On mySimon: Deadwood - The Complete Series
BNET Business Network:
BNET
TechRepublic
ZDNet
TalkBack 7 of 43:
Next »
« Previous
International support
--"I typically have to call multiple times to the support number and spend over 30 minutes on the call. That costs my employer money, much more than when support was in the U.S. Typically I am trying to get warranty replacement parts. To get the parts I have to go through all the hoops, but it is getting too expensive."--

You got that right! Sometimes it is just the hassle of getting through that drives me nuts. Push the wrong button on the automated menu from Hell and you get disconnected. Then you start all over. So I know where you are coming from.

Now, add to the phone and the language problems a cultural twist: when I call and get a male tech support person, I get talked to like I am a little kid. I have been asked to find my supervisor so the tech can tell HIM what I need to do (I am the entire IT department at my location.) Having someone who has to read from a script telling me that I don't understand how a hard drive works is NOT good customer service by any means.

At home, I custom-built our desktop computers with standard parts. The power supply on my daughter's PC failed this past week after nearly 6 years of service (it was my old case that I passed on when I upgraded a while back). That's a sign that the part was made for real use.

The Dells at work? 11 hard drives, two power supplies, several CD drives, and a floppy. Software rebuilds too many to count because of the hardware incompatibilities. Why does Dell insist on using Western Digital drives and then lock the BIOS so you can't replace them with a different boot drive? Not that I haven't figured out how to get around THAT a long time ago...

I agree-build your own. I think that you will be happily using them long after the "supermarket systems" are boat anchors.
Posted by: AbsolutelyNot   Posted on: 04/01/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
Reply to Story Reply to Message

Alert moderator to an offensive message

Subscribe to this discussion via Email or RSS

The biggest problem with Indian tech support  Michael Kelly | 03/31/04
So, can you imagine outsourcing the Rev Falwell's job to an Ayatolah?  kd5auq | 03/31/04
HP is the same  jimmybrain | 03/31/04
to be fair  V Sanders | 03/31/04
it's total costs that matter  furl12@... | 04/01/04
Outsourcing not an answer  drichards1953 | 04/01/04
International support  AbsolutelyNot | 04/01/04
That would be great if  kiddpeat | 04/04/04
Who says executives are "UNTRAINABLE"?  kd5auq | 03/31/04
Huh...  Harvey Birdman | 03/31/04
Harvey! You understood correctly.  kd5auq | 03/31/04
This is a good sign  Squawkbox | 03/31/04
Dell Dimension calls still go to India  mistergoodman | 03/31/04
EXACTIMUNDO!  AdrianKole | 03/31/04
They did not say Dimension support was moved  wd5dbc | 04/01/04
It's not only at home  JimSatterfieldW | 04/01/04
This tells me which machines I will buy for my home.  Natalie GS | 03/31/04
not for home...  ryusen | 03/31/04
Culture very difficult to replicate  ejhonda | 03/31/04
On the nose  FilledOut | 04/01/04
makes sense...  ryusen | 03/31/04
"Support?"  doncowdrey | 03/31/04
HA-HA!  Chad_z | 03/31/04
re HA-HA!  V Sanders | 03/31/04
This applies to development, too  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 03/31/04
Indian support  tlymer | 03/31/04
It went the other way for me  JimSatterfieldW | 04/01/04
Do you really know what you are buying?  Sunny Jalolly | 03/31/04
After all, a few Indians never bothered us much in Texas, but...  lomamonster | 03/31/04
Angry American  Quiller | 04/01/04
Angry American, or really Ugly American? [eom]  AJSmith1000 | 04/01/04
Cute  Quiller | 04/01/04
Angry American happy yeah obviously  Stallion_z | 04/01/04
Indian call centers  dhmcguire@... | 04/01/04
Let the market decide the issue  quietLee | 04/01/04
The (non)cultural problem  niolonra | 04/01/04
our economy in shambles  jfalknor | 04/01/04
Really, they are out of India?!  onederer@... | 04/01/04
I personally had this experience!!  zak2002@... | 04/04/04
Apple  TWRX | 04/05/04
Indian "support" = no support  r7di697 | 04/13/04
India failure an understatement  arlbe | 06/30/04
Hey, this is an advertisment - story by nonjournalist  mipsv | 05/06/05

What do you think?

SponsoredWhite Papers, Webcasts, and Downloads

Enterprise Applications

  • Check out some of the easiest and most powerful ways to boost productivity while saving money on your application infrastructure. See ZDNet's comprehensive Enterprise Application resource center, now!
  • New Online Dashboard
  • Read about top issues IT decision-makers face every day, plus get cost effective solutions to real life IT problems. Oracle Topline