I’m about to write a blog post, which I really didn’t expect to be writing. It’s about my experience ordering a Dell PC and the level of service I received.
Dell customer service experience
On Saturday 26th June, I ordered a new PC from Dell. The ordering process was simple and within 10 minutes, I had picked all the components I wanted, so Dell could go and get the thing built. After the order, I used their instant message facility to ask a Dell advisor a simple question, regarding my invoice. The advisor asked for my phone number and by the time I had typed in my question, he had already called me to personally answer it!
Just 6 days later, my new PC arrived in perfect condition – 5 days ahead of their typical delivery schedule.
Throughout the process, I was kept up to date on the progress of my order, via a series of emails and access to a regularly updated tracking section on the Dell website. Just a couple of days after my order was placed, I received another phone call from Dell, telling me that my machine would be ready for an earlier than expected delivery; unless I wanted to pick a later delivery date. When the machine arrived, Dell had already updated all the drivers, meaning the set-up process took minutes. I unpacked it, plugged it in and was ready to start working immediately.
I am left with a PC, which cost me significantly less than a similar ‘spec machine from a big box store. Moreover, I am also left mulling over an outstanding level of customer service, from a company that I had previously heard mixed reviews about.
In the days before social media, it was said that when a customer had a good experience, they would typically tell 3 people, but when they had a bad experience, they would tell 10 people. Today, people have a far bigger voice and hopefully, this will lead to better customer service for us all. After all, no provider wants to see their name or brand slapped all over Facebook or Twitter, for bad customer service.
However, I believe that it’s right, when we have had a very positive experience, to be just as proactive as when we have a bad one. Surely, when a company clearly over-delivers on their promises and exceeds our expectations, they should be worthy of praise, just as they are worthy of lambasting, when they let us down?
What do you think?
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I agree with you Jim, we need to spread the good as well as the bad customer service stories! Glad to learn of your positive experience – it sounds like Dell are working hard to improve their ‘image’.
When I recently had a good experience with Vodafone, I was happy to tweet about it.
Only trouble is ….. good customer service examples don’t make for such entertaining reading or viewing as the bad ….
I like your closing comment Louise. Of course, not everything we write should (or needs to) be based around entertainment. Sometimes it’s about warning others or helping them make better decisions, IMHO.
Nice to see positive feedback among all the moaning and complaining that goes on Jim. Being positive is one thing and I think it boils down to simply being honest.
If its good, say so, if your not happy say so, but be honest. That way everyone benefits.
Agree completely. Businesses use the feedback they get from customers to fine-tune their customers’ experience (at least, they should if they want to keep growing). So it’s important for the customers to provide that feedback – good, bad, or ugly.
I agree Kathleen. All feedback is of value, to those who use it – good and bad alike.
Totally agree… I practice this regularly. I love sharing over-the-top customer service stories and letting people know when they do well. I’m glad to hear it all went well for you, Jim!
So am I Julie!!
That is fine and dandy, a brand new computer. What about one 6 years old? Dell absolutely floored me with their customer service there as well. I was taken aback by the professionalism and great Touch the Technician I had dealt with the problem at hand. I had attempted to replace some memory and was left with a beeping machine – nothing hardly worked at all. The memory wasn’t from Dell ( I was turned on to it), I had no warranty, there was no reason for them to help me, but he stayed with me till the problem was resolved and he made sure My computer was back up to speed. It was a pretty amazing experience.
That’s an amazing story, Brent!
I had no idea Dell’s customer service was that good.
I read this post with some trepidation because I have always had the best experience with Dell. I am glad your experience was as positive and that you were moved to share.
I agree that we should spend a few minutes to laud positive experiences to the public with as much emotion as we do negatives.
Especially with social media which allows us quick access to people, we’re quick to criticize, often with venom. Jim’s right to channel that energy for a great experience, too.
Very few days pass Gail, where I do not see someone on Twitter really balling out a service provider. It’s all about balance.
I absolutely agree, in fact, I think it’s more important and more worth our time to sing praises of jobs well done. I was recently at Lowes with my Mom looking for some stuff I didn’t know much about.
I hit the buzzer for help, and within seconds someone was there to help. He was so helpful and got me out of Lowes in no time flat (which is always the goal).
After we left I called the Lowes number on my receipt and gave him a glowing review to the head office.
I find that when someone says I’ve done well, I strive to keep that up ~ it’s the same in the business world, when people are doing well, praising them for that job well done will only help to continue that kind of service.
Good for you Jackie! Like you say, we all like to hear that people have appreciated it, when we have done our best.
That all sounds well and good but I don’t think any of the complaints people had were with “sales customer service.” Let us know how it goes if you have a problem “after” the sale.
You make a good point Matt!
One of the things that I REALLY don’t like, is that companies give you a toll-free / free-phone number when you are making the purchase, then often a premium rate number for support.
However, as Bent said earlier with his 6 year old PC experience, some people get it right long after the sale has been made.
I have had great success with Dell customer service. My last three computers have been from Dell – the first one I bought directly from them and the last two I actually bought via QVC. I’ve only had problems with one of the three and both customer service and the warranty folks were all great in getting that one repaired.
I agree that we need to spend time praising people in the same way that we might complain about people and companies. Just yesterday I had tweeted with @thebrandbuilder on Twitter that one of the things I appreciated about him was that while he frequently calls out bad customer service, he also often praises good customer service.
Hi Sue Anne. Yes, Olivier always seems to be very even handed in his treatment of the service he receives.
Balance is important.
Great to hear that your latest pc grab was super smooth from Dell. My current desktop is a dell pc from two years ago.
Although I’ve abandoned windows (running Ubuntu for development purposes), the machine is still running as well as the day I bought it (better if you include the OS swap).
Mine’s going to be an Ubuntu / win7 duel boot!
Thanks for the post. I’ve been hearing a lot of bad about Dell lately and it’s nice to hear something positive. I’ll give them another look next time I need a new computer.
Michelle
If the news of Dell’s ‘below the line’ behavior regarding the faulty PCs that were shipped, and a cover-up turn out to be true, Dell will be untrustworthy from some time to come. I will not do any more business with them, if that is the case.
Another thing to consider about Dell is that it isn’t just for PCs. I purchased two monitors and a big screen TV from Dell this year and I got the same great service and good prices. Between their standard and Outlet stores, they have a great selection. I very much want to love Dell, but if they covered up faulty PCs, I’m not going to be so trusting of them in the future.
Of course Marvin, if what you are claiming isn’t the case, you will still have just planted a ton of bad PR on them with your comment. Such is the challenge to any brand, (large and small) when someone uses a social media platform to make claims against them.
I agree with your comments about Dell, and that they deserve praise for their customer service and follow up.
I first bought a Dell laptop a couple of years ago, and their support was amazing when I had a problem, which was with my network rather than with their machine. They fixed my network remotely though it wasn’t their problem. Guess what? Since then I have bought two further business machines and my wife and I bought two for the grandchildren. Each time the follow up has been terrific, they usually beat their forecast delivery dates (that may be their safety net ploy in erring on the safe side but it’s good business)and we have had no problem whatever.
Dell is a very good company but like all big corporations they will have critics who will make a noise if the slightest thing goes wrong. Every good business deserves credit and praise when it is earned.
Only last Thursday I was also singing the praises of Dell. Our Dell office printer had suddenly stopped printing, and we had a few other outstanding issues with the set up. We simply couldn’t resolve it in-house. My service call was answered promptly, and the operator dealt so patiently and efficiently with the problem – talked me through exactly what I needed to do, and solved all of the issues I had straight away over the phone. I was so impressed, as it’s easy to become cynical about Call Centres, particularly with IT issues. So full marks to Dell on this occasion too!
Agree…we have to share the good news. That is also why I think it important to write good reviews for hotels and restaurants. Normally, the ones who write are the ones who are not satisfied. As result, good places can receive much lowing star review on the web than they truly deserve.
http://www.kathycondons.blogspot.com
Hi Kathy. I market a hotel here in the UK and those reviews are always very highly valued.
Companies need to know that in 2010, they HAVE to provide great customer service. People today have a great deal more influence than ever before. They can help build a brand with their recommendations or destroy one with their scorn.
Thanks for the comment.
Its funny we live in a time when it seems that customer service is a dying concept. I had a similar experience the first time I ventured into an Apple Store. For the longest time it actually intimidated me. I was surprised at the level of service I received and that the employees actually like working there, helping customers. Needless to say I am now 100% mac so unfortunately I will never get to experience the support you received. but its nice to hear when companies exceed our expectations.
Hi Marc. I agree totally, regarding Apple’s customer care – I too have always found it extremely good. I’ve used Apple stores here in the UK, as well as France and The US and my experience has been pretty-much the same throughout.
Great post, as usual, Jim. I recently had a similar experience with Dell, although it caused a bit of stress at the time.
A very helpful technician assisted me when I called about a troubling pink line on my 2-year-old Dell monitor. The day before we left for vacation, he told me to expect a replacement in 7 to 10 business days.
You know what happened next, right?
The following Tuesday, same tech called to make sure I received the monitor, which should have arrived the previous day. I panicked at the thought of this equipment languishing on our porch or getting soaked in torrential rains. But I couldn’t exactly fault Dell for overdelivering to the extreme.
Good luck with that new computer.
Jim, I commend you on sharing the props! It’s very easy to focus on the negative and I respect your using this platform to say something positive.
I personally have always been a satisfied Dell customer since my first PC 12 years ago and never quite understood where the criticisms I heard from time to time came from.
Well done!
Jim,
It is refreshing to hear of a good customer service experience. What are your thoughts however on great customer service when buying something but then lacking customer service after the sale has been made and received the product? I have received this treatment too many times and its frustrating to say the least. For me, I would rather have the initial headache upfront, but at least receive an expensive piece of electronics that works and that provides me with great customer service when something goes wrong.
Case in point- car dealerships. They treat you like gold if you’re serious about buying, but as soon as you walk off the lot, the customer service goes out the window when something breaks on the vehicle and it needs serviced. I have had the same type of experience with computers and televisions as well. It just seems like companies are willing to stand behind their products and customer service when they want money, but not so willing once you have the purchase in hand.
You make a good point, Vee. It never ceases to amaze me, when I see how standards drop, with some companies, after they have our money. Of course, the smarter companies understand that by looking after a customer throughout, they drive up sales; through referrals and recommendations. It’s refreshing to have seen, in the comments above, several examples of great ongoing customer service. Thanks for the feedback Vee.
How much did they pay you for this plug?
DELL CUSTOMER SERVICE IS AN OXYMORON LIKE MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.
What service? I called on 8-5-10 and was told I need a hard drive in my 4 1/2 yr. old Inspiron. I signed up for a $105. charge to my account for service for the rest of the year. When I got the paperwork it is for totally different addresses than where I am with the computer. After another 1/2 hr. on the phone, with people who don’t speak English, I may have gotten someplace. She said I should be hearing from the service people in Texas today or tomorrow. I am only 2,000 miles from Texas, up here in Michigan. I sure hope I don’t have to pay mileage. The computer is still not working.
Bill, sorry to hear about your experience. Please reach out to @DellCares on Twitter or http://www.Facebook.com/Dell so we can assist you.
Thanks.
See, you even complain about Dell and they reach out to help you! I’d say that is well beyond what is expected!
I think that with any company that handles thousands of customer touches per day, that there are bound to be some unhappy customers, but overall, I’d say they doing a good job.
I completely stopped doing business with Dell this year, after a few “last straw” experiences with appalling customer service. This was with both their home and business service levels.
I tell everyone I come in contact with, when relevant, to also stay far from Dell or they will be sorry and frustrated if they ever have to deal with a human for any reason.
well I am not happy here is a copy of a letter to Dell France (sent in French) for an inspiron bought in the UK being assured I had European cover :-
I am sad that I have to write this letter. I have found the service from Dell very good in the past. I have contacted the service technical but find it difficult to explain or understand – I am English. Also the telephone lines are not very easy to hear.
My new inspiron 1370 stopped responding. It was returned to you for repair. 02.11.2010. It was returned to me 09.11.2010.
Windows 7 has been reinstalled. I have the following problems:
1 When I bought the computer it had windows 7 home premium 64 bit. It now has windows 7 32 bit
2 Previously I had internet explorer 64bit and 32 bit. I now have only one version.
3 Some of the drivers will not now load from my disc of Dell because they are for 64 bit
4 The technician had left some site on internet explorer- in I believe Russian – that I found very difficult to remove.
5 I informed you that the charger was defective but this has not been replaced.
6 The document from the technician (100529) has not been signed and does not explain fully what has been done or the problems.
I was assured that the computer would be reinstalled with the same version of windows as the original. This computer is under guarantee. I have paid for further insurance, but this does not seem to mean any thing.
A few days ago my Dell laptop would not boot. Message said “time of day clock stopped” I called for support to find I was a couple of weeks out of warranty. The tech asked for $60 dollar charge to my cr cd to offer a few suggestions. They did not work and I was turned over to another tech who thought the mother board might need replacing. He asked for another $176 dollar amount to make the repair. I hesitated, and called a friend, who suggested I take it to a local shop. My computer was repaired in less than a half hour by installing a $5.00 battery that controls the clock. This will be my last Dell and when I replace I will make sure that I’m dealing with people that can speak my lanquage.
I have to say that Dell has the worst customer service that I have encountered in a very long time!
I recently made a purchase at Dell.com, only to receive an email a few days later stating that they had encountered ‘technical issues’ processing the order, and had to cancel my order. The email advised me to return to Dell.com and place a new order.
When I returned to Dell.com, the price that I paid was no longer available. I sent an email to ‘Dell customer service’, which advertises that they will respond within 24-48 hours. I had still received no response four days later.
I then contacted a Dell customer service agent via online chat. That agent informed me that he did not have the ability to inquire into my problem and suggested that I call the ‘customer service’ hotline.
I immediately contacted the Dell ‘customer service’ hotline only to be told that they could not help me, but would have someone call me that evening or the next morning. Two days later, I had still not been contacted.
I then sent an email to the customer advocate at Dell.com. It was returned with a message stating that the mailbox was no longer supported. I then sent an email to two Vice Presidents of the company.
The day after sending the email to the VP’s I received an email from the Dell ‘customer service’ team informing me that they could not help me, and advising me to contact the ‘customer service hotline’. The same day, I also received a call from Dell ‘customer service’ who offered to sell the products to me at the current price, but include free shipping and a $10 discount.
This is insane. I bought two software programs at a promotional price of $19.99 each. I added them to my cart, promptly checked out, and paid for my purchase. I received several order acknowledgments from Dell, all including the order number. A couple of days later, my order was canceled due to a ‘technical’ problem on THEIR end. When I try to re-place my order, as prescribed in their email, I am asked to pay $79.99 each!
The best that Dell can do is offer me these items for $75.99 each with free shipping? Because of an error on their part! Seriously, who stays in business with operating principals like that?
I have now vowed to take my complaint to the web, and my business elsewhere. This is not the first bad encounter that I have had with Dell, but it will certainly be the last!
I call upon all of you, who work hard for your money and expect an honest transaction when trying to spend it, to boycott Dell. This is not much to ask, after all, there are plenty of computer manufacturers out there that build better products and will appreciate your business!
I too have had most excellent customer service from Scott on @DellCares on Twitter. He was able to come through with an arrangement to set my mind at ease and make up for Dell overcharging me, sending me a damaged product as well as the wrong product, plus lying to me about which product I had in my hands when I knew the truth. They made up for it! @DellCares came through when no one else at Dell would and I commend them for excellent customer service in their social networking department and I will be a return customer!
My overall experience with Dell has been OK. But everytime you call them for tech support, they want more money to fix issues that they sold me. My scanner doesn’t work and it came from my previous XPS and they said it would work just fine… well it hasn’t! So I let it slide as I use it very infrequently. Now I wish to use it and they want $29.00 to help me trouble shoot it. I will never buy another Dell product and I’ve been very loyal over the years and have owned several systems from Dell. No more!! Also, I can’t understand that people in customer service, working on the phones all day have such strong accents that I can’t understand them. Wouldn’t it make sense that the people that you hire to reperesent your compant, at the minimum, spoke our language in a dialect that we could understand?
I have to say I’ve had terrible customer service from Dell today that left me almost crying. First of all I was on the phone for almost 1.5 hours just so I could connect to someone. Everytime I called the Canadian number there would be an automatic message asking me a series of questions to direct my call, once I answered all of those questions, I get transfered to the operator who then asks me exactly the same set of questions again!! After that I wait for the operator to transfer me to a salesperson, first time the operator left me hanging on the line for 10 minutes with no sound at all on the other line so I had to hang up and repeat the same process again! After repeating the same process again I got transfered to a salesperson I asked him about a laptop model I’m looking for, he didn’t understand what I’m saying, I kept repeating my question finally he hang up the phone on me!
For the third time I had to repeat the whole process again (first answer all the automatic messages to direct my call then get transfered to an operator who asks me the same questions again to direct my call)
Finally I got transfered to another salesperson, I asked him if they were getting a newer model for their xps laptop, he said please hold on and let me look at your account, he spent 10 minutes then comes back telling me that 5 years ago I had returned a laptop I bought from dell and he said why did you do that everytime!! I was shocked, I did buy a faulty laptop from dell a few years ago and had to get it replaced, but I have no idea what this has to do with my call, after that he told me that dell has stopped making all xps 17 laptops and that I can’t buy anything, I couldn’t believe that, i told him is this temporary he said no we will not have them again. I’m sure he was lying as all other salespeople said xps 17 were not discontinued. After that, everytime I ask him a question all he says is “Yep”, I got very frustrated almost felt like crying. First he made me feel bad because of something that happened five years ago then he basically refused to answer any question by just saying “Yep” to anything i ask without explaining anything. I got his name but I don’t know where to post this.
I’m sorry about the length of this message, but I felt really bad I just had to write this.
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Horrible, God-awful service, and a defective hard drive! They say in India that the British brought them bureaucracy and the Indians perfected it. If that’s the case, then Dell’s Indian customer “service” department are the true masters of bureaucracy.
I am on hold with some rep in India right now. If this doesn’t get sorted TODAY I will return the laptop and never buy a Dell again. I am furious.
I bought a laptop from Costco. It arrived promptly but the hard drive gave out within weeks. Not good, but these things happen.
I spent at least 10 hours over the course of a week dealing with their customer “service” who could not seem to figure out if my computer was refurbished (it’s brand new) or why it wasn’t showing up in their system at all. It took a week to transfer the ownership from Costco to me (and Dell is the only Costco PC company who involves the customer in this nonsense) and, after being on hold for hours (they did come back every 3-5 minutes, admittedly), these jokers have the nerve to send me a REFURBISHED hard drive!
Refurbished means that it did not work originally and made its way back to Dell. I’m sure it passed the same manufacturing tests that the original defective drive did, as well.
Now I’m on hold again and getting another run-around. It seems that I have two options: accept a refurbished replacement drive or return the *@#$ computer and purchase another new one (the same computer) that will be all new.
Or, return it and go for another brand. I’ll do that.
Dell sucks.