DONE WITH DELL.
I want to preface this article by saying I have bought from Dell before and been perfectly satisfied. This is so I won’t get sued for telling my story, which is the truth. Here goes…
After being a strong supporter of Internet marketing and sales (which are quickly eclipsing traditional retail sales in America and the world), I have had a seriously bad experience. Suddenly, I am not convinced that buying via the Almighty Internet is without serious defects.
The problem is with Dell. I would have complained to Dell, and not shouted it to the world, but there was no way to reach them and no one to talk to. And that is the problem.
Let me explain.
I wanted to purchase a large, 20”+ monitor for my wife’s laptop computer. It was going to be a surprise for her. A Dell flyer alerted me that on a certain day, a large, 21-1/2” monitor was going on sale. I called a week ahead of time, to get all the information.
I found myself talking to an Indian man who was trying hard to speak English. I understood most of what he was trying to say. He was overly polite – to the point of phony servitude. When I asked, he told me he was in a suburb of Bangalore, but he loved America and what could he sell me today? Along with the monitor, he included a cable for the laptop. I know that cables are the single most profitable item sold by computer companies – they cost around 25 cents and are sold for (in this case) $11. I later found out that the extra cable was unnecessary – a cable was already included, standard.
This would have angered me if I had received the monitor, which I never did. But…on with the story…
I told him I would call him back on the sale day. When he pushed hard to make the sale that day, I realized he was on commission. I took his name and extension and promised to call him back on the sale day. No big deal.
On the sale day, I called back three times and left messages on his voice mail. Each time, I was first connected with another sales person who assured me that this person was out to lunch (a long lunch…for the middle of the night in India) but would immediately call me back. On my forth call, I reached him. He thanked me profusely – again, my perception was that he was being totally insincere – and completed the sale. The monitor would arrive within five working days, on October 13.
I did not receive an e-mail receipt, so I became concerned. After nothing came on October 13, I called to find out the status of my order. I first reached “technical support.” Another Indian speaker told me that I had called the wrong department, gave me the correct phone number, and quickly hung up on me. I called the new number and was soon talking to yet another Indian man.
Now, we Americans are just coming out of the “Great Recession” and many of my best friends cannot find jobs. The Indian thing was starting to get to me. Not because of India – that nation fascinates me, and I like and respect Indian people – but because this appears to be an American owned company with mostly overseas operations. Thus, few or no American jobs. Guilt was setting in.
The new Indian man overly politely, but quickly and firmly, asked for my confirmation number. I had none. “Then I am not authorized to help you, sir.” “But can’t you look up my account with my name, address, or credit card number?” “I’m sorry, but I am not authorized to help you without a confirmation number.” ”Then I have to find my confirmation number?” “I would be thanking you to do this, sir.” “But I don’t have it. Then I cannot check into the status of my order? And there is no one else to talk to?” “I am not authorized to help you without your confirmation number, thank you, sir.”
I hung up and called American Express, where I quickly found out that the monitor order had never been placed. So much for the brilliant Indians in Bangalore that have so enthralled Thomas Friedman.
It was 7:30 PM and I then drove to a nearby Staples and bought a 22” monitor for the same price. I knew they would have the same promotion. I also found that the correct cable was already included, saving me an additional $11 (the final insult). I am happy to tell you that my wife’s laptop is now hooked up to a 22” LCD monitor and that she is a happy camper.
Hmmmm. It turned out to be easier, faster, cheaper, and more secure to buy computer equipment from my local retail store, after all. My Internet assumptions had been dead wrong.
You know what they say about assumptions!
And you also know that I am done with Dell.
The moral of the true story? If you sell via the Internet or not, brand loyalty is built upon trust. Break the bond of trust and you lose your customer.
NOTE: I am hard at work on my free webinar — I will let you know when I have a time and date for it.
Ed Sucherman
THE MARKETING MACHINE
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