Dell customer service complaint about Return Policy

DO NOT BUY DELL, IF YOU GET A BAD SYSTEM, IN SHORT, YOUR SCREWED.

They purposely try to make it difficult to return in THE 21 DAY period so if you do have an issue return it as soon as possible. Of course like anything, a computer is not going to rear all its ugly problems immediately..

Here's my story.

I was unaware of the 21 day policy and as my XPS 1520 started to heat up, have other hardware and software issues I gave Dell a call. First I was bounced around from "customer service" to "customer care" to "warranty services" and none of them knew anything but how to read a screen. I finally arrive in tech support. The first tech explains that I will be able to get a full replacement, no questions asked, and puts me on hold. He happened to be a business support tech somehow so he transferred me to customer support. I then got connected to another mental midget that insisted that they would need to take my system to the depot too trouble shoot it which could take up too 6 weeks. I am a web designer and graphic designer, I need my computer everyday, its my lifeblood and connection to work. I am not able to be without it. So basically they tell me the only thing they will do is take it from me and then troubleshoot it. That was thier answer for everything. At this point Im at the original tech's manager. I ask for his manager and I'm hung up on.

THESE PEOPLE ARE CROOKS.

THEY ARE PAYING SLAVE LABOR RATES FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE.

If anyone knows how to get around dell taking your laptop and just sending you a replacement while they fix the original please let me know..

Thanks for letting me vent.

A#

On 10 Oct 2008, I ordered a "Studio 1535" laptop from Dell. [Ref. Order # 490242794]

Having found it locally two days later for a cheaper price, I called to cancel the order [since Dell stated that it could take up to 30 days [!] for delivery.

Point: Dell's return policy requires that customers return items within 3 weeks [down from 4 weeks as previously required]
BUT the 3 week clock BEGINS AT THE MOMENT DELL RECEIVES THE ORDER, NOT FROM WHEN THE CUSTOMER SIGNS FOR IT AT THEIR DOOR. Therefore, it could easily take longer to deliver the item and negate the return period before the customer is allowed to return the item!

When I called to cancel the order, I was told that I must wait until delivery to arrive and then call to request an RMA number for a return.
Once again, I am in jeopardy of missing the 3 week deadline! Luckily, the box arrived on the 16th of October.

When I called Dell for the RMA number, I was informed that there would be a "Restocking Fee" of $135.00 [15% of the $900.80 purchase price]. !

Even though the box had NOT been opened or damaged the "Return Specialist" [Oh, brother!] stated that the laptop could not then be resold as "new".

Be serious! We all know that they WILL resell it as new.

He said that it couldn't be resold as new because the computer had been "personalize" for me.
WRONG!
I ordered no additional software or optional equipment.

Googling "complaints Dell 2008", you get numerous pages about lawsuits [& a class-avtion against Dell for False claims in advertising] and HUNDREDS of complaint pages!

Gleem

Port Washington, Wi.

Dell was found guilty on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 of fraud, false advertising, deceptive business practices and abusive debt collection practices in a case brought by the New York attorney general.
The Albany County Supreme Court found that Dell deprived customers of technical support that they bought or were eligible for under warranty in several ways, including by requiring people to wait for very long times on the phone, repeatedly transferring their calls and frequently disconnecting their calls.

Dell also often failed to provide onsite repairs for customers who bought contracts for such support and often blamed software when hardware was actually the problem, the court found.
The company also sometimes refused to offer support when a support contract ended, even though the user had first complained about a problem before the end of the contract. Subscribers to a "next-day" repair service sometimes waited as long as a year for support, the court found.

as a reference of the selling as new, I had ordered a laptop and had to return it for an exchange because the speakers where not working. since I still had the service tag on my account i decided to remove it only to find out that there was new one year warranty on the laptop!

Service Tag: CRHFGD1
System Type: Inspiron 1420
Ship Date: 9/21/2007
Dell IBU: Americas
Description Provider Start Date End Date Days Left
Limited Technical Support DELL 9/21/2007 9/20/2008 0
Rapid Response Depot CTS 9/21/2007 9/20/2008 0

they had resold my returned laptop to somebody else!

Dell REALLY? Our entire company has Dell Computers we have been customers for a long time and they have the nerve to still gives us the worst service I can ever think of. We order a warranty on one day and miraculously another warranty was dropped on the bill. I am trying to tell them that we did not order that warranty and now they are telling me that they cannot cancel it because it has been more than 30 days.

I have been on the phone with them for 2 hours, I have been transferred to three different departments and have been hung up on three times.

Seriously!!!!!

had the same problem with a 52 sony tv after 3 days on the phone dell said they were going to send me a new tv

My experience at Dell was so much worse than yours. I bought a laptop through Dell. I even paid additional monies so I would have additional Tech Support - and not just for the first 30 days - cost me about $150 more. My laptop just arrived today and it isnt working properly so I immediately called for Support.

I got transferred six times prior to getting a Tech support agent in North America - Finally. I thought the 45 minutes I had spent on the phone trying to get help finally had paid off - boy was I wrong.

After going through the issues, assessing the problem, I get told I would have to pay more for support because the guy was in North America. The cost I had paid was only for basic support - not for their super duper tech support - you tell me the difference because I havent a clue.

So then I get transferred again. Finally after being on hold for an HOUR - not kidding over an hour, I’m thinking I am done with this problem - Cancellation is what I want.

I get transferred again to cancel the order and wait another hour and 45 minutes listening to music. I then get told by an agent he will not process the return or give me an authorization number unless I pay a fee - 15%. Talk about adding insult to injury.

No way in hell am I paying that fee. I actually had talked my parents into buying a Dell laptop yesterday and I know they will be just as sorry as I am the first time they try to call. I wish I had never made that suggestion to them - they will probably write me out of the will.

So, because they had sent the router separately, I now not only have to call back to argue the fee but have to spend more time out of my life on hold with the returns department sometime this week because it will not arrive until Thursday.

Dell sucks. Over the course of this week, I will be mumbling this phrase over and over to anyone who will listen. I have never experienced a wait time that long in my entire life. I have never been transferred so much for calling about service issues. And what is with the tech support? I pay extra for it to find out that I have to pay more -

Nothing at Dell makes any sense. I am truly disgusted.

Hello!
i worked at the returns dept for 2 years and i can understand how you feel, unfortunally the front line agent doesn't have many options to provide, acctually is even hard for managers to provide good options, if the system hasn't been troubleshot or if in the tech support log states the issue has been resolved the 15% fee HAS to be charged. Dell has several types of warranties, it doesn't matter if you have 4 years limited warranty software is not covered unles you purchase DOC(Dell on Call), also "Your Tech Team" is the US fee based tech support, if you refuse to pay the fee, you can definitely get support from Manila and Phillipines tech support, they know a lot but the language barrior is just huge.

If your issue hasn't been resolved yet, you can call or chat with a tech support agent, that wil reduce the hold time, if they don't get a solution or determine what is wrong with your system you can request a system exchange, even if you are outside 21 days, as long as you are under warranty you can get a replacement, sometimes is hard to get because that hits the agents metrics but if you don't give up, you will have a working brand new dell system.

hope this info helps!
Many Blessings!

I have exactly the same problem.

Dell has the most ridiculous 21 day return policy ever.
First of all, the 21 days start from the "ship date", so if your package is traveling to you for 5 days, you now have 16 days to try it. Add to that a couple of deliver attempts (my case), and you lost 10 days already, BEFORE you could try the damn computer. Now if you were silly enough to buy it as a gift for someone else and they use it for a bit over a week, you are OVER the 21 days. Now you are on your own because Dell keeps referring to the "policy" and there is nothing they can do.

Their "support" web site is useless, most moronically designed site with only one purpose, to confuse you and have you give up. After repeated attempts to submit some sort of complaint I would land on the "500 Error" page.

Their phone support is not better. After waiting for 10 minutes and listening to the ridiculous messages about "just restart your computer and it will solve most problems" you end up with some Indian representative who AFTER EVERY THIRD WORD tells you "I'm sorry sir, I've lost you", so you keep repeating your names and numbers and reasons until you are blue in the face.

EVERYONE ARGENT
dont ever buy from dell the worst company ever made they buy cheap computer parts from diffrent countrys they are very rude and make you spend money to fix your computer when your covered for it. when i had a problem with my computer they made me stay on the phone for longer than a hour thats 30p a min and they said if you want your computer fix you have to pay £40-£50 when i payed an extra £100 for warrany and i had my computer only for 3 mounths and then they hang up on the phone so i had to ring them again and call cost more money getting though to them is very bad and lots of people told me the same happend to them so think twice everyone and go for a diffrent company so the same doesnt happen to you lots thanks for reading

If anyone has received harrassing phone calls from any of Dells representatives, please contact me and let me know.

I have been subjected to harrassment from Dell's Indian Customer Service Department. Each time I call it comes in the form of some new and improved harrassing technique. From refusing to transfer me to a supervisor, giving me incorrect information, telling me I am not supposed to receive services that I know I ordered. The latest event occurred tonight when I was contacted by a Dell Representative who instructed me to return his call, after trying to reach me "multiple times" (he called my home once and got the machine). I recently filed a complaint with the New York Atty Gen. Office against Dell and I guess they wanted to talk to me about it since the complaint was forwarded to Dell's Corporate Office.

You think they would at least get it right on this call ... but no. Kathy from the Indian Customer Service Dept told me I would have to speak with her about the issue, despite the email instructing me otherwise. She refused to transfer me. When I asked her title, she told me she operated the switchboard. Another twenty minutes of my life wasted because of Dell's horrible customer service. Since when can't a switchboard operator transfer you to a supervisor? And why in the world must I waste my time detailing my horrible Dell experience to someone who can't help me?

I dont know if its the language barrier or simply the desire of the Indian Customer Service Dept to put Dell out of business - but they are really outdoing themselves.

I've had it with Dell. Businesses like theirs deserve to go bankrupt.

Dell's new computer system was delivered and after set up the dvd drive did not work, the keyboard/mouse did not work, the speakers did not work. I called tech and after 5 hours of this and that, getting out screw drivers and etc. no fix would work. I was referred to customer service and when
Dell would not replace this defective computer I asked to return this defective comuter. THEN, THEN I ound out about the 21 day return policy, meaning they charge 15% restocking fee, no return mailing costs. The amounts to about $150 dollars. I said this was unfair, they told me to go to court if I did not like the policy. Dell could have cared less that their new computer did not work out of the box. The company has become even worse than their old days. Watch out for Dell, do not buy from Dell. If you really want a Dell buy it from a retailer who will allow for a 10 return policy. Dell will not give any service. Might as well call someone who could care less about computers.

Here is the list of emails I have found on the internet so far. Please do NOT forget to add contact information to your complaint. I also strongly suggest using BBB. Their current "grade" at BBB is a C+. The top 2 emails seem to be the key to getting an answer quickly, but I email every single one of these emails and my list keeps growing.

[private contact information removed]

Good Luck - You'll need it!

Just happened to me this week. I received the Studio 15 and every 15 minutes the entire computer crashes and reboots. I was on a phone call 2 hours and 28 minutes today before being disconnected. The first call took 32 minutes to tech support in Manila. Frances in Manila then connected me to India where the woman connected me to another contact in India. The call was then forwarded to San Salvador, El Salvador where I spoke with the worst customer "service" person ever. I have lived in the third world and there is obviously a different perception of what customer service is....on a side note, customer service standards are so poor nowadays and I blame it on outsourcing to third world countries. There is a reason they are third world countries...that is coming from an expat who for years lived abroad including Peace Corps service in the Philippines.
Back to the scenario. So Giovanni, the El Salvador worker (can't bring myself to write customer service here) after not understanding anything he was saying and realizing his attitude coupled with the script he was reading from were getting me nowhere I asked for a supervisor. The supervisors rhetoric said I need to go back to tech support who would have to write up a case. So I was transferred to India, had the woman write up a case, her manager came on and said the computer would be refunded fully without a restocking fee. Then I was transferred back to El Salvador where I again was in conversation with Giovanni who then said he still didn't see where I had a case. I gave him the number and he said there was nothing there so I would still have to pay for the restocking fee which is over $150.00US. I then asked to talk with the manager and after approximately 30 minutes was disconnected. Two hours and 28 minutes. I then called back and started into the same process which after another 28 minutes my iphone battery was dead. I now received from them shipping instructions via email albeit I will be charged the 15% restocking fee.
I am embarassed this is an American company and even more embarassed that I live in the Austin area where Dell is based. NEVER EVER AGAIN WILL I EVEN CONSIDER A DELL. I am a college professor so I have hundreds of students each semester whom I can repeat this scenario to thus hopefully I am doing my small part in passing on the Dell experience.

I am a San Diego-based executive and DELL long time customer. I have had at least four DELL laptops at work, and three at home. I purchased an Inspiron 1525 laptop for my wife in December 2008. About 6 months later, it crashed. My customer service experience can be described as an "endless loop of hell" where you have to navigate through a foreign call center talking to multiple unqualified people, and repeating yourself over and over again. They are mindless drones forbidden to deviate from a canned script.

As part of the "service" I received, the tech required me to buy anti-virus software that I did not need saying: "I can't help you unless you install it." As I told DELL repeatedly, the issue was obviously a hardware defect. Ultimately, I was proven correct as the problem was indeed failed memory.

To add insult to injury, the software (that I didn't need) was quoted at $55 for a 2 year subscription. When I received the product and credit card statement, I discovered 1) DELL charged me $115.25 (the quote was $55) and 2) the service was 1 year (not 2 years). I have repeatedly contacted customer support to correct the error but they refuse to acknowledge the misrepresentations. Rather, they hide behind their alleged "21 day policy" as a shield for their deceit and fraud.

Shame on DELL for providing such terrible service to a long time customer (now lost forever customer). Shame on them for refusing to provide any escalation path to a rational U.S. customer service employee.

Dell just blows!

I am business customer, I have had quick resolution with trouble shooting. But when it comes to returns or repair, kiss it good bye!

They made me wait beyond the 21 day period for the resolution and then told me the return was past 21 days,

HP has glossy screens, if they fixed that, I would move over totally.

The dell account has been cancelled from our company. Magically, Dell has been sending us extra discounts to get back in their system.

Here's a tip for everyone. The two magic words you need to remember are "charge back". You see, when you dispute charges with your credit card it costs the merchant (Dell in this case) additional fees from the card issuer. Charge backs are Dell's #1 enemy. Don't play Dell's game of international phone shuffle where they pass you around like a cheap prostitute. If they don't resolve your issue in 10 minutes, call your credit card company and start the dispute process. Sounds harsh but it's not. This is your money that Dell is messing with so don't take it laying down.
Another tip: don't use a debit card for big ticket items. That's because debit card transactions are much harder to dispute compared to credit card.
With the economy in the toilet everybody is looking to save a dime and so should you.

Iv only just placed an order with Dell and seriously thinking of cancelling. I have already signed and faxed them over my agreement for a computer of £2000.
I have been chasing them for days now as they have not yet processed my order fully and when I phone their customer (not so) help line, I get passed around to 4 agents before being told that my order has been cancelled and now I have learned they have taken my deposit and my credit agreement still exists. I am now subject to pay a three year credit agreement of £2000 plus interest on an order that they has been cancelled.
Been trying to call them and email but keep getting rude sales staff passing me from one to the other before being put through to a voicemail and finally being cut off!
Makes me so angry!!

sorry but dont have any advice except stay clear of dell - my current problem -

Incident = order placed on line for belkin modem 4w ago - waited 2-3 w for order - no contact from dell until e mail stating order had been cancelled - no apology - no explanation - then went round in circles in site trying to find complaints proceedure -unable to do so - e mailed them - got phone call from sales person - req refund - was pushed into re-ordering over phone - told them exactly what reqd - 8d later wrong product arrived - e mailed them 3d ago - no reply yet - phoned 3x today passed from person to person then eventually told sales person would contact me tomorrow - told that only have 7 days to return product .
shockingly bad service.
I have bought many items over the net in past yrs including 2 cars - never any problems in the past
be warned if considering buying from dell

Here's some contact info, call em up at anytimeThe BBB rep that does ALL dells work at Round Rock TX is Jyoo@bb.com, austin does all dells complaints. Michael@Dell.com. Dennis_Brabandt@Dell.com mr legal dept I also have buttonhead#1 Naveen_Nagpal@dell.com and #2 Arun_G@Dell.com 1-800-624-9897 ext 7283898, I have a stack of emails withe these fools on it. I will update this as I can -shaft em! They have no quams about stealing from you