More Juiceyness. Dell Chat coming!

Dear Dell: Thanks for trying.

Chat will be up soon... :)

Dell Replacement Quote/Estimate Conversation

So I thought I'd try calling in again, see if I wouldn't find someone who actually can help?

This time it was "Gaatthaa" again:

Senior Product Supervisor
(800) 289-3355 x4540052
US_Total_Solution_12@dell.com

I spoke with her on Monday and she had quoted me at roughly $200.00 more...

I was fortunate enough to have her send me a cart with the latest quote (I requested "comparable replacement" in price if I were to order from Dell again):

Below is my original order (too good to be true!):

1 224-3624 Studio 1536, AMD Turion RM-74 (2.2GHz/512KB x2) $549.00
1 320-6465 Midnight Blue $0.00
1 311-8624 4GB, DDR2, 800MHz 2 Dimm $0.00
1 330-0497 Standard Keyboard $0.00
1 320-6870 Hi Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 inch display (1920x1200) $0.00
1 341-6713 ATI MOBILITY RADEON HD 3450 $0.00
1 341-7130 500G 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive $0.00
1 420-8566 Microsoft Windows Vista SP1 Home Premium Edition, English $0.00
1 420-6576 DELL WELCOME,Software Dimension/Inspiron $0.00
1 463-2282 Dell Owners Manual installed on your system,click on icon after system set-up to access $0.00
1 330-0508 DELL RESOURCE DVD,BACK-UP INSP1536 $0.00
1 420-9100 Dell Dock Consumer $0.00
1 420-6436 PC-Restore, Dim/Insp $0.00
1 420-7622 Dell Support Center Software 32 Bit 2.0 $0.00
1 421-0323 Windows Live Search,Multiple User Interface $0.00
1 421-0427 Dell Movie Store $0.00
1 421-1193 Download Store Links $0.00
1 421-0092 DELL-DOWNLOAD-FLAG $0.00
1 410-1883 ADOBE READER 9.0 MULTI- LANGUAGE $0.00
1 313-6229 8X Slot Load CD / DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive) $0.00
1 420-8183 Roxio burn 1.0 $0.00
1 421-0540 Cyberlink Power DVD 8.3 Playback $0.00
1 313-4783 Integrated High Definition Audio 2.2 $0.00
1 430-2929 Dell Wireless 1397 802.11g Half Mini Card $0.00
1 320-6653 Integrated 2.0M Pixel Webcam $0.00
1 410-2184 McAfee Sapphire MUI, 30 Day $0.00
1 312-0694 56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery $0.00
1 412-0934 Earthlink $0.00
1 421-0304 Microsoft Works 9.0, English For Inspiron $0.00
1 950-3337 1 Year Limited Warranty $0.00
1 950-9057 No Warranty, Year 2 and 3 $0.00
1 960-2780 Dell Limited Hardware Warranty 7X24 Technical Support, Initial Year $0.00
1 988-3900 Mail-in Service after Remote Diagnosis , Initial Year $0.00
1 990-5767 Dell Limited Hardware Warranty Plus Service, Initial Year $0.00
1 988-0099 To activate your online backupaccount, go to Start, Programs, DataSafe Online $0.00
1 988-7707 2GB DATASAFE ONLINE 1.1 FOR SDO/DIM/INS/XPS $0.00
1 420-9518 DATASAFE ONLINE 1.1 2GB $0.00
1 330-0171 S and P Drop-in-Box Marcom forDHS Notebooks $0.00
1 420-9352 Dell, Software, Wild Tangent Inc Games $0.00
1 320-6881 Hi Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 LCD (1920x1200) w/ 2.0M pixel Camera $0.00
1 421-1009 Dell Webcam Software 1.4 Application Kit $0.00
1 310-8628 You have chosen a Windows Vista Premium System $0.00
1 420-9800 Dell Remote Access free basic to access your PCs from outside your home $0.00
1 993-1919 Dell Remote Access, free basic service - access your PCs and files from outside your home $0.00
1 313-6225 NO FINGER PRINT READER $0.00
1 600-0040 State Environmental Fee for display 15 inches, less than 35 inches $16


Sub-Total : $549.00
Shipping : $10
Tax : $48.92
Order Total : $623.92

And here's her replacement (changes in bold):


224-3652
Studio 15 Notebook
317-1542
Intel® Pentium™ Dual Core T4300 (2.1GHz/800Mhz FSB/1MB cache)
311-9397
3GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 800MHz
330-2937
Standard Keyboard
320-7721
15.6” High Definition (720p) LED Display with TrueLife™ and Camera
320-7722
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
341-8424
Size: 250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
313-7742
Black Chainlink
330-2934
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
410-1883
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 9, English/French/Spanish
313-8861
8X Slot Load CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
313-4783
High Definition Audio 2.0
430-2929
Dell Wireless 1397 802.11g Half Mini-Card
421-0304
Microsoft® Works 9
410-2184
McAfee SecurityCenter, 30-Day Trial
312-0694
56 Whr Lithium Ion Battery (6 cell)
950-3337
1 Year Basic Mail-In Service Plan
420-9518
Dell Online Backup 2GB for 1 year
330-5126
Intel® Pentium® Processor
Design Studio Selection

Subtotal: $599.00
Shipping & Handling: $12.95
Tax: $69.55
Total Price w/Discounts: $681.50

Dell memo to me:

"Hey, we know you bought a better product for cheaper, but in the end, we can't let you get away with that... Why don't you pay more for less (plus Windows 7 and a shiny screen)?!"

Dell sucks.

Another Forum for Dell Hating:

Help is out there. Or maybe just a bunch of ears, but either way, Dell sucks:

http://www.ihatedell.net/

So "Michael" (India) called...

7:58 AM
Phone call from: (800) 289-3355

"I'm terribly sorry about your inconvenience."

Lot's of apologies. No real answers.

I guess they were trying to set me up with their sales associate to "discuss" my replacement computer purchase. In reality, they just tried to transfer me to sales (call was then dropped, awesome!) to rope me into an entirely new purchase.

I will continue to raise hell until I either receive a personal phone call from Mr. Michael Dell or a replacement computer.

I'm trying to find a way...

To make it so the ads (-------------------->)
show Apple and HP computers (not Dell)... :)

Twitter this, Dell:

In other words, I just tweeted my lights out the past hour.

Here's some of my awesome responses from Dell CS.

US_CAG_Customer_Care to me

show details Jan 20 (6 days ago)

Dear Scott,

Thank you for contacting Dell Customer Care today.

Your order is still in production. Please be advised that it is the only updated information we have at hand. For further assistance, you may contact our Consumer Care Department at 1-800-624-9897.

Thank you again for choosing Dell!

Best Regards,

JENEVE MORTERA

Original Message Follows: ------------------------

Dear Yashu,

I have not heard from you; Would you please confirm you have received my below correspondence?

Thank you,

Scott

On Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 12:19 PM, Scott Robinson 4wrote:

Dear Yashu,

Thank you for your response. Unfortunately, explaining to me something I already know does not solve the problem. Further, I would like a specific explanation as to my order's delay? It seems as though it is too easy to chalk up my product's delay due to "popular demand" on any given item. I would like for you to forward the Studio 15 sales reports reflecting durations of time between date of order and delivery with a break-down of the reasons of delays for the past 24 months. Please incorporate my product's delay and reasoning into this report such that I can determine whether or not the delay was valid or if I should be duly compensated. If you are unable to provide this information, please forward me to your supervisor such that I may have a conversation with them. If your supervisor is outside of the "EMAIL" support, they should be authorized to contact me:

123-123-1234

Thank you,

Scott

I'm not the only one...

Check this out...

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/31/dell-customers-fume-over-late-holiday-orders/

Perhaps a new twitter account is in order...

Where to send your complaints for...

Customer Service:

Dell, Inc.

Legal Dept., MS, 8033

1 Dell Way

Round Rock, TX 78682

Fax: (512) 728-7100

Dell: Sucks.

I purchased some things from Dell on 12/6/2009; This is my story about what Dell did when I didn't get what I paid for... Stay tuned!


Here's my initial email to Mr. Michael Dell (and customer service):

Dear Michael,

Please take the time to read the entirety of this email, as I have now logged over 30 hours attempting to solve this issue. Furthermore, I am about to file a complaint with both the California and Texas Consumer Affairs Departments, AAA and JAMS, if you are unable to resolve my concerns.

I have now contacted your Customer Care team over 15 times. Here are my inquiry reference numbers:

KMM7690955I4735L0KM
KMM104879193I57L0KM
KMM106387526I57L0KM
KMM106419599I57L0KM
KMM106529004I57L0KM
KMM106629489I57L0KM
KMM106816140I57L0KM

Here is some background to my multiple problems since I placed an order from Dell on 12/6/09 consisting of the following products:

-Studio Laptop Model 1536; Purchase Price $549.00 (order number XXXX)
-Playstation 3 Bundle; Purchase Price: $449.00 (order number XXXX)

On 12/10/09 the Playstation 3 bundle went on sale for $374.99; I requested a price lowering/reimbursement as it had lowered significantly within five business days. Dell stated, per your return/price policy, that I could return the item and purchase it again, but pay for the resulting shipping (this would've resulted in net savings of $7.00 after shipping). This left me frustrated and seemingly without any true resolve (nice going on screwing the consumer out of any price change, who is on your legal team?) To my further dismay, one of the controller's for the product was entirely dysfunctional. I have since returned the product to the Playstation return center and am still waiting for the controller replacement.

This is just the beginning of my problems associated with my orders from Dell on 12/6/09.

Five times, between 12/20/09 and 1/25/10, my Studio (order number XXXX) was delayed on a weekly-updated basis. On purchase, my estimated delivery date was 12/27/09--this changed to 1/4/10, 1/11/10, 1/18/10, 1/25/10 and most recently 2/1/10. I have had multiple conversations with the Customer Care department and was promised 2nd-Day air shipping for the above order (as of 1/22/09) as compensation for my inconvenience. I understand the supply and demand chains likely dictate the timing of this issue, however, I find it hard to believe that it takes seven weeks to determine an item is out of stock or no longer available.

As of yesterday, 1/25/10, my order was "changed" and is now considered "cancelled" or "illegal" as the line entirely is now "unavailable." After multiple telephone exchanges today, 1/26/10, I have spoken to these following departments regarding this cancellation: Cancels/Re-enters, Sales, Customer Care, Returns, etc.

My offered recourse is to purchase a new laptop--with an entirely new order number and new items making up the computer. I have now been quoted by two separate individuals on separate occassions that the best alternative for the comparable qualifying Studio laptop will start at nearly $200.00 more than the laptop I originally purchased:

Gratha (spelling)?
(800) 289-3355 x 4540052

Bretton
(800) 289-3355 x 2169148

Both individuals have quoted me a price for the replacement laptop at a minimum of $699.99 (prior to fees, taxes, etc.)

Let me explain how this does not solve the problem:

1) The closest priced similar Studio model is nearly $200.00 more than the original laptop I purchased--this is out of my price range and seems like an attempt to make me spend more--I believe I may have a case against Dell after speaking with a Consumer Affairs specialist at the CADCA. Even if I am potentially purchasing better and comparable replacement items, the price has changed and this has therefore changed my ability to purchase the product.

2) I have waited for two months for this computer and am only now alerted to the fact that the certain line is "no longer available" (Two months of inconvenience, phone calls, status updates, etc.); I have all correspondence documented and easily accessible (please let me know if you would like copies?)

3) I must purchase a Studio laptop, as this qualifies, through my Dell Preferred Account, for no finance charges for nine months (half the reason I purchased this particular model in the first place)

4) While I have been refunded my purchase amount to my Dell Preferred Account, the original purchase was reported to credit agencies, bearing weight on my credit score and recently affecting my credit for purchases in the past 60 days

5) I still will have to wait for the new order (if I order)--how do I know this order will not be delayed and/or cancelled? How do I know I won't have to order another more expensive laptop if the "replacement line" is then also cancelled?

I have been a Dell customer for nearly 10 years. I purchased a Dell Dimension desktop (2001), a Dell Inspiron 1100 Laptop (2002), a Dell E1505 Laptop (2004) and was hoping this Studio would be my latest Dell purchase. However, with the lack of concern by Dell leaves me thinking I might never purchase from you again. This might not be all that troubling to you, but it'll cost you roughly 20 potential purchases as well (I won't forget).

Furthermore, I will be posting all of Dell's responses and dealings (including any response from you) on my new blog:

http://dellcomputersblow.blogspot.com/

In conclusion, I have now experienced discontent in virtually all of your departments. There is no level of urgency regarding my product or the replacement thereof. Customer Care has not provided any other recourse besides going through with another purchase (mind you, I shopped for nearly a full year for a new laptop when I purchased that Studio 1536).

Let me poise this scenario differently:

Say I bought a pizza; I ordered pepperoni and pineapple on a Friday night at 6:00pm. The delivery guy says it will take him 45 minutes to deliver the pizza, so I say "That sounds reasonable, I'll buy the pizza" and I pay for my pizza with a credit card. I wait until 7:00pm, no pizza, so I call the guy and ask about when it might get there. The pizza guy says:

"The pizza is coming soon, I'm really sorry it's frustrating--let me give you something to compensate my inability (for whatever reason) to come through on my end of the deal in being late, so here's 5% off the pizza."

We agree on the new deal as the terms of the purchase have changed.

Another hour passes, and now, even though I have things I was planning with that pizza (I have friends over, plates set, etc.), I am still without the pizza. I call the pizza guy again:

"Hey, where's my pizza? It's now 8:00pm, no pizza? What gives?"

Pizza guy responds:

"Actually, we're now out of that pizza... I'm sorry. Let's order you a new one! I've got some better dough and a new, better type of pepperoni--I'm out of the old type, it's a little more expensive, but that's ok, right? Also, I can't promise you it will be anywhere by anytime, but you should pick me for your pizza! Let me refund your last purchase and we can start from scrap..."

So how would you respond?

This is what Dell should have done:

1) Refunded my price difference for the PS3--you should update your pricing policies to protect the consumer or I'm afraid your lack of concern for the consumer and their spending habits will surely catch-up to you--"We Remember."

2) Dell should have had someone call me to personally explain why my order has not been sent and is now cancelled. It is disrespectful to not provide this notice--if your chipmaker ran out of an item, would you be angry or think twice about that vendor if they can't even take the time of day to inform you that they are out of it?

3) Dell should provide me with a replacement computer, sent immediately, with the same pricing and financing conditions as previously purchased. I just want the same as what I had requested before--if you can't find a replacement I do not think it should be my responsibility to pay more for an item I have already purchased or the comparable replacement.

Who do I have to talk to in order to get the same deal? Please let me know how you wish to reconcile my order.

Thank you,

Scott