<p>So D broke the LCD screen on her laptop a few months ago. She
contacted Dell and arranged for (and paid for) repairs, but chose not to
send it in until she came home for break. She also never received the
mailing box Dell promised. So around mid-November I called Dell and,
after several useless customer service people, finally got a box
delivered. Then D didn’t want to part with her computer, but we
finally got it sent off the week before Christmas. Since we found out
that the computer would be returned to D at college, but with my name
on the label, D called Carleton to alert them. They told her that a
box from Dell had arrived for me (her) that day. Tuesday, D had her
roommate go pick up her box. Turns out the box was empty.</p>
<p>So I called Dell Hell and spent two hours trying to find out what had
happened. A typical conversation went like this:</p>
<p>Dell: How may I help you?
Me: I need the out of warranty service department, please.
Dell: I can look that up for you. (Asks for identifying information)
Me: (supplies identifying information)
Dell: I show that the warranty expired in 2004.
Me: Yes, I know that. That’s why I asked for the out of warranty
service department.
Dell: You need to speak to the out of warranty service department. I
will have to transfer you to the out of warranty service department.
The out of service warranty department will be able to help you. Please
hold while I transfer you to the out of warranty service department.
Me: You betcha.</p>
<p>And so on. Finally got someone at Dell Hell to tell me that the
computer had been fixed and shipped to D. And got really lucky in
that they told me the tracking number (this will be important!). I told
them that the box was empty and I would like to know where D’s
computer is. No one has a clue, but they will check on it. They give
me a number and extension to call so I can talk to “Prince” or some such
name. Of course, when I try to call it later, I get voice mail.</p>
<p>So I get on my computer and check the tracking number. Found out the
name and location of the company to which Dell outsources out of
warranty repairs. Googled them and got a phone number.</p>
<p>This morning I called the outsource company (Solectron). At first they
just transferred me back to Dell Hell. I called Solectron back and
begged them to help me. A kind customer service agent took pity on me
and looked things up. She said that the computer had been repaired and
shipped back to Carleton. At that point there was nothing she could do
but tell me that I needed to contact Dell to report the empty box.</p>
<p>On a hunch, I called D(woke her up) and asked her the tracking number
on the empty box. Sure enough, it was a different number! Apparently
the box Dell had promised her back in October was finally sent to her in
December. I told D to hightail it over to the mailroom and look for
the person who had signed for her computer. By the time D got there,
they had already put a package notice in her mailbox. Sure enough, it
was her beloved computer!</p>
<p>And now? Her computer is at the Carleton computer repair place. In the
five hours she had her computer she managed to download a virus.</p>
We had the new harddrive delivered to our door about three days later and we just had to mail the old one back to them in a box they provided. None of us has anything other than the regular level of service.</p>