50Micron.com

When the triage guys @ EMC actually listened to the person calling in the problem and directed the call appropriately. (Just had one I specifically asked for PSE and they routed me to software for some unknown reason, now, three hours later, it’s been re-routed to PSE)

When the support specialist working a call would stay through the end of the problem, and didn’t give you the “Sorry my shift is over, please explain your problem to a new guy for 45 minutes before you do anything else productive”

Follow-up. It’s now 0100 the next morning. I’ve been working on this problem for 8 hours straight. The software guy who was originally assigned went home without turning the call over to someone else. I’ve gotten not a single call since before 9pm.

This is not support people. This is the opposite of support. I’ve since fixed the problem myself, without the help of the SAC/PSE folks. The sad part is if I had done this 8 hours ago I could have been home eating my corned-beef / cabbage and drinking my Guiness.

Totally missed St. Patrick’s day, the only religious holiday I actually observe.

Not happy.

Yes – I can say it.  Dell lied to me.

I have a problem with my new notebook.  Recently (read: less than 90 days ago) I bought a new Dell D620.  When I was forcibly ejected from my last company I found myself without a notebook computer.  So I logged in and bought one. 

Given that my new job requires extensive travel, I chose to spend the extra $300/US or so on their “Next Business Day” warranty.

They could have at least bought me a drink first.

According to Dell – next business day doesn’t mean it will be replaced in the next business day, it means the tech will call you on the next business day and schedule a time to come and replace your motherboard, and that time will be the “NEXT BUSINESS DAY AFTER HE RECEIVES THE PARTS”

That’s such a load I can’t even believe it.

So here I am with a laptop with one failed USB port, and the second one failing – an issue which Microsoft has already said contributed to the multiple failures Vista experienced, in a situation where the only day I’m not traveling in the next month is thanksgiving day.

So the fun part is:

The idiot Jr. level support dweeb told me, promised me after I asked him twice if he was sure, that the tech would come to my house ON THANKSGIVING DAY to replace the motherboard in my laptop.

Now I don’t hold him responsible (though I do hold him stupid for not checking his calendar before making a promise that you and I know will cost Dell a mint to fulfill) for Dell’s policies.  As a Jr. level support dweeb he effectively did his job of keeping me from getting to a more senior support dweeb.

But to promise support on a national holiday is hilarious, and I’m going to have a blast ramming that one down their throats when the guy doesn’t show up.

Sorry – it’s late, I’m tired, I’ve had a bad day. 

The hilarious part is – I even gave him the chance to back out of his lie:

The problem is, I think, that of course Dell doesn’t use support people from the US, which would mean that he didn’t realize that Thursday was a holiday. Don’t know, don’t care.  They made a promise now I expect them to follow through.