Conversation with Dell the computer company.

It has been a few years since I upgraded and I thought I'd like to talk to a Dell Rep instead of just clicking on the buttons and making my choice of order.

Little did I know that Dell has really fallen behind the 8 Ball in providing Customer Service.

In 2008 I spoke to a rep when I ordered my spanking new XP Insprion 1501.  That puppy still cranks along very well.  Hubby uses it as his personal laptop to browse the internet and get an occasional email posted.
The Rep at Dell was so kind and easy to work with, my order was quite painless and my laptop arrived in time for me to finish my college work and get my Associates Degree.

Okay, I digress.
Before I went to Hawaii in 2010 with my older son, I decided I wanted a laptop to take along.  Hubby insisted that he keep the Insprion.

I simply opened up Dell's site and quickly ordered what I wanted.


Whoops.
This time after picking out exactly what I wanted, I thought I'd speak to a sales rep right?  
My first clue to hang up should have been when she couldn't understand what I wanted and told me that the laptop I was looking at... did not exist.
I said 'Then why am I looking at it on the website for Dell?'

It was like pulling teeth to get her to understand my address, my name spelling, and where I wanted it shipped to.

I had to spell out the word STATE as Sam, Tom, Adam, Tom, Edward..and she still didn't get it.
Really?
Finally we nailed out the delivery address.  Then moved on to pay.
How very painful she made it sound to open up an account.  I couldn't imagine spending another 25 minutes giving her information.
So we went to pay by credit card.

Uh. Oh.
We went over the credit card #.
We did it v-e-r-y slowly.

And she said it was denied.  
'Did I have budget problems?' she asked?

[Excuse me while I take time to do a primal scream or two here and maybe go punch a stuffed animal to smithereens.]
'Sweety, I could buy this cash.'  I repeated the numbers to her. She only repeated this:

'You need to call your bank.'

By this time my patience had broken.  'How can I call the bank when I am on the phone with you?'

She gave me a 7 digit extension to call back to.
Yup.
I called the bank.
She had put the 'secret code' number in wrong...twice.

I called the number she'd given me.  
Dialed the extension.
'We are sorry this extension does not have voice mail.'

CLICK.

Try that for a half hour and see where your blood pressure goes.

I called the number but went through some voice mail choice hell trying to get a live person to talk to.
'Order number? Please?'

'Sorry never got that far, she never gave me one!'

3 transfers later and 24 minutes on hold, I got another live one.  I told her to cancel my order and confirm it by email.  NOW.  That they had put in my credit card # incorrectly and THANK you very much, but I would never order with a rep again!
Here is where I sound a bit nasty.  The reps do not have a great command of English.  I had to repeat myself often and spell it out.  I was hard for them to understand and vice versa.

I get it and I won't make rude comments about it.
But Dell, Inc., get your stuff together!

I spent over an hour and a half trying to order a laptop.  And another hour cancelling the order.
And more than an hour waiting on a confirmation of the order cancellation~~~which hasn't happened YET!.

Then ... as I am getting ready to leave for work the phone rings.  It is the original sales rep of whom I tried to call for 30 minutes wondering why she just saw my order cancelled.

I said simply and politely 'I feel more comfortable ordering this on line.  The shipping address will be correct, the credit card will be correct and it will be easier all of the way around.  This was a mess since you were not able to get the numbers and info I gave you correct.  I am sorry.  Maybe I'll just go see what they have at Best Buy.'

Don't know why, but I was polite, I can't be a jerk.

So Dell,  I can look up the specs I want and go get them from HP, Toshiba, and several other brands, but I have been a true blue Dell person for 7 yrs.

Shall I indeed look around?

Oh yes.
"Thank you for choosing Dell, have a nice day!"

Are they serious?

I'll still get an awesome monster laptop meant for some serious graphic artwork and photography work.
Just won't get it ordered today.

Have a nice Day! 

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EDIT:
Update. February 25, 2014
I went on line again today and this time decided to just work with signing in and creating an account.
Then I went and added coupons from Dell's site.

What I ended up with for my totals were $453 less than the purchase would have been by telephone.

It took me 15 minutes and my order went in without a hitch.