Dell Finally Got It Right

This morning during my technology class...

Which by the way is full of technologically incompotant prople...

I decided to try to contact Dell again, in hopes of finding a tech person fluent in the English language. I was successful! I was put into contact with Andy, a tech support person from Salt Lake City, Utah.

Here is the transcript...My words in bold...

10:00:58 AM System
You are now being connected to an agent. Thank you for using Dell Chat
10:00:58 AM System
Connected with SLCg_Andy_172288
10:00:58 AM SLCg_Andy_172288
Thank you for contacting Dell Hardware Warranty Support, my name is Andy. How may I help you today?
10:02:12 AM Bryan McDonald
Hello Andy...I have tried to have this conversation two previous times but have been disconnected...my previous session id was 20489949
10:02:51 AM SLCg_Andy_172288
Looks like the notebook was dropped correct? The I1521.
10:03:02 AM Bryan McDonald
Yes...
10:04:26 AM Bryan McDonald
There are two parts that are broken...The FIRST is the clip that holds the screen to the base. The Second is in the bottom right hand corner of the base. There is a part where the grey plastic meets the black plastic...both of these base pieces are cracked/broken
10:05:03 AM Bryan McDonald
There is nothing wrong with the LCD...just the clip that holds it down
10:05:48 AM SLCg_Andy_172288
Is the computer still functioning correctly?
10:06:55 AM Bryan McDonald
So, basically, what I need is a shipping label to send it in...or a location where I can bring it to have it fixed...Somewhere near Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
10:06:55 AM SLCg_Andy_172288
Such as is there any error?
10:07:23 AM Bryan McDonald
The CD/DVD burner seems to be making some rattling
10:07:33 AM Bryan McDonald
NO error code as of yet
10:07:38 AM SLCg_Andy_172288
Yes I can set up to have a tech come out and do this. It will be faster than sending it to us.
10:08:03 AM SLCg_Andy_172288
Just to make sure I will replace that as well.
10:09:32 AM Bryan McDonald
What kind of time frame are we talking about?
10:10:34 AM SLCg_Andy_172288
Well if the tech gets parts tomorrow that you could be done over the weekend. Worst case scenario is by Tuesday.
10:11:39 AM Bryan McDonald
Actually, I will be out of town starting tomarrow morning until Monday, July 21...Is there any way I can schedule it for anytime July 22-25?
10:12:51 AM SLCg_Andy_172288
Yes you will need to contact us when you get back so we can set that up. Our tech can only hold on to parts for 5 days then has to send them back to us.
10:13:09 AM Bryan McDonald
Ok...Also, I have been having some trouble with Vista...and really have not been very happy with it at all...it is a huge resource hog even for my 2gb processor...is there any way to downgrade to XP without losing my data?
10:15:34 AM SLCg_Andy_172288
No, the only way you would lose data would be if you upgraded to vista. Then wanted to downgrade. But since the system came with Vista you need to back up your data for that.
10:15:49 AM SLCg_Andy_172288
wouldn't*
10:16:44 AM Bryan McDonald
Do you guys offer a downgrade package for customers who are not happy with vista or would that cost $$??
10:17:55 AM SLCg_Andy_172288
We do not offer operating swaps. You would need to purchase a retail copy of XP for that.
10:21:24 AM Bryan McDonald
So, I will contact you when I get back in town...By the way...where are you located?? Just wondering...
10:22:05 AM SLCg_Andy_172288
Salt lake city, Utah. Is there any other question for me?
10:22:12 AM Bryan McDonald
Well, thanks, Andy...you have been most helpful. I will be emailing your supervisor with positive feedback!!!
10:22:25 AM SLCg_Andy_172288
Thank you for contacting Dell Hardware Warranty, have a nice day. I'll be sending a summary email with your case number in it.
10:22:30 AM System
SLCg_Andy_172288 has left this session!
10:22:30 AM System Thank you. Your Dell Chat session has ended.

"Hello, this is Dell, would you like a slushie?"

I don't really expect any of you to actually read this whole post...

Unless you have been under a rock lately, you know that most large companies out source much of their menial tasks to places that pay their workers less than $100 per month...Welp, Dell, Inc. is one of em...

If you are into reading, you should take a stab at The World is Flat, by Thomas Freidman. It is a book about globalization in the 21st century. Pretty informative read...

Tonight I thought, instead of contacting Dell through the phone, I'll try the chat feature. Maybe it will be easier to understand the written word rather than a thick Indian accent. Well, it was for me...but not him.

My part of the conversation is in bold...Note my anger...I withheld though...

12:02:49 AM System

You are now being connected to an agent. Thank you for using Dell Chat

12:02:49 AM System

Connected with SLCg_Benjamin_187319

12:03:09 AM SLCg_Benjamin_187319

Thank you for contacting Dell Hardware Warranty Support. My Name is Ben. How may I help you?

12:03:33 AM Bryan McDonald

I was just connected with a Bradley in session ID 20489906...but got disconnected from the dell server somehow...

12:04:32 AM Bryan McDonald

My service tag # is 3Q956D1 and I need to find out how to receive Complete Care warranty service...

12:05:16 AM Bryan McDonald

Yesterday I accidently dropped my computer bag and part of the clop that holds the LCD to the keyboard broke...

12:05:27 AM SLCg_Benjamin_187319

Ok it looks like you were working on replacing a broken hinge or something?

12:06:32 AM Bryan McDonald

Also, in the bottom right hand corner of the bottom section (near where the Vista icon sticker is located) chipped and there is a hole on both the gray plastic and black plastic

12:07:02 AM Bryan McDonald

Not really a hinge....more of a slide....the thing that clips the two halves together

12:08:08 AM SLCg_Benjamin_187319

Ok so you are just looking to get those parts replaced. Am I correct?

12:08:21 AM Bryan McDonald

Yes

12:09:08 AM Bryan McDonald

I also noticed on my warranty info that I purchased something called, "Next Business Day, Includes Nights/Weekends." does that mean that you guys pick up the shipping???

12:10:32 AM SLCg_Benjamin_187319

Ok and this sis on your Ispiron 1525?

12:10:49 AM Bryan McDonald

No, 1521

12:11:09 AM Bryan McDonald

Service tag 3Q956D1

12:11:21 AM Bryan McDonald

The 1525 is my wife's

12:13:14 AM SLCg_Benjamin_187319

Can you tell were the break is in the screen is it on the screen part the bottom part or both for the hinge.

12:13:21 AM SLCg_Benjamin_187319

Thanks

12:14:11 AM Bryan McDonald

It is just on the clip part...the screen itself is not damaged as far as I can tell....

12:14:18 AM SLCg_Benjamin_187319

Yes we pick up the shipping.

12:14:58 AM Bryan McDonald

Actually, it is only the clip on the right side...

12:17:30 AM SLCg_Benjamin_187319

So it's just the plastic on the bottom of the screen that is damaged. nothing on the base of the laptop.

12:20:04 AM Bryan McDonald

OK...There are two things that are damaged....

1. The Plastic Clip that holds the screen to the base. The screen is not broken or damaged, just the clip that holds it.

2. On the bottom right hand corner of the base. There are two pieces of plastic that come together...one is grey (top) the other is black (bottom). Both of these are cracked/broken as well.

12:20:41 AM System

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12:20:44 AM System

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12:20:49 AM System

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12:21:57 AM System

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12:22:13 AM System

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12:22:21 AM System

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12:22:26 AM System

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12:22:35 AM System

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12:22:41 AM System

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I guess he No Speak English...

A day (or week) in the Windy City

[Cross-Posted at Macs Class]
Chicago was a blast. Stressful, but a blast. We left around 11:00pm on Memorial Day and returned on Friday at about 11:45. I cannot say enough about the kids we took on this trip. They were polite and well behaved the whole time. Before this year, I could not have imagined taking eight students 600 miles away to a city of nearly 3 million people!

We got there on Tuesday afternoon and toured the Art Institute of Chicago. I have to admit, this was one of the things that I considered skipping to catch up on sleep but boy am I glad that I didn't. It was really cool to see some of the paintings that I've only seen in books. I was pretty ticked that I left my camera at the hotel because the pics that I got were on my blackberry. The first painting that I saw was Sunday Afternoon on the Isle of La Grande Jatte by Seuratt. It was unbelievable how BIG this painting is in real life! I'd say that it stood at least 15 feet tall. Maybe even 20 feet! Another painting that I really enjoyed was American Gothic by Wood. You see this done in parody everywhere and to see it in real life, up close and personal was real neat! Later that evening we went down to the Ford Oriental Theater and went back stage for Behind the Emerald Curtain and later to see the Musical, Wicked. Again, this was so cool! Without spoiling anything, the musical is based on the book, Wicked, and goes behind the scenes and takes a closer look at the characters, Elphaba (the wicked witch) & Galinda (the good witch) from the Wizard of Oz. If you are ever in Chicago, I highly recommend it, it is well worth the time and money! After the show, we walked around for what seemed like forever looking for Pizza Uno. Let me tell you, after eating there, I'd have walked twice as far to get it. It was amazing! Sandy ordered 5 pizzas and the waitress said, "mam, that will be way too much, you'll never be able to eat all that pizza." Well several of the boys took that as a personal slam against their manhood and said, "we'll eat all of it, in fact, order six pizzas!" Well, we did and took four of them out in to go boxes! No lie. The homeless of Chicago really appreciated us that night! The picture of this pie really doesn't do it justice. That pan is around 2.5-3 inches thick. Pizza Uno piles the cheese, toppings, and sauce on thick, and I mean thick! I ate all that I could (2 pieces) and was stuffed. Talk about feeding starving people, this pizza could feed a family of 6 easily.

Wednesday was not my favorite day. We spent most of the day shopping and walking and vice versa. We visited the Magnificent Mile and the Navy Pier. I wasn't very impressed, but Jenny would have loved it! I did get a pretty cool picture of the replica ferris wheel from the World Fair Expo with the sky line in the back. That night we went to Medieval Times dinner theater which was fun. The kids really enjoyed it.

Thursday was a fun day. We got to spend several hours in the Field Museum. It was really a good experience. One thing that I did notice at the museum was that there was a heavy emphasis on evolutionary thought. I mean, if that floats your boat then that's fine, but I assumed that the people at the museum would be free thinkers and not just go with the norm. I was wrong. And we also got to see the Cubs extend their win streak to 6. Of all the things that we did, I think that I enjoyed the seeing the Cubs play at Wrigley was the best!
One last thing...We did not have to take out a paper map one time during this trip! I downloaded Google Maps for my Blackberry and it worked wonderfully! I mean, All I had to do was search for the place that we were going and it gave me turn by turn directions and a map to go along with it. This was a life saver...especially during rush hour on Wednesday, but that is another post for another day!

WARNING: RANT

Most of you know that I am earning a masters in education (Educational Leadership). I feel very confident in my ability to get a job as a principal in the near future due to the fact that there are many, MANY people in the program who are, shall we say, incompetent to say the least. This semester we were assigned a budget simulation project where we took the state minimum salary schedule and our own school’s salary schedule and compared them. We were to complete a budget as to how we spent categorical funds, write a two page summary, and make a PowerPoint presentation displaying the data. Some of these “educators” (and I use that term VERY loosely) need to do a quick Google search and learn some better techniques for making presentations. Below is a shortened list of things that have annoyed me this morning:

1. Too many words

2. Hard to see color

3. Font too small

4. Graphs too small

5. USING ALL CAPS

6. Annoying clipart

7. Unable to open presentation from flash drive

…and possibly the WORST one of all,

8. Reading the entire presentation

Another pet peeve that I have had with this experience is the fact that I am paying for a master’s level education and professors are still assigning busy work.

Why assign questions at the end of chapters? Discuss them.

Why assign students to teach the chapter? That is why I am paying YOU $300+ to teach.

I truly feel regret for students and teachers who will have these future instructional leaders.

King of the World

I have found, quite possibly, one of the most useful text messaging features. It is called Google Mobile SMS. It will help you with local information, weather, glossary terms, sports scores, movies, directions, Q&A, and more! All you do is send your request to 466453 (GOOGL). The best part is, it is free to use but I RECOMMEND AN UNLIMITED TEXT PLAN! I have been playing with it all day. It is soooooooooo cool! This supports my theory that Google will take over the world! This makes them one step closer to world domination!

[cross posted at Mr. Macs Class]

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Thanks to phydeaux3 for the "Tag Cloud" to the left.