Comments on: Where Is Dell Support When You Need Them? http://churchtechmatters.com/2006/12/28/where-is-dell-support-when-you-need-them/ Mon, 07 Nov 2011 22:44:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jeremy Hoff http://churchtechmatters.com/2006/12/28/where-is-dell-support-when-you-need-them/#comment-603 Jeremy Hoff Wed, 03 Jan 2007 06:54:20 +0000 http://churchtechmatters.com/2006/12/28/where-is-dell-support-when-you-need-them/#comment-603 Once upon a time, we purchased two Dell Optiplex with three-year onsite warranties. The floppy drive failed on one of them so I made a call to Dell to get it replaced. The tech inquired how I came to my conclusion, and I explained that several known-working disks were unreadable in this computer (they were readable in several other computers)... he then asked that I run the "Dell Diagnostics" program. "Oh, the diagnostic program that is on this 3.5" floppy disk?" I said? Yes. "It won't load... perhaps it's because the floppy drive has failed?" Sorry... I cannot release a replacement part without a diagnostic code. "Well, I can't give you a code... sinc ehte program won't run." Sir, without the code there is really nothing I can do. Call us back when you have a code. All that for a floppy? :-) Once upon a time, we purchased two Dell Optiplex with three-year onsite warranties. The floppy drive failed on one of them so I made a call to Dell to get it replaced. The tech inquired how I came to my conclusion, and I explained that several known-working disks were unreadable in this computer (they were readable in several other computers)… he then asked that I run the “Dell Diagnostics” program.

“Oh, the diagnostic program that is on this 3.5″ floppy disk?” I said? Yes. “It won’t load… perhaps it’s because the floppy drive has failed?” Sorry… I cannot release a replacement part without a diagnostic code. “Well, I can’t give you a code… sinc ehte program won’t run.” Sir, without the code there is really nothing I can do. Call us back when you have a code.

All that for a floppy? :-)

]]> By: Byron http://churchtechmatters.com/2006/12/28/where-is-dell-support-when-you-need-them/#comment-602 Byron Mon, 01 Jan 2007 16:24:53 +0000 http://churchtechmatters.com/2006/12/28/where-is-dell-support-when-you-need-them/#comment-602 In my previous church, we purchased a Dell laser color printer. Our experiences with Customer Support convinced me of one thing: I intend never to again buy a Dell product of any type for any reason. Ever. Hours upon hours on the phone with CS produced little but bungling incompetence on their part. In my previous church, we purchased a Dell laser color printer. Our experiences with Customer Support convinced me of one thing: I intend never to again buy a Dell product of any type for any reason. Ever. Hours upon hours on the phone with CS produced little but bungling incompetence on their part.

]]> By: Chris McGuffin http://churchtechmatters.com/2006/12/28/where-is-dell-support-when-you-need-them/#comment-601 Chris McGuffin Fri, 29 Dec 2006 10:55:36 +0000 http://churchtechmatters.com/2006/12/28/where-is-dell-support-when-you-need-them/#comment-601 My experience with Dell Home/Office support mirrors the previous comments. However, since the church started purchasing through Dell's corporate sales division, gold support is automatically included with all our workstations and notebook computers. So far, I haven't spent more than 30 minutes on the phone with a tech for any issue since the transition. If required a tech is onsite the next day with parts in his/her hand. I sympathize with your plight, their normal support is an abomination, however, you might want to make some inquiries into moving your account to Corporate sales, it is worth the effort. My experience with Dell Home/Office support mirrors the previous comments. However, since the church started purchasing through Dell’s corporate sales division, gold support is automatically included with all our workstations and notebook computers. So far, I haven’t spent more than 30 minutes on the phone with a tech for any issue since the transition. If required a tech is onsite the next day with parts in his/her hand. I sympathize with your plight, their normal support is an abomination, however, you might want to make some inquiries into moving your account to Corporate sales, it is worth the effort.

]]> By: Jason Powell http://churchtechmatters.com/2006/12/28/where-is-dell-support-when-you-need-them/#comment-600 Jason Powell Fri, 29 Dec 2006 00:08:19 +0000 http://churchtechmatters.com/2006/12/28/where-is-dell-support-when-you-need-them/#comment-600 FWIW, we're not having much love from Dell either these days. We switched most of our laptops over to T60/T60p Thinkpads and are seriously looking to build our own "Intel Certified" desktops. Macs have their problems too! Our Tech Arts guys just ordered a VERY EXPEN$IVE MacPro workstation (dual Xeons, 8GB ram, Fibre Channel, 3TB disk, etc) and it arrived DOA. We've had other mac hardware issues, but of course Macs never have problems right? ;-) I know that feeling of recommended something to a client and having nothing but problems with it ... it's not a good feeling at all! Just remember that over 90% of all Windows problems are driver related ... especially BSOD. FWIW, we’re not having much love from Dell either these days. We switched most of our laptops over to T60/T60p Thinkpads and are seriously looking to build our own “Intel Certified” desktops.

Macs have their problems too! Our Tech Arts guys just ordered a VERY EXPEN$IVE MacPro workstation (dual Xeons, 8GB ram, Fibre Channel, 3TB disk, etc) and it arrived DOA. We’ve had other mac hardware issues, but of course Macs never have problems right? ;-)

I know that feeling of recommended something to a client and having nothing but problems with it … it’s not a good feeling at all!

Just remember that over 90% of all Windows problems are driver related … especially BSOD.

]]> By: Darrell Jordan http://churchtechmatters.com/2006/12/28/where-is-dell-support-when-you-need-them/#comment-599 Darrell Jordan Thu, 28 Dec 2006 15:21:56 +0000 http://churchtechmatters.com/2006/12/28/where-is-dell-support-when-you-need-them/#comment-599 This is why when a transition occured at work and we lost our easy part ordering for Dell I request to be Dell Certified at work. I can go on a website and bypass all of that and just order the parts myself. The Dell Diags which should be on the driver/resource cd can do quite a bit and help you bypass a lot of the time on the phone. I spent all of that time on the phone and documented it all. Once I sent it to my manager, she was more than happy to get some of us certifed with Dell to skip the phone. dj This is why when a transition occured at work and we lost our easy part ordering for Dell I request to be Dell Certified at work. I can go on a website and bypass all of that and just order the parts myself. The Dell Diags which should be on the driver/resource cd can do quite a bit and help you bypass a lot of the time on the phone. I spent all of that time on the phone and documented it all. Once I sent it to my manager, she was more than happy to get some of us certifed with Dell to skip the phone.
dj

]]> By: Greg http://churchtechmatters.com/2006/12/28/where-is-dell-support-when-you-need-them/#comment-598 Greg Thu, 28 Dec 2006 14:23:49 +0000 http://churchtechmatters.com/2006/12/28/where-is-dell-support-when-you-need-them/#comment-598 Personally, I've never had anything but trouble with Dell, especially their tech support. Two examples of such problems: 1) I once ordered a terabyte server with rack mounts, but the screw and the screw hole on the mounts didn't line up, so the server couldn't be secured in the rack. 2) My mother-in-law has a Dell, and a few months after getting it the CD drive shut down. After a few hours on the phone, the tech promised to look into replacement options (she had the in-home servicing) and get back to her by the end of her shift. Two weeks later, she got a call back from her (while at my wife's college graduation ceremony, no less), prompting her to ask "What kind of crazy shifts do they make you work in India?" Dell's are popular and cheap, I just have a hard time actually recommending them to anyone. I've had much more luck with HPs, especially in office environments. Personally, I’ve never had anything but trouble with Dell, especially their tech support. Two examples of such problems:

1) I once ordered a terabyte server with rack mounts, but the screw and the screw hole on the mounts didn’t line up, so the server couldn’t be secured in the rack.

2) My mother-in-law has a Dell, and a few months after getting it the CD drive shut down. After a few hours on the phone, the tech promised to look into replacement options (she had the in-home servicing) and get back to her by the end of her shift. Two weeks later, she got a call back from her (while at my wife’s college graduation ceremony, no less), prompting her to ask “What kind of crazy shifts do they make you work in India?”

Dell’s are popular and cheap, I just have a hard time actually recommending them to anyone. I’ve had much more luck with HPs, especially in office environments.

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