Everyone has an opinion on India based call centres for western companies. Most people have the same opinion in my experience, and they get it way off. The phrase "I can't understand a word she's saying" is rarely something I can relate to, and has very little to do with the problem.
On the phone to a company it's vital to be understood. The frustration comes from not being understood. I don't mind if I don't understand, because i'll insist on labouring the point until I do.
I have just had a ten minute conversation with Priyanka of Dell, originally calling to query how delivery worked, but eventually agreeing to a quote. which i'll get to briefly at the end.
When I gave my address, I explained that it was Flat 1, House 36 Oxford Street. I wouldn't normally be so explicit, but I wanted to be SURE I HAD BEEN UNDERSTOOD.
A little later in the call it was quoted back to me as "Flat 1 3 6". Ambiguous. She could have meant "Flat 1, 36", or she could have meant "Flat 136". To clarify, I restated, "Flat 1, House 36". I was given an "ok" as if to communicate understanding.
After the call ends, my quote arrives. The line in question reads:
"flat1 oxford street"
The problem is, now this issue has been exposed, all confidence is shattered. I simply can't trust this person to handle my business in any way. The irony is she insisted that it would be a personal experience. One person, beginning to end. This is a risky promise to make until you're sure somebody respects your abilities.
The mistake is too fundamental, and the most troubling element of the miscommunication is the false expression of understanding. "House 36" was obviously heard twice by Priyanka, but she somehow chose to discard it entirely, as if any part of an address a person is giving could possibly be irrelevant!
The Quote
I was talked into this quote because if I order over the phone I can allegedly specify that I require a call 24 hours before delivery to ensure I can be home. If I order online, this is not possible. I find this almost impossible to believe. One against Dell.
The quote itself was for exactly the same price, down to the last penny, of the online quotation system. I was given some bullshit that seemed to suggest the customer service element over the phone might be worth a little extra money. After this, at least that turned out to be false. One for Dell, but not really.
I was also told in this phone call that Dell 10% discount coupons appear once in a blue moon. This is the first time I haven't been able to find a valid one, and the last one that could have knocked my £730 down to £640 expired just 4 days ago. I can see other coupons from early April, March and Feb. I'll take that as a lie. One against Dell.
One more thing. The estimated delivery date if I order TODAY is 30 days from today. I had heard Dell was having speed issues these days but that's a long wait. A friend managed to get a new Inspiron in 3 days in the recent past. I want an XPS. Perhaps if you want to pay more for the better machine you're not a priority because you must already be hooked. How very Apple of Dell.
Wrapping Up
- Flat 1, 36 Oxford Street is not my real address dummy. I wouldn't post that. Priyanka knows the truth, but I think she'd be risking her job posting it here, and hey, I'm still not convinced I have any readers.
- Talking to Dell on a Sunday was a polite but ultimately fruitless experience. I really want an XPS M1530, but I don't think I can stomach a months wait and having to deal with this company. This is pretty much what i'll tell Priyanka when she calls me back tomorrow afternoon to aggressively close the deal.
Unwrapping to Rewrap
I could retain dignity by not amending this post, but I'd really rather not. The address issue was actually explainable, and I managed to get a requote showing my correct address. Although I am terrified that I may have an even more negative Dell story to tell in the near future, I just really wanted this laptop. I'm going to hope for a painless transaction. Just in case it isn't clear by now, I was talked into it. My change of heart was partly how well the phone call this evening went and partly looking at the piles of dreggy non-competitively priced alternatives at John Lewis in Solihull this lunchtime. I walked past the Apple store. I'm not ready for that just yet. Maybe in 5 years.
Side bar on the Macbook Air - total victim of it's own hype. If you haven't actually physically picked one up yet I urge you to do so. The first thing you'll think is how much heavier it is than you expected. The second is that it's not as thin as it looked in pictures. Photoshop?
NOTE: The full name of the Dell salesperson has been removed as a) she had a good explanation and didn't deserve the original bashing even half as much as I thought - i won't remove it - i'd rather just explain it, and of course b) The fate of my new laptop is at least partly in her hands.
I haven't managed to pay for it yet as my credit card was declined. First time i'd used it in ages and a reasonable amount triggers fraud protection. Inconvenient and delayed things by a day, but It's very comforting to know that if this thing had fallen into the wrong hands it wouldn't have been much use.
If you're keeping score, Dell just got one and HSBC did too.
Right, on to the next post.
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