Cheated by Dell.
I had purchased a Dell Inspiron 7572 on March 7, 2019, from the Dell.co.in website using a debit card-based transaction. The laptop was delivered at the end of March 2019. It was delivered with a manufacturing defect of the trackpad/touchpad raised above the palm rest area. Having been an avid user of Dell machines previously(I still have two other Dell laptops), I realized this is not normal. I then raised this issue with Dell customer care supported with pictures, who also agreed that this is not how trackpad/touchpad should appear. While the trackpad/touchpad was working, it was posing a problem in using the left and right action buttons as they required a significant pressure to use.
I also raised this issue through @DellCares on Twitter. Pamyaphi assigned the issue to Raghavendra Rao and other people who interacted with me at the time asked whether I wanted a refund or a replacement of the machine. Since I was in need of a machine, and have used numerous Dell machines before, I believed and trusted Dell in thinking that the issue was an anomaly, and agreed for a replacement even though the replacement would take another few more weeks to arrive. The replaced machine arrived at the end of April 2019. I had already lost more than 6 weeks of productivity by the time Dell replaced the machine.
In hindsight, the decision to accept a replacement and not a refund was a BAD choice.
I started using the replaced machine and within barely two months, the left CTRL-key has stopped working consistently. The trackpad/touchpad was raised again. On July 11, 2019, I raised this issue with Dell customer care again on Twitter and through telephone calls. The other issue I raised was that the warranty information of the replacement machine had not been updated on the Dell.co.in website.
Two sets of problems occurred:
1. The warranty information was not updated
2. Keyboard left CRTL key and trackpad/touchpad had become raised again making it difficult to use
After I contacted customer care, On July 9, 2019, I was informed that I would need to carry this machine for check and repair to the Dell authorised service center in Gurgaon. I clearly remember purchasing an extended warranty for home service. I then scanned the bill as proof and sent to the executive Ronson who I was speaking with on the phone. Ronson kindly updated the information. A service was scheduled on July 11, 2019. Aftab came and replaced the trackpad/touchpad and the keyboard.
Within 15-20 minutes of his leaving my residence, the trackpad/touchpad became raised again. I informed Aftab and he advised me to raise the issue again with Dell, which I did. Since it was already close to the weekend, the service visit was scheduled for Tuesday, July 16, 2019. The assigned engineer Deepak did not show up at the scheduled time. I then raised the issue with Dell on Twitter, after which I received a call from Deepak who makes the excuse of not showing up because of rain. After much discussion with Tejaswini, Ronnie and Deepti, engineer Sandeep finally came on Thursday, July 18, 2019. He replaced the trackpad/touchpad and the keyboard yet again.
As I anticipated, given the past experience, the problem has occurred within 2 days of service. I had raised the request to return the machine and get a full refund as I am not at all satisfied with this machine because the issues have not been addressed time and again. I again contacted @DellCares through Twitter with this request. Vanessa reverted that she would have an update for me by today, July 22 or by July 23. Dell customer care reverted with the option of taking the laptop to the customer service center located in Gurgaon. I followed the advice and left the laptop with the service center. They reverted after 2 days that the problem has been rectified. I was highly skeptical because as per their admission the defective part had not been changed as it only required adjustment. When I took the laptop back, with a few days, the problem occurred again. When I raised this issue with @DellCares to take back the laptop and issue a full refund, they have refused. The only option they are offering is to replace the defective part yet again, knowing fully well that part replacement or repair has not worked on 3 occasions in the past.
Dell refuses to accept responsibility and do the RIGHT thing which is to take the defective machine back and issue a refund.
Faiz Uddin
Dell India customer