just signed the petition as well!

What would happen if we contacted Microsoft Australia, surely they have better customer support in Aus!

Adios!

Corey

07-18-03, 01:00 AM

Hey folks.

I've not had much time to check this thread recently but thanks to everyone who has posted and especially for creating the petition and the email to Dell management... I'm glad I lit this fire!!

Let's hope we get some real feedback from Dell (ie: something with some actual *information* in it!) or maybe even the upgrade.

Apparently Dell in the USA is releasing a patch for the WM2003 performance problem. Check out the story here:
http://news.com.com/2100-1041_3-1026579.html?tag=fd_top

Of course we users that can't even get the upgrade don't need that patch (yet!)... but one hopes they'll make it available to A/P customers who have had Axim's delivered with WM2003 already installed.

Meanwhile our little fight goes on... thanks for the support everyone!

Mike.