Some of Dell’s social-networking-type Web sites have turned less social and more volatile over the holidays, as the company’s PC shipment woes have carried on past Christmas.
Customers have flocked to the Direct2Dell blog and Twitter to free their inner bah humbug. They’re chastising Dell left and right for multiple delays involving their orders – some stretching more than a month. In addition, they’re scoffing at the Dell Holiday Card the company offered as an under-the-tree replacement for missing PCs.
A couple of weeks ago, Dell picked up on the negative chatter and went to its blog for self-defense.
“The reality is that we are seeing increased demand for many of the products consumers want to buy, and it has affected our ability to fulfill the orders,” wrote Lionel Menchaca, the chief blogger at Dell. “In addition, there are also some industrywide constraints on some components (like memory and larger-capacity hard drives) that are delaying the manufacturing of certain products for customers.”
Things turned uglier as Christmas came and went and order delays were extended.
Mr. Menchaca has been working to fix some orders personally, as have some of Dell’s public relations staff members in Europe.
It’s a full-court Tweet press that seems to have placated some. For example, the Twitter user @dell_ruins_xmas appears to have shut down his account after Dell stepped in with some personalized customer service.
But many customers are still irate. People on the Direct2Dell blog talk about canceling their orders and still facing delay after delay.
“Yay, the Studio 1745 I ordered on 12/1 came with an estimated delivery date of 12/29, then 1/6, and today it changed to 1/13,” wrote HobbesGTS. “I tried calling to find out why it’s delayed and customer support is worthless.”
Another customer said his order had slipped from Nov. 14 to Jan. 29.
“I’m getting the feeling that I will get my alienware … by xmas 2010!” wrote deannzt. “Can it really take 2.5 months to build this computer?”
Dell has suffered from these types of delays in the past, particularly when it first started offering a wider choice of colors on laptops. The company ran into painting issues at a factory in Asia, and had to delay orders by many weeks.
Over all, it’s a tough situation for a company that’s spent years trying to rebuild its customer service reputation. The proactive moves on the social networking sites and blogs can offset only so much anguish.
One would think that eventually the shipment times for the major PC makers should be all just about equal. Dell has finally followed the lead of its rivals and moved more of its business to contract manufacturers, rather than trying to build its own PCs.
By ASHLEE VANCE
Customers have flocked to the Direct2Dell blog and Twitter to free their inner bah humbug. They’re chastising Dell left and right for multiple delays involving their orders – some stretching more than a month. In addition, they’re scoffing at the Dell Holiday Card the company offered as an under-the-tree replacement for missing PCs.
A couple of weeks ago, Dell picked up on the negative chatter and went to its blog for self-defense.
“The reality is that we are seeing increased demand for many of the products consumers want to buy, and it has affected our ability to fulfill the orders,” wrote Lionel Menchaca, the chief blogger at Dell. “In addition, there are also some industrywide constraints on some components (like memory and larger-capacity hard drives) that are delaying the manufacturing of certain products for customers.”
Things turned uglier as Christmas came and went and order delays were extended.
Mr. Menchaca has been working to fix some orders personally, as have some of Dell’s public relations staff members in Europe.
It’s a full-court Tweet press that seems to have placated some. For example, the Twitter user @dell_ruins_xmas appears to have shut down his account after Dell stepped in with some personalized customer service.
But many customers are still irate. People on the Direct2Dell blog talk about canceling their orders and still facing delay after delay.
“Yay, the Studio 1745 I ordered on 12/1 came with an estimated delivery date of 12/29, then 1/6, and today it changed to 1/13,” wrote HobbesGTS. “I tried calling to find out why it’s delayed and customer support is worthless.”
Another customer said his order had slipped from Nov. 14 to Jan. 29.
“I’m getting the feeling that I will get my alienware … by xmas 2010!” wrote deannzt. “Can it really take 2.5 months to build this computer?”
Dell has suffered from these types of delays in the past, particularly when it first started offering a wider choice of colors on laptops. The company ran into painting issues at a factory in Asia, and had to delay orders by many weeks.
Over all, it’s a tough situation for a company that’s spent years trying to rebuild its customer service reputation. The proactive moves on the social networking sites and blogs can offset only so much anguish.
One would think that eventually the shipment times for the major PC makers should be all just about equal. Dell has finally followed the lead of its rivals and moved more of its business to contract manufacturers, rather than trying to build its own PCs.
By ASHLEE VANCE
Article Sourch :http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/31/dell-customers-fume-over-late-holiday-orders/?ref=technology
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