• DELL DOES NOT HONOR ITS WARRANTY #NeverDellNever
For Black Friday Dell has sent out a brochure claiming half price on its computers. Don't buy it, I mean this figuratively and literally. If a company is not respectable enough to honor its warranty, then you are essentially buying a computer without one. How much of a reduction in price does that carry, when there are so many fine other computers out there? My laptop had a myriad of things go wrong with it, in less than a year. DELL suddenly forgot what a warranty is. They sent mine back with the message and I quote "your laptop has been returned to you unrepaired." I recommend you don't buy from this company at all - not even at 70% off. In less than a year you could end up with a very expensive doorstop.
My whole experience is recounted below:
A Tom's Guide complaint about Dell in 2015 asked, "Is DELL's customer service as bad as they say?" I couldn't say for sure but I can tell you it's really bad right now. We're talking about a company that will do most anything to avoid making good on its warranty.
Senior management knows, they just choose to do nothing about it and they're sitting on my laptop. They've neither fixed nor returned it, (after a month it came back, no better for my effort). I know Management is fully aware because I wrote the President in Round Rock, TX, all the Executives whose addresses I could find), key members of the Board of Directors, the COO of DELL India and every DELL location. Everyone knows, nobody cares. You have to ask, is this a company you want to do business with?
54 emails. That's how many since September. Always, the same lame people offering the same lame communication that they had drilled into them during training. It could not be clearer: DELL is trying to duck its responsibility to repair under warranty. There was a brief attempt by its people to shift responsibility - "there's a spill on the keyboard, " I was told. No, I've understood the responsibility that needs to be exercised around electronics since I was five.
If there was a spill then it happened at their shop. After this response the best the team could do is to repeat itself endlessly without sense or reason though at least two or three employees promised they would take care of it and then didn't. At one point I questioned one of the employees promising repairs would be done to my satisfaction. When I asked him if he was sure he said, "Sir I am a man of my word." I never heard from him gain.
Generally, the corporate line was towed, in hope that the customer would get tired and go away. I know this technique. I teach it. Nissan (like virtually all Japanese companies) has been using the strategy since the late 80s early 90s.
Prior to a piece I wrote, I spoke to their Director of Communication in Smyrna, that's how I know. Of course, the difference between DELL and Nissan is that I've never been sorry I purchased something from Nissan.
I told all DELL's employees, if the laptop is not back in my hands, fixed to my satisfaction and at no cost: then I would launch a media campaign using web, social media and all the usual resources. HQ in Texas didn't care about this campaign either. I imagine they figure the money they'll save not honoring customer warranties should help offset the loss of sales my campaign my campaign might inadvertently cause.
DELL was once a good company, everything indicates it no longer is. The laptop was a problem as soon as I hit the power button - or are you going to claim 100% quality assurance. As a Professor of Communication, the campaign isn't going to be taxing.
I come into contact with hundreds, if not thousands of Professors worldwide through conferences. The academic community will want to know. What is happening with DELL and should universities rely on them as much as we have in the past?
DELL knows I'll continue the campaign until it takes root and I'll have a good technician have a look at my laptop so he can tell me what they did and did not do.
It's not a threat, that's not who I am and not in my nature. It's simply a communication plan as expressed in 55+ emails and over the course of months. Please don't call me.
Once, I had a problem with my Lenovo. Know what that company's team said? "In three days you'll get a box. Send it in, we'll take care of it." Overall, it took five days from when I sent it to when it was back on my doorstep. Good company, Lenovo. The difference in corporate practice is stark and perhaps all the consumer needs to know.
It took me a year of trying to get DELL to look at my laptop and in no time, they sent it back with an email that said it would be arriving "unrepaired".
I realize you have a choice of where you spend your electronics dollars, and anticipate you will be wise enough to select anything except a DELL. No matter what the discount, an expensive machine is near to worthless if, in effect, it has no warranty. There is a lot of good competition out there where it is possible you'll find superior quality. Also they carry warranties. Real ones, that provide real security and genuine peace of mind.
If you'd like to help spread the word, please feel free to post this complaint on all your social media and I would kindly ask that you suggest the same to your friends and ask they do the same.
Reason of review: Damaged or defective.
Monetary Loss: $1200.
Preferred solution: Full refund.
I liked: What the promotional literature said.
- Dr. Smith
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