An expose of bad businesses and their unethical practices

I have received another scathing email from Dell Shanze, owner of the former Totally Awesome Computers. I won't mention the specifics of the email (except that he continues to call me a follower of Satan), he believes I lied about Totally Awesome Computers not keeping its promises. To be clear, here is where I think Totally Awesome Computers did not live up to its promises:

1. Lifetime Service Warranty - The truth is that Totally Awesome Computers is out of business. I can not take my computer back to TAC and get it repaired. Dell Shanze claims that this issue is a technicality because PC Laptops has agreed to take on the lifetime service warranty. To me, that is irrelevant. What guarantee do I have that 5 years from now, PC Laptops will be around or will still want to service my machine? I will give points to PC Laptops for the savvy business decision to take on TAC's customers. Dell, I don't see how YOU kept a promise here. But maybe I am being to technical in my interpretation.

2. Awesome Customer Service - I admit that when I got my first computer from TAC, I was blown away with the level of service. But as time went on, I saw the service level deteriorate, where promises were made (by people at the Orem store) and they were not kept.

3. The claim that each phone call would be answered by a live person who could help me.  It  is true that a live person would answer the phone, but my experience was that often the person that answered had no ability to help or even know where to direct me.  All of the stores were linked together in a chain so if one store was busy, it would roll over to another store.  This was often very frustrating because the other store would have no idea about my situation and my recourse was to call back.  And I never was able to ever get any help ever from Tech Support over the phone.  The answer was always, "You will have to bring it in".

Here is an email was sent to TAC on March 30, 2005 that shows an example of these last two points:

Hi,

I have been a TAC customer since '98 and have been generally pleased with the service and response, but my latest experience has become so bad, that I thought I would let you know about the poor service I received from your Orem store.

I came in on Monday, March 28th to trade in my old TAC for a new one from an offer I heard on the radio.  I made my choice and filled out the paper work.  I explained to the salesman that I worked from home and that my TAC computer was my primary computer for my work.  I need the files from my old TAC computer transferred to my new computer.  I was told that a shipment of these computers was on its way and I would be able to pick up my new computer Tuesday by 10:00 am.

I did not get a call Tuesday morning from the Orem Office and so I stopped by Tuesday afternoon. I was told that the shipment of computers never arrived on Monday and maybe it would arrive on Wednesday.  I asked why I had been promised that it would be ready Tuesday morning if they weren't sure when the new computers were even going to show up?  They had no idea.  I asked if they could find out for sure when the new computers were going to show up.  If it was going to be on Wednesday, I would take my old one back so I could at least have a functioning computer at home.

Someone called the warehouse and told me that the shipment was on its way and that it would get there later that day and so my computer would be ready Wednesday morning. They also mentioned that if the shipment got in soon enough, that I might be able to pick it up still Tuesday night.

So, near closing time on Tuesday, I tried calling the Orem store.  I called five times over a half hour period, and each time there was no answer and the call was forwarded to the downtown Salt Lake store, which was useless, since he couldn't transfer me or help me.  Finally I got someone to answer at the Orem store and they said the shipment had just come in 5 minutes before, but my computer wouldn't be ready until noon or later on Wednesday.

So this morning (Wednesday), I called to check on the status and I gave my name and was put on hold.  FIVE minutes later, someone picked up and asked if I could be helped.  I gave my name again and was put on hold for TWENTY MINUTES and EIGHTEEN SECONDS!  Finally, Spencer, who identified himself as the store manager for today, picked up and asked if he could help me.

For the third time, I gave my name.  He asked if he could put me on hold and I told him no, that I wouldn't be put on hold again.  He checked on my order and told me that the shipment HAD NOT come in  last night and it probably wouldn't come in until Thursday afternoon.

I asked him how that could be?  I explained to him that I was first promised that it would be ready Tuesday morning.  Then told maybe Tuesday evening but for sure by Wednesday morning. Now I am being told that it probably won't be ready until Friday!?!  Why was I told that the shipment had come in last night and now he was telling me that no shipment had come in since last Friday?  He had no idea.

I told him how much this put me out and started to explain my situation.  He didn't want to hear my story and cut me off, saying that he would build the same computer out of spare parts he has around the shop this afternoon. I am now worried that I am getting some thrown together computer made out of spare parts.  That worries me!

I guess what bugs me most is that promises were made and not kept and there was no remorse or apology for the broken promises.  It also appears that promises were made when there were things out of  their control (shipping) that impacted their ability to keep their promises.

However, when it became clear that they would not be able to keep their promises, there was no communication to me giving me information and choices.

This is a new experience for me from TAC. Before, my experiences have been positive and I have talked warmly about TAC to others.  The  type of terrible service I received from TAC is the type of customer service I expect from Dell or the other big boys - but at least I know to expect it from them!

It is more difficult when you have created this expectation of superior customer service and then I get sub-standard service.

I am not alone in complaining about these issues.  Here is another experience from another customer:

Over the course of several years, we have purchased three computers from Totally Awesome. The reason we purchased the third one was because we had always received fairly good service and a good product (well as far as we knew, which is nothing about computers). However, the third and most expensive computer caused us headache after headache. We live quite a way from Ogden, but had to keep schlepping it back to Ogden to get the "bugs" out. Never mind calling some "tech" for help..we never, never were able to get any kind of help over the phone. We were also told "we don't give computer help classes. If you don't understand something, go take an adult ed class." This was over one simple question on how to retrieve a file supposedly transferred from the old harddrive to the new one. It's been over a year now and we still can't retrieve it.

Next, the customers were promised over night service on repairs if the computer had been purchased from TA. We never, repeat never, received anything close to that. Another complaint was that "quality control" was just a term, not a reality. When we purchased our third computer, they just kind of "threw" it together. When we got it home, nothing worked the way it was supposed to, so it was back to Ogden and wait another three or four days.

During the time we had to wait in the store for someone to help us, we talked to some other customers. Most, if not all, had the some of the same complaints we did..our biggest one was picking up the computer and it not being fixed.

No, I'm not happy he went out of business. We're having hard drive problems again (this will be the second one in this computer). Now, we have to look for someone we can trust to fix it..hey, where did that lifetime warranty go?

I can give more examples of dissastified customers with specific examples of how they felt promises made by TAC employees were not kept.  Dell, I do not hear these customer (or myself) making vile attacks on about you personally.  My intent was to say that your business made representations to its customers and to the public that I did not feel that were complied with.

You can throw up the smoke screen all you want that I am influenced by Satan and that I will pay for my sins.  I know I am a sinner and I have much to account for.  Fortunately I will be judged by a wise and merciful God and not by you.

I will continue to glad to post your response to these comments and I hope that you will address the specifics and not just make inflamatory remarks that do not relate to these specifics.

Update:  I have offered Dell Schanze the chance to publically respond to my opinions and to specifically address the issues I raised.  His response was another email condemning me for my sins and evil intent, but was not willing to address these points publically.