15 Replies to “C/Net News on Dell’s Customer Service [Dan Collins]”

1. The Lost Dog says:

   May 9, 2008 at 5:32 pm

   “It’s not as if Dell’s not trying or unaware of customer perception. The company says its own metrics show improvement in the past two years. “But we’re not finished. We are going to put much more rigor around our service delivery record and aim to improve so we can meet our customer expectations in this critical part of the business,” said company spokesman Bob Kaufman.

   Dell is known for actively taking suggestions from customers, and has already poured millions of dollars into improving how it helps its customers. Last month Dell announced the availability of more premium services for consumers for more specialized support, and two years ago the company said it would invest $100 million in tech support and put more resources behind its remote support operation. Experts say two years should be more than enough time to show”

   I guess it’s cheaper to hire some ho to give journalists a BJ than to actually DO anything about their shitty customer service.

   A friend of mine bought a Gateway a few years ago that never worked properly. They dicked him around for a whole year, and then, when his warranty was up, said that his warranty had run out and it was his problem.

   I want to get a new computer, but am becoming increasingly wary of EVERY manufacturer. Apparently, they all suck at backing up their products.

   I think I just might have to buy a computer from a gaming parlor that just went out of business. It couldn’t be any more of a roll of the dice than the “established” manufacturers. And the computers they are selling (cheap) are smokin’ hot. Anything configured for gaming is way beyond my needs, but I know the guy that builds them, so I am in like Flint if it goes whackadoodle.

   Compaq? Dell? I don’t think so…

2. McGehee says:

   May 9, 2008 at 6:25 pm

   I clicked one of the links you posted, Dan, and now I have this unshakable feeling of being watched.

3. Why can't the left behave says:

   May 9, 2008 at 6:41 pm

   Cats are awful. But kitties!

4. Why can't the left behave says:

   May 9, 2008 at 6:42 pm

   They fit in teacups!

5. Why can't the left behave says:

   May 9, 2008 at 6:48 pm

   This one makes me think of Happyfeet.
   (After they taked his properties)

6. Cowboy TWN says:

   May 9, 2008 at 7:45 pm

   Those eyes were moving around, right?

   Please tell me it doesn’t have anything to do with the half pound of nutmeg I ate earlier.

7. Cowboy says:

   May 9, 2008 at 7:47 pm

   You know, Cowboys are notorious cat haters…but my kids and wife brought home a second little kitten two weeks ago, and at the risk of having my man-card yanked, I love that little s.o.b. to death!

   I denounce myself.

   And repudiate, too.

8. Ric Locke says:

   May 9, 2008 at 7:49 pm

   Lost Dog, in my opinion you have hit on the solution.

   The computers from the game parlor were high end, just a little while ago, and a high-end game machine is ‘way beyond what any non-gamer needs. If they’re a year old, they’ve been used (and heavily) for a year, and either didn’t fail or got repaired when they did.

   The no. 1 tactic used by manufacturers to achieve “Mil-Spec” reliability is called “burn-in”. What that means is, they leave the thing on for some long period of time and throw away the ones that fail. The tactic works because anything that’s almost but not quite OK will fail after a certain period of use; the survivors are close to nominal or better, and will last a long time. A computer that’s been used for a long time, and survived, is likely to last for a good long while longer.

   On top of that you actually know the guy who builds and supports ’em. Talk about gold. Go for it. It’s even cheaper.

   Regards,
   Ric

9. Ardsgaine says:

   May 9, 2008 at 8:57 pm

   The eyes were pretty freaky, and I wanted to see what that was all about, so I went up the directories…. some very interesting stuff there.

   But NSFW, or children.

   And I still don’t know what’s up with the eyes.

10. B Moe says:

    May 9, 2008 at 10:02 pm

    That kitten should be registered as a lethal weapon, Sarah.

11. McGehee says:

    May 9, 2008 at 10:06 pm

    They’re still watching me. I can feel it.

12. The Lost Dog says:

    May 10, 2008 at 12:01 am

    Please tell me it doesn’t have anything to do with the half pound of nutmeg I ate earlier.

    Well, Cowboy. As C&W as I am, if you ate a half pound of nutmeg, you are well and truly fucked. I ate a half of a two ounce tin many years ago, and THAT is something I wouldn’t recommend to my worst enemy. I live in the “Nutmrg State”, but ingesting nutmeg in any quantity is worse than eating a whole bottle of Sominex – exponentially.

    Ain’t a whole lot of fun.

13. The Lost Dog says:

    May 10, 2008 at 12:19 am

    Hey, Ric.

    The best thing about these computers is that they probably have less than 100 hours on them. Where I live, there is so much moola, that the gaming place failed because most kids around here have computers that will kick the ass of these “gamer” computers.

    They were selling them for $1600 when they were still in business, but I think I can get one of these for somewhere in the $600 – $800 range. I am working on it, but I have to figure ouy how to wrap my A-X-W (Almost-Ex-Wife) in duct tape for two weeks without being arrested so I can get the cash together. Kids can be an awesome hammer for someone who wants your money.

    And, as I said, the guy that builds them is a friend of mine, so I don’t think I would have any problem with getting it fixed if it “soils the bed”.

    I have always wanted a computer that blows smoke out the back, and I think I am in range. Right now, this piece of nostalgia that I am using has a smoking 555 CPU.

    You know how it goes. Mom gets the Dell, and dad gets whatever falls out of the moving truck…

14. McGehee says:

    May 10, 2008 at 2:06 pm

    Did you hear that?

    It sounded like somebody… blinked.

15. happyfeet says:

    May 10, 2008 at 11:11 pm

    I didn’t know they made them so little. I’ve had cats, but never a kitten ever.

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