Dude, Don't get the Dell!

[walshmd]

I have fallen off the path of rightousness and must confess my sins.
Just bought a Dell Desktop system to integrate with an otherwise all Apple small office network (8 imac + Xserve). The Dell came about as one users required a Windows-only piece of software.

Right out of the box, the Dell seemed to have a problem with either its keyboard or the ps/2 port that it was plugged into. Simply plugging a Mac USB keyboard in fixed this immediate problem.

Here's where the fun began...I called Dell tech support and with no exaggeration it took half the morning of waiting and playing with the Dell phone tree to finally get to speak to someone in "Tech support". I explained the problem and the women on the other end literally didn't know the difference between a USB and ps/2 type port. Without hesitation she stated "I appologize, but I'm not technically trained". Damn, after waiting on hold for tech support for 2 hours, I guess I was expecting someone who's seen the back of a computer before. The best part came when she transferred me to someone who was "technically trained" and they recommended that I PURCHASE a new keyboard. This person went on to explain that the included keyboard and mouse are "FREE" with a new system purchase, so I never in fact actually paid anything for the defective keyboard I received. Huh? I demanded to speak to a supervisor, but haven't received a call back after 2 days of waiting.

If there is anyone out there who is on the fence about purchasing a Dell vs Mac, please think about how much of your life your willing to invest in the frustrations that go along with the poor pc quality/poor tech support/ virii, pop-up windows, etc, etc, etc. I promise I won't make this mistake again!

[ohcrap]

Why didn't you just go this route?
http://www.apple.com/macosx/applications/virtualpc/

[jestershinra]

I know this sounds lame, but you really did get unlucky with the keyboard. The tech support is generally pretty bad, but it's not always that infuriating.

Having unpacked hundreds of Dells, I'm generally pretty pleased with the result...you just got unlucky.

[StealthRider]

Ugh...I set up a Dell for some people yesterday...brand-new Dimension 5100-really nice machine! Until...

-The connector from the front panel to the motherboard was loose, so when I pressed the power button, nothing happened. Urgh. That wouldn't have been too bad, but...

-The connector itself had somehow been broken in the factory-3 of the pins were bent in different directions. Easy fix, yes, but still...irritating as hell.

[MattG]

That whole keyboard thing, that's ************. I think the person you talked to might not have known what he was talking about. We've gotten several keyboards replaced under warranty from Dell where I work. It came with the computer, you bought it. I'd call back and argue that.

[yg17]

Thats ********. I had the mouse break on me more than a year after getting my Gateway POS awhile back, and as much as I hate Gateway and their tech support, they had a new mouse overnight shipped to me.

[asif786]

well, we just ordered a new dell server, and although i hate adding to dells bottom line, you just can't argue with their pricing (especially when you're going to run linux on the box)

let's hope i have better luck than you, walshmd

[rainman::|:|]

You have to factor in a bigger IT department when you buy dells, which over the life of systems/servers adds up big... employees are much more expensive than machines.

the flip side of that is, at my company we have only a few macs (lots of layoffs recently, all our art teams gone) so IT stopped supporting them... so we have to pay a consultant to work on like 3 computers (my work PowerMac, of course, has never needed support, they "forgot" to train the other artists on OS X). So the Macs look doubly expensive.

[YS2003]

I think Dell's after-purchase service has no quality. Here is what I had to go through. This service is based on the corporate business warranty deal. So, the consumer level warranty service should be worse than this.

Monday a.m.: call up my company IT to ask for warranty repair for Dell X200 and he gave me the Dell's 888# to arrange the service

Monday a.m.: I called that # and luckily I was able to speak with a live person in 10 minutes or so. Since my company has a next-business-day on-site repair program, he said he would set up that on site appointment for me at my regional office (I was travelling that week) on Tuesday and he proceeded to disptach keyboard/LCD monitor/mother board to a technician that day so that he will get the parts next day for the repair appointment.

Tuesday a.m.: Since I have not received any call from a technician nor Dell support (they said they would call my cell before the appointment), I called them. The support person said the keyboard is back-ordered and they are not going to do the on site repair that day. I complained about their sloppiness not knowning this back order when they placed an order. He then proceed to check the system again and said the parts are actually dispatched to the technician yesterday and he should get the parts and would do the repair today.

Tuesday 3 p.m.: No call yet. I called again Dell support and Dell support person said the keyboard was indeed back ordered and a technician does not have the parts necessary to do the repair today. I asked them why they don't bother to call me (I gave them the # as they need that info as part of the appointment process); she said her support team somehow forgot to call me today's appointment would not be honored. Also, she said all the parts will be available next Monday. In my head, I am like WTF.

I opted for sending this X200 to Dell's depot in Memphis instead and DHL picked it up on Wednesday (following day) afternoon (for the next day service) and it arrived at Memphis on Friday morning (which is not a next day service).

Since this is a work PC, it is business critical and that is the reason my company has a next-business-day on site repair warranty program in place with Dell to keep employees like me up an running quickly when PC needs repairs.

If the first person I talked at Dell customer support on Monday told me the parts are not available till next Monday, I would have set up a depot repair arrangement so that that DHL can pick it up on Monday afternoon or Tuesday. Time is money.

I admit I have never been a big fan of Dell as their PCs look cheap plastic heap of mass and have not thought about buying it for myself. This experience reinforced my previous not-so-positive feeling toward Dell products.

[Sirus The Virus]

My parents spent over 16 hours on tech support with Dell. There tech support sucks until you get to level 3, thats when your actually talking to someone in the states, and they know exactly what your talking about. But it takes hours to get that far.

[Abstract]

Originally Posted by jestershinra

I know this sounds lame, but you really did get unlucky with the keyboard. The tech support is generally pretty bad, but it's not always that infuriating.

Having unpacked hundreds of Dells, I'm generally pretty pleased with the result...you just got unlucky.

Agreed.

You just got unlucky. They keyboard should be replaced. Call back again today and get someone else.

[steve_hill4]

Dell machines are great value and don't all go wrong. The problem is when they do, you often find yourself hitting your head against a brick wall.

The typical Dell home consumer wants something cheap that will do the job. The only problem there is that when something goes wrong, they want it resolved as quickly as business would get, (preferably over the phone, being told, "do this and it will work"), and when they are told how long it may take, they aren't best pleased. This is often because they have no clue about the actual problems with the machine and haven't read the servicing agreement and how it operates. That's why so many complain about poor service, justified or not.