Dell Online Store: Order verification nightmare!
I'm providing feedback to Dell's online store as a loyal Dell customer. Dell's online store stinks compared to other online retailers. If Dell needs feedback on why their online store is being kicked around by the likes of Amazon.com, I will breakdown some of the process problems on what I thought should have been a straightforward transaction. I shop on Walmart, Amazon, and a variety of online e-tailers with no issues. Even when I travel and surf internationally. But not Dell. They are so strict that they drive legitimate customers like me away from their store.
PROBLEM 1:
I wanted to order a Canon 35mm/1.4L lens today for my brand new Canon 7D but apparently Dell Financial Services (DFS) has to authorize my charges.
I have to dial DFS' order verification line at 1-866-821-0266. That's fine, it's all anti-fraud. It's all good. So I dial and about 7-9 minutes later everything was resolved. They had to dial my phone number just to verify that I was the one who I claim to be.
PROBLEM 2:
DFS authorized my charges! Yey! So I dial back the normal customer service line at 1-800-624-9897 and I checked up on my order. It's still on HOLD! This time it is held up by another department called the credit card order verification group. To think I even used my debit card for this. I said, hey no problem. The phone agent gives me the following number 1-866-383-4713 to dial. If it was going to be a 'breeze' like the DFS notification, I can actually get this lens by 12/30.
PROBLEM 3:
The agent gave me the verification number but he forgot to mention one tiny detail. They're closed on Sundays.
PROBLEM 4:
I call back at 1-800-624-9897. Apparently they are not given any empowerment tools to verify and finally I gave up. I said, please cancel the order because my bank shows it is being charged, DFS shows it is authorized --- yet the order still is on HOLD. I have no idea if it is going to reach my house in time before I travel.
OVERVIEW:
The Dell Store payment and verification process is tedious and annoying.
3 comments:
I actually work for the DFS Fraud Department. In order to confirm that you are who you say you are, we want to speak to you at the confirmed phone number. The call back was done to combat what is called ANI Spoofing.
This is were you can go to a number of websites, enter the # you want to call and the number you want it to look like you are calling from. The site then calls your phone and connects you to the phone you want to call. When our phone rings, the ANI (Caller ID) shows whatever number you listed on the website. Then we think we are talking to you at the number listed on your account, when in fact we are not.
Obviously if it's a crook calling us, they won't be able to answer the phone (I hope not at lease) when we call back to your home or business.
Unfortunately, the debit/credit card people are a different group and I don't know what their procedures are.
I think the DFS process was fine and shouldn't really consider it a 'problem'. My beef is that the order verification on the credit card is CLOSED on the weekend. Now that is insane. What a missed opportunity!
I explained to the DFS rep that I was at my office, behind a pool of outgoing numbers, but provided him with my cell number. He never told me that he would call it or when. I simply was told that I could not verify, than he refused to speak with me further on the matter.
I noticed, then, than I had missed a call on my cell while I was on the line with DFS. I never answers cell calls when on the phone at work, particularly when they don't register on Caller ID. This time, my phone was on vibrate and I never heard it.
Too late. Damage done. I recieve the CANNOT BE VERIFIED stonewall no whenever I attempt to do anything with DFS.
I have heard that they send letters to verify security, but never have heard of anyone who actually received one.
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