Spanky's Place :: Email from Dell: Are you kidding me?

I received the following email from Dell . Does anybody there even read this stuff?

I realize this is an automated system, and whenever you automate things there are bound to be issues, but this is just silly. How hard could it possibly be to whip up some @Formula or LotusScript to compose and send (or at least replace the tags using something like @ReplaceSubstring) this email?

My guess is they are NOT using Lotus Notes / Domino.

---- Forwarded by Devin Olson on 07/20/2010 04:45 AM -----
From: No_reply@dell.com
To: devin.olson @ azlighthouse.com
Date: 07/13/2010 10:39 AM
Subject: From Dell Customer Care l Service Request Number [Action.SR Number] DT01

Dear [Action.Contact First Name] [Action.Contact Last Name],

Thank you for your recent contact with Dell Customer Care. We appreciate the opportunity to address your issue.

Service Request Number [Action.SR Number]

Hopefully this issue has been resolved to your satisfaction. However, if you still require assistance with Service Request Number [Action.SR Number], please leave the subject line intact and forward this email to US_CAG_Ownership@dell.com with a brief description of the issue. Be sure to notify us of the best time to call you as well as the phone number(s) where you can be reached.

Your satisfaction is very important to us. Thank you for choosing Dell.

Respectfully,

[Action.Owner First Name] [Action.Owner Last Name]

THIS IS AN AUTOMATED EMAIL RESPONSE. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE

sigh

When you develop an automated system ALWAYS TEST IT BEFORE GOING TO PRODUCTION!

Wowsers! A Tag Cloud!

Comments

1 - This is the "weakest link" problem with large organizations. They spend millions of dollars on sophisticated marketing plans, ads, etc. but they have a weak person in the IT actually executing their plan. And all you see is the weak link.

Posted by Frank Paolino At 05:22:41 PM On 07/20/2010 | - Website - |

2 - I could not agree with Frank more. In SE Asia I see some really bad IT people and not just locals, IT People shipped in from Europe HO and have no idea what they are doing.

The other think that I find annoying is that especially really big companies, there is no way of contacting them by mail, They gibe you phone numbers but no e-mail address.

So much for customer service

Posted by Nick Halliwell At 12:37:06 AM On 07/21/2010 | - Website - |

3 - Update: I just got off the phone with my Dell CSR. He called me to apologize about sending out faulty email. He did not mention this blog entry, but considering that I did not contact Dell about the email (whom would I contact anyway), I have no doubt that the call was in response to this blog post.

The apology sounded sincere, and I believe he was truly sorry. I"m not angry (never really was to be honest) about the email. I accept he apology, and don't harbor any ill feelings, resentment, anger, or anything towards him or Dell.

Posted by Devin Olson At 06:38:41 PM On 07/23/2010 | - Website - |