The ongoing Dell Saga:

Dell sent me a survey link, in response to my e-mail to Customer Service. At the end of the survey, this question was posed:

"15. What does Dell's e-mail support currently do well, and what can be improved?"

Here's my response:

The from: address should be more friendly, not "US_CAG_Dell". One of your e-mails actually got caught in a very good spam-filter (by very good meaning very few false positives). Next, the e-mails should be answered by English-speaking CSRs who are actually trained to deal with customer issues, not some third-world flaks who posess neither an understanding of the English language, nor the business acumen to understand the issues at hand.

The problem I am having is that I purchased a product that was listed as "Ships in 24 hours", both the day I bought it, and the next day. Then, I am told that the product will actually ship 2 weeks later, after which a CSR AND a manager both tell me that "ships in 24 hours" means "ships AFTER 24 hours of processing", and "ships a FEW days later", and "it takes some time to assemble the system". I BOUGHT A SINGLE ITEM, A SATA CONTROLLER, NOT A COMPUTER! MY ORDER IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES, YOU JUST LOOKED UP ALL OF MY INFORMATION!!!! Right before another pointless reply to an e-mail request for help, I got another "your product will ship 2 weeks after the previous ship estimate" e-mail.

If TO THIS DAY Dell can't build an accurate inventory system, but Amazon/Netflix/Buy.com/Overstock can, I don't particularly want to deal with Dell. I'd rather pay another vendor more, to get better service and a peace of mind.

As an avid gadget lover/early adopter/computer guy, I often get asked for advice with buying anything PC/audio/video related. Since I build my own computers, I have never bought a Dell (or any other brand), but dozens have bought Dell PCs, laptops, etc. base d on my recommendation. After having recommended Dell PCs since 1995, Dell DJs over iPods, Axims over IPAQs, and Dell LCD TVs over other brands, to all who ask for recommendations, I will no longer recommend Dell - even if you do have decent products at decent prices.

How could this sour and goodwill-destroying experience have been avoided? If just one of those Indian CSRs, whom Dell hired to save money and take jobs away from its own customers, told me "I apologize, we made a mistake, the website wasn't updated on time, allow us to upgrade your shipping to overnight" or even "I apologize, our vendor (Maxtor) delayed their shipment of the product you ordered, and we are working with them to make sure the product gets shipped ASAP." To add insult to the CSR's "we won't do anything for you" attitude, I now have to wait YET ANOTHER 2 WEEKS for delivery!

In conclusion:
*it will take a month to get a product that was listed as "ships in 24 hours" - the day of the purchase AND THE DAY AFTER
*you've lost one formerly loyal customer (myself)
*you've lost many customers: to each and every person that will ever ask me for a recommendation, I will go out of my way to discourage their purchase of any Dell products. Why do people come to me for PC advice? I'm: A+ certified; first line of tech support for friends and family and co-workers; a Database Admin; early adopter; gadget afficionado; an opinionated PC user who already got hurt by your choice of re-wired ATX power supplies.
*This all could have been avoided, if your CSRs actually put some thought into answering a request, and were taught to work WITH the customer, instead of reciting scripted drivel, and rewriting the English language.
Bye-bye!!!