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View Full Version : Dell are absolutely terrible



CAD-MAN
August 28th, 2007, 09:17 PM
Back at the end of July I put in an order for a Dell 1520 laptop. I got an estimated delivery date of August 6th. Soon after the order was placed, I found Ubuntu Linux. I was generally annoyed with Windows, and wanted to learn how to use a different operating system (I initially considered Mac's OS). Ubuntu caught my eye immediately, the forums looked great, people were friendly, and above all; Ubuntu itself looked sweet. I was genuinely eager to learn all about Linux.

A couple of weeks ago I got an email from Dell saying that delivery of my order had been set back to August 29th. Needless to say, this pissed me off; my order was going to be 3 weeks late!! Today I received another e-mail informing me that delivery has been pushed back to October 4th!! This is 2 months after the initial delivery estimate, and almost 2 and a half months since I placed my order!! And to top it all off, they haven't answered any of my e-mails (which were sent a couple of weeks ago when the order was delayed the first time, and another was sent today). I think this is a terrible way to do business, and they will definitely not be getting any more of my money.

So now I have to wait 2 months longer than originally planned to mess about with Ubuntu - and I was really looking forward to it!

Needless to say, Im pretty mad. I was just wondering if anybody else has had any similar experiences with Dell, or any other internet vendor. What happened to you, and what did you do about it? Did you get a happy ending?

kurros
August 28th, 2007, 09:30 PM
Unfortunately Dell isn't the only one affected by Taiwan's supply chain issues. It's the risk of having build-to-order products.

starcraft.man
August 28th, 2007, 09:39 PM
Solution: buy local in stock or order parts from reliable stock sites and build your own. I don't rate any of the major OEMs very high and it's not shocking that the service is going down hill from most of them. I'm personally building all my machines from now on.

smiggs
August 28th, 2007, 10:01 PM
There is currently a shortage of LCD panels, it's effecting all the build to order companies right now and I imagine the crisis of screen supply will hit even those who hold high levels of stock in the next few weeks as well. Dell lead times have been ever lengthening since the back end of June. I work for a company who runs everything off Dell kit and I've got orders still waiting from July that are estimated for delivery in October.

The good news is they say they'll be getting back to normal lead times towards the middle of October. But by then it'll be time to spend next month's budget, I can tell you now October is going to be a fun month!

macrohard
August 28th, 2007, 11:27 PM
Hmmmm......

I ordered my Dell Ubuntu Inspirion 1420 on August 9th, the estimated ship date was 9/7/07.

However it was shipped on 8/20/07, and at my door 8/22/07.

Got my wireless mouse, but still waiting on my laptop bag......

Kingsley
August 28th, 2007, 11:30 PM
What the hell is an email supposed to do? Pick up the phone and seriously yell at them to have the computer at your doorstep within 5 business days.

jgrabham
August 28th, 2007, 11:39 PM
What the hell is an email supposed to do? Pick up the phone and seriously yell at them to have the computer at your doorstep within 5 business days.

And say your going to call your credit card company to cancel the payment!! It'll be there the next day!

st33med
August 28th, 2007, 11:41 PM
It's actually because their is a LCD shortage. And the painted laptops are worse if you don't order them in black or white, they come over a month later.

tyggna1
August 28th, 2007, 11:49 PM
Disclaimer: I don't speak for dell.

I hate to inform you of this, but calling them and making demands won't help. You can scream at them until you're blue in the face, and they'll just listen and not do anything. There's nothing they can do--really. Their tech-support guys will be less-than helpful, as they can't do anything with regards to a system that hasn't shipped, and will more or less just waste your time. You could try calling their customer care division--and see what they can do--but I wouldn't expect much--if anything--from that.

Also--if you take the OS off your computer that was there when it came from the factory--that'll void your warranty. Since it's a 1410, I'm pretty sure that you ordered it with Ubuntu--but if not, then I'd cancel your order and get one that is specially built with Ubuntu--that way you still get hardware replacement if anything goes wrong.

Believe me, I want you to get your computer as soon as possible too--and I don't like it any more than you do--but getting angry or canceling your order with the credit card company will only make things worse, I know from experience.

CAD-MAN
September 14th, 2007, 03:17 PM
Thanks for letting me know about the Taiwan supplier issues for LCD screens, people!



What the hell is an email supposed to do? Pick up the phone and seriously yell at them to have the computer at your doorstep within 5 business days.

Their call centre is a nightmare, I've tried it a couple of times - you're just passed form one clueless person to another.



I hate to inform you of this, but calling them and making demands won't help. You can scream at them until you're blue in the face, and they'll just listen and not do anything. There's nothing they can do--really.
Believe me, I want you to get your computer as soon as possible too--and I don't like it any more than you do--but getting angry or canceling your order with the credit card company will only make things worse, I know from experience.


I sent them an email just over a week ago stating how pi$$ed off I was, and that I was going to cancel my order and go with another company (I'd recently seen a similar, but very slightly worse laptop sold by another company for a similar price). I also offered my views on how terrible their customer service is, and also gave them a little legal info.

They have now promised that my laptop will be delivered this weekend. So my advice to people in a similar situation: Use all methods of contacting them (after all, it was the e-mail that got me a quicker, albeit late, delivery), and as soon as you threaten to go with another company, there is a good chance that you will get what you want (and something closer to what you were initially promised).

wieman01
September 14th, 2007, 03:22 PM
My advice... Cancel the order immediately and buy somewhere else. If their customer service is bad, punish them and let them know. I would not compromise. That's what I usually do. If they don't get it right the second time I show no mercy at all.

EDIT:
Supplier issues aren't your problem, it's theirs.

mips
September 14th, 2007, 03:25 PM
Get a Thinkpad !

karellen
September 14th, 2007, 03:35 PM
until that dell arrives why don't you try ubuntu on your actual rig?

CAD-MAN
September 14th, 2007, 03:48 PM
My advice... Cancel the order immediately and buy somewhere else. If their customer service is bad, punish them and let them know. I would not compromise. That's what I usually do. If they don't get it right the second time I show no mercy at all.

That was what I was going to do, but as they've sorted it out now, I'll be sticking with them. Reasons: It is the exact notebook that I want; the spec is perfect for me, and I would have to wait even longer if I canceled the payment now, because I wouldn't be able to go out hunting for a replacement until this weekend anyway!



EDIT:
Supplier issues aren't your problem, it's theirs.

That's exactly what I told them! :)




until that dell arrives why don't you try ubuntu on your actual rig?

I'd prefer to wait a day until I get the dell really. My current PC is running out of space fast, and I'd just like to 'start fresh'. I've used the Live CD a couple of times on my current set-up, and I like what I saw!! :)