An expose of bad businesses and their unethical practices

In a recent post, I talked about some of the dropped commitments from Totally Awesome Computers, as I perceived them, as they went out of business.  I received a number of customer comments listing similar complaints.  Yesterday, I received a comment from someone claiming to be Dell Schanze (aka SuperDell). I can not confirm that it was Dell Schanze who left the comment, but the tone of the remarks is similar to other statements he has made.

In the comment, "SuperDell" made an assertion that he was responsible for ensuring that PC Laptops continue the lifetime warranty.  I contacted Dan Young, owner of PC Laptops and his response is below.  First, here is "SuperDell's" comment:

The lifetime warrantee didn't go anywhere.  I kept every one of my promises and as you can see I ensured the service will continue at PC Laptops.  You say I look psycho on the news and then say I'm crazy for calling them liars.  You have no clue how life works, many of those news reporters interviewed me, yelling at me, calling me names and doing everything they could to get some sort of inflamitory statment that would make their story look better for 30-45 minutes and that is the best they came up with.  It isn't me that is psycho.  It is people like you that are so quick to judge and spew your hate.  All you negative hateful people should be ashamed of yourselfs.  Yes the news does flat out lie.  If you don't know that by now then you might as well write idiot on your faces.  Even with all your hate and contention which is of course from the devils influence on you I have still held up to the promises I made.  Look at yourselves and your posts!!!! You are seriously sick.  I still love you though and will continue being honorable no matter how horrible you are to me.

Love, SUPERDELL

I asked Dan Young, of PC Laptops, the following:

Did Dell Schanze arrange for this adoption plan or have any sort of financial arrangement to help with the adoption of TAC customers or was it something done independent of Dell Schanze's involvement?

This was Dan's response:

Tim I received your email about SuperDell’s post on the blog. I don’t know if Superdell posted that or not. I’m very grateful for the 27+ former TAC employee’s that gave us a chance to interview and hire them. TAC was very helpful in referring people to us for adoption during their wind down and I am thankful for that. We are now helping more than 100+ adopted TAC customers a day. We have no financial arrangement with TAC nor did we choose to purchase any of their old computer inventories. We’ve adopted many customers from out of business computer stores before. In fact that’s how I started our business when Silo Electronics went out of business over 12 years ago. I personally believe that Superdell cared for his customers and was glad that we we’re able to adopt them. I think that he made some fatal mistakes in the way he interacted with his employee’s and the media which led to TAC’s closure.

 Thanks for your email and let me know if you need anything.

 Dan Young

 “Dan the Laptopman”

“Dan the Computerman”

So, unless Dell Schanze can show me other facts, I am led to believe that the adoption of Totally Awesome Computer's customers and the lifetime warranty was the result of Dan Young's business strategy and not a plan instigated or executed by Dell Schanze.  Dan Young has a history of creating good will among customers that had been abandonded because of business failures.  It seems to me that Dan Young should receive the credit for helping out the former customers and employees of Totally Awesome Computers.

Dell Schanze, here is an open invitation to explain your side of the story.  I will post your entry exactly how I receive it, with absolutely no editing.  (However, I must verify that you sent the statement.)

Here are things I would be interested in knowing:

•  I don't understand how the media is responsible for your downfall.  Can you help us understand why?
• You also made charges that I am "so quick to judge and spew ...hate" and that I have been horrible to you and that it is the result of the "devils (sic) influence" on me?  Can you show me where I exhibited hate?
• Can you better explain how you ensured that service would continue at PC Laptops?  To me, claiming to "ensure service" conveys the meaning that there was some contractual or financial relationship with PC Laptops and that does not seem to be the case.
• What mistakes, if any, were made that brought the downfall of Totally Awesome Computers?  If you had to do it over, what decisions would you make over again?

Dell, I am not condemming you for having a business close it's doors.  Most entreprenuers (including myself) have had that experience.  In my eyes, I felt like there were unrealistic promises made that in the end were not able to be kept and that unrealistic expectations of a level of service were created that did not match with my (and apparently others') experience with your firm. I am basing my statements from these experiences.  If I have the facts wrong, show me where I am mistaken.

Dell, the floor is yours - Will you care enough to make a statement to your customers out there?  Email me at timstay [at] gmail.com if you are interested in sharing your side of the story.

p.s.  It appears that the individual claiming to be "SuperDell" has been making other comments in the same time period, with comments showing up here and here on Superdell.blogspot.com.  "SuperDell" posts a second response to my comments here.