By Ed Frauenheim, 25 November 2003 09:05
NEWS After receiving customer complaints, Dell has stopped sending US technical support calls for two of its corporate computer lines to a Bangalore, India, call centre.
Calls from US purchasers of Dell's OptiPlex desktop and Latitude notebook personal computers will be handled from existing facilities in the United States, a Dell spokesman said on Monday.
"Our customers weren't satisfied with the level of support they were getting" from the India operations, said Dell spokesman Jon Weisblatt. He declined to give details about the customer complaints.
The decision involves a shuffling of tech support tasks, Weisblatt said. He said it would not affect employment levels in either India or the US.
The Austin American-Statesman reported on Dell's shift in tech support work from India to the United States on Saturday.
Brooks Gray, analyst with research firm Technology Business Research, said Dell customers complained of language difficulties and delays in reaching senior technicians when speaking to tech support personnel in India.
Gray said Dell not only has routed calls to US facilities but launched new policies, such as limiting the amount of time a tech support agent can talk with a large corporate client before referring the client to a higher-level agent.
Dell is "being very proactive," Gray said.
Like other technology companies, Dell has established a presence in India, which offers highly educated, low-cost employees. Indian outsourcing has come under fire, though, as US technology jobs have been cut.
Dell said its decision to reroute some technical support calls does not amount to abandoning its strategy to expand in India and elsewhere. "We're going to grow employment in the US and India," Weisblatt said.
Technical support calls from European and Asian purchasers of OptiPlex and Latitude customers will continue to be handled in India, Weisblatt said. What's more, tech support calls from US customers with other Dell products may be fielded in India, Weisblatt said.
Ed Frauenheim writes for CNET News.com
Comments
There are 30 comments. Join the discussion
1. anonymous
I was considering buying Dell PC systems for my two grand children
but I will NOT buy any DELL product
as long as DELL use India.
I am in England and would like
DELL to use Britain as DELL call centre, not India.
I will and am telling all my friends and family about DELL.
I will most likely buy British made TIME PC system.
Good BYE bye bye DELL
A British purchaser of PC
2. Chris Walker
Bully for the fortunate US users. Poor old UK users still have to do battle with India. I am just restoring my laptop, follwoing a failure of the HDD on 28th October. It took 5 requests for replacements - one to wrong address (despite giving them correct address 3 times), one wrong disk, 1 faulty disk, 1 cancelled dispatch (by Dell - no explanation or attempt to contact me) and, eventually, one working disk. Try to escalate the problem - no chance! Contact with customer services (after muchheated discussion to get the number) results in being put back to Technical Support then a further wait of 15 minutes or so to finbd this out!
We have always had good support from Dell from, presumably, Ireland but now it is pure rubbish. Goodbye to buying any more Dells.
3. John Cash
You want Dell to have the call centers in Britain, but they don't, they are shifting them to the US. Dell is an American company, not a British one, you nincompoop
4. anonymous
I wonder how many people protesting about shift of jobs to India buy foreign goods? German and Japanese cars, japanese hi-fis and televisions....the list is endless. Take a look at the car park in any large UK company, and there are very few "made in Britain" Rovers. It strikes me of hypocrisy........
5. Richard C. Ballard
They destroyed my operating system three times before replacing the computer as I requested.
I will never buy Dell again!
6. anonymous
Well, they don't have to *talk* with the people who make their cars.
7. anonymous
The issue is service not the location of the call centre. DELL should look at service levels (even publish the SLA)and remember who the customer is. My experience with Ireland support center is very good.
8. Ben Gavaghaun
The experiences that I have had in dealing with Dell Tech Support since they moved the call centre to India have been less than satisfactory. It takes longer to get to speak to an engineer than previously. The level of technical knowledge and the soft skills ie local knowledge and the ability to come across as a real person as opposed to someone who is reading from a script are not up to scratch in my opinion.
9. anonymous
British made PC? That does not exist. You might be able to buy a PC that was assembled in the UK from components made mostly in the Far East anyway, same as (most likely) your TV, your Radio and about 80% of the other electronic products you are using.
After all, it is the service that counts, it shouldn’t matter from where you are getting it.
10. Ryan Healey
It's March of 2004 and I have called Dell twice in the last week with questions about an item I have on backorder with them.
BOTH TIMES I have ended up being sent to the a call center in India and BOTH TIMES I have barely been able to understand the person I am dealing with nor have they been able to understand me! I keep being put on hold, I have to ask them to repeat themselves and I will NEVER buy from Dell again! Calls are still going to India for Dell and the call center staff simply doesn't have a command of English good enough to handle these calls!
11. anonymous
Same bad experience a few months back with Dell 'support'. I'd be willing to pay extra for a guarantee of being able to speak to an American (and keep a job here). As it stands now, I will never buy another Dell product.
12. J. Baker
And I thought my inability to understand the Dell Tech rep was due to my old age and being hard of hearing. Mr Healey's comments describe my experiences exactly. I hope I have better luck when I mail the company directly-no more phone calls or e-mail (responces apparently come from telemarket style prompting).
13. John Colman
They let me post my order two times ! And the funny thing they sent it twice !!!
14. anonymous
I phoned Norwich Union with an enquiry, and they couldn't even pronounce my name right: Hammond became Ahmed and Joan became joanne. If they couldn't get a bog-standard basic detail like that correct, they were hardly going to get anything else correct! Wake up Norwich-Union CEO!!!!!
15. anonymous
Disappointed w/ Dell's Warranty advertisement."Great Offer on Extending Peace of Mine:"
Save 75$ by mail-in rebate whern you buy a extension of Dell's award winning Limited Warranty and at home Service. Reg. Price $249, - $75 mail in rebate. When applying, I was directed to send $381, pay the 249$ receive $75 rebate...w/the remainder going for a credit on future purchases. False Advertising?
16. anonymous
I am responding to the issue of Dell outsourcing to india, my company leases equipment from Dell and recently purchased memory upgrades, after leaving numerous messages with the direct contacts in Ireland that i made the purchases with including emails on the Friday, i then tried the main number on the Monday, which i gathered was India when they spoke. Though when talking to the person there i gave them the qoute confirmation number that Dell had emailed to me, they responded they had no record of this, "have you the direct telephone number of the person you ordered it from?" i said yes as they then said i would need to call them.
I dialed it an answer phone stated this number no longer exists please call the direct number, which routes you back to india. Whats the point! if they know nothing and send you back and forth.
My reckoning is that now any company who dont care and send you to India dont deserve my business, it may be freephone but my time isnt free.
17. anonymous
Half of Southern UK cannot spell or pronounce Scottish or Welsh names properly without the phone. You should see the number of UK mail order firms mis spell names.
18. Jackie
DELL doesn't have only Technical Support in India but also in some countries in Asia. (Ed note. India IS IN Asia Jackie) And I can say that service was excellent. At first, i thought they were Americans but i found out that they are from the Philippines. I love DELL... because they have free lifetime Technical Support..
19. Anonymous
The corporate strategy to save money is not that hard to understand, but what is hard to understand is exactly who in this scenario benefits from the cost savings. It sure isn't the American people, is it?
20. anonymous
Yesterday, my hard drive broke and i was faced with the timely and frustrating experience of contacting a Dell representative. Little did I know they are located in INDIA - I could barely hear the voice on the other end. It sounded like a bad cell phone connection. Furthermore, due to the nature of my job, I needed the hard drive asap; however, the representative told me she could do nothing to get it to me in less than a week.
I have a full warranty and am willing to pay whatever extra shipping costs were needed. Although my account does not have "corporate status," i need this hard drive right now due to the nature of my job! Corporate client calls are directed to a US service that, I am sure, accomodates them as needed.
This woman did not know anything about the computer nor could she do anything to help me. She was a puppet on the other end with the title of service rep but she was of no assistance in the least! I spent over 3 hours on the phone and am not quite sure they are even sending me what I need.
I cannot believe Dell treats their non-corporate customers like this.
PLEASE NEVER BUY FROM DELL AGAIN!!!!
21. anonymous
"You want Dell to have the call centers in Britain, but they don't, they are shifting them to the US. Dell is an American company, not a British one, you nincompoop" The problem is if Dell is happy enough to take British money for their product they should at least supply support staff with a good command of the english language. Especially as there are such broad accents within the uk. I am still waiting for my laptop. So far first was wrong spec,(allthough paperwork said it was right) 2nd lost in transit 3rd hopefully on its way
22. Bambal Khan
This is to the moron who says he will not purchase from dell, because it is based in india and not britain.Do you realise that dell is an american company and not a british one. If you are so keen on boycotting foreign products, take a look at your own GDP. Britain has more consumable imports than it's own products. so much for being a patriot. get a life
23. anonymous
Responding to
Name: Anonymous
Country: England
Occupation: Retired active
I never faced such problems there, I dont know why you people? I am psyched after reading your posting, Do you go for best product or nay product manufactured in your country? Later you find problems in it.. and say @#$@#$.
I still doubt Dell stoped in India, as per my knowledge concerned they still outsource,
There are more than 500 call centers still doing great work, I am bit confused how only Dell finding the problem....
24. Jonathan Brooks
Hello All,
I was wondering if any one of you would buy Dell Machines if the cost was hiked by 15% for having the Tech support in US or UK. The cost of operation is so high and that is why Dell wants it to be in India and more over you are supported by mostly Engineers or PG people in India, who are well qualified for the Job. Just give the time and patience for them to help you out. Dell would loose many of their customer by having to hike the price of the system. So, Instead why dont we agree with Dell and accept the fact that you are getting the Best Machines and support for the Money value...
I love Dell PCs
Thank you Dell for choosing wisely.
25. anonymous
Uk & Ireland corporate customers call centre is based in Ireland. any opinions on that?
26. Dr Chris Pownall
I purchased a complete Dell system for my business on 15Dec 2004 and this is still not up and running despite numerous contacts with Dells' inadequate and poorly trained Indian staff.( who missold part of the equipment in the first place)The last advice I was given would imply invalidating the Warranty. Lucky USA! Can we have UK or Irish technical support please. And is there anyone out there who could give me a useful e-mail address at Dells' USA HQ so they can see the mess outsourcing has caused their company
27. anonymous
It is to be considered that call centre culture in India is limited to only a fast money making process rather than concentrating on quality process. It has also been rumoured that on of the big players in India has imposed a rule that a customer care executive will not be allowed to return home until they complete their quota for the day. We in India have to wait to get through customer care of our mobile service providers. This is the state with such a small base. it is customary to tell the customer that they have a huge number of calls to attend. The work culture has to improve and so has the focus to be attended to quality rather than quantity.
28. M Berry
Calling technical support in India is very very frustrating and embarrassing. I have to explain things again and again and they still do not understand. I get annoyed having to say 'pardon' all the time as I cannot understand the accent or grammar . There are long akward pauses and so many misunderstandings.
It is painful and stressful.
I heard that the US have closed their Indian call centre and reopened one in the US. About time we did it in the UK.
Dreadful service. We should all write directly and complain.
29. enis
at the moment i'm calling dell and still waiting - its almost 1 hour this is unbelivable!!!!!
30. enis
at the moment im calling dell and still waithing its almost 1 hour this is unbelivable!!!!!