Make your legal team restrain themselves when they're trying to silence bloggers who are trying to help people buy from Dell.
Dell, Dell Community submitted by jmxz
06/15/07 **IMPLEMENTED**
Yesterday Dell sent the following letter to a blog that was giving advice on how to better order from the confusing Dell web site (like clarifying pros and cons of when you should go to the Small Business vs Home Office sections; and when you might do even better going to a Dell Kiosk- which Dell's own web site never makes clear). Rather than a take down notice from Legal, a polite email from Marketing with corrections to the inaccurate parts and specific requests to remove the confidential information would have been:
Better for the Blogger - because he wouldn't feel threatened.
Better for Dell - because the article never would have been so widely publicized (I learned of it only because of the takedown notice).
Better for Dell Customers - because the rest of the non-confidential information in the article could still help them.
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from Tracy Holland
to ben@consumerist.com
date Jun 14, 2007 4:39 PM
subject Posting by former Dell employee
Dear Ben,
Please remove the posting located at the following
http://consumerist.com/consumer/insiders/22-confessions-of-a-former-dell-sale...< contains information that is confidential and proprietary to Dell.
While not all aspects of the entry are accurate, ostensibly an ex-employee posted Dell's confidential information in violation of his or her employment agreement and confidentiality obligations (which prohibit the disclosure of such information both during and after the period of employment).
We would appreciate your prompt attention to this matter. Please confirm that the posting has been removed by the end of the day tomorrow.
Thank you, and please give me a call if you would like to discuss further.
Tracy Holland
Tracy J. Holland
Counsel
Dell Inc.
- - - - - - - - - -
While some of the information wasn't correct; the blogger has been continually updating the article fixing inaccuracies as they're pointed out to him. Your legal team also referred to "confidential information" but never specified what was the offending confidential information that should be removed. It's a bit hard to guess what parts of that posting might have been considered confidential; because it seems like just about all the info in the article can be found (just with difficulty) browsing the Dell web site and Kiosks.
Ideas for your legal team:
* For the case of this article - point out the "confidential" information (if there really is any) and I'm confident the blogger will remove that confidential information while keeping the rest of the helpful advice (which helps your customers buy Dells) up there.
* In general - try to restrain yourselves from legal threats on Bloggers. It would probably have been nicer if someone from Dell Marketing asked the person to correct things; and the whole thing would have probably gone away quietly -- instead of being very visible on many high profile places on the internet and on mailing lists now.
We hold ourselves at Dell and all our employees to high ethical standards and believe ex-employees have an obligation to uphold those standards. We live and learn in this new world of blogs and appreciate your suggestion.
3810
6 major issues to be fixed by Dell
Dell, Sales Strategies, Service and Support submitted by jervis961
02/17/07
Dell became a top company by providing choice and customer service to a customer that wasn't available at the time but has since fallen behind the pack in these areas. Needing a translator when calling customer support is unnacceptable and other companies are rapidly passing Dell in technology advancements. While this site is a good start, many things need to be changed for Dell to become the market leader again.
1. Customer support needs to be in well spoken English and with employees who are allowed to do more than just read from a script. If they are speaking with a computer savvy customer the rep should be allowed to deviate from the script as long as they don't go outside the relm of normal policy.
2. Better options: Other companies offer high end components in small computers but Dell only supplies intel video processors in its 14" laptop. Dell needs to allow customers to get the size computer they need but with options from low cost through the high end so they can get a computer that is "Purely you".
3. Less forced options: I hate that I am paying for and XPS with internet security when I don't need it because I already have a subsciption that will transfer over or AOL is installed when I know I don't need it. They need to add an option of none of the above to all the added software sections.
4. Better pricing: Why is it over $200 to upgrade from 1 GB of 533 MHZ ram to 2 GB of 677 MHZ RAM? I can go to Crucial.com and get the 2GB 677MHZ kit for under $200. Upgrading with Dell after you own is even worse at over $300 this is crazy.
5. Custom Dell website: Customers want to feel special why not make a MYDELL website that when you log in you get a site designed the way you want it. If you aren't interested in the small business site it gets removed, you don't like to go thru the accessories sections when customizing a system so you don't see that section. Click on customer support and a list of your computer pops up asking which one you need help with and only shows the options for that system.
6. Customer loyalty rewards: I have bought 6 Dell systems over the last few years, why can't I get better customer service or pricing due to my loyalty to the company?
6895
No Extra Software Option
Software submitted by ootleman
02/16/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**
Would love the ability to have a clean Vista install. No AOL software, no earthlink software, no google software - just a clean, original OS.
Check out jeremy_f's update on our current software options.
120054
Visible Link to IdeaStorm on main Dell site
Advertising and Marketing, Dell Web Site, IdeaStorm submitted by ipaw
07/01/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**
IdeaStorm should have a visible link and explanation on the main Dell site as well as a Desktop shortcut on all new installations.
I've been a Dell customer since my XPS-500 back in the mid 90's and I only just found out about IdeaStorm through a PodCast.
If people know they can have a voice and make a difference, they'll use it.
Thanks
This idea has been partially implemented, as our new home page now has a prominent link to "Dell Community" - within that page are links to IdeaStorm and our other community properties, including Dell Community Forums, Direct2Dell, StudioDell, etc. Thanks for the idea!!!
9230
Always include all software and driver reinstallation discs for free (or at least let us get the option to)... don't make us pay extra
Software submitted by winoffice
05/01/07 **IMPLEMENTED**
Always include ALL software AND driver reinstallation discs for FREE (or at let us get the option do get the for free if we want as follows)...don't make us pay extra in case that we have a disaster and need to reinstall from scratch...!
No Discs Included (Included In Price)
All Discs Included (this means everything -- all software discs -- OS/Security software/etc., and all driver discs -- this means Windows or Linux drivers or both, whatever applies -- add $0)
Other options (OS disc only, all software discs only, driver discs only, etc. -- add $0)
For some computers, Dell does not include the reinstallation discs. Even if Dell offers them, Dell charges extra for us to get them. In fact, the only time I seen reinstallation discs being offered without charge were for Dell XPS desktops with the flashy lights -- that is, the Dell XPS 600, 700, and 710 systems, for those ware the only systems to offer operating system options like "Microsoft Windows XP Media Center WITH REINSTALLATION CD".
Also, most of the time when software reinstallation discs are not included, driver reinstallation discs (such as XPS flashy lights, as well as printers and monitors) are not included either. Therefore, don't just include the software reinstallation discs -- include as well the Windows/Linux drivers for the hardware (depending on the OS purchased with the computer, if any, which in turn depends on the user's preferences).
Besides, Microsoft as well as ALL software companies include the discs when you get the software seperately, so why can't Dell do the same when the software is preinstalled...?
Customers no longer have to pay extra for re-installation media.
21470
Provide Linux Drivers for all your Hardware
Linux submitted by gergnz
02/19/07 **IN PROGRESS**
I don't care whether the OS is pre-installed or not, I want all the hardware to be totally supported in the Linux kernel without in mucking around. I currently have a Dell M1210 and I wish the modem would work, just in case I need it. The web cam would work, just in case I need it. At least the Intel wireless card is totally supported. Thanks Intel!!
Drivers are available for Linux to make some but not all hardware work. We continue to work with our partners to provide for better hardware support. See more specifics from john_h.
82097
Pre-Installed OpenOffice | alternative to MS Works & MS Office
Software, Desktops and Laptops submitted by dhart
02/17/07
Provide OpenOffice.org for free pre-installation alongside Microsoft Works and Microsoft Office. OpenOffice.org is more capable than Microsoft Works, and a serious competitor to Microsoft Office, at a fraction of the cost (it's free!)
OpenOffice.org can open, create, edit and save Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files.
Provide as OPTIONS for pre-installation many other high-quality free software programs such as:
- Firefox: web browser with popup and privacy controls; say goodbye to Internet Explorer infections!
- Thunderbird: email program with free anti-spam and privacy controls
- Pidgin: instant messaging all-in-one program for popup-free MSN, Yahoo, AOL and others
&nsbp;[ed: GAIM was renamed Pidgin in April 2007 to settle the issue with AOL's trademark on AIM]
- PDFCreator: creates Adobe PDF files from any program
- Scribus, Inkscape & GIMP: desktop publishing, freehand drawing & powerful image editing
- Audacity & VLC: multi-track audio editing & universal all-in-one media/video/movie/DVD player
- Stellarium & Celestia: planetarium viewer & outer-space mapping, like Google Earth, but for our Solar System
Pre-installed quality free and open source software drastically lowers the cost of new PCs, and helps prevent software piracy. Cast your vote for Linux and other free software. Cast your vote for the Universal Education PC [ed: article removed/merged by dell_admin] utilizing free software.
CHOICE is what consumers want on their new PCs, not annoying surprise circus-ware (the typical smattering of confusing 3rd party popup-infested software found on most new Dell PCs). Quality free and open source software is well behaved, and may be legally pre-installed on PCs, and legally shared with friends and family, sharing is encouraged! Cast your vote for consumer CHOICE and public transparency at Dell.
138599
Same discounts available on Ubuntu and Windows
Linux, Operating Systems, Sales Strategies submitted by jonsmirl
06/12/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**
I'm ordering a Vista XPS 410 right now. I wanted a Ubuntu one but I'm going to throw away yet another copy of Windows. The Vista XPS 410 has $200 off today and free ship for a total of $869. The identical Ubuntu machine is $1019 plus $29.99 shipping. So today Ubuntu costs $170 more than Windows instead of $50 less. Why can't I have the same discounts on the Ubuntu machine?
15640
 track my votes
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