Re: [Thinkpad] any reasons not to buy dell instead of ibm

My few experiences with Dell support have all been with Americans -- and all bad. When I experienced sporadic crashing of my
desktop, I thought it might be the CMOS battery and called Dell to get an opinion. The tech didn't have an opinion, until I
mentioned the CMOS battery, when he suddenly "remembered" that a bad battery would produce exactly those symptoms. I did not know
enough at the time to understand that a CMOS battery shouldn't burn out in a new computer. (I was still well within my warranty
period the first few times I called.)

After a brief respite, the PC resumed its erratic crashing, and this time when I opened the CPU case I paid closer attention, so
that I could describe the situation more accurately to Dell. I didn't get around to calling for a couple weeks, though, and during
that time-- with the cover off -- it had nary a glitch. So when I did call I said I was sure that it was overheating, that the
battery had probably just been a victim rather than a cause, since the computer ran splendidly without the cover. The rep said "no
way", that "people are always blaming heat, but that wasn't my problem, etc". He said there wasn't anything wrong with my computer,
but that he recommended leaving it open anyway!

Painfully aware of my ignorance about computers, I had to read everything I could find, to end up concluding that I needed a new
power-supply/fan unit. But when I contacted Dell again, they said "Sorry, warranty's up. We'll be glad to SELL you one." Grrr.
Nobody would acknowledge that the problem I'd reported a year earlier could possibly be related to the overheating that I was
complaining about now. Then when I went looking elsewhere, I discovered that Dell's proprietary slight difference in the hookup
configuration meant I'd have to pay a premium to buy a Dell-compatible unit from a place like PC Power & Cooling. I ended up paying
Dell the retail price for what turned out to be a refurbished power supply.

Shortly thereafter, I got an email asking me to complete a customer service satisfaction survey, along with a boast about its
excellent personal service bent on making me happy. I filled it in accurately and checked "yes" to a question about whether I wanted
a Dell representative to contact me.

I never heard back from them. And one other time, when I emailed a question, I never got an answer at all. For the level of service
I received, Dell might as well have plunked its help desk down in middle of the Sahara Desert.

Deanna
dberman@4dv.net

----- Original Message -----
From: "peter machule" <machule@triumf.ca>
To: "David Goldman" <David@dgoldman.com>
Cc: "ThinkPad List" <thinkpad@stderr.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 13:19 PM
Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] any reasons not to buy dell instead of ibm

> This is not quite true.
>
> They are bringing back "some" telephone support .
> This was/is for some their Corporate product .
> The Dell D600's may be covered .
>
> But as with IBM ...depending on the time of day and how busy a call center
> is ..
> I may still be dealing with someone on the opposite side of the planet.
> ( I've gotten Ireland ?? a few times ;-}
>
>
> ..peter...
>
>
>
>
> >
> > Dell publically announced months ago that they were bringing telephone
> > support back to the USA and, I believe, in-house. It has either been
> > done already or is in the process of being done.
> >
> > --
> > David Goldman
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Thinkpad mailing list
> > Thinkpad@stderr.org
> > http://stderr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/thinkpad
> >
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> Thinkpad mailing list
> Thinkpad@stderr.org
> http://stderr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/thinkpad

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Received on Wed Mar 10 16:17:18 2004