http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/ Engadget Comments for Disgruntled Dell customer finds crafty path to lawsuit settlement http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 1:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 1:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 1:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 1:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 1:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 2:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 11th 2006 10:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Jan 15th 2007 3:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/May 18th 2007 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Oct 9th 2007 11:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 2:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 2:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 12:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 3:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/
Have a kiosk in a mall? You must accept service of process there.

Civil Procedure wonks could point out that, most likely, by opening the laptop package & using the computer he agreed to serve process on Dell Inc.'s home office only - but clearly, litigating that would have cost more than $3k.

I feel a little better about America. :)]]>Dec 10th 2006 4:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/
Somehow I doubt that a mall employee fits into any of these categories.]]>Dec 10th 2006 12:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 12:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 4:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/
Anybody who can't get satisfaction from Dell after five months and 19 phone calls, then serves legal papers to a dipwad at a kiosk, OBVIOUSLY just wanted to sue Dell from the start. Sure, why not, Dell has deep pockets, right? It wouldn't surprise me the least bit if he damaged his computer on purpose, just so he could sue. Some people will do anything for a headline and a little notoriety, plus a little unearned cash.

I personally have never seen a more responsive customer support department than Dell's. Every problem I've ever had with them, I've been blown away by how quickly and professionally they worked to resolve the problem. If some jerk can't get his problem resolved after 5 months and 19 phone calls, I have to, I mean I really have to, assume that the problem is on the customer's end. Like, maybe he was an ***hole to them from call #1? Like, maybe his computer was out of warranty? Who knows. The dipwad.

Reminds me of the ****ing ***hole who had the nerve to tap MY car's rear bumper, then started screaming SOFT TISSUE DAMAGE!!!! I HAVE TO CALL MY LAWYER!!!! GET ME A NECK BRACE!!!!

Friggin' wank, that Pat Dori. I curse him and the computer he rode in on. If it weren't for lawyers and their hell-spawned ilk, our computers would probably cost 1/10 of what they do.]]>Dec 10th 2006 4:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 11th 2006 3:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/
But it's the same old story. People think it's cool to hate zealous lawyers.

Until they need one.]]>Dec 10th 2006 5:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/
Reason: The tech support does not consist of technicians, but of stupid call center agents. If something goes wrong that's happening all the time - ok, no problem, they got it in their computers. But if a problem occurs that is only a LITTLE out of the ordinary, you're screwed.

They won't let you speak to a technician, they promise to call you back and won't, every time you call they tell you a different story, they are not authorized to make ANY kind of decision, they won't escalate the problem, because they think they are fully capable of dealing with it themselves (and aren't).

Never again will I buy from Dell, and I admire Mr. Dori for his efficient revenge... although I wonder why he waited so long for it.]]>Dec 10th 2006 5:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.dilbert.com/comics/dilbert/archive/images/dilbert200612187260.jpg]]>Dec 10th 2006 5:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/
Ah! So *that's* what it's about. I was really wondering where you were transferring all this from.]]>Dec 10th 2006 7:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/
Then you sir, must not know a damn thing about computers. When I was 11 years old (literally) my family spent countless hours on the phone with Dell tech support trying to fix a problem that a dell technician CAUSED when they came into our house for an under warranty replacement. Dell had no idea what the problem was. I finally got fed up enough that I decided to give it a shot and I was able to fix the problem just by thinking logically (because at that time I was starting to learn a bit about computers, unlike my family) and acting upon that. An hour later our computer was up and running again with everything working.

Dell tech support is crap, and not to be a bigot or anything, but half the time you're dealing with the tech support you're talking to the call center that's been outsourced to India and can barely understand what the tech is saying a lot. I am not racist and have nothing against people of different races or ethnicies, but for Christ's sake, doesn't it make sense to have customers talking with people they can understand clearly when dealing with a matter most people don't understand to begin with (fixing computers)?

And one final word to Ralph: you have some kind of anger built up against the legal system because you are making serious accusations that you have no grounds to make. Besides, I don't think that the price of replacing a laptop ($3000) that Dell owed him anyway is going to hike the prices of computers. It's one thing if he purposely caused the problem, which you are saying he probably did, but you have no proof or reason to think that, so keep quiet.]]>Dec 10th 2006 9:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 9:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 9:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 10:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/
You at making upsurd generalizations about subjects you just don't fully understand--- mainly the lawyer comment. Without lawyers, laymen (like you obviously) would just get bent over a screwed by any company that wronged you rather than that company compensating deserving parties for damages incurred. I could go on an on tearing your arguments apart, but one example will suffice because you are not any more of my time. Coming from a family of lawyers, I know very well that most lawyers are very good people and sincerely help those in need.

Ralph: You are not Mr. "know-it-all" and are not even close, so just stop.]]>Dec 10th 2006 1:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 2:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 2:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/
I remember a time where a Dell salesman took a prepared spec for a server, and decided to substitute a piece of shit Travan drive for the useful DAT drive.

THEN There was the go-round with Dell about the shitty Travan drive not working.

About 3 months in, I got everyone who was trying to dick me around in a conference call, and they figured out that replacing the shitty drive with what we ASKED THEM FOR IN THE FIRST PLACE was a hell of a lot cheaper.

So... They suck about as much as anyone else at the end of the day. What the poster did was PERFECTLY LAWFUL, so if you have a problem with it, take it up with your legislature.

]]>Dec 10th 2006 9:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/I have had the same problem with a Rio karma.Instead of posting on the website that they no longer repair them you have to buy a $20 service ticket for them to tell you that over the phone.
So I basically had a lawyer friend shoot off a letter and presto a refund.

ralph you will need a lawyer most likely one day and I hope you get screwed becuase there arent many avenues to get satisfaction other wise. ]]>Dec 10th 2006 5:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/
Just because someone dinged your bumper and made a big deal out of it threatening to sue, doesn't mean that EVERY person filing a lawsuit is only out to leech money.

People out to leech money act a lot quicker on the legal action than 5 months.

Pat showed a tremendous amount of patience before resorting to legal means.

What's "right" with America is that Pat came up with a clever, and legal, recourse to the sort of treatment he'd been recieving.... Sort of a "turn about is fair play" the legal way...

Take notes, and stop letting your own anger cloud your vision... Pat's action is a lesson for us all on how to bring America back to the "common man".]]>Dec 11th 2006 2:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Mar 7th 2007 1:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Ralph, do you also defend the the oil companies for helping us cut back on our gas usage by their outrageous profits from spiking gas prices?]]>May 21st 2007 12:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/
Obviously you've never had to deal with Verizon.
http://www.consumerist.com/consumer/clips/verizon-doesnt-know-difference-between-dollars-and-cents-220362.php

]]>Dec 10th 2006 5:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 19th 2006 3:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 5:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 14th 2006 8:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 5:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 11:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/
Obviously you've never had to deal with Verizon.
http://www.consumerist.com/consumer/clips/verizon-doesnt-know-difference-between-dollars-and-cents-220362.php

Or You've never had to deal with Sprint/Embarq. I wish I had the gumption to sue a Sprint Kiosk like Mr. Dori did. Sprint's customer service system is organized to divert, avoid, delay, and pretend they care, so customers will just give up. Looks like Dell has the same intentions.

Way to go Dori.]]>Dec 10th 2006 4:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 6:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/"And one call I even heard snickering in teh background and some dude was shouting "death to Americans."

I don't think the people you talk to hate Americans. What we call shitty wages here for call center work (starting salary is like $12USD an hour) makes them upper middle class. They probably love you guys. All they have to do is randomly answer you and transfer the call to someone else. Cha ching!

Good news though. They are building a call center near where I live in Ottawa Canada. So when you call in and get fucked over it will at least be done by a friendly and polite person... with a french accent.]]>Dec 10th 2006 12:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/$400 to get it fixed however the problem was of course the one thing they didnt cover for that $400, it was the motherboard. So they told us it'd be $700 more to fix it or they could send it back exactly as they recieved it. I cut my losses and took the broken laptop back. ]]>Dec 10th 2006 7:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 7:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/Dec 10th 2006 7:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/
Plus it isn't stated whether or not he was in or out of warranty, or if he had a mail-in or an at-home warranty. if it was a desktop he definitely had at-home. Usually a few phone calls where the customer has the same problem without resolution. will result in a service ticket in warranty, and if out of warranty it would require that he agree to paying a fee after he gets his computer back or DST fixes it at his house.

Dell is very reasonable believe it or not, and if you're having so many problems without resolution and you went to a kiosk, there are channels that pretty much will get you the service you need.

Of course this isn't to say that customers should always at least try to get through tech support. And frankly if this is just all how the tech support reps don't really know what they're doing, well the explanation is simple: the job sucks so utterly bad, that in the us, they have to be paid much much more than anywhere else, so dell's us call center is only open during the day and fields about a 10th of the calls. And people should also understand that if they must have that $500 laptop, part of what enables that price is outsourced tech.

Once you get a trouble ticket, you'll have a local DST or you'll mail it to austin, and it usually next day for the DST and a week to mail it out.

ultimately his solution was creative but tenuous, if that rep had been on the ball he would have seen even better results.]]>Dec 10th 2006 7:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/10/disgruntled-dell-customer-finds-crafty-path-to-lawsuit-settlemen/
And isn't that really the whole point here? If _anyone_ he dealt with at Dell had been on the ball he would have seen better results.]]>Dec 10th 2006 10:48AM