Apr 08 2007
The Problem With Dell Support
Listen below, but this is definitely NSFW:
Here’s the problem as I see it. The guy had a simple problem. The drone on the phone wouldn’t give him a simple answer without first verifying every bit of information that had ever been associated with that computer. My problem is that when you call dell, they take your express service code and then route you into an appropriate queue. Once the system has that code, why do they ask for it again?
And why in God’s name, after the guy clearly explained that he couldn’t get his computer to shut down, did they make him give a name, phone number, e-mail, and then repeat the express service code?
It seems to me they could have easily just offered the “hold the power button down” solution and if that didn’t work, get more information from him. Instead they put him through God knows how much hold time, two repetitions of his express service code, and an opening interrogration, all to get to the point where the drone says “press the power button for ten seconds.”
Honestly, Dell, if you’re wondering why people aren’t flocking to your company any more, here’s you answer.
via Consumerist
Technorati Tags: dell, tech support
April 9th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
I am going to respectfully disagree with you on this one. Call centers have very draconian policies regarding the ways calls are taken. Dell (like every other company that provides support)probably requires a certain set of information be gathered on EVERY call. They have scripts and such things that they have to follow without question (or they face almost immediate termination). The guy on the phone could not help the policies that he has to follow. The customer is clearly upset and irrational about the whole situation. When customers are like that, there is no dealing with them. The poor guy answering the phone could not help that the customer was frustrated with the IVR system. Cussing him out and yelling and screaming didnt help him out one iota. Had he come on my line screaming like that he would have gotten a verbal warning the first time he called me an A-hole. The second time he would have been talking to a dialtone.
April 9th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
Wherever the problem is, it doesn’t make it right. The fact that he had to verify his information to get into a queue at all then verify it again is stupid. Secondly, knowing the problem and then making him take 10 minutes to verify the owner of the computer (as if it was relevant) and then hand him a 1-second solution is unacceptable.
You’re right. It’s policy. You’re also right that he was just following the script he was given.
That doesn’t make it right, it just means he’s following the dumb rules set forth by his company, which are the root of the problem.