We, as Americans, need to find a way to get our technical and customer support back. We need to find a way to work with our companies, or to motivate our lawmakers to incentivize our companies to bring support back into the USA. I am weary, and wary, of those lengthy phone calls that go nowhere.
The last two times I dealt with airlines was a nightmare. I was never able to get my questions about reservations adequately answered and I always arrived at the airport not knowing exactly if I had a ticket or a seat reservation.
I ordered a DVD last June that was highly anticipated (OK, YES, it was a Science Fiction film - did you HAVE to bring that up?) and which was supposed to ship on 8/22. That date came and went with no DVD in my mailbox. I called customer support and after completely identifying myself - including name, address, telephone number, email, and order number - he informed me that the item was in stock. He didn't know why it hadn't shipped. But, worse, he couldn't MAKE it ship. All he could do was report the problem to the corporate office which would look into it. I should have cancelled the order and re-ordered, but I want to find out what is going to happen.
Dell, Dell, Dell - how you disappoint me. You make some nice PCs, but your home customer technical support is just terrible these days. A client called me recently with some strange and interesting symptoms; my analysis was that it was a bad video card. Since the PC was still under extended warranty, I suggested that he call Dell rather than pay for a new card himself and my fee to install it.
My client and his wife soon called me back totally frustrated. After spending much time on the phone with Dell, they were asked to open the PC case and do some work inside. Some people can do this, other not. My client was in the latter category. Dell support refused to proceed further and directed them to Customer Service to lodge a complaint. So out I came.
I personally spent two hours on the phone with Dell support. I had quickly come to the conclusion that the problem was in fact a bad video card, but the phone tech just kept trying different things - we loaded the device drivers three times. Dell seems to be totally reluctant to actually send a US service person to the account.
Finally we insisted, and after referring the matter to his supervisor he finally agreed to send a tech out with a replacement card. Sure enough, a very competent person showed up two business days later, installed the card, and everything was fine.
On the other side of the fence, Dell business support continues to be excellent - US based and always very polite and effective. Perhaps the moral of the story here is that to get good service you should purchase through the business channel rather than the home channel. But taking your business elsewhere isn't the answer either; reviews I read of PC support policies show that other PC manufacturers are doing business the same way. I guess I shouldn't argue too much as it makes business for me - but it's not right.
(Bob Seidel is a local computer consultant in the Southport - Oak Island area. You can visit his Website at www.bobseidel.com or e-mail questions or column ideas to him at bsc@bobseidel.com. For specific inquiries, please call Bob Seidel Consulting, LLC at 278-1007.)