credit where credit is due
In an earlier post, I moaned about Dell's opaque pricing model on their UK Web site. However, people (especially me) are very quick to moan and complain but often slow to give thanks and appreciation.
I subsequently contacted Dell Customer Services to complain that the invoice was for a different amount agreed on the phone (strong case) and the fact I discovered that I could configure an identical PC for an even lower price (weaker argument).
The lady from Dell Customer Services initially suggested that I cancel the original order and simply place another order online at the lower price. I pointed out that this was a little silly as it would mean cancelling an order for one computer and adding a new order for a brand new computer with the identical specification.
In any event, it transpired that the PC had already been dispatched from Dell to the courier company, so I would have to call a different department 'Pre Sales Delivery' to cancel the order.
The gentleman in 'Pre Sales Delivery' was more helpful and agreed that cancelling the current order was ludicrous. He offered me a All-In-One-Printer free of charge. While this was a nice gesture, I told him I already had a printer. He then offered me a digital camera free of charge but I already had one of those too. I stood my ground and insisted on the refund and he finally agreed.
The gentleman also gave me his direct email and the name of his supervisor in case of any subsequent issues with the refund. So, I am pleased to say that Dell honoured the lowest price for the PC. It was inconvenient, took a little persistence and a few phone calls but for 54GBP it was well worth it.
E-commerce at Microsoft (UK)
Dear Bill
I live in London (near England) and would like to buy Microsoft Money and Microsoft Office. My preferred method of obtaining the goods would be to download these programs from your Web site and pay using a credit card.
A small discount to reflect the reduced administration costs, packaging and margin taken by the retailer would be nice but not essential.
However, when I attempt to buy these Microsoft products in the UK, I am redirected to third party Web sites (Amazon, Dabs, PC World etc) or I can delay the purchasing decision by downloading a 60 day trial version.
Buying the products from another outlet means that I have to do extra work just to make the order. This delay will be irritating and I might even consider using OpenOffice which I can download for free and start using now.
In fact, the only disadvantage of OpenOffice is that I anticipate my children handing in a piece of homework that Microsoft Word/PowerPoint/Excel is unable to convert correctly. Consequently their fantastic effort will receive a mark of zero and a detention as the teacher will not accept 'But, Sir, my Dad is an OpenSource evangelist' as a valid excuse.
Once I have ordered from Amazon, I then have to wait for the goods to be shipped, pray that Royal Mail doesn't mislay them and the postman doesn't leave the package unattended on my doorstep in the pouring rain (just because I didn't tip him last Xmas).
When I finally receive the goods, I then have to unwrap a large box containing fresh air to finally get my hands on the CD-ROM. There is no hardcopy user guide included as all the product documentation is now available online.
Note that Microsoft Money only costs 20GBP so comes supplied in a smaller box with less fresh air than Microsoft Office which costs 90GBP and, obviously, comes in a larger box with more fresh air.
I would prefer any response from Microsoft to be in the form of a old fashioned handwritten letter instead of this new fangled email technology.
Kind regards
Norman Brightside (Mr.)
Beware of shopping at Dell computers
Imagine walking into a department store to buy a TV. You weigh up all the possible options and decide which model you want. The price of this TV is 457GBP. The assistant says 'That will be 457 pounds, Sir' as she takes the credit card payment and arranges delivery for next week.
You then happen to go up to the second floor and see the identical TV for 422GBP. That's 35GBP cheaper than what you've just paid. You go back to the assistant who sold you the goods to query this difference in the price. Unfortunately, the assistant is now on her lunch break but you are promised that she will call you back. She doesn't.
You then leave the department store via the ground floor where you see the identical TV priced at 565GBP.
You arrive home and just happen to check the credit card receipt. The amount debited is 476GBP instead of 457GBP. Silly you; you should have checked the amount more carefully at the time. You call the department store to complain. The customer services manager you need to speak to is on a break but he will call you back immediately. He doesn't.
Well that is how online shopping for a Dell computer works. There are many different possible ways to configure the identical specification for a desktop PC and get a completely different price ranging from 422GBP to 565GBP. This difference appears to depend on which path (Offers page, Dimension page) you followed through the Dell web site (and which E-Code is listed) when you added and subtracted the various possible options to configure the final system.
So, if you are thinking of buying a computer from Dell, always compare every conceivable way of configuring the final system before placing the order. Always order on the Internet once you are confident you have obtained the cheapest price. Never order on the telephone from a human being. I was given one price on the telephone and when the invoice arrived via email, a higher price was listed.
Alternatively, it might be just simpler to buy your computer elsewhere.
Beware of Dixons Tax Free shopping
Airports are pretty dull places. Last Wednesday, I found myself at Heathrow T2, at some unearthly hour in the morning. I wandered round Dixons to have a quick look at the latest gadgets and kill some time. I happened to see a couple of items I was interested in. The first was Microsoft Office 2003 for Student Edition (3 user license). I had already seen this on Amazon at 91GBP and Dixon's tax free price was 110GBP which was, err, twenty pounds more expensive. So, not exactly a brilliant saving at Dixons Tax Free shopping there.
Secondly, a cheap MP3 player (Logik 1GB). This was only 63GBP at Heathrow which was odd because the identical model is available for only 54GBP in my local Dixons on the high street and has also been advertised recently in the national press. So, another triumph for so called Tax Free shopping at Dixons.
Even more odd is that Dixons have a large poster at the entrance to the store proclaiming 'We beat Amazon/Tesco/Argos prices'. Now in the light of my very limited price comparison of just two items, that poster would seem to be misleading at best, downright dishonest at worst and possibly in breach of trading standards regulations.
The poster implies to potential customers that Dixons are proactively monitoring prices at three other major competitors and undercutting their prices so you can buy from Dixons with confidence. I realise that Dixons are under massive pressure from UK supermarkets (who sell cheap DVD players alongside Cornflakes) and internet retailers. In addition, Dixons' profits have also been badly hit by the decision to stop forcing lucrative, extended warranties onto customers but is this really the way to win business back.
Out of interest, I sent an email to Dixons for their thoughts....
CRM
A lot of people make a lot of money out of customer relationship management (CRM) but here is a real-life example of how customer service affects the relationship with the customer. A few weeks ago I ordered a wireless USB card and a CD (Antics by Interpol) from Amazon. I received the normal 'Your order has been dispatched' email within 24 hours. I waited for 10 days but nothing turned up which was unusual because normally Amazon deliver pretty promptly (even with the SuperSaver option). I know the package hasn't been left on my doorstep in the pouring rain by the postman and subsequently stolen as I specified the delivery address as my place of work, specifically, to avoid this. So I send Amazon a polite email informing them of the problem and asking what can be done. Amazon replied promptly, helpfully confirming when the package was dispatched and that, unfortunately, there was no way of tracking the item. Please note that we take full responsibility should any item become lost or damaged while being delivered, and we are more than happy to replace these items at a cost to ourselves. If your package does not arrive by September 23, 2005, please contact us to confirm that it has not been received and that your delivery address is correct for your order, so we can investigate and take the appropriate action. Now what was interesting about this reply was:- Amazon actually read my email and answered my specific questions. It was not a standard form letter.
- If, after waiting two weeks and checking the delivery address was correct, the package still did not turn up, Amazon were prepared to send me the goods free of charge for a second time.