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All U.S. Dell customers under warranty will receive the one-on-one online tech support for free, the company announced on Friday.
DellConnect allows a Dell tech support representative to remotely access a PC, with the user's permission, and troubleshoot the system while the user watches. The representative can download software updates, run diagnostic tools or identify configuration problems. Dell previously offered the service as part of its Dell-On-Call initative, but the remote troubleshooting feature was only available to Dell's XPS customers.But Dell has realized that many of its customers are very dissatisfied with its current support offerings, and announced plans a few weeks ago to invest $100 million in improving its tech support operations. Dell Chief Executive Officer Kevin Rollins announced the DellConnect program during a press conference in Nashville, Tenn., where the company plans to increase head count at a support center from 1,000 employees to 4,500 employees.
The idea is to reduce expensive house calls and solve relatively simple problems, such as missing drivers or virus cleaning, without customers having to turn to other support vendors. PlumChoice, a PC support company that offers a similar service, estimates that 85 percent of most common problems can be solved remotely.
Dell customers will not be charged for the DellConnect service as long as they are under warranty. Users will need a high-speed broadband connection to connect to the service.
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The article makes it seems like Dell is so generous and proactive by coming out with this service. Gateway already has this service and it is free to anyone who has their computers. I've used it when I got my Gateway 2.5 years ago. The service works for Gateway so I assume it will work for Dell also.
Lets not take away from the companies that have provided service and support. Get a computer from GATEWAY or another OEM that truly cares about the customer. Don't buy from companies like Dell who want to just sell a computer. The consumer and service should have been first and the computer secondary.
Here are two shocking ideas:
How about technical support that is both competent and can speak American-English?
How about computers that don't need technical support, because they work the way they are supposed to?
My only comment about Dell support: My first computer had in-house support. You pretty much can't ever get this. The tech is quite willing to spend hours on the phone with you to troubleshoot to a component, versus having someone sent out to the business. So don't buy in-house support. Between the above, plus the now available online support, I don't expect anyone will be seeing a tech come driving up to their business.
Also, I recently bought a Dell laptop, but won't buy Dell desktops any longer. I build my own now, and had to basically trash my prior Dells because their non-standard cases and motherboards could not be upgraded. Not only is this a more expensive route (though more profitable for Dell), it's an enviromental waste.
mark d.
My only comment about Dell support: My first computer had in-house support. You pretty much can't ever get this. The tech is quite willing to spend hours on the phone with you to troubleshoot to a component, versus having someone sent out to the business. So don't buy in-house support. Between the above, plus the now available online support, I don't expect anyone will be seeing a tech come driving up to their business.
Also, I recently bought a Dell laptop, but won't buy Dell desktops any longer. I build my own now, and had to basically trash my prior Dells because their non-standard cases and motherboards could not be upgraded. Not only is this a more expensive route (though more profitable for Dell), it's an enviromental waste.
mark d.
Where have you been lately.
Dell has not sold "boring beige boxes" for years.
Check out the new stuff.