Dell: Worst Customer Service & Technical Support

Having built computers for years, Iam now President & CEO of my own company. Dell was the first to come out with the ultimate notebook design which I fell in love with on first sight. However, their website fell way short in the "customizations" I wanted. So I called and told them so and they asked me to send them my specs. So I did - and they built my dream machine in 5 days which I received on April 21, 2007...after I paid them $4,021.00.

On September 18, 2007 (five months later) in the middle of performing a backup, the 21" screen went black, the shut itself down and never booted up again. Two days later resulting from four hours of telephone calls with Dell Technical Support, an authorized onsite Dell technician was dispatched to repair the system: new Motherboard, new graphics card, new 21" screen and new memory modules - everything having to do with the display. After the installations, the system had the same problem - no boot-up and display. Dell sent a 2nd Technician on September 24, 2007 with additional parts in attempts to repair the unit onsite. Nada! Dell ordered the 2nd technician to ship the unit back to them in a box they were sending to my home and to inform me the unit would be repaired under warranty and returned within 5 business days. The box showed up the next day, September 25, 2007. I packed the unit in the box and called DHL as instructed to arrange the pickup - DHL came the same day and took the unit.

On October 2, 2007, five business days later I called Dell to check on the status and return of my unit. Dell said they hadn't received the system! Having the DHL Tracking number, I called DHL and was told the unit is still in their warehouse because Dell had not issued them a Shipment Authorization, despite them calling Dell and requesting one every day the past week. Getting Dell back on the phone, it seems screaming and yelling at an Indian-speaking person, having nothing to do with all this, got results - the authorization was issued immediately by a Dell CS Manager.

Dell received my unit in Memphis, TN on October 3, 2007 and took ANOTHER full five business days to repair the unit and shipped it back on October 9, 2007 which I received on the next day, October 10th and the system seem to work just fine. From September 18, 2007 until October 10, 2007, I lost 22 days of revenues in my small business, a total $15,400. I wrote a very professional letter to Michael Dell about all of this, whose address is provided at the end of this complaint in case anyone cares to try it. Do you think I was reimbursed for my losses or even got a response back from them? HAH!

But hold the phone! On the morning of April 7, 2008, I turned on the system and the SAME THING OCCURRED: no boot-up, no display. And the process started ALL OVER AGAIN! Recalling the unit on April 9, 2008, Dell notified me on April 23, 2008 TWO WEEKS LATER (despite my daily calls) that the unit could not be repaired and they ordered the building of a new replacement unit. This process would take 7-10 business days (ANOTHER TWO WEEKS) before I would receive the new unit.

That brings us to today, May 3, 2008, 26 days without my system and more revenue losses totaling $18,200. Checking Dells web site, they show my new system shipped from MALAYSIA and is due for delivery on May 6, 2008. I googled Dell Complaints and got 2.3 million hits! It does not make me feel any better but I know I am not alone and in a majority. I read a lot of the Dell horror stories on this site and can only hope this sponsoring company can see to it that Michael Dell finds out how bad his customer service and technical support divisions really are. Any of you wishing to try on your own, he can be reached at:

Michael Dell, Chairman & CEO

Dell Inc.

One Dell Way, Mail Stop RR1-33

Round Rock, Texas 78682

From now on, my company will no longer recommend Dell systems to our clients.

Melvin E. Hooper