Hi,

Dell's customer service is awful and I really would like some advice on how to counter these guys as I do believe that I am being scammed, lied to and basically being taken as a fool.

I purchased the M301Z a while back and its still under warranty. The laptop HDMI port is deemed faulty and the technical team did a remote assistance check on the laptop. I advised them that the BIOS needed updating but it required me to have a battery fitted in. Now, since Dell does not cover the battery, I had recently spent over £100 on different oem batteries since dell don't supply new ones. These junk did not last me for 3 months and even the ones under warranty didn't last me ( got them from duracell direct)

I discarded those batteries and stuck to the AC adapter since I was still able to do my work. Now...the technical team are telling me I have to purchase a battery which I down right refuse as it is not ME who needs the battery but the SOFTWARE that needs it, this is not my fault and this responsibility should be of Dells, even then there is no gurantee that this will fix the main problem as they clearly said that the BIOS update MAY fix the solution. I even said to them to send an engineer down with a spare battery when they replace the motherboard just to update it and they can take it back...they still refused. Instead they send an engineer to replace the whole motherboard, I assumed that the motherboard should have had the updated BIOS on there already since dell were aware of that too. The engineer did a good job as I witnessed him installing the motherboard and load up the notebook.

After he left I had tested out the motherboard and the HMDI issue didn't appear only until an hour later when the static sound came back...Not only did my original problem come back but I my laptop now began to shut down every single time whenever I tried waking it up from sleep mode! I know for a fact that a system shuts down when there is a hardware failure. So basically, the new motherboard is obviously a refurbished non-tested motherboard...I contacted dell again to tell them of the issue. They made me wait over the weekend just for the guy I spoke too to speak to a senior colleague. I even sent them e-mails over the weekend to tell them that problem is constantly occurring and I have also now taken video and images of the problems to prove it.

I get a call back today and I'm back to square one. They just keep telling me to buy a battery for the BIOS update. Why cant they send a motherboard with the update? They just sent a replacement without testing or updating the motherboard! He didn't even bother reading my e-mail that I had sent over the weekend as I had to tell him the new issue over the phone..again he has now made me wait so he can speak to his senior. I am pretty much fed up as the technical team are very unprofessional and have to constantly speak to their seniors. I will demand to speak to those specific members who are refusing to make this situation easier and finding solutions.

What should I do if they fail to find a solution? What is the correct procedure to make a formal complaint as I believe that they have failed to provide the service based on the agreement which we had agreed to when I purchased their warranty.

I have always tried to find a solution but it is them that are refusing to offer any additional assistance.

m301za05_win.exe?

windows 64bit or 32bit

sometimes you can extract the exe with winrar (right click extract with winrar)

this will show subfiles sometimes the battery level option can be reset in one of the files

ah sometimes as well with the dell bios's heres another option

copy the bios to your c: drive

open up command prompt (windows key + R - type cmd hit enter)

type "C:"

type "cd \"

name of the bios (probably m301za05.exe) + /forceit

so m301za05.exe /forceit

be VERY careful with this as if theres a power cut it will most likely not post again

Hey Lab,

Thanks for your response.

Current BIOS is Dell inc, A03, 16/07/2010

on a x64 type

I understand what you mention involves me by passing the battery limitation and I will have to consider doing that if dell refuses to help me further. The firmware may or may not be causing the problem but I was advised today by a dell manager that they only supply refurbished parts and never new parts when under a warranty. He also claimed that the test lab only tests the components of the motherboard. When I asked him how, he simply just said they do basic communication test?

The HDMI port would obviously show that it is responding but how would the tester know if the component are responding ERROR FREE? that again, he said they don't do that and just do the basic communication test. They haven't told me the alternative way to install the BIOS as you had just mentioned which I’m assuming is what they wouldn't suggest...still...I truly do not believe that forcing me to buy a battery in order for them to see IF this fixes the problem is justifiable. Why can't the people the in lab update the firmware of the motherboard?? I'm sure they have replacement batteries and the facilities to do such things...this is dell after all?!

I'll be speaking to their customer relations team tomorrow as we just ended up going in circles. The support team in dell are just generic based people and lack the skills to be problem solvers.

m301za05_win.exe?

 

sometimes you can extract the exe with winrar (right click extract with winrar)

 

this will show subfiles sometimes the battery level option can be reset in one of the files

I've discarded and recycled all those useless OEM batteries, the notebook is strictly running on the AC adapter.

M310Z is the model number of the notebook which dell has stopped manufacturing for some time...I wonder why....

See if the CEO CAN HELP

Tim Griffin

Vice President & General Manager of Dell UK

Mobile [removed]

Tim_Griffin AT dell dot com

Doubt CEO's even care...lol...good job on finding it though! haha

**Update**

Having spoken to a member of the escalation team, my notebook's motherboard was replaced with the latest BIOS update. The problem still remains. Now they suggest that I do a complete reinstall on windows ( no disk came with the notebook, windows version is OEM 7. plus the sticker has faded dramatically so its unreadable)...I then asked him what would happen if the problem still remains after I install a new OS? He simply said they will take it back in and their 'virtual environment' team will retest the component. If they say its fine then they will abide by that and approve it as being fixed. This is a [problem]....the problem cannot be detected straight away as the issue comes and goes at random times. How long will the team wait for the problem to arise? I wasn't given an explanation of their methods of testing. I told the guy that I have video evidence of the problems and what will happen if I recorded the proof AFTER they had sent back the laptop. He simply said regardless of what evidence you have...if their team confirms that it is working correctly then they will by no means necessary go against their outcome....so basically there is now a high probability that I would need to take legal action IF the OS re-installment and their team fail to identify the problem AND I have the proof.

The guy on the phone also tried his scared tactics about taking it to court by suggesting that they had many cases related with external hardware which they have won the case. I asked him about my specific problem where he then was unsure and clearly stated "This rarely happens" ( which I can assure you this is their first time since they didn't know how to handle this situation).

Overall, they keep saying they have done their part and now anything I do or say ( writing or giving evidence of the problem) will become invalid to them as they will always go with what their environmental testers say. Anything above the escalation team involves the legal department.