Buenos Aires call center just like India

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Timothy Daniels" <TDaniels@NoSpamDot.com> wrote in message
news:eeudnU_jQLSgSyncRVn-jw@comcast.com...
> I ordered a hard drive early on Nov 23rd. The website said they're in
> stock. Well.... it hasn't even been SENT yet because it's on backorder.
> So the website lied, and customer service can't help. It's like talking
> to fire hydrant. At least you can PEE on a fire hydrant.

Why buy a hard drive from Dell.
I expect that the drive can be obtained more cheaply elsewhere.

Check www.pricegrabber.com and sites such as www.provantage.com.
Perhaps you could cancel the Dell order and save some money?

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Howard Kaikow" wrote:
> Why buy a hard drive from Dell.
> I expect that the drive can be obtained
> more cheaply elsewhere.
>
> Check www.pricegrabber.com and sites
> such as www.provantage.com.
> Perhaps you could cancel the Dell order
> and save some money?


Nope. Because of free shipping offered when
I purchased, Dell had (still has) the best deal on
Maxtor Diamondmax Plus 9 80GB hard drives.
But now the website says shipping in 1-2 weeks:
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna [...] e=external

*TimDaniels*

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

--
http://www.standards.com/; See Howard Kaikow's web site.
"Timothy Daniels" <TDaniels@NoSpamDot.com> wrote in message
news:TeCdnfblGrKFoSjcRVn-sg@comcast.com...
>
> "Howard Kaikow" wrote:
> > Why buy a hard drive from Dell.
> > I expect that the drive can be obtained
> > more cheaply elsewhere.
> >
> > Check www.pricegrabber.com and sites
> > such as www.provantage.com.
> > Perhaps you could cancel the Dell order
> > and save some money?
>
>
> Nope. Because of free shipping offered when
> I purchased, Dell had (still has) the best deal on
> Maxtor Diamondmax Plus 9 80GB hard drives.
> But now the website says shipping in 1-2 weeks:
>
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna [...] e=external

Take a look at the following:

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search [...] 38e92c39ec
http://www.pricegrabber.com/search [...] 38e92c39ec
http://www.pricegrabber.com/search [...] 38e92c39ec

A number are lower priced, including some reputable online sites that I've
heard of.
At least ZipZoomFly has a lower price ( not by much) and free shipping but
they claim to have the critter in stock.
>
> *TimDaniels*

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

The organic entity known as Timothy Daniels communicated the following:

> Hey guys, I can do a search, too, ya know. The Dell price was the
> lowest there was, and that price still is the lowest. I'll give them
> until tomorrow to start shipping the item, but I WON'T call customer
> service - I don't need the aggravation.

[Playing the devil's advocate] What do you expect? The cheapest and still
good customer service?

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Howard Kaikow" wrote:
> This is for te 6y080p0
> http://www.pricegrabber.com/search [...] 845ee82bee


Yes, I saw that last night. It's still higher than Dell's
total price of $64.57, but if Dell doesn't ship to me
by today (as customer service is still promising),
I'll cancel and go with UpgradeSource - who claims
to have the hard drive in stock.

*TimDaniels*

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I called and got Buenos Aires, who assured me the
HD would be sent today. She even gave me a
confirmation number to verify what she said. Then
I got an email from Dell saying that the HD couldn't
be shipped before Dec 21st.

I called again and got India. The woman assured me
that the HD would be sent today. Then I mentioned
the email. She double checked and verified that the
HD couldn't be shipped until after Dec 21st. I said
I wanted to cancel the order. She offered me a $35
coupon. I accepted. I also said I still wanted to cancel.
She declined, saying that I had accepted the $35
coupon. I told her I didn't want the coupon and that
I wanted to cancel. She said I couldn't. I said that I
would call my credit card company and tell them to
deny payment. She went off phone for a few minutes.
Then she came back and said that she would send
me an email confirming the cancellation, but that if
I should receive the HD in late December, that I should
just not accept it and it will be returned to Dell and Dell
would credit my account. What BULLSHIT!!


"Howard Kaikow" wrote:
> See http://www.resellerratings.com/seller1511.html.
> Have you used UpgradeSource before?

No, I haven't. But I called them to verify that the
item is really in stock, and they said that "the last
one just went out" and that the website is updated
throughout the day, but... etc. etc.

So I called FuturePowerPC, and they said they still
have the item in stock, so I ordered through them
for $67 total, about 3 1/2 dollars more than Dell.


> ZipZoomFly has them in stock, $68 with free 2nd day air.
> Page Computer as them in stock, just under $68 with ground shipping.


So far, FuturePowerPC beat their price since ZipZoomFly,
being based in California, would have to charge me California
sales tax. FuturePowerPC, being in New York, doesn't.


Hey, people. It's a different company from when I first bought
my Dimension XPS in 1999. Dell is now a lying automaton.

*TimDaniels*

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Edward J. Neth" wrote:
> I believe the DiamondMax Plus 9 were the drives that led
> Dell to disqualify Maxtor as an OEM supplier because
> of their high failure rate.
>
> Given the reliability issues and that Maxtor may not be
> around long term, you may want to buy another make of drive.
>
> http://webdesign.ittoolbox.com/new [...] 24041&t=99


Very interesting article, although it doesn't mention which drive
was the one with the high failure rate. Maybe that's why the
40GB Plus 9 drive that I bought at the lowest online price through
UpgradeSolution was OEM. So far, though, I haven't had any
trouble with the four Plus 9s that I've been using for about a year
and a half. (They're the 60GB and 120GB models with the 8MB
cache.) They run cool - about human body temp - but I've read
about others running quite hot. Maybe the hot ones are the bad
ones. And I wonder why Dell would sell the Plus 9s if they had
found them to have a high failure rate?

*TimDaniels*

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I have two Quantum SCSI drives, they are great.
Thus far, I've avoided non-SCSI hard drives, other than external USB drives,
which are both Maxtor.

The drives that get packaged into systems are rarely the best of the lot.
The WD SCSI drive on my main system failed after about a year.

There are no guarantees with any of the drive manufacturers.

--
http://www.standards.com/; See Howard Kaikow's web site.
"Edward J. Neth" <ejn63@netscape.com> wrote in message
news:31n5mvF3dsitgU1@individual.net...
> I believe the DiamondMax Plus 9 were the drives that led Dell to
disqualify
> Maxtor as an OEM supplier because of their high failure rate.
>
> Given the reliability issues and that Maxtor may not be around long term,
> you may want to buy another make of drive.
>
> http://webdesign.ittoolbox.com/new [...] 24041&t=99
>
>
>
>
>
> "Timothy Daniels" <TDaniels@NoSpamDot.com> wrote in message
> news:TeCdnfblGrKFoSjcRVn-sg@comcast.com...
> >
> > "Howard Kaikow" wrote:
> > > Why buy a hard drive from Dell.
> > > I expect that the drive can be obtained
> > > more cheaply elsewhere.
> > >
> > > Check www.pricegrabber.com and sites
> > > such as www.provantage.com.
> > > Perhaps you could cancel the Dell order
> > > and save some money?
> >
> >
> > Nope. Because of free shipping offered when
> > I purchased, Dell had (still has) the best deal on
> > Maxtor Diamondmax Plus 9 80GB hard drives.
> > But now the website says shipping in 1-2 weeks:
> >
>
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna [...] e=external
> >
> > *TimDaniels*
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

The failures were with the 40-80G Maxtors - and the problem was so bad that
Dell was replacing them for corporate clients in OptiPlex systems,
pre-failure.

Remember the IBM 75GXP and 60GXP drives that acquired the name "Deathstar"?
When Compaq refused to use the drives, IBM dumped huge numbers of them into
retail sales.



"Timothy Daniels" <TDaniels@NoSpamDot.com> wrote in message
news:5p-dnVZF4-ziUSvcRVn-3A@comcast.com...

> Very interesting article, although it doesn't mention which drive
> was the one with the high failure rate. Maybe that's why the
> 40GB Plus 9 drive that I bought at the lowest online price through
> UpgradeSolution was OEM. So far, though, I haven't had any
> trouble with the four Plus 9s that I've been using for about a year
> and a half. (They're the 60GB and 120GB models with the 8MB
> cache.) They run cool - about human body temp - but I've read
> about others running quite hot. Maybe the hot ones are the bad
> ones. And I wonder why Dell would sell the Plus 9s if they had
> found them to have a high failure rate?

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Edward J. Neth" wrote:
> The failures were with the 40-80G Maxtors - and the
> problem was so bad that Dell was replacing them for
> corporate clients in OptiPlex systems, pre-failure.


Eeeep! That may explain the recent surge in OEM
Plus 9s in the small retail online market. I guess
that I'll be doing some "burn-in" testing and frequent
backups. I notice that the current Optiplex systems
list ATA100 drives in both 5400rpm and 7200rpm
versions, and Maxtor Plus 9s are all ATA133 7200rpm.
Any chance the high failure rate was with a different
Maxtor drive?


> Remember the IBM 75GXP and 60GXP drives that
> acquired the name "Deathstar"? When Compaq
> refused to use the drives, IBM dumped huge numbers
> of them into retail sales.


PriceGrabber and PriceWatch and NextTag must have
listed them *all*. :-(

*TimDaniels*

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

In 1999 / 2000, Dell got the bright idea that:
"If we log all the problems we get, and
we keep metrics (stats) on which ones we get most and
we keep maps on which solutions yield the fastest results, then
we can automate the repair process by having idiots read a script to trouble
shoot.

Thus, we can pay idiots an idiot pay-level, and stop paying good techs the
high dollar wages they so rightfully deserve.

Makes me weep, truly.


"Timothy Daniels" <TDaniels@NoSpamDot.com> wrote in message
news:eeudnU_jQLSgSyncRVn-jw@comcast.com...
> Sheesh! Now Buenos Aires has a Dell customer service call center.
> Last night I got India. Today I get Buenos Aires. Both call centers
> are HOPELESS! They can't supply any more information than what
> is on the website. WHAT GOOD ARE THEY??
>
> I ordered a hard drive early on Nov 23rd. The website said they're in
> stock. Well.... it hasn't even been SENT yet because it's on backorder.
> So the website lied, and customer service can't help. It's like talking
> to fire hydrant. At least you can PEE on a fire hydrant.
>
> *TimDaniels*

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

On Wed, 8 Dec 2004 01:51:21 -0800, RE: Re: I tried to canceled the
order, Dell fought "Timothy Daniels" <TDaniels@NoSpamDot.com> wrote:

>I checked with my credit card company, and there
> hadn't yet been a charge to my card, so I put a block
> on it. If Dell tries to charge me when it gets the HD
> in stock, they'll get a Decline.

How do you put the "block" on the charge? What credit card company are
you using? My credit card company will only let me dispute a charge
*after* it occurs. I like your company better.

--
To reply to me directly, remove the XXX characters from my email address.

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I have seeketh more info, e.g., see
http://forums.storagereview.net/in [...] try190822.

--
http://www.standards.com/; See Howard Kaikow's web site.
"Edward J. Neth" <ejn63@netscape.net> wrote in message
news:31o9omF3dor9bU1@individual.net...
> That is true - but with the current crash in prices, Maxtor is not making
> money - and they don't have product to compete with WD and Seagate in the
> notebook market, nor do they have 1" or 1.8" drives to go against Seagate
> (which is going for the retail market like gangbusters, plus has contracts
> with Rio and Creative Labs) and Toshiba (which has a very lucrative
> contract with Apple) and Hitachi (which has contracts with Rio and
> Creative).
>
> I would guess that within 6 months - 1 year, Maxtor will be history -
either
> absorbed by another drive maker or simply gone.
>
>
> "Howard Kaikow" <kaikow@standards.com> wrote in message
> news:cp6l3n$f65$1@pyrite.mv.net...
> > I have two Quantum SCSI drives, they are great.
> > Thus far, I've avoided non-SCSI hard drives, other than external USB
> drives,
> > which are both Maxtor.
> >
> > The drives that get packaged into systems are rarely the best of the
lot.
> > The WD SCSI drive on my main system failed after about a year.
> >
> > There are no guarantees with any of the drive manufacturers.
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Vic Dvra" wrote:
> "Timothy Daniels" wrote:
>
>> I checked with my credit card company, and there
>> hadn't yet been a charge to my card, so I pvt a block
>> on it. If Dell tries to charge me when it gets the HD
>> in stock, they'll get a Decline.
>
> How do yov pvt the "block" on the charge? What credit
> card company are yov vsing? My credit card company
> will only let me dispvte a charge *after* it occvrs. I like
> yovr company better.


The company is VISA, bvt it's sponsored by my
credit vnion. Bvt the block is on ALL charges,
not jvst the charge from Dell, so I can't vse that
credit card vntil I vn-block it.

BTW, I looked at my Dell accovnt via the website,
and it says that the order was cancelled. For all I
know, the Indian rep got my email address wrong
and the confirmation of my cancellation may have
bovnced. For some reason, she didn't have
access to the email address that I provided in the
order form.

I jvst read in financial news that Maxtor has reported
strong retail demand for its drives this season, so
that may be a reason for the Dell backorder. Why
Dell reported the drive to be in stock when it wasn't,
and why it said that it wovld be shipped on the 7th
and then it wasn't are still mysteries. Something tells
me that Dell DOESN'T ship peripherals from its
own warehovses, bvt that they are shipped directly
from the MANUFACTURERS' warehovses to Dell's
cvstomers. Thvs, Dell is the last to know stocking
details.

*TimDaniels*

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

As I type this, I am listening to a recording of yesterday's Maxtor
conference all.
It's supposed to be about 45 minutes long.

"A replay will be available approximately two hours following the call
through December 15, 2004. Replay Number: (800) 252-6030. Access Code:
31709868."
--
http://www.standards.com/; See Howard Kaikow's web site.
"Howard Kaikow" <kaikow@standards.com> wrote in message
news:cpa27h$7o4$1@pyrite.mv.net...
> I've been informed that a data recovery service blew the whistle on the
> maxtor drives.
> Dunno which data recovery service, nor have I first hand seen the report.
> I'm trying to find out more.
> --
> http://www.standards.com/; See Howard Kaikow's web site.
> "Howard Kaikow" <kaikow@standards.com> wrote in message
> news:cp9iq8$qqe$1@pyrite.mv.net...
> > I have seeketh more info, e.g., see
> >
>
http://forums.storagereview.net/in [...] try190822.
> >
> > --
> > http://www.standards.com/; See Howard Kaikow's web site.
> > "Edward J. Neth" <ejn63@netscape.net> wrote in message
> > news:31o9omF3dor9bU1@individual.net...
> > > That is true - but with the current crash in prices, Maxtor is not
> making
> > > money - and they don't have product to compete with WD and Seagate in
> the
> > > notebook market, nor do they have 1" or 1.8" drives to go against
> Seagate
> > > (which is going for the retail market like gangbusters, plus has
> contracts
> > > with Rio and Creative Labs) and Toshiba (which has a very lucrative
> > > contract with Apple) and Hitachi (which has contracts with Rio and
> > > Creative).
> > >
> > > I would guess that within 6 months - 1 year, Maxtor will be history -
> > either
> > > absorbed by another drive maker or simply gone.
> > >
> > >
> > > "Howard Kaikow" <kaikow@standards.com> wrote in message
> > > news:cp6l3n$f65$1@pyrite.mv.net...
> > > > I have two Quantum SCSI drives, they are great.
> > > > Thus far, I've avoided non-SCSI hard drives, other than external USB
> > > drives,
> > > > which are both Maxtor.
> > > >
> > > > The drives that get packaged into systems are rarely the best of the
> > lot.
> > > > The WD SCSI drive on my main system failed after about a year.
> > > >
> > > > There are no guarantees with any of the drive manufacturers.
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Howard Kaikow" wrote:
> The recording of the conference call was full of the
> usual BS between a company and financial analysts.
>
> But I did notice that they were trying to "requalify" an OEM,
> I would guess that is Dell.
>
> It was stated that, at least fer now, they would be sticking
> with the 3-year warranty. I guess they have to do that if
> competitors also have 3-year warranties.


Thanks for the summary.

*TimDaniels*