Dell Called Me: Well, Knock Me Over With a Feather

By B.L. Ochman Dell, like a sleeping giant, appears to be waking up. No doubt the public response to their joining the conversation with their one2one blog has been a rude awakening.

And you could have knocked me over with a feather when I got a call from "Dell Resolution Expert" Rick South, who's promised to look into the issues I've had with Dell in the past and see if they can convince me to make my next computer a Dell. I gotta say, that's pretty impressive. But hey, if they'd bother to call and email me, why am I banned from the Dell blog?

My phone call from Dell and the strategy that led to it are remarkable on several counts. Dell has realized that:
1- a single customer, even one who may have bought only one Dell computer, can influence other customers and potential customers worldwide and turn them off to the brand
2- social media gives customers the ability to reach other customers and potential customers directly, bypassing mainstream media
3- businesses live and die on the reputation among their customers, not by what bankers, brokers,stockholders, industry analysts, or mainstream media say about the company
4- on the Internet, content is forever.

A fundamental shift in the way Dell deals with customers is necessary. But they have to start somewhere, and bloggers are a good place to begin. Notice they didn't try to get mass media to transmit this message, or to deliever their message with advertising the way Ford is doing. Dell is becoming painfully aware that customers believe other customers. They care what a company does, not what it says.

Negative comments from bloggers and other customers will always be in search engines. However, if Dell can truly improve its customer service to the point where the majority of comments are positive, those will rise to the top. People will be able to see, by looking at search results, that there have been many problems in the past. But if customers start having nice things to say about Dell, it will be clear that change is taking place, and the positive comments will rise in search engine ranking. That's a heavy order, but it's the one Dell needs to fill.

Dell knows they have a huge customer service issue, South told me, and they're determined to do something about it. Since bloggers have been extremely vocal about the problems they've encountered, they've put together a team that is investigating some of the worst srervice issues reported in blogs. And now, he says, they will try to do something to sweeten the bad taste that was left by encounters with Dell customer service.

As Jeff Jarvis pointed out today: "nevermind caveat emptor. This is the age of caveat venditor - let the vendor beware -- and caveat creator."

Stay tuned.....

Hi BL,

Holy cow. The same guy called me. After almost 4 years of complaining, trying to get their attention, refusing to pay the outrageous fees, and finally COMPLAINING TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU. Mr. South called immediately then (within a couple of days) and quickly resolved the issue. I hope you get yours solved.

Lois Carter Fay
Publisher, "Brainy Tidbits"
http://www.MarketingIdeaShop.com

Lionel Menchaca, the new media manager at Dell, posted that 18% of comments that are off-topic and deal with specific support issues, are being forwarded directly to support staff. Are you sure it's your posts and squeaky-wheel approach that got you the call? Are you sure you've been banned? Or were you just part of the 18% whose comments were forwarded and addressed as part of the Dell blogging plan?

Hi Shel: My comment was on topic and did not deal with a specific support issue. The support honcho who called said he is not related to the blog.

Until my comments show up -- i just sent another today -- i believe i am banned from Dell one2one

In true bloggy-disclosure fashion, now that you have discovered that Dell did NOT ban you, you WILL be making a separate post to let your readers know this, right?

I mean, we want to be fair, right?

Hello again Mack: I already did say that they ran my post here.

Hi, I purchased a dell from QVC notebook e e1705 blue screen came up then windows close because of error tech came replaces mother board &memory4 days later same problem sent me a new notebook but it is a refurbished unit 3mo old I think I should get a new replacement now they will not refund me don'nt know what to do next. are ther others having this same experience.
Bill

Here's the guy who handled my refund:

Geoff Knox
Resolution Expert Center
Americas Client Services
800-822-8965 Ext. 7248483
email: geoffrey_knox@dell.com
Dell Inc.
*Work Hours: 9am-6pm, Central Standard Time M-F