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Dell Computers

Small Business Complaints

In its drive to maximize profits, Dell needs to consider the longterm cost of alienating its small business and professional customers, like those below.

Dr. Gene, D.O., Orland Park IL writes (9/27/02):
Our office purchased two new Dell computers 3 months ago. One crashed. Our computer tech from our billing dept spent a total of about 5 hours on the phone with Dell (on two separate days). I spent an additional 3 hours on the phone with them, was transferred 6 times. We have the next-day service warrenty. The computer is broken, we need someone to come out and look at and repair it. Dell refuses to come out to the office stating they only come out to change parts!

Eugene of Deer Park TX writes (2/3/02):
It has been 7 months since I have had a functional laptop. I believe this far exceeds the 2nd Day business repair warranty for my Inspiron 7500. I will no longer deal with Dell's customer service representive Linda K because she has made it clear that my warranty issue carries no weight with the Dell Corporation. I have filed complaints with the AG of Texas and the FTC. I have not received a response from either party. I don't believe my complaint is trivial and my confidence for a positive outcome looks bleek.

Initially it took 4 months to get a replacement laptop, an Inspiron 8100. At first I was satisfied with the replacement but during a closer inspection the laptop replacement was a farce. There was 3 key components overlooked by Dell -- the docking station, LAN/Modem and CD burner. During the next 30 days (December 15, 2001 to January 15 2002)I tried to contact Ms. K to correct these 3 key components.

Being unresponsive to my requests, I filed a 2nd complaint with the BBB online. Still unresponsive after numerous phone calls, emails and letters I filed a 3rd complaint with the BBB online. Also during this time I filed complaints with the AG of Texas and the FTC. Only after a 3rd complaint did I receive a response from Ms. K. I finally received the equipment but it was another sham by the Dell Corporation.

The CD burner was for a "Modular" drive and not the "Primary" drive. Now this leads me to a 4th complaint against Dell. I have spent the last 3 weeks trying to make contact with Ms. K but still no response. This Ms. K thinks that by throwing a bone my way I would go away. Let me assure everyone that I will not go away. I only have 2 options at this point. I either want a complete refund of my original purchase price of $5200.00 or a brand new laptop of my choosing and specifications.

When I purchased the Inspiron 7500 it was job specific. I wanted a fully functional desktop replace to meet my job's high demands with video performance, imaging, storage capacity, etc.. At that time the Inspiron 7500 met those needs. The Inspiron 8100 with its current configuration falls short to meet even my basic needs.

To understand my dilemma is to understand my job function. I require my laptop to function 12 - 18 hours under intensive heavy usage. On a typical day I logon to customers LAN to install software via network connection. Dialup corporate server to download sfw configuration information. Next I document the site installation via digital camera or web cam, depending on access availability. Once installation and documentation is completed then I proceed to the final step of training. During the training process I create a PowerPoint presentation to aid me in the training. I use photo's and video conferencing to eclipse the full visual experience. After completion of training the final process is to create a customize training CD for the customer and a sfw/configuration and information CD. Upon returning home I dock my laptop to sync, print, scan expenses for the prior week.

I was so devastated when my Inspiron 7500 failed me and I had to come up with alternatives to do my job. I was forced to lease a company computer and purchase an iPAQ. The costs incurred for the last 7 months without a functioning laptop is $3800.00. This is wasted money that I could have purchased another laptop. Dell has destroyed every ounce of consumer confidence I have in them.

Louis of Owings Mills MD (2/2/020:
To describe the horrors in attempting to deal with this company's overrated service would appear to be an exageration. To experience dealing with these people, one needs to do so themselves to understand the full extent of how wretched they are.

I sent several e-mails to Dell regarding problems with their staff and computer only to receive form e-mails that are non-responses. A letter to their CEO, Michael Dell, detailing these problems has resulted in no communication. Their service is absolutely pathetic.

I have yet to call in with a single issue that has been resolved, or that has been followed up as promised, where their support personnel have been knowledgeable, where I have not been given a runaround, often to companies whose software they are supposed to support but where Dell, as these companies consistently acknowledge, pass the buck. Dealing with Dell and trying to get anything done with my small business and issues with this company and their computer has proven to be a 100 per cent disaster.

This is the worst excuse for support from any computer company with which I have ever dealt. Every time you ask a question, you are placed on hold for interminable periods by their obviously untrained staff. In addition, there is their misleading selling practices where I was told I would receive "free lifetime telephone support." What they left out was that support for the software is only for 30 days, meaning that one has only 30 days to learn everything about all the software that comes with this expensive computer. After that, you are expected to pay should you need help.

For what I spent for this computer, I could have gone to other companies and paid much less but chose them because I had heard that not only their computers are the best but that their support was the very finest and most knowledgeable. Not true. The result has been a total waste of my and my company's time, money and effort and much frustration. In additon, there is the annoying practice of having to recite your phone number and address each time you finally get through to someone. You would think that since they have a service tag number you give as identification, that and your name would suffice.

Tonya of Tampa (1/28/02):
I bought a Dell in Dec 1999. As soon as I received the system for my business I had untold problems. I tried to return the system and of course tech support talked me out of it. I have had them tell me to reformat my hard drive 5 times and during the process had their techs tell me it sounded like I knew more than them.

I spent 10 hours on the phone two weeks ago to have the tech support finally listen and quit trying to find out why a promise card or chip set would not install (I don't have one). They have sent out refurbished memory for me to install, a DVD to replace a non-functioning one. I'm still getting the error I got when I bought the system. Now they are sending me out a new motherboard they want me to install.

After about 20 hours on the phone following their every word I now will pay one of their service contractors to come out and intall a refurbished motherboard they are sending me. They told me if i have a problem with it they will send another one. This will probably go on until Dec 2002 when my parts warranty runs out. They have dragged me along and it has been physically and pschologically exhausting. I have lost countless hours from my company not to mention data.

I will never understand why they do not have you send the system back to them and fix it correctly. Obviously something was not configured correctly when I got this computer. It's been a horrible experience and a waste of $2,800. I'm very suprised and disappointed.

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