Worst Account Manager?

[JMB]

So, a few weeks ago someone from Dell somehow got hold of my details and gave me a ring. Being the magnanimous guy I am (and in the hope of getting something for free either at the end of the call or in the fullness of time), I obligingly spent half an hour on the phone detailing our set up and discussing my plans for the coming year. One of those plans is for some new PCs, either bespoke or retail, to bring some areas of the school kicking and screaming into the middle ages. My account manager (who I won't name, but let's call him G Munro...no, too obvious, er...Grant M) said to email him with any questions or quote requests. So, on the 13th Jan, I did just that. And then I did it again on the 25th when I had heard nothing back. So that's twice I've contacted my school's personal Dell account manager and not had a dickie bird back. And while that doesn't sound so bad, do I really want to give money to a company that boasts a 3 year warranty, when I can't even get someone to contact me about buying the things in the first place? If they won't talk to me before I spend money with them, what chance have I got of them talking to me afterwards?!

So, while I pause from my "are you going to give me a quote or shall I assume you're not interested in selling me anything?" email, I wondered if anyone else has account manager tales of woe (Dell or otherwise)?

[Millgate]

We're a Dell partner so naturally we deal with them quite a lot and the service sometimes, isn't the best even though we have a team of account managers. However, another time it can be amazing so it just depends on how busy they are.

In your case though, it just sounds like someones being rubbish

If you want a good account manager, even for Dell kit, drop me an email and i'll be glad to help

[sonofsanta]

Let me know his details and I'll put a big order in with him, that should lose him his job. Seriously. Bought 160 PCs two summers ago, couple of weeks later the account manager there left the company. Then got a 3 year fibre broadband contract sorted, month or so later, that account manager left that company. Bought some new servers this year, couple of months later, the technical guy who specced it left that company. I am anathema to account managers. Fear me!

[Mcshammer_dj]

We went through a phase where I would be called on a Monday by person A who was announcing that they were going to be our new account manager and could they book to come ands see me to discuss any needs tec I might have. Happily booked the meeting for a couple of weeks in the future and added him to me address book. By Thursday or sometimes Friday I would have a new call by a new person telling me that person A had either left the company or had moved to a different account and that he person B would like to meet etc etc..........

[pete]

Let me know his details and I'll put a big order in with him, that should lose him his job. Seriously. Bought 160 PCs two summers ago, couple of weeks later the account manager there left the company. Then got a 3 year fibre broadband contract sorted, month or so later, that account manager left that company. Bought some new servers this year, couple of months later, the technical guy who specced it left that company. I am anathema to account managers. Fear me!

"Crikey Steve, why did you accept an order from that school? You know the cheques always bounce because the bursar's marmalade habit* is out of control. To the dole queue with you!"


*I have no idea of the state of sonofsanta's bursar's marmalade habit and whether this has led to a wretched life of crime cruising for his next tangy fix. S' a joke.

[JMB]

Much to my annoyance, my man just emailed me back. Apparently he's busy. But then, we're all busy. That's why I want him to send me quotes for PCs, because I don't have the time to sit on the Dell website building it myself! Grr. I'm going to want some serious free gubbins now if he expects me to place an order with him.

[MYK-IT]

End of last year, I was contacted by 3 or 4 people stating they were from Dell, went through a similar process with one of them detailing plans etc.

Only after speaking to my official Dell Manager, did I find out non of those calls were from Dell at all! (resellers,agents, imposters!) and was advised only to liaise directly with her.

[JMB]

His email address has DELL.com as the domain, so I'm fairly happy with that. Not happy about anything else about it, but at least his email address is to my liking!

[AngryTechnician]

The manager you are referring to is a genuine Dell account manager, and is actually the manager for my school's account. I've always got decent service out of him. However, I don't expect him to be there for much longer, as I too have noticed very few Dell account managers spend very long dealing with schools - ours last an average of about a year. I have a theory that they use the schools team as a proving ground; anyone who's good gets promoted out, anyone who isn't gets pink slipped out.

I prefer dealing with resellers when I can. They always seem much more keen for the business and I can leave the pain of dealing with Dell to them!

[Timetable]

Hi,

For what its worth two years ago i went through 3 account managers over the process one one quote!!!!

I always had trouble getting the quotes back quickly from dell account managers so started using a reseller. Never looked back since as the price worked out cheaper the first time i used a reseller and have no experience of quotes direct from dell since, but reseller quotes come in around what i am looking for.

There support for there warranties is very good in my experience..... Had no problems getting things fixed or swapped out.. (touch wood)....

[JMB]

anyone who's good gets promoted out, anyone who isn't gets pink slipped out.

I prefer dealing with resellers when I can. They always seem much more keen for the business and I can leave the pain of dealing with Dell to them!

That's a lovely turn of phrase, getting pink slipped out! I think the reseller sounds like a good idea. I'll see if the account manager comes through for me, otherwise I'll be in touch with the reseller who commented earlier!

[rad]

At least your account manager didnt quote you (and yes I have the quotation available) for 300 copies of Adobe CS5.5 each worth £5.2k, total quotation is £1.9 million...

[Millgate]

At least your account manager didnt quote you (and yes I have the quotation available) for 300 copies of Adobe CS5.5 each worth £5.2k, total quotation is £1.9 million...

£1.9M???? Either they were very ambitious or just very stupid! You hear stories all the time about how schools burn £1.9M in one go on Adobe software. They've obviously got too much money! Ha.

[JMB]

At least your account manager didnt quote you (and yes I have the quotation available) for 300 copies of Adobe CS5.5 each worth £5.2k, total quotation is £1.9 million...

I think I speak for us all when I say....show us the quote, show us the quote, show us the quote!

[RTFM]

If you want a good account manager, even for Dell kit, drop me an email and i'll be glad to help

Lol. Good one!!!