What a distinction two years makes. Within the time since our final Tech Help Showdown report, Dell has gone again to the lab and retooled a variety of our complaints. Reaching out through social media has vastly improved. Sure, there are nonetheless digital bots, however they’re quite a bit smarter this time round and customarily extra useful. And once you do join with an actual human being, they’re not so able to remotely management your system and do it for you.
Plus, that is the primary yr we’re in a position to take a look at the entire numerous ranges of customer support that Dell supplies together with gaming and enterprise. It was a large enterprise that confirmed that whereas Dell reps are educated on Home windows associated points, they generally stumble in terms of the corporate’s personal proprietary software program.
Dell tech assist
| Total | Net Rating | Cellular App Rating | Social Media Rating | Cellphone Rating | Guarantee Rating | Avg. Name Time | Cellphone Quantity | Net Help |
| 81/100 | 14/20 | 13/15 | 12/15 | 22/30 | 20/20 | 11:44 | 1-800-624-9896 | Hyperlink (opens in new tab) |
| Total | Cellphone Rating | Net Rating | Social Media Rating | App Rating | Guarantee Rating | Cellphone Quantity | Net Help |
| 84/100 | 21/30 | 17/20 | 13/15 | 13/15 | 20/20 | 1-877-453-6686 | Hyperlink (opens in new tab) |
| Total | Cellphone Rating | Net Rating | Social Media Rating | App Rating | Guarantee Rating | Cellphone Quantity | Net Help |
| 82/100 | 19/30 | 17/20 | 13/15 | 13/15 | 20/20 | 1-888-278-9707 | Hyperlink (opens in new tab) |
| Total | Cellphone Rating | Net Rating | Social Media Rating | App Rating | Guarantee Rating | Cellphone Quantity | Net Help |
| 78/100 | 15/30 | 17/20 | 13/15 | 13/15 | 20/20 | 1-888-278-9707 | Hyperlink (opens in new tab) |
| Total | Cellphone Rating | Net Rating | Social Media Rating | App Rating | Guarantee Rating | Cellphone Quantity | Net Help |
| 85/100 | 11/30 | 15/20 | 13/15 | 13/15 | 20/20 | 1‐855-669-3600 | Hyperlink (opens in new tab) |
| Total | Cellphone Rating | Net Rating | Social Media Rating | App Rating | Guarantee Rating | Cellphone Quantity | Net Help |
| 74/100 | 24/30 | 17/20 | 13/15 | 13/15 | 20/20 | 1‐855-669-3600 | Hyperlink (opens in new tab) |
As we do yearly, we requested Dell three questions: two brand-specific and one normal query. This yr the overall inquiry was the right way to obtain the brand new Microsoft Edge browser. For the brand-specific query we requested the right way to regulate the bass of the audio system (Waves MaxxAudio App) and join a smartphone to the laptop computer (Dell Cellular Join).
Net and social assist
On the subject of social media, Dell is king. The corporate has handles in 15 channels in 16 supported languages. Along with your standard Fb and Twitter, you can even hunt down assist on Whatsapp, WeChat, Apple Enterprise Chat and Google Enterprise Messenger. For easy questions like “how do I regulate the touchpad sensitivity,” you’ll be related to a digital assistant whereas a technical skilled shall be deployed for extra complicated fixes reminiscent of your laptop computer restarting unexpectedly or a corrupted BIOS. You’ll additionally get a human in case you handle to stump the digital assistant’s A.I.
I jumped proper into the social testing with Fb asking how I can regulate the colour temperature on my Dell XPS 13 on a Monday at 1:16 p.m. Nearly instantaneously, the digital assistant popped up giving me a number of choices together with buying a product, technical assist, order assist and recycling companies. After selecting technical assist, I obtained a button to attach with a human being. Three minutes later I used to be in contact with a Dell agent they usually pointed me to Dell Cinema and the Dolby Atmos app, which was the right reply. From begin to end, the method took 6 minutes and 35 seconds.
Twitter took longer to reply my query about adjusting the touchpad sensitivity as I needed to first DM the account with my service tag (2:25 p.m.) earlier than I may get any help. I want Dell would discover a method to circumvent this as this can be a easy query that doesn’t want guarantee verification to reply. However I digress. As soon as it was established that the system was certainly underneath guarantee in addition to my e mail deal with, location, cellphone quantity and whether or not or not I used to be a retailer or finish consumer (Critically Dell?). I obtained a hyperlink to a Microsoft web page explaining the method at 3:16 p.m. for a complete of 51 minutes.
I took to Dell’s Help Help PC app to study making my laptop computer undiscoverable from different units and networks. The interplay began at 5:49 p.m. I managed to confound the bot with my query, which prompted it to direct me to a human, which occurred after 4 minutes. The tech assist agent instantly understood what I used to be attempting to do and walked me by means of the method of going to the Community & Web settings menu, deciding on the Sharing settings and disabling community discovery. I used to be thrilled that the agent didn’t provide to remotely management my laptop. They simply offered a step-by-step listing within the chat and we had been performed after 11 minutes and 26 seconds. Roughly ten minutes later I obtained a name from my agent’s supervisor following as much as see if the issue was certainly resolved and asking for suggestions. It’s a pleasant contact and drives residence the people serving to people aspect.
My subsequent cease was the Dell Help webpage, which can ask you for a service tag in case you’re not engaged on a Dell. In case you are as I used to be, you’ll see a immediate for the system. Click on on it and the location will present your system at a look which incorporates whether or not there are any present updates, guarantee data and any energetic service requests. The web page can be the jumpoff level for assist movies, data base and group boards on your particular system in addition to contacting technical assist.
For those who’re questioning simply what number of movies Dell has in its cache, it’s 4,124 and counting. Nonetheless, once I was in search of vids pertinent to my three queries, I couldn’t discover them. Nonetheless, the Dell Help YouTube website gives extra normal data movies and I discovered my solutions there. The identical goes for Information Base which is a large FAQ repository.
You simply have to be sure you’re a bit extra calculating in your key phrases than regular. As for the boards, it’s a jungle in there. Typical of most boards, it’s a group of confused customers and useful group members attempting to lend a serving to hand. Much like the Information Base, you wish to attempt to do as focused a search as doable. I lucked up and located solutions to 2 of my take a look at questions.
For the ultimate element of this part, I began the method to enter a stay chat. After click on Contact Technical Help, I had a number of choices reminiscent of working a Diagnostics Take a look at, looking out by means of on-line assist assets, chatting with a human through Dell Help, Apple Chat or WhatsApp. And naturally, Dell’s tech assist cellphone quantity in case you’re into that form of factor.
On a Friday afternoon, I selected to leap into a daily stay chat which shows how a lot time I must wait earlier than talking to an actual individual. In my case the estimated wait time was 2 minutes. Within the meantime, the digital assistant tried to resolve my drawback by suggesting utilizing Dell True Shade, which might have been superior, if my Dell XPS 13 really had that program. After clicking no as to if the reply solved my drawback I used to be put in contact with a service rep.
From there, I related with a kindly rep at 3:04 p.m. who assured me that we’d remedy my drawback collectively. Feeling inspired, I requested about altering the show’s shade temperature from vivid to film mode. After attempting to lookup the reply, the agent requested for permission to take management of my system which I consented to. Then started a 47-minute quest to repair my show that took us to the overall show brightness slider to the Intel Join management panel, which to the agent’s credit score has each saturation and hue choices. Subsequent, we went to Home windows Show Shade Calibration module. Nonetheless, we by no means obtained to Dell Cinema and the Dolby Imaginative and prescient software program inside.
I began at 1:05 p.m. and requested, “How do I join my cellphone to my laptop computer?” The consultant, Kency, instantly knew I used to be speaking about Dell Cellular Join, so that they requested if they may take distant management of my laptop computer to get me arrange. They mentioned the method would take about 20-25 minutes, which appeared lengthy, however I appreciated the honesty. Earlier than we related, the consultant made me conform to a phrases and settlement coverage, which is enlightening for somebody who would not know what they’re entering into.
Throughout the distant session software program, there are prompts asking if I needed to share my display screen, give over management of my mouse and keyboard and entry administrator options. I appreciated the thoroughness of the method to make sure I knew what was occurring and that I had the possibility to conform to all the pieces. After that, all the pieces went easily, and by 1:36 p.m., I had the app setup and related from the laptop computer to my cellphone. Total, the stay assist was nice.
If stay chat is not your factor, you’ll be able to attain out to Dell on social media. Help groups could be reached through Twitter (@DellCares), Fb (fb.com/Dell), YouTube and Dell group boards. Dell has additionally expanded to Reddit.
Nonetheless, my expertise with Dell’s social media assist was bittersweet. Earlier than I spotted the guarantee had expired on this laptop computer, I straight messaged Dell on Twitter and requested, “How do I obtain the brand new Microsoft Edge browser?” I used to be greeted by a bot, sadly, which requested for my service tag. It then informed me I used to be out of guarantee and could not assist, however despatched hyperlinks for guarantee assist and name assist.
After I reupped the guarantee, there was no response. So I took to @ing them straight on Twitter to see if they might reply. A consultant obtained again to me in round 13 minutes and straight messaged me a information on the right way to pin Microsoft Edge to my taskbar (not what I requested for). About one other 13 minutes glided by earlier than the consultant lastly despatched me the right hyperlink to obtain the brand new Microsoft Edge browser.
I had a equally bittersweet expertise when reaching out by means of Fb. I requested, “How do I give my audio system extra bass?” in an try and get them to inform me in regards to the Waves MaxxAudio app, which comes included with most Dell laptops. And I went by means of an entire routine with one other digital assistant till it related me to a human being, which took about 20 minutes. The consultant tried to get me to allow “Bass Increase” through Home windows, which is not essentially a mistaken reply.
I could not discover Bass Increase through their directions, so the consultant requested for distant management entry. They tinkered a bit within the Home windows 10 sound settings, however then I requested if there was one other app that Dell supplied, in an try and nudge them on. They rapidly got here up with the MaxxAudio app. All in all, it took about an hour to get to this conclusion, which is not nice.
Cellphone assist
Irrespective of if I used to be utilizing an Inspiron, XPS, Alienware, Latitude or Dell Gaming laptop computer, Dell’s succesful service reps had been on the job prepared to help with well mannered, affected person aplomb. And whereas they had been proper more often than not when it got here to Home windows-related questions, they frequently flubbed the Dell-specific questions. And worse, similar to final time, each name resulted within the agent taking management of the laptop computer remotely which added on a great deal of time that I can’t get again.
You’ll be able to attain the assist crew for any Dell laptop computer 24/7 at 1-800-624-9896. Your pocket book’s service tag will direct you to the right division. And in case you had been questioning how Dell manages to maintain the doorways open 24/7, the corporate has a whopping assist facilities in 21 international locations together with the U.S, Australia, Bulgaria, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Finland, Germany and South Africa simply to call a number of.
Dell XPS 13
In fact I needed to begin with the creme de la creme. My first name befell on a Saturday at 2:36 a.m. EST. I requested about altering the show’s shade temperature. After fielding one more bot and handing over my service tag data. Then I used to be related to an agent. After explaining my drawback, the rep was instantly requested to remotely take over my laptop computer. After giving him permission, he proceeded to pore by means of my laptop computer’s settings, solely to tell me that there’s no such characteristic in Dell’s {hardware}, as a substitute pointing me to the Intel Management Panel. Not even mentioning Dolby or Dell Cinema may get him pointed in the best route. After I accepted his reply, he politely requested if he may replace my system as there have been some important updates. I gave my permission and the decision ended after 20 minutes and 35 seconds.
Throughout my subsequent name at 11 a.m. on a Sunday, I inquired about hiding my system from different units and networks. The decision was faster this time, taking solely 7:19, however once more, the agent took management of the system as a substitute of educating this woman the right way to fish.
Dell Latitude 3410
On the subject of tech assist, Dell’s all enterprise. Throughout my 8:37 p.m. name on a Wednesday. After getting previous the bot, I spoke to a consultant and requested her about adjusting the touchpad’s sensitivity. And also you guessed it, she requested to remotely entry my machine. After, she jumped into the Mouse setting and made fast work of my request. The decision ended after solely 4:58.
I known as again on Friday at 9:58 a.m. to ask about enabling the webcam. After remotely accessing the system, the rep went to Home windows Hiya, which is technically proper, however not the Dell-branded reply I used to be in search of. So I prodded, asking about any Dell software program that would accomplish the identical process. After being placed on maintain for a number of minutes, the agent got here again and fiddled round in Dell Specific Signal-In and we had been good to go after 13:47.
Dell Inspiron 14 5000 2-in-1
Issues had been considerably contact and go on the Inspiron 14 5000 2-in-1 name about altering the show shade temperature. My first name was on a Tuesday at 7:35 p.m. the place I watched one more rep fall prey to the Dell Cinema entice. Even after dropping hints like Dolby Imaginative and prescient and asking “Doesn’t Dell have a Cinema app or one thing like that?” I used to be led to the Home windows Show Shade Calibration module once more after a detour within the brightness settings. The decision lastly concluded after 23:09.
Although my second name on Thursday at 8:03 a.m. was additionally remotely managed, it was a lot faster at 5:12. The agent had no drawback leaping into the community settings to cover my laptop computer from prying units and networks.
Dell G5 15 Gaming Laptop computer
I gave myself a little bit of a reprieve on my Saturday 4:28 p.m. name in regards to the Dell G5 15 Gaming Laptop computer. I truthfully couldn’t take one other Dell Cinema fail. As a substitute, I requested my keen rep the right way to have interaction Turbo mode on the system. After being placed on maintain for seven minutes, the preliminary reply was that it didn’t exist. However simply once I thought all hope was misplaced, the rep rapidly remembered the GameShift button. Nonetheless, that meant they had been perusing in my laptop computer for no motive for quarter-hour.
I attempted again the following day at 12:47 p.m. to ask in regards to the touchpad. From distant takeover to complete, the decision ended on a excessive notice after 3:14.
Alienware m15
Possibly I’m only a sucker for punishment. However wouldn’t you realize it of us, I went again to that Dell Cinema query for the Alienware m15. And spent a disappointing 18:47 on the cellphone attempting in useless to get them to on the best path to the software program.
My ultimate name in regards to the hiding my pocket book from different units and networks ended after 5:24.
Guarantee
Each Dell laptop computer ships with a 1-year restricted {hardware} guarantee with free transport offered each methods for U.S. shoppers. The identical goes for any Dell laptop computer being serviced at a Dell restore middle. The corporate will foot the transport invoice whatever the service entitlement clients have and supply a pay as you go transport label. Don’t wish to ship it? You probably have a premium upgraded guarantee, Dell will come to you with onsite service.
Now in case you’re in search of unintended injury protection, you’re out of luck until you’re an XPS, Inspiron, Inspiron Gaming PCs, or Alienware proprietor with Premium Help Plus. Latitude, OptiPlex, Precision and Vostro PCs can get the characteristic with ProSupport Plus. In any other case you should purchase it individually.
For those who’re pondering of upgrading your guarantee, Dell has a number of possibility relying in your pocket book. There’s the Primary {Hardware} Service extension to the Restricted {Hardware} Guarantee that provides 4 years of protection for the XPS, Inspiron and Inspiron Gaming traces. In the meantime Alienware, Latitude, OptiPlex, Precision and Vostros get a 5 yr bump.
Not sufficient protection? Then Premium assist which covers XPS, Inspiron and Inspiron Gaming, Alienware, provides you all the pieces within the primary bundle plus 24/7 {hardware} and software program assist with proactive automated situation detection, onsite assist after distant analysis and worldwide assist that travels with clients. Alienware and XPS homeowners get one yr of Premium Help out of the field.
There’s additionally Premium Help Plus which brings Unintended Injury Service into the combination in addition to automated predictive situation detection, virus elimination and automatic PC Optimization.
Enterprise laptop computer homeowners (Latitude, OptiPlex, Precision, Vostro) ought to try ProSupport — contains all of the options of Primary {Hardware} Service with 24/7 entry to in-region ProSupport consultants, onsite service the following enterprise day after distant analysis, and automatic proactive situation decision.
Dell doesn’t void your guarantee if it is advisable improve components. Simply remember that components bought exterior of Dell aren’t lined.
Backside line
The bots have gotten smarter and slightly bit sooner. Dell continues to nice tune its digital assistants to nice impact. Nonetheless, there are occasions when it may be simpler to only join with a human being, particularly with all these name facilities at your beck and name 24/7. Whenever you do join with a human, they’re well mannered and keen to assist. And whereas they will deal with most Home windows-related points, they may use a bit extra coaching on Dell’s proprietary software program.
Supply hyperlink
