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Computer OEM and International Support?

Posted by Cliff on from the who-gives-the-best-value? dept.

greywar asks: "Currently I deal with a OEM [name withheld since this is not a trashing, but rather a request for advice] that has literally wasted over $1000 of my company's time just to arrange a repair on a $5 fan on a computer in Malaysia. I mistakenly used this OEM based on a PAST history of good support. What OEM is providing the best international computer warranty repair service these days?" "The mistakes my current OEM have made include, but certainly are not limited to:
  • Transferring a service tag incorrectly
  • Refusing to repair the computer without the tag-even if we offered to simply pay for it.
  • Long hold times.
  • Saying they would repair it then losing the information.
  • Claiming that when they said they would repair it they were mistaken.
  • Telling us they could sell us the part.....if we waited 15 days.
  • Blaming us for the tag transfer-where it appears we labeled it chemical use [I find this hard to believe], and the transfer team asked for clarification from the OEM's internal tag transfer team-who never replied and then were told the tag transfer was canceled, and then never telling us about either communication!
  • Sending us the wrong computer systems....repeatedly."

13 comments

  1. Dell... by DShard · · Score: 1

    You have to hate them. The only way I have found to deal with them is asking for managers. As far as better suggestions, I'm sorry, I haven't found any.

    1. Re:Dell... by emag · · Score: 2, Insightful

      That just means the phone monkey you spoke to yesterday is the manager you're speaking to today... It's a common enough practice in support circles...

      And yes, I hate Dell too, using a work-issued laptop. I swear, by the time I was done getting it fixed, there were enough replaced parts to build three new systems.

      Their servers though, if you're on the right contract, rock mightily. You pay through the nose, but...

      --
      "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." --H.L. Mencken
    2. Re:Dell... by DShard · · Score: 1

      We have had to move on from dell as far as servers due to pricing and quality. It is said to see such a former glory disapear.

    3. Re:Dell... by ForestGrump · · Score: 2, Funny

      heh, your so right about dell being like that lately. Here is my Dell story, to back-up your statement. Thanks for the advice to talk to a manager when I call. Definately going to do that, and find one that is somewhere national, not international b/c dell india has wasted hours of my time.

      It has taken 3 calls (and 1 hr per call) to dell tech support to get a "fixed bay" dvd drive replacemnet sent out to me.
      The first 2 drives shipped out were modular.
      -----------------
      One glorious afternoon, the left hindge on my display breaks. I lose sanity and call dell tech support. I tell the tech i need a new hindge. Also, i need the fixed-bay dvd replaced because it has read problems. After spending an hour on the phone with India, I feel satisfied and go to dinner with my roomate.

      2 days later, a tech shows up at my apartment. Great! replaces the display hindge, then gets this funny look while putting in the DVD drive. uh oh. Turns out he got the modular drive.

      Call dell again, spend another hour on the phone with india. This time, I'm being firm with him. I look up my laptop "as shipped" configuration list and READ HIM THE FSCKING PART NUMBER. 2 days later, Airborne express arrives at my door. I pop open the box and WTF?!?!? its a modular drive!

      Again, I spend another hour with India. This time I tell the tech "the left one that needs to be screwed in" I get him to read me the part number of what he is shipping me. He tells me "It is a Toshiba drive" Oh great! A Toshiba drive would be wonderful (beause my failed drive was a Hitachi).

      Yesterday, I received the replacement drive.
      I pop open the box and it is the correct drive! PRAISE THE LORD, ITS A MIRACLE, THERE IS GOOD IN OUTSOURCEING!!!

      Pop a DVD in the drive, it plays smoothly. Ship the modular and the defective drive back to Dell.
      ---story mode off---
      -Grump.

      --
      Is it true that more people vote for the winner of American Idol, than vote for the president? -Ali G.
    4. Re:Dell... by ForestGrump · · Score: 1

      one more thing.
      The replacement drive they sent me was a hitachi.

      The last guy wasn't perfect, but far better than the previous 2.

      -Grump

      --
      Is it true that more people vote for the winner of American Idol, than vote for the president? -Ali G.
    5. Re:Dell... by DShard · · Score: 1

      As a consumer your fscked. As corporate support you have leverage especially when you say... "My thinkpads just work!" In the end as a home buyer your better off just wishfully thinking that you will not get screwed. (unless you work for a huge corporate buyer then the manager trick works.)

    6. Re:Dell... by ForestGrump · · Score: 1

      well, yea.

      I need to call about my audio jack. Its having problems. My friend has a similar model with problems with his jack too.

      So might as well kill 2 birds with 1 call.

      Only thing I'm impressed with dell tech support is when i had a tech in my apt.

      -Grump

      --
      Is it true that more people vote for the winner of American Idol, than vote for the president? -Ali G.
    7. Re:Dell... by emag · · Score: 1

      That "Dell tech" in your apartment was more than likely an employee of some small-time computer repair shop that Dell has outsourced their on-site repair business to in your area. I got to know the techs in the Irvine, CA, area pretty well from all the problems our corporate laptops had...

      What happens with them is, Dell overnights replacement parts to them, and ONLY those replacement parts, as determined by their crack team of phone technical support reps. They have zero latitude in what they can and can't do while on-site, and don't have any spare ANYTHING to work with. This includes stuff like case screws, which, if you've had your laptop long enough, you've probably lost (or found on the desk/floor/case) some of them. The enterprising repair techs will, when replacing something with screws, accidentally "lose" the old ones, so they at least have a supply of them when it turns out they need to be replaced in the field.

      --
      "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." --H.L. Mencken
  2. Perhaps a local site is good? by Bombcar · · Score: 1

    This is why it can be very good to buy from a company that has a local presence or at lease a local salesman who knows you by name. Especially in a small company, the sales force can light a fire under tech support's ass to make them get the right parts out to you.

    Also, why waste $1000 on a $5 part? Reminds me of the Johnny Cash song.... "paid ten dollars for a ten cent hat"

    --
    Fellowship 9/11
  3. Fool by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You are a fool fo spending $1000 instead of just going out and buying the fan yourself.
    Somewhere around $800 you must have noticed it wasnt going anywhere surely?

  4. Service contractors by MikeDawg · · Score: 1

    I've had quite decent luck with actual service contractors doing all the work and ordering, as opposed to the OEM doing it. NCR has a fairly good reputation, and they manufacturer some of their own stuff, but also will support others. I'm sure there are varied reactions to NCR, but I have had quite good results with them in the past. Their online trouble ticket process is very nice too. . .

    --

    YOU'RE WINNER !
    Another lame blog

  5. Intel by droyad · · Score: 1

    If you convince them your a techie, they will ship you advanced replacement parts. Also their stuff hardly ever fucks up (Motherboard, CPU).

  6. Your company money and time? by Maljin+Jolt · · Score: 1

    Perhaps it would be cheaper and faster if you'd replace that 5$ fan yourself.

    --
    There you are, staring at me again.