Dell’s New Experiment : Remote Support
When I used to work for Dell, customers usually called in reporting the problem. Our technicians would try to fix it over the phone by giving instructions to the customers (which is like playing twister on a molten lava). If the technicians figured out that some hardware had gone bad and if the hardware was irreplaceable by the customer, they would usually send out a technician in a day or two to replace the part (not troubleshoot). With HP closing in on Dell in PC sales, Dell has turned to support to bolster their growth. Dell calls it Dell Connect which I like to call remote supporting.
Dell is going to make use of high speed internet to connect to the customer’s PC using a software (Dell Connect) which would allow the technician who would probably be across the globe to log onto the customer’s computer. The set up is very similar to remote desktop but the only difference is that the customer would be able to see what the technician would be doing through out the whole time. This technology is not new, I have seen other companies use this feature before with some success.
This new dimension to PC support is expected to put Dell at a different standard compared to its competitors. This move will save Dell a lot of money which is involved with dispatching the technician and transportation and all the junk that goes along with it.
Dell accounts for 18.1 percent of worldwide PC shipments, compared to 16.4 percent for HP and 6.4 percent for Lenovo, according to a first quarter analysis by IDC.
Along with this, Dell has made some significant changes. Dell once shipped only with Intel and have now started producing servers using Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). Dell was once considered a haven for Windows, now ships with Linux. All the PCs would be shipping out with Google pack and Firefox already installed which is once again unDell like. But these changes would definitely affect the relationship with Microsoft.
Only time will tell if these changes that Dell is venturing into is successful or not. But, new experiments never hurt as for as the customer is concerned. I write all these on my Gateway desktop which has a lousy support and a horrible customer service.
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Filed Under: News
This is not new for Dell. We hen I used to work for Dell we were using this technology with customers back in November 2005.
Fantatstic. Can they tell me why my computer won’t boot?
As someone who worked for Dell as a field tech up until this early spring, I can attest to the complete idiocy of many of the level 1 and 2 phone techs over in India when attempting to diagnose a problem with an English speaking customer over the phone. And adding to that, then I got shipped incorrect parts at LEAST once a week, usually when the customer was a 2 hour drive away from me. The way the system works, I have no idea what part I’m getting in and what the real problem with the customer system is. I simply got a sheet stating I was getting one part “KD5060″. Many times I couldn’t see the part was the wrong one until after I got the customer’s system opened up and compared the replacement part with the old one, at which point the customer gets quite angry and pissy about it, and I had to spend 45 minutes to an hour explaining to some flunky that the motherboard they sent me wasn’t even REMOTELY close to the one that was needed.
After bitching someone out, the customer then gets to wait another few days until the part ships and I make the 2 hour trek out there yet again, only getting paid for mileage since Dell only pays for closed calls.
Ok sorry for the rant, just frustrated is all. The point is I really hope this can cut down on the useless service calls…
How hilarious. Back in 1998 (99?), I bought two very high-end Dell laptops ($11,000). Unfortunately for me, I took them to Atlanta, when I was on contract, and they remain there to this day, along with $15-20K of other digital gear (long story; not discussing it).
Sometime after I returned to Canada and was working in Toronto again, I called up Dell Canada to find out what they had in terms of Linux offerings because I really disliked Windows Me/Se/ etc. (I don’t mind XP as much). I really missed my two laptops.
The idiot at customer support/ sales, or whatever, told me I’d have to buy my own Linux and install it, and why should Dell give me Linux and Windows for the price of one? He actually said that. I clarified to the hard-of-hearing young man that I didn’t want Windows, and I certainly wa$sn’t expecting two operating systems for free.
I didn’t let his thickness bother me. A few days later I spoke to another rep. But I had to cut the call short and he never bothered to respond to my questions.
Because of Dell’s wonderful support, I won’t be buying Dell ever, so I’ll certainly never need their remote support. Am I biased? Possibly. But these days, there are lots of other companies producing great laptops without inflated prices.
I have worked on a few jobs where we could only replace parts and not troubleshoot. This is HORRIBLE!!! customer service. Motherboard bad? I go in, rip out all the parts, throw em in the new motherboard, and if it doesnt immediately work, I CANT TROUBLESHOOT? what is this???
All few times Ive went on calls like these the computer DID NOT get fixed. There is no such thing as not troubleshooting a computer. We finally ended up refusing these jobs from the BS company who was sending them because of this…
Remote desktop really isnt any better….
Dell should either pay shipping to ship the computer in or pay for a REAL computer tech to fix it(troubleshoot it).
SLAWDOGG