The package wasn’t at my entrance too, it was just on the sidewalk 😕
Fwiw, this is the only time the UPS driver has left the package in that spot. Normally it’s right next to the front door.
Everyone is suggesting Dell, and I agree, with one caveat:
Order from their business division. Those machines are designed not to be a hassle, because they want return business customers. Dell business machines have no bloat, and consumer-grade extras often come as standard features on business machines. Just better all-around, even the designs.
Only catch is, you need a business license to order this way, or a friend with one.
I don’t have my own business, but my workplace allows us to buy personal products through some of their suppliers like Zones and CDW, using the company’s corporate discount (but paying with our own personal credit card). I wonder if that’d be sufficent to order a Dell business laptop. They usually use Lenovo ThinkPads, but might also have a business Dell account or rep I can order through directly… I’ll have to check.
In high school I got my laptop replaced under warranty. Whatever they sent me, the service ID tag apparently had the number for a business machine or something because I always got routed to the business support techs after that. They always seemed a little confused when they found out I wasn’t a business owner/user, but supported me anyway since that’s where the service ID for my machine got me. Support was infinitely better. Actual techs who clearly were not reading from a script. Based out of the US or Canada so no frustrating language barrier caused by your support base speaking a completely different language from your user base and having apparently the minimal amount of training in English. I could just tell them I’d already run diagnostics and had an error code for them, and they’d take it from there without wasting my time repeating the same troubleshooting I’d already done. The contrast between the two levels of support is astounding. Dell clearly gives zero shits about supporting home users.
Looks like you got a taste of the good life early on, and now you’re jaded. I tease (but not really).
Not sure if it’s still the case, but Dell used to assign a support tech/team to each business account, and you could call them any time, directly. They’ll dick around with home users, who’ll only purchase a handful of devices over a lifetime. But, businesses order hundreds of machines at a time, and Dell isn’t stupid.
Something else to consider is that home support has to do stuff like help aunt Bertha find the Facebook icon on her desktop (in the late 90s, I was one of the guys they’d send to her house, as a last-last-last resort, oh boy). Where, businesses will often have their own tech calling Dell, with real problems, that are costing money. Those are two vastly different skill sets, and it would be a waste to use the same support team for both sides.
The contrast between the two tiers really is striking though, and it seems you found that out early.
No, I am not sure, and I should have been clearer about my information being quite dated. Apologies for that, and for taking 3 months to reply (voluntary internet vacation).
In 2005, when I worked in purchasing, we needed a business license to order their business machines, and they were serious about it. But, e-commerce has changed drastically since then, when the only way to order was through the Dell website. Not surprised they’re on Amazon.
Hopefully, the computers are still better on that side of things. What did you end up getting, and how do you like it?
