An open letter to Dell Canada

Dear Dell,

My first computer, which I love like most people love their first car, came from you. I've been using it for coming up on six years, and I'm quite happy with it. It runs smoothly and does whatever I need it to do. The documentation that came with it is extremely clear and helpful; it taught me to set up a computer when I'd never done so before, and walked me through hardware upgrades that I'd never done before. I've only had one problem with this computer - the power supply died when it was into its third year - and that was promptly and helpfully replaced in my home, under warranty. So naturally, when I began looking into buying a new computer, I automatically assumed I would get a Dell.

However, I cannot buy a new computer from you if you don't answer my email.

I sent you an email through the Contact Us link on your website (which it took me a while to find!) asking for some specific technical details about the inside of the case, and some logistical questions about delivery. I sent this email last week, but I'm not sure whether it took because it just redirected me back to the same form. So I sent it again on Monday from work, since the web browser at work sometimes works when the one at home doesn't. That time it redirected me to the main Contact Us page.

I never received a message back from you. Not even an acknowledgement that my email had been received. I don't know whether you send confirmation emails, so I don't know if this is indicative of a technical problem. But, at any rate, it is indicative of a problem of some sort, because I should be able to easily email a company that sells products through its website, especially when I am in the process of making a $2000 purchase!

I will be phoning you tomorrow. I am not happy about this, because I do not like to conduct business on the phone - I prefer email. When I phone, I will be asking the agent I speak with the same questions I emailed, and I will also be asking them to check if my email was received.

If my email was lost in a technical glitch, I will forgive it, although the gracious thing for the agent to do would be to offer me a discount of some sort for my trouble. However, if my email has just been blithly ignored, I will have no choice but to not buy my computer through Dell.

I hate the idea of having to refuse to buy from Dell. I hate shopping, I don't want to have to go around and find another trustworthy vendor, I don't want to have to comparison shop. Having a known vendor I can trust makes my whole life much easier. But I simply cannot debase myself to making a $2000 purchase from a company who thinks me so subhuman that my emails are not even worthy of acknowledgement.

So please, answer my email by the time I get home tomorrow. If you haven't received my emails, answer all my questions clearly and promptly when I call tomorrow, offer me a discount for my trouble, and inform your webmaster that there's a problem with the email form. You can make me happy by offering me an nVidia Geforce for the price of an ATI Raedon, an LCD monitor for the price of a CRT monitor, or MS Office Pro for the price of MS Office Basic. Or by upgrading my processor speed.

I really do not want to have to leave Dell - the idea of having to do so is upsetting me even now. Please take good proper care of me as befits a purchase of this expense and importance so we can all be happy instead of none of us being happy.