DELL Computer Support. What's your experience (CD, laptops, desktops, server)

[Miker2069]

I personally own many Dell computers (laptops, desktops, LCDs, etc). I'm a fan of the direct to consumer and "relatively" good deal. I'm also savvy enough to fix most problems (besides hardware failure) on my own, so I've not had to interact with tech support.

I've heard varying opinions on Dell Tech Support, mostly it seems negative. I wondering if you wouldn't mind sharing your opinion on Dell tech support. Did it work for you? Did it resolve your problem? Did it cause you to reconsider another computer manufacturer and pay a little more to get better support?

I'm just trying to get a broader first hand feedback since I've never used it myself.

Thanks!

[Rance]

I've had no Dell issues myself but know a few folks that have nothing good to say about Dell's foreign tech help.
I have had some experience with HP tho. It was nearly a nightmare. Very hard to understand Indian (from India I think) type guys that spoke very poor english. And they had trouble understanding me as well. A 2 minute issue turned into 2 days. I just kept getting forwarded to another non-english speaking guy. I finally used google and located the part I needed. Never did have any luck trying to use the foriegn tech help.

[ontheroad]

I've used Dell Tech Support for a lap-top I used at home but was a work issued machine.

They were very helpful; always returned my calls; offered to come to the house and solved most of the problems on line. Polite, too!

However, when I elected to buy another lap-top it wasn't a Dell. I found that although I used Dells--several different kinds--their life-time use seemed shorter than other machines. Of course I may have an old-fashioned attitude about life-time use

All in all, though, they probably are among the better machines out there these days.

[Rance]

They offered to come to your house? I don't think we get that option here in Alaska!

[ontheroad]

They probably wouldn't come here either, but I was in NY then and worked for the State

And, btw, your experience is one I've had with most help desks--HP, verizon, and others--poor service, very difficult communication.

I wish I was a technologist!

Originally Posted by Rance

They offered to come to your house? I don't think we get that option here in Alaska!

[Miker2069]

Originally Posted by Rance

I've had no Dell issues myself but know a few folks that have nothing good to say about Dell's foreign tech help.
I have had some experience with HP tho. It was nearly a nightmare. Very hard to understand Indian (from India I think) type guys that spoke very poor english. And they had trouble understanding me as well. A 2 minute issue turned into 2 days. I just kept getting forwarded to another non-english speaking guy. I finally used google and located the part I needed. Never did have any luck trying to use the foriegn tech help.

The language barrier seems to be the most common complaint I've heard. Although many of the people I've talked to are computer resellers whom Dell has squeezed out out of the biz (hence I don't think I'm getting a totally acurate response).

I was helping a friend decide if there's a business model for alternate Dell support (i.e., you call xyz company and they resolve their issue for you for flat fee). May be for systems in which the standard warranty has run out?

I am guessing the Small Business tech support may be better than the Dell Home Support (because biz tend to buy quantity vs. the individual home user).


Anyway just looking for honest feedback on your experience.

Thank you for your feedback!

[Racelady88]

I had 1 Dell at my old office. The thing didn't work correctly straight out of the box. Customer support was HORRIBLE, techs couldn't figure out what was wrong with the thing, and by the time they did it was out of warranty & Dell did not want to honor the repair. The office manager told them that she was going to call the local TV station's consumer lawyer and they sent a whole new computer.

My neighbor's had similar problems with their home PC. Dell kept sending techs who could/would not fix the problem, and then it was out of warranty. They threw the thing away and bought something else.

[chaz longue]

I'm using a 4 year old Dell laptop right now.
I've been quite happy with it.

Perhaps my experience isn't entirely typical, but I must say I've had great luck on the several occasions when I've spoken with various companies tech support people who seem to be in India. In fact I've found it easy to understand the sort of "Queen's English" spoken with an Indian accent, which one hears in this situation. I've found it quite difficult to understand certain people with Southern US accents of various sorts, however. My experience speaking to the (presumably) local staff in Round Rock Texas when buying a laptop, has been pretty bewildering on several occasions.

Here's another experience I've had which I believe just isn't typical at all.
My step-daughter got a brand new refrigerator white Mac laptop. She's had to send it back twice and they finally told her they wouldn't help us unless we bought something called "Applecare". This seemed shocking to me. I felt taken advantage of and if it had been me I'd have given them quite a fight. I'm not likely to buy a Mac for all sorts of very specif reasons, but this pretty much sealed it for me.

[RedNC]

I’ve been using Dell’s since 96. Desktop’s, laptop’s, Servers, PDA’s. I have had mostly positive experiences with their support services. With their warranty service they will walk you through several tests to try to fix the problem, or narrow it down to a specific HW/SW issue. If they determine that it is a hardware problem they will overnight the part and send a technician to do the installation. Software can be either an online patch or download, or a CD will be sent next day.

They also offer an online chat type support where you ask questions and they walk you through possible fixes. I have used this many times it’s convenient you get help right away and don’t have to wait on hold, and push a million buttons to get to the right person.

[Redrover]

I have a Dell PC at home as well as here at my office. I personally have not had any support issues but my sister sure has. She bought a new laptop last year and at the time of ordering asked for the 2006 Quickbooks to be loaded. When it arrived it had the 2005 version. There were other things wrong with it and she had to send it back to Dell. While they had it she thought they would install the correct Quickbooks but they told her that they would only put it back exactly the way it was when she sent it in unless she paid for the software upgrade. She argued endlessly that she had ordered and paid for '06 and that it was Dell's screwup in the first place. Too bad said Dell. She must have talked to more than a dozen people but they kept passing her on to someone else. She finally had to order the new software and then was told she would get preferred pricing because of the problem she had. When her credit card statement showed up she had been charged full price and to this day she continues to not have this resolved. (This has been only one of about 5 different issues she's had with this laptop and unfortunately most of Dell's tech support are in foreign countries and explaining problems to and hearing solutions from people who aren't native speakers is very frustrating and difficult.)