Dell
Fiasco
More On
Dell
Follow-Up
To Dell Corporation Fiasco
Letter
To Dell CEO
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 20:31:49
-0700 (PDT)
From: "Tim Chorney"
<tchorney@yahoo.com | This is
Spam | Add to Address Book
Subject: Re: AT20020803_0000009749 Site
Problem or Error
To: dhs_on-line_order@dell.com
CC: lb_order_questions@dell.com,
pad_on-line_order_support@dell.com,
bsd_on-line_order_support@dell.com, csd@dell.com, webmaster@dell.com,
mobile_support@dell.com
Dear Mr. DeRosier,
Apparently, quick exposure of
earlier IP address
spoofing and illicit signing up of this
publication
for unrequested "services" has not
deterred you from
renewed spamming activity and additional
squandering
of company time and good corporate image.
-- Stupidly, using the same
spoofed Yahoo.Com server
IP address a second time to retaliate
against ongoing
posting of extremely unflattering material
on The
Ledger website, regarding outrageously
poor Dell
support. Tough, isn't it?
Couldn't at least use a different
spoofed IP address
to make things a little less
boring? ... Be a bit
more creative, Mr. DeRosier.
Thought others at Dell needed to
be aware of what is
going on, and took the liberty of sharing
our ongoing
message exchange with them.
Thanks for the additional
fodder.
Tim Chorney, Publisher
The Llano Ledger
http://www.llanoledger.com
P.O. Box 997
Buchanan Dam, Tx. 78609
Date: Wed, 25 Sep 2002 17:26:38
-0700 (PDT)
From: "Tim Chorney"
<tchorney@yahoo.com | This is
Spam | Add to Address Book
Subject: Re: AT20020803_0000009749 Site
Problem or Error
To: dhs_on-line_order@dell.com
Dear Mr. DeRosier,
Don't you think it a bit juvenile
and in fact
aggressively stupid to use a Yahoo.Com
server address
to spoof and illicitly sign this
publication up for
unrequested "services"? ... To
both email addresses
listed on the header of the last message
sent on
Sunday? Think Mr. Dell would
approve of such waste
of
company time and tactics? Think
the U.S. Attorney
or
Yahoo would be as amused as this
writer? Regardless,
thanks for the laugh and additional fodder
for the
website. Am deeply
grateful. ... Never a
dull
moment.
Tim Chorney, Publisher
The Llano Ledger
http://www.llanoledger.com
P.O. Box 997
Buchanan Dam, Tx. 78609
Date: Sun, 22 Sep 2002 20:46:04
-0700 (PDT)
From: "Tim Chorney"
<tchorney@yahoo.com | This is
Spam | Add to Address Book
Subject: Re: AT20020803_0000009749 Site
Problem or Error
To: dhs_on-line_order@dell.com
CC: llanoledger@lycos.com
Dear Mr. DeRosier:
The following ignored
snail-mailed letter to Mr. Dell
has been published in the last two
editions of The
Llano Ledger. Readers are
entitled to know precisely
how Mr. Notebook and Dell Computer do
business.
Indeed, a public service. Will
continue to be posted
weekly for months. -- Until I
get tired of it.
At that time, a new webpage on
The Ledger website will
be created. All correspondence
between Mr. Notebook
as well as Dell "Support" and this writer
will be
posted. -- Again, the readership
has the right
to know
exactly how both companies
operate. ... Particularly,
how poor "support" is at both firms.
Should your attorneys decide to
sue, by all means do
so. With an exceptionally
corrupt and abusive court
system, Dell indeed would likely
prevail. Regardless
of the truth. After all, your
multi-billion dollar
corporation can easily financially impose
its will.
Would be an empty victory for several
reasons,
however.
First, would fully publicly
demonstrate precisely how
abusive and repressive a powerful
corporate entity can
be, -- ultimately costing market
share. After all,
why buy Dell when you can purchase HP, --
a company
far more attentive to customer concerns and
complaints?
Second, would certainly publicly
expose Dell "Support"
for being inept, unresponsive, and
profoundly
obfuscating. Sadly, -- the
number one problem in
the
view of product users.
... Again, costing
market
share.
Third, a suit would bring this
publication additional
recognition nationally. With
readership exponentially
expanding, can only further aid and
assist, no?
Fourth, should Dell prevail, this
publication has no
assets, -- other than the piece of trash
this message
is typed on. Remember?
The supposedly "factory
refurbished" Latitude Mr. Notebook
fraudulently sold
as rebuilt?
Fifth, this writer has no assets.
Certainly, "judgment
proof", so to speak. The truth
regarding this entire
fiasco would come out in court for all to
see,
regardless of whether or not Dell uses its
considerable assets to buy a favorable,
self-serving
outcome.
So, should your legal beagles
choose to file suit,
bring it on. ...
Hardball? You bet.
Can only wonder
how many others have had to put up with
this same
crap, or worse. While they had
no options, this
publication certainly does. Can
indeed expose it
to
the light of day.
Bottom line, Mr. DeRosier, is the
fact the office of
the CEO has not had the courtesy nor seen
fit to
answer the enclosed letter, preferring to
stonewall.
-- Or possibly never received the letter
at all.
... Could have been conveniently
intercepted by a crony
in the Dell mail department?
After all, you knew
full
well it was coming. Nothing less
than a response
from
the office of the CEO is acceptable.
If his office indeed received the
correspondence, it
is glaringly indifferent to unresolved
customer
complaints. Has apparently
refused to right the
wrong
regardless of legal culpability or lack
thereof.
Certainly, aggressively stupid
since you've already
likely lost more in sales than it would
have cost to
correct the problem. Corporate
image is priceless,
isn't it, or has Dell Computer indeed
grown too fat
and complacent to care? -- Or is
this merely a
matter
of one Dell employee desperately trying to
cover his
ass and/or that of his department?
Sincerely,
Tim Chorney, Publisher
The Llano Ledger
http://www.llanoledger.com
P.O. Box 997
Buchanan Dam, Tx. 78609
Michael Dell
Chief Executive Officer
Dell Computers
One Dell Way
Round Rock, TX 78682
August 18, 2002
Dear Mr. Dell:
A Dell factory refurbished Latitude was purchased from Mr. Notebook by [redacted] of [redacted] and donated to this non-profit publication about a year ago. Despite a nearly $900 expenditure, this machine has been a piece of trash since purchase. Support from Mr. Notebook was non-existent. Sadly, Dell Support was not much better.
Clearly, after a year's worth of problems, factory "refurbished" does not mean factory "rebuilt". Apparently, the hard disk, floppy, and CD drives were never replaced. -- The most likely sources of product failure. In addition, the supposedly replaced lithium-ion battery module has a design flaw. Although the machine has always been run on AC power and the battery maintained at 100% charge, intelligence circuitry in the module failed, rendering the battery worthless. -- Coincidentally occurred during the latest email foray with Dell Support regarding floppy disk failure. ... Aren't I lucky? Incredibly blessed?
All that was requested from Dell Support this time around, however, was a pointer to diagnostics that would have pinpointed the problem with the floppy drive. ... Not absolutely sure yet whether the failure lies only in the drive itself, or may also involve the socket and possibly bugs in drivers common to both the floppy and CD ROM drives. Sadly, the CD ROM has never worked flawlessly either and has had occasional problems of reliability. ... At least, it's still working, however. Unlike the floppy.
While Dell Support indeed provided a pointer to diagnostics, the download ironically requires use of boot disk and floppy. Indeed, a problem of not being able to get from here to there. When pointed out to Support, received no further assistance, -- just an outrageous run around. ... Despite assurances on the Dell website such email support supposedly exists for life of the product.
Mr. Dell, I can certainly understand you cannot be aware of all problems within a large corporation. You do, however, have unaddressed flaws with "refurbished" machines sold by disreputable vendors fraudulently and phonily invoking Dell corporate name, image, and prestige, and more importantly, horrendous problems with a totally unresponsive Dell Support division. No question, it is doing damage to corporate public image and reputation. Sadly, although your machines are extremely popular, the greatest problem I've heard from users is lack of support. Can certainly attest to that from personal experience.
Support outrageously refused to provide an email address for your office, -- unlike HP and other corporations more responsive to unresolved customer problems and complaints. ... An email address would have certainly provided an easy practical way of sending the entire email exchange over the last year. Would have sorely indicated glaring obfuscation, non-responsiveness, and interminable intentional delay. Hard to believe you're unaware. Than again, Dell Corporation could apparently care less.
Mr. Notebook sold the Latitude as a Dell factory refurbished machine, supposedly tested by Dell-trained technicians, clearly so indicated on the bottom of the computer. Again, the floppy, CD, and hard drives apparently were never replaced. The most likely components to fail. Since factory refurbished clearly does not mean factory rebuilt, the computer is no more than a used machine. ... A machine that could have been bought for half the price at a resale shop. Even less if purchased privately. With the price of new notebooks precipitously dropping recently to the $900 range and technically capable of running circles around this dinosaur, assuredly have no intention of dumping additional money into this piece of trash.
Mr. Notebook, on the day of purchase, claimed this machine to be factory refurbished. Repeatedly made the claim. Clearly, it was not. Mr. Notebook quickly washed its hands of this lemon, failing to answer follow-up correspondence from this publication regarding product failure shortly after purchase. Have no intention of wasting additional time and effort haggling further with Mr. Notebook, -- other than to publish an investigative article exposing this entire fiasco. After all, the public is entitled to know exactly how business was done.
Due to several serious problems never corrected by Dell or Mr. Notebook since purchase of this falsely alleged Dell factory refurbished product, however, can honestly say at this point I would never again purchase a Dell computer, -- new, used, or "factory refurbished". From anyone. Certainly would never encourage others to purchase Dell either. Indeed, why take the risk and put up with the hassle?
Regardless of whether or not Dell Corporation is technically or legally responsible for fraudulent claims made by a vendor of Dell machines, the damage done to corporate image is indeed severe nonetheless. The lack of competent support and assistance from Dell Corporation in the matter is stunning. Certainly, costly in terms of good faith and product loyalty lost. Regardless of legal responsibility.
Have enclosed the last few emails from Support upper management refusing to provide an email address for your office and highly indicative and glaringly demonstrative of ongoing obfuscation over the last year. Little more than canned, computer-generated messages containing phony platitudes and false concern designed to obfuscate and stonewall rather than provide technical assistance or resolution. Apparently, the problem is top-down, since tone and substance of upper management Support is no different than that of lower level techs. Although unquestionably a public service, have held off publishing an investigative article until I hear from your office.
Sincerely,
Tim Chorney, Publisher
The Llano Ledger
http://www.llanoledger.com
tchorney@yahoo.com
P.O. Box 997
Buchanan Dam, Tx. 78609
_____________________________________________________________________________
From: dhs_on-line_order@dell.com
| This is Spam | Add
to Address Book
To: tchorney@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: AT20020803_0000009749 Site
Problem or Error
Date: Tue 06 Aug 2002 08:39:05 CDT
Please include the following line
in all replies.
Tracking number: AT20020803_0000009749
Dear Mr. Chorney,
Thank you for the additional
information. Please
accept my apologies
for this inconvenience. Please
be advised that
Mr. Dell does
not have an e-mail address for customer
inquiries.
Anything
you wish directed to him must be done
through standard
letter
carrier.
If there is anything else I can do for you, please advise.
Respectfully,
M. C. DeRosier
Dell DHS Customer Care
DTG0368
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday
If responding to me, please use
the *REPLY* function of
your
e-mail program. This will keep
the SAME SUBJECT
LINE as our
e-mail. Otherwise, your message
may be delayed
or lost.
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - -
Visit the NEW Customer Care Website!
http://www.DellCustomerCare.com
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - -
Visit the Dell T@lk Support Forum!
http://delltalk.us.dell.com
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - -
Visit Dells Technical Support Center!
http://support.us.dell.com
-----Original Message-----
From: "Tim Chorney"
<tchorney@yahoo.com
Sent: 05 Aug 02 20:26
To: uscemcsd1@dell.com
Dear Mr. DeRosier:
You still have not answered my
question regarding the
email address of the office of the
CEO. While the
nature of my business with that office is
none of
yours and your comments a bit
presumptuous, suffice it
to say the sheer volume of material I wish
to send
regarding this and earlier related matters
make doing
so electronically far more
convenient. To the point,
are you refusing to provide this
publication with an
email address for Mr. Dell's
office? ... This is
not
the end of the matter, Mr. DeRosier, only
the
beginning.
Tim Chorney, Publisher
The Llano Ledger
http://www.llanoledger.com
P.O. Box 997
Buchanan Dam, Tx. 78609
--- csd@dell.com wrote:
Please include the following line in all
replies.
Tracking number: AT20020803_0000009749
Dear Mr. Chorney,
Thank you for contacting Dell
Customer Care. I
apologize for
any inconvenience this issue may have
caused. In
looking through
your history, my understanding is that
this issue
revolves around
the floppy drive and battery
malfunction. The
on-line service
technician made the presumption that your
unit was
still under
warranty and asked for the system Service
Tag.
Unfortunately, since this unit
was not purchased
from Dell, we
are not obligated to offer warranty
service.
Therefore, you
must seek repair or replacement through Mr.
Notebook.
To answer your question, Mr.
Michael Dell is our
CEO. Our address
is as follows:
Dell Computers
One Dell Way
Round Rock, TX 78682
Once again, I apologize and truly
regret any
inconvenience or
frustration this matter may have caused.
We value
you as our
customer and your satisfaction is very
important to
us. If I
can be of further assistance, please
advise.
Respectfully,
M. C. DeRosier
Dell DHS Customer Care
DTG0368
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday
If responding to me, please use
the *REPLY* function
of your
e-mail program. This will keep
the SAME SUBJECT
LINE as our
e-mail. Otherwise, your message
may be delayed
or
lost.
- - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
Visit the NEW Customer Care Website!
http://www.DellCustomerCare.com
- - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
Visit the Dell T@lk Support Forum!
http://delltalk.us.dell.com
- - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
Visit Dells Technical Support Center!
http://support.us.dell.com
-----Original Message-----
From: "Tim Chorney"
<tchorney@yahoo.com
Sent: 03 Aug 02 21:05
To: dellweb@dell.com
* * * PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE
SUBJECT WHEN
REPLYING * * *
* * * This is a feedback Message from the
Dell
Online Communications Center. * * *
Customer Information:
************************************************
Name: Tim Chorney
Email: tchorney@yahoo.com
Service Tag:
***********************************************
Topic: Site Problem or Error
Customer Referring URL:
http://support.dell.com/us/en/emaildell/webmaster.asp
Problem Description: Have some
correspondence to
send Mr. Dell and was not able to find an
email
address for the office of the
CEO. Can you kindly
supply one, please?
Tim Chorney, Publisher
The Llano Ledger
http://www.llanoledger.com
P.O. Box 997
Buchanan Dam, Tx. 78609
***********************************************
Sent to: webmaster@dell.com
Referring URL:
http://support.dell.com/us/en/emaildell/webmaster.asp
Remote Address:
Remote Host:
HTTP User Agent:
Date submitted: 8/3/2002 9:05:01 PM
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Tim
Chorney, Publisher
P.O. Box
997
Buchanan
Dam, Tx. 78609