Dell computer customer service

Who hasn't had some nightmarish experience dealing with a technology vendor? Maybe you've purchased a PC and had to wait on hold for what seemed like an eternity to fix a problem. Or maybe you've experienced some software glitch and the only way the techie at your Internet service provider (ISP) wanted to deal with you was through e-mail.

Yet while we've become accustomed to grumbling about poor treatment from PC vendors, software companies and ISPs, there are forces changing all that. Industry insiders say that as the PC and software industries mature, customer service is becoming more important. And as competition continues to heat up among ISPs, some believe customers will make their choices based on reliability and service rather than on price. The bottom line: Customer service is dramatically improving, which means you should begin to expect more from these companies.

A surprising factor contributing to improved customer service among PC vendors is what Elena Christopher, industry analyst at Westborough, Massachusetts, research firm Dataquest, calls the "warranty take-back trend." While three-year warranties were commonplace just a few years ago, one-year warranties are now standard. Likewise, within the last year most hardware companies, including Compaq, IBM, Dell and Hewlett Packard, have moved from free lifetime technical support to a 30- to 90-day start-up period - and then charge for follow-up support at an average of $32 per incident. With customers now paying for support, says Christopher, PC vendors are feeling the pressure to provide higherquality service.

"While the warranty take-back trend may initially come across as negative, in the long term it's going to place a focus on quality rather than quantity," insists Christopher. "If fees are going to be charged, it's absolutely fair for customers to demand enhanced quality."

Similarly, while lengthy have long been the norm, many are taking steps to upgrade their services. According to Dataquest, which reports PC users placed some 200 million calls to ask software questions in the past year, the industry has reduced the average time on hold by 25 percent, to about three minutes.

In addition to phone support, some compares are providing additional support via the Internet and fax-back. But here, Christopher contends, consumers aren't holding up their end of the bargain. About 70 percent of end-users say they "always" use the telephone for service and support, leaving a small portion who use electronic options.

"If the goal is to get your questions answered as soon as possible, [electronic support] is a means to do so yourself," Christopher says. "You get instant access and no time on hold It's a way to get free support that should be taken advantage of more often."