- Average user rating:
- My rating: 0 stars
Full user review
-
9 out of 10 people found this review helpful
1.0 stars
"CNET review is dead wrong on "strong support policy" and "improved" service for XPS premium line"
Pros: The specs look great; but performance is what ultimately counts
Cons: "Strong support policy" and "improved" customer support for premium XPS line
Summary: Until Dell gets serious about providing quality technical support, consider other equally good computer systems. I paid a premium for an XPS system for what was supposed to be better customer/tech support. When I got my brand new computer and it didn't work, the support was anything but strong or high quality - it was absolutely pathetic.
My computer arrived not functioning properly out of the box - the 13-in-1 media card reader did not work at all. (I'm having sound system troubles now too but, after my experience so far, I don't have the 4 hours and 2 days to block out of my schedule for help)
My experience: I first tried the online chat technical support. This was painfully slow (waiting for Dell's responses) and ultimately the technician I was "chatting" with refused to provide any answers except to say "I can't help you, you have an XPS" and then to direct me to a toll-free call number.
When I called the number provided from the online specialist, I was told by the tech support representative I called the wrong number. Specifically, he said I had an XPS and he only provided support for Dimensions! I was told I would be transferred to the correct department. After being transferred (and waiting on hold), the next support person again asked me for all the same information (name, rank, customer number, and on and on) only to say "oh, you have an XPS home, I only support XPS commericial -- I'll have to transfer you..." After waiting on hold for over an hour after that, I hung up.
The next day I called again. Again, the first support rep I spoke with said "sorry, can't help you, you have an XPS, I only give support to Dimensions, I'll have to transfer you..."
Tell me, why did I pay extra for an XPS? Is CNET out of their minds saying you receive "strong" and "improved" support when buying an XPS over a run-of-the-mill Dimension?
Again, I was transferred to someone who made another request for all of my information only to say "sorry, you're XPS residential, I only support XPS commercial". "Wait," I say, "I keep being transferred back and forth, I've spent hours on the phone now and nobody has even listened to my problem yet! You're not going to transfer me again, are you?" Dell support's simple nonchalant reply "yes." And on I went unwillingly go to another tech support rep....
Ultimately, after two days (one online chat, two phone calls, and hours of being bounced around) someone finally agreed to listen to my problem and provide me with some help.
The bottom line, however, is that I never should have been bounced around the way I was for hours on end. It literally took hours just to get someone to accept responsibility and listen to the problem I was encountering.
When Dell finally listened to my problem and actually offered to help, the problem turned out to be that Dell never connected the ribbon cable from the 13-in-1 media reader to the processor. I had to open the computer casing and do that myself in order to make things work properly.
Doesn't Dell have any quality control?!!! My jeans are inspected before they are shipped (I know, I always find the little slip of paper with the inspector's name or number in my pocket); so why isn't my expensive Dell computer inspected before shipment?
Prior to purchasing this XPS 400, I had a Dell Dimension. That particular computer wouldn't even turn on when it was brand-new out of the box. As it turned out, Dell shipped the computer without connecting the main power ribbon cable to the processor! I simply do not think there is any quality control at Dell - I can only assume they have decided to coast on their reputation.
As my repeat experiences show, if you aren't fully comfortable taking apart the casing for your brand new computer investment, if you don't have lots of time and patience for runarounds on the phone, and if you don't consider yourself a techie, then do not buy Dell until they get their act together. And especially don't spend extra on an XPS.
- 9 replies to this review
-
and service is awful. I have purchased my last Dell computer and I had purchased three of them. Dell is now a dirty word to me.
-
I take some comfort in the fact that I am not the only one who has suffered from the Dell Premium Support runaround. Does anyone know this magic number that gets you to someone who will actually bother to listen to your question? Do they really expect us to believe that an xps is that different from a dimension that they can't answer basic questions? Or is a computer purchased for business any different then the same computer purchased for home use?Why is it that dimension tech support answers right off while xps support takes 40 minutes plus.
This is my second Dell xps. I had a different but equally frustrating experience with the first. For the life of me I cannot understand why Dell continually gets good ratings for tech support from various rating sites, pc magazines, etc. Maybe they have an extra premium number for reviewers.
One last question, why do they have to have an endless looping recording interrupting my hold with useless information? Once maybe twice is more than sufficient. If I am going to have to wait on hold for an hour, I would prefer to just listen to music as bad as that may be. -
I am sorry to admit you story gave me chills. That is exactlly what happen to me when I ordered my XPS.
Although now after I plugged in the card reader the pc seems to be running well.
I can't believe the CS or lack of with a XPS. I will not buy a dell agian. -
Dear Michael Dell,
Success has now exacted a heavy price. The XPS "special service" is a confession of failure. Its implicit message: sure, our 'hoi polloi' buyers get lousy service, but not you who are willing to shell out more for this extra special Cadillac computer. Why not focus on getting back to providing merely adequate service?
There are too many buyers, and there is not enough service. The even sadder news for the XPS buyer is that even if you bought the budget priced version of the XPS 400 (i.e. the Dimension 9150) instead like I did, you still receive Dell's 'special' service treatment. As far as Dell is concerned, I own an XPS 400, even though I ordered a 9150. In any case, the result is the same: no service, but hours and hours on hold for operators who transfer you to other operators.
Look, Dell will sell you a dual core at a very competitive price, but I compare this with the good pricing and (in my prior experience) excellent service from Cyberpower, and I'm thinking it would have been better to go with a smaller more quality conscious vendor. -
If only 20% is true then DEll is in serious trouble.How a good company scew-up like this.
-
While I do agree that it is best to look inside the computer before 1st starting it up, there are some that don't know what they are are looking at when they open their computer up.
And for "You don't know crap", I also have an XPS 400 and agree that Dell Customer Support is terrible, XPS or Dimension. It is ridiculous to spend several hours on the phone being passed from 1 group to another, only to get to a point that you don't know who to talk to next for what should be a simple solution. Judging by your profile, until you yourself own an XPS and have experienced the terrible support it's best to keep your opinions to yourself.
I personally like my XPS 400, but was disappointed at the speed of the system with all of the unnecessary software that Dell installs. I decided to reinstall only the software that I needed and now have a much quicker computer. The XPS 400 is a good buy once all of the excess baggage is removed. -
Any PC ordered online can have cable issues related to shipping. A PC is not a self contained appliance. Opening the PC and checking the connectors is normal maintenance and should be performed any time a PC is shipped.
-
First of all Dell's XPS customer care and tech support is rated the best in the business. Any online or printed article states that as a fact and I also know this for a fact. Also, when you receive an XPS system you get a little card with a number just for XPS owners but your small little mind probably did not know that. So until you know everything just keep your mouth shut.
-
After 10 months of problems with my Dell Dimension 8400 and hours and hours and hours on the phone. Dell replaced my 8400 with the new and, I hope, improved 400 XPS. To be fair to Dell they replaced my hard drive twice, cd rom twice, dvd three times, and motherboard once! I agree with the opinion that Dell needs to address both quality control during manufacturing and customer support ( or the lack thereof). I had the same problem with being put on the transfer/hold merry go round. The XPS 400 ,which I have only had out of the box for one day, seems to be very FAST; my 8400 was set up almost identically but it never worked properly ( multiple errors, multiple blue screen errors, and I even got a red screen error once). And after four visits by a hardware "tech" no one seemed to know what the problem was with my old 8400. I suspect it was a ribbon connector since just about everything else was replaced or maybe a defective model of hard drive or maybe a compatibility issue with the installed hardware. Anyway this computer (the XPS 400) seems to be more "solid" than my old 8400. I also think it came with too much "spare" software.
