Miscommunication and Pricing Inconsistencies in Dell XPS 9380 Repair

@DELL-Cares I am writing to express my frustration and disappointment with the service I have received regarding the repair of my Dell XPS 9380 laptop. Below is a detailed account of the issues I faced:

Timeline of Events

1. November 24, 2024:

I shipped my Dell XPS 9380 to Dell’s tech center in Texas for repair after purchasing the Hardware Diagnostics package.

2. December 2, 2024:

The product was delivered to Dell’s facility after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The diagnosis was completed by 4:00 PM, and I received an email confirming the issue.

• At 6:13 PM, I contacted Dell Customer Support to request a repair quote. I was verbally informed that the repair cost would be $344:

• Motherboard replacement: $176

• LCD hinge replacement: $119

• Service charge: $49

• I requested an official email quote for confirmation.

3. December 3, 2024:

By 2:00 PM, I still had not received the email quote. I called Dell Customer Support again at 2:03 PM. To my surprise, I was informed that the repair cost had increased to $473 due to a price update.

• Upon asking for an explanation, I was told the new prices were “pushed to the system,” and I had to pay the updated amount despite requesting the quote before the price change.

• I raised a concern and requested escalation.

4. December 4, 2024:

• A supervisor callback was arranged at 3:15 PM. During the hour-long call, I was informed that the price changes were effective November 29, 2024, during the holiday weekend.

• I questioned the conflicting information provided by different representatives and requested a callback from the manager’s supervisor.

5. December 6, 2024:

At 3:52 PM, I received a callback from the supervisor’s manager. I was told that they could not provide a resolution and was directed to the Advanced Resolution Services (ARS) team.

6. December 6, 2024 (Evening):

I received a repair quote via email showing the total cost as $344, consistent with the original verbal quote. However, when I clicked “Proceed to Payment” on the Dell portal, the price increased to $473.

7. December 9, 2024:

After being promised a resolution by the ARS team by 2:00 PM, I waited until 5:00 PM without receiving a callback. I contacted the ARS representative directly, only to be told that I would need to pay $473 in full. They offered a $50 cashback as a goodwill gesture after the service was completed.

Key Issues

1. Inconsistent Pricing Information:

• I was initially quoted $344 verbally on December 2, only to have the price raised to $473 the next day.

• The Dell portal continues to display the lower quote of $344 but increases to $473 upon proceeding to payment.

2. Misinformation and Miscommunication:

• Multiple representatives and managers provided conflicting information regarding pricing and effective dates of changes.

• Dell’s technical staff were either unaware of updated prices or failed to communicate them accurately.

3. Unresolved Escalations:

• Despite hours of phone calls (10-12 hours over a week), including with supervisors and ARS, Dell has failed to provide a satisfactory resolution.

4. Unreasonable Resolution Offer:

• Being asked to pay $473 and then offered a $50 cashback as “goodwill” is unacceptable when the issue stems from Dell’s mismanagement.

Impact on Trust in Dell

As a long-standing customer of Dell, this experience has left me questioning the brand’s commitment to quality and customer service. A loyal customer should not have to spend over a week and countless hours navigating such a chaotic process to resolve a straightforward repair issue. I look forward to a prompt resolution.