mcbeen.com

I got THREE customer surveys in the mail today. JOY! Apple, dell, Veritas… Where to begin. Lets start with dell shall we? I rated the overall call highly, but added this in the comments:

Tech support most of the time is very knowledgeable. The problem is getting anything fixed. I’m treated as though my problem does not matter, or that they simply cannot authorize repair even though I am under warrantee. To add on top of it, most of the time I get used/broken parts that make the problem worse. I buy a new machine, and then when I get a problem a week later, I get used parts. Why would I want to be given parts that failed for someone else? It would be different if I was out of warrantee and was paying on my own dime. In my cases I find it extremely insulting. I have stopped using Dell service parts because of failures after repair. Most parts fail within months after installation. I will not purchase from Dell in the future, and I highly recommend that others avoid them as well until these issues are corrected.

Veritas was a little different because while they are very helpful on things they understand, they are evasive on issues they do not. I still have yet to get satisfaction on my issue related to cataloging my tapes… after being told to delete my catalogs. They have not seen the issue before, and have been slow to admit they have no idea what to do about it. I hated them neutral

Apple was a perfect example of how to handle tech support. I called them as you know about my dead iPod. They referred me to the RMA site for iPods. I filled out the paperwork. They mailed me a box. I mailed it back. Then I waited… About 5 days after I sent it in I got confirmation of receipt. Then I got notification of work. Then I was told a new unit was being ordered. That was last Thursday. Today, I have a brand spanking new iPod. Beautiful. I then receive a survey. Pretty sweet. This is how dell USED to be and how HP is TODAY.

I have yet to have a problem with HP/Compaq tech support. Considering how often I call them it is amazing. Server, Network, PDA, Desktop support is all good with them. I don’t know about consumer though. Never tried that line.