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  #1  
Old 10-31-2008, 08:45 PM
Jason Dunn
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Default Dell's New Nightmare Return Process

Dell sells a lot of products, and I figured that since nearly everyone reading this site has probably ordered from Dell at one time or another, it was worth sharing this story with you. I've also posted this story to Dell's IdeaStorm, so if you have an account there, please go promote my suggestion.

So what's the issue? Dell's new return process (RMA) is horrible. It's beyond horrible: it's so frustrating it makes me not want to purchase a Dell product again. The way it used to work? You'd call customer service, talk to an agent, and they'd issue an RMA via email. Pretty fast and simple, with only the occasional frustration of having to deal with an agent who tries to talk you out of returning the product.

The way it works now? I phoned Dell customer service on October 23rd, asking for an RMA on an Inspiron Mini 9. I was told that my request would be passed on to the sales agent who processed my order, and he'd phone me back. What? have to wait for a phone call from a sales guy to return the product? Not surprisingly, a full week passed and I didn't receive a phone call - sales guys sell things after all. I phoned customer service again on the 28th of October, asking again for the RMA - this time, they emailed the sales guy again and told me they CC'd his manager. Two more days go by, and still no phone call from the sales guy.

On the 30th I call customer service again, and this time they give me his extension so I can phone him directly. I do, leaving him a message with all the details. No call back. On the 31st I phone him again, and after a few hours he phones me back - it's now been 8 days since he was supposed to contact me. He tells me he'll pass my return information to the returns department and I should expect a call from them within a week.

Dell's goal seems to be to make it nearly impossible for customers to return products, thus boosting their bottom line by reducing the money lost on returns. I've easily wasted two hours of my time with all the phone calls I've made, and at the time of this writing I'm still waiting to hear back from the returns department.

It simply staggers the imagination that Dell considers this process acceptable. I will now have to think very hard about whether or not it's worth ordering another Dell product in the future - they've created a nightmare return process that I never want to go through again.

Dell, go back to the old way of doing returns - the new system is a disaster!

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  #2  
Old 10-31-2008, 09:01 PM
inteller
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thanks for letting me know this. I was just going to get one of the new XPS ONEs, but I think I'll go for an HP Touchsmart now.
 
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  #3  
Old 10-31-2008, 09:30 PM
Phillip Dyson
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,520

I'm in the market for a new laptop, and this is definitely enough reason to not go Dell.
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  #4  
Old 10-31-2008, 09:46 PM
griffin911
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Default Try contacting these

If you've exhausted the normal routes of solving your problems with Dell, try sending an email to:
[email protected]

Or go right to the top

# Michael Dell
Chairman and CEO
[email protected]

# Donald Carty
Vice Chairman and CFO
[email protected]

# Ronald Garriques
President, Global Consumer Group
[email protected]

# Michael Cannon
President, Global Operations
[email protected]
 
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  #5  
Old 10-31-2008, 09:50 PM
Jason Dunn
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Quote:
Originally Posted by inteller View Post
thanks for letting me know this. I was just going to get one of the new XPS ONEs, but I think I'll go for an HP Touchsmart now.
The new HP Touchsmart PCs look amazing - enjoy it!
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  #6  
Old 10-31-2008, 10:12 PM
christak
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Posts: 266

Went over and registered so I could promote your idea -- all went fine but after I promote (which looks like it works) the vote goes away and the number goes back to what it was before... What am I missing? ...it looks so straight forward...
 
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  #7  
Old 10-31-2008, 11:39 PM
Fritzly
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 740

Please correct me if I was wrong but my understanding is that the HP Touchsmart is a "Touch" and not "Multi-Touch" system so it cannot act like the demo of Windows 7. Only Dell offers a laptop that is "Multi-Touch" but, at least in my opinion, is underpowered and overpriced.
 
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  #8  
Old 11-01-2008, 12:11 AM
freitasm
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Posts: 841

I don't understand why you insist with Dell. IIRC Dell has dropped the ball many times - multiple monitors that had to be returned, orders that were not fullfilled, etc.
 
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  #9  
Old 11-01-2008, 12:12 AM
Jason Dunn
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Quote:
Originally Posted by freitasm View Post
I don't understand why you insist with Dell. IIRC Dell has dropped the ball many times - multiple monitors that had to be returned, orders that were not fullfilled, etc.
In this case, it was because they were the only one making the Inspiron Mini 9. It's not like I could get one anywhere else...
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  #10  
Old 11-01-2008, 12:33 AM
Soundtweaker
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Dunn View Post
I will now have to think very hard about whether or not it's worth ordering another Dell product in the future.
You really have to think that hard?
It would be a no brainer for most people.
 
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