Curse you dell support!

[adk]

<rant>
Long, long, long ago I purchased a lovely Dell 2005FPW. It was great for about a day, and then at least 1000 pixels became stuck red. I called Dell and ended up screaming at that cheerful computer voice about how I didn't have a service tag because monitors don't come with service tags. After being bounced between several cheerful but completely useless Indians, I was finally directed to an American, who although was slightly more helpful tried to blame the issue on my powerbook and I ended up getting flustered and hanging up on the guy. Somebody helpful here from MR gave me the email address for customer support (US_CAG_Customer_Care@dell.com - if you ever have a problem with a dell use that instead of calling) and a replacement monitor was overnighted to me.

Fast forward a year, and the USB ports on the monitor crap out. Sent another email, another new monitor is dispatched to me. Only problem is that they Sent me a refurb 2007WFP with a sticker over the original revision number. Unfortunately the new firmware Dell gave the thing doesn't let the monitor go to sleep. It just repetitively flashes Red, Green, Blue, Black and White. I emailed dell AGAIN, and this time they didn't help me but rather directed me to the dreaded dell support number. I spent a good half hour screaming at the computer voice AGAIN about how I didn't have a service tag because it was a monitor, and was eventually connected to another cheery Indian. Needless to say, she tried to blame it on my powerbook again. "No," I said, "My previous dell monitor worked perfectly yesterday, this one works horribly today. the only thing that has changed is the monitor." After about another hour or so of arguing with her and her supervisor I finally got them to send me another new monitor.

My question is this: Does Dell have ANY sort of quality control practices? My fourth Dell flat panel in 13 months is on the way. And why can't Dell put a damned service tag on monitors, or at least acknowledge in their phone system that some of their products don't have them?

My blood is boiling, I currently have two defective monitors sitting on my floor with a third on the way. I'll keep y'all updated on how long the next one lasts

</rant>

 

[Mammoth]

<rant>

My blood is boiling, I currently have two defective monitors sitting on my floor with a third on the way. I'll keep y'all updated on how long the next one lasts

</rant>

Hmm why not do a 'Smash my Dell Monitor' video for YouTube?

 

[benthewraith]

<rant>
Long, long, long ago I purchased a lovely Dell 2005FPW. It was great for about a day, and then at least 1000 pixels became stuck red. I called Dell and ended up screaming at that cheerful computer voice about how I didn't have a service tag because monitors don't come with service tags. After being bounced between several cheerful but completely useless Indians, I was finally directed to an American, who although was slightly more helpful tried to blame the issue on my powerbook and I ended up getting flustered and hanging up on the guy. Somebody helpful here from MR gave me the email address for customer support (US_CAG_Customer_Care@dell.com - if you ever have a problem with a dell use that instead of calling) and a replacement monitor was overnighted to me.

Fast forward a year, and the USB ports on the monitor crap out. Sent another email, another new monitor is dispatched to me. Only problem is that they Sent me a refurb 2007WFP with a sticker over the original revision number. Unfortunately the new firmware Dell gave the thing doesn't let the monitor go to sleep. It just repetitively flashes Red, Green, Blue, Black and White. I emailed dell AGAIN, and this time they didn't help me but rather directed me to the dreaded dell support number. I spent a good half hour screaming at the computer voice AGAIN about how I didn't have a service tag because it was a monitor, and was eventually connected to another cheery Indian. Needless to say, she tried to blame it on my powerbook again. "No," I said, "My previous dell monitor worked perfectly yesterday, this one works horribly today. the only thing that has changed is the monitor." After about another hour or so of arguing with her and her supervisor I finally got them to send me another new monitor.

My question is this: Does Dell have ANY sort of quality control practices? My fourth Dell flat panel in 13 months is on the way. And why can't Dell put a damned service tag on monitors, or at least acknowledge in their phone system that some of their products don't have them?

My blood is boiling, I currently have two defective monitors sitting on my floor with a third on the way. I'll keep y'all updated on how long the next one lasts

</rant>

Don't buy from Dell. Get another monitor next time. Like Gateway or Apple. Despite the weird backlighting issues, the monitors are still pretty great.

 

[adk]

Hmm why not do a 'Smash my Dell Monitor' video for YouTube?

I think the more applicable youtube video would be me ethnically cleansing every service tag ever made. I'm not even that mad that all of my dell monitors are going to hell, I'm just so frustrated at that cheery computer lady who doesn't understand that monitors don't come with a service tag, no matter how loudly I yell it at her.

Don't buy from Dell. Get another monitor next time. Like Gateway or Apple. Despite the weird backlighting issues, the monitors are still pretty great.

Maybe after the first time My dell monitor eats it out of warranty. I still have about 23 month of warranty left. By my calculations that's about seven more monitors at the current rate of replacement. If the current trend continues I will be on my 11th monitor when the warranty expires, meaning that by the end of my warranty I'll have paid only about $42 per monitor, and Dell will have gone broke overnighting me replacements.

 

[ravenvii]

This happens to the best of them, even Apple.

The problem with exchange programs is that they tend to exchange your defective item with a refurbished item. And the item tends to be refurbished for a reason or other, so it has a higher chance of having issues. And thus the problems tend to become cyclical once it begins.

Those who got their products non-defective the first time should count themselves lucky.