Social Science Negative Customer Service Experiences

[jacqui9]

Just thought I would create a new thread as opposed to annoying customers, what about negative customer service you might have experienced. I really just need to vent, so please bear with me

I purchased a laptop from Dell in September. The laptop is fine, everything is running smoothly etc...However, for those consumers who purchased Desktops and laptops for home use before December, we are entitled to a free upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7.

I only found out about this upgrade three days ago, so naturally rushed to register my details. I tried four times, but each time, it came up that my unique service tag (with all my order and warranty details) does not exist. Slightly concerned, I rang Dell and was put through to their call centre in Malaysia. The phone line was very poor and as a consquence, I could not understand their accents.

The technical support team could not read my unique service tag either and I asked if they could look up my details with a name and address, but they said no and continued to say that my order did not exist. I gave them invoice details, express service details etc...but nothing. What concerns me now is that if something goes wrong with the laptop itself, my warranty won't be valid. I tried asking for a number for Dell in Australia, as trying to understand a heavy accent over a poor phone line is just getting me absolutely nowhere. They couldn't provide me with one.

I have called five times now, and each time I have hit a brick wall. I keep getting transfered to different departments and each time the operators claim they can't help me without a service tag. I have now emailed Dell, and if I do not receive a response, I am thinking about going to Consumer Affairs.

Not only do I want the system upgrade I am entitled to with my purchase, but now after spending $1200 of money I saved hard for, my order does not exist. I needed to register before December 31 to take advantage of the offer, but I am going to run out of time.

Sorry for the long post, but I am frustrated, tired and fairly annoyed.

 

[raskolnikov]

Telstra board

 

[Macca19]

The motherboard on my laptop died the day before Round 1 this year. Took it to the local computer store (only one where I live) which is quite a nice store, looks good, plenty of up to date good products, seemingly decent staff. Got told a new motherboard will be about 3 days. Wicked, see you then.

I had to call them once/twice a week just to find out what was going on with it. Left my number about 8 times "ill call you back in 5"...never once got a call back. Went into the store twice only to be given excuse after excuse. We forgot, the person is on holidays, its been sent to Acer for repair, no it hasnt been sent to Acer, we cant find it, oh there it is. Was told they would ghost the hard drive to make sure no info was lost.

I finally got it back just before Round 17. Oh wait....wheres all my desktop items gone....****ing great, they didnt ghost the hard drive so all my info has been lost. Good work chumps.

During the months in which the laptop was in for repair, I started getting invoices sent to my house for $35 or so for the service labour. I didnt pay this as I wanted my laptop back first. Ended up paying $250 for the parts and $52.50 for the service. A week after paying this, I get another invoice with a 'you have 7 days to pay this' sticker on it. I ring them up asking why are you still sending me an invoice for something ive already paid for. They reckon I hadnt paid it. I told them I have proof of payig the labour charge. Another "ill look it up and call you back in 5". Never got a phone call. I know for a fact I paid this, otherwise the labour charges will be $90 or so which equals about 12 hours of labour, when all they do once the computer is back from repair is turn it on to make sure it works (this doesnt take 5 hours to do).

A month on and I still havent paid it, and am awaiting a letter from a debt collector or someone in the next few weeks. I will happily make fools of them in court if it comes to that. Have never come across a more pathetic, amateur bunch of ***** in my life.

 

[PunyHumans!!!]

I've had a pretty bad experience with a computer warehouse...sold us a PC that turned out to be an utter stinker after about a year and were constantly ****ing us claiming it was fixed, they were onto it blah blah (they clearly weren't around (didn't help that we lived in Port Hedland and had to send it to Perth and all that). Found out eventually they were crooks and were prosecuted by the authorities.

Anywhores, my main gripes these days is with Bigpond...****ing useless, couldn't process a goddamned broadband order after I renewed my contract and had to wait nearly two weeks when it should really have taken four days at the most to reconnect which is really normally a simple matter of updating the modem settings from the browser page. Was told that my internet would be disconnected the following day but instead it was done an hour later much to my annoyance. Rang up to reconnect only to be told I would need to wait for an installation CD which was five days wait. Sent me a goddamned CD I didn't need for a modem I did not have, when it was made clear as daylight when renewing that I would keep my existing modem but the customer service bloke was a bit clueless. Then told it would be done by the next day...oh no, wait...for some reason the request wasn't put through to the techies so its going to have to be next friday...oh dear, surprise surprise not done...all good now but how bloody hard can it be?

 

[rofltown]

Unfortunitely I think that a thread talking about positive customer service experiences would be much shorter than this one will be, just seems like no one wants to accept responsibility for anything.

 

[PunyHumans!!!]

From what I can gather speaking to friends that have travelled overseas is that customer service overall in Australia in most areas is rather sub standard. I've had a few positive experiences where people have gone to extra lengths to help me out etc but that seems to be in the minority...or is it just that we always focus on the bad service?

 

[rdhopkins2]

Aussie customer service is going downhill but it's much worse in the UK. I was shocked living there as to how little companies give a damn once they have your money. It didn't help I was in the coalface for 10mths in customer service when I first moved there! I actually felt terribly sorry for the customers of my firm. Needless to say as soon as I had the money to find a better job I was out of there.

 

[magic_johnson!]

The motherboard on my laptop died the day before Round 1 this year. Took it to the local computer store (only one where I live) which is quite a nice store, looks good, plenty of up to date good products, seemingly decent staff. Got told a new motherboard will be about 3 days. Wicked, see you then.

bla bla bla

I love buying my laptop from my school. Twice had to get new mainboard, and both times they only took 2 periods to fix it. That's one hour 40 and no travel time