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  • John Pope

    Lead Editor/Moderator

    70 Posts

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    John Pope, a.k.a. JohnP@Dell, has been involved with social media since 2006 and computers since, well, let's just say...

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    Jennifer Hughes

    Community Content Manager

    70 Posts

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    Jennifer leads the content coordination for Dell’s social media properties. She has been involved with social media s...

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    John Blain

    Gaming Guy

    63 Posts

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    John has been active in social media at Dell since April of 2006, starting with the blog outreach team, and now as the ...

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    Chris Byrd

    Digital Life Liaison

    40 Posts

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    Chris works closely with the online community on all things "digital life" and is known on Twitter as @ChrisBatDell. Wh...

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    Natalie M. Davis

    Manager, Global Operations for Community Team

    33 Posts

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    Natalie and her team engage in conversations on Dell and non-Dell social media sites. She has over 10 years of marketi...

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    Jay Pinkert

    Raconteur

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    To paraphrase the Bard, some are born great bloggers, some achieve great blogging and some have blogging greatness thru...

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    Richard Bernier

    Dell Community Security Liaison

    28 Posts

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    I have been with Dell for five years; two of those have been spent with the conversations group. You may have seen me o...

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    Anne B. Camden

    Consumer Product PR

    16 Posts

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    Anne has been with Dell Corporate Communications for 10 years, proudly practicing product PR the entire time. Started o...

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    Ed Hassinger

    Software Engineer for Austin-based NetQoS

    14 Posts

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    It feels like I bought my first "IBM-compatible PC" just last year. And despite two decades and stints with nine failed...

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    Randy Gibson

    Imaging & Display Guy

    8 Posts

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    Randy is a technical writer and senior analyst for the Dell Solution Network. A nine-year veteran of Dell, he specializ...

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    Jesse Leonard

    Vista and Ubuntu Linux Liaison

    7 Posts

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    Jesse Leonard, a.k.a. Dell-Jesse_L within the online Dell community, has been involved in the Dell Forums for eight yea...

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    RichardatDELL

    Two Ears, One Mouth Advocate

    6 Posts

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    After a career in Canadian politics, Richard moved to the U.S. to build out a career in communications. He joined Dell ...

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    Ellen Murphy

    Consumer Public Relations, EMEA

    5 Posts

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    Ellen works on the Consumer PR team in EMEA. She has nine years of marketing and communications experience, ranging fro...

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    Winnie Wong

    Alienware Marketing Communications

    5 Posts

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    Winnie has been a part of the Alienware family since 2000, when there were only 64 employees on the payroll. Her passio...

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    Stefanie Nelson


    5 Posts

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    Stefanie has been entrenched in online media since the mid 90s, currently runs the marketing communications programs fo...

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    Michelle Mosmeyer

    Dell Communications Analyst

    5 Posts

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    Michelle has been with Dell Global Communications for more than eight years. In that time, she’s worked in Executive ...

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    Vida Killian

    Dell IdeaStorm Manager

    4 Posts

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    Vida has been with the Dell social media team since 2006. Her first computer-related memory involved BASIC programming...

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    Michelle Forde

    Dell's Red Carpet Reporter

    3 Posts

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    Lionel Menchaca

    Chief Blogger

    3 Posts

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    Lionel Menchaca (LionelatDell in Twitter) has lived and breathed social media for the last couple of years and wishes ...

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    Matt Parretta

    Dell Analyst Relations

    3 Posts

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    Matt has been at Dell since 2006 and is responsible for relationships with consumer industry analysts. He spent four ye...

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    Anna Hutchinson

    Product Reviews Manager

    2 Posts

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    Anna manages Dell’s product reviews program and works with journalists and tech experts across the United States. She...

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    • It’s Not Just What’s In the Box That Counts
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    Michael "Odee" O'Dell

    Team Dignitas, Managing Director

    2 Posts

    About

    I've been a gamer since I got my first computer, a ZX8, in 1980. Last year I was able to fulfill a lifetime dream and t...

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    • “Frontier” Views on Current, Future State of Gaming
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    Kara Krautter

    Foodie in Training

    2 Posts

    About

    Although I spend most of my day managing the Small Business blog for Dell, any free time I have seems to involve food. ...

    Recent Posts

    • Sharing Your Love for Fashion Just Got More Fun
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    Jennifer Allison

    Global Consumer Internal Communications

    2 Posts

    About

    Jennifer joined Dell’s Corporate Communications group in 2006 to focus on executive and employee communications for t...

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    • New Dell Products at CES 2009
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    Deborah R. Wood

    Independent Communications Consultant

    2 Posts

    About

    Open to learning about almost any topic and a professional interest in helping people communicate in new and traditiona...

    Recent Posts

    • Mind Your Social Media Ps and Qs
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    Jacqui Zhou

    Lead Editor/Moderator of Direct2Dell Chinese (http://chinese.direct2dell.com/)

    2 Posts

    About

    Born and raised in Shanghai, China, Jacqui always wanted to travel and see the world. After she earned a college degree...

    Recent Posts

    • “Bandit” Cell Phones: Part II
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    Bill Bivin

    Community Liaison

    1 Posts

    About

    Bill works with the online community as the Community Liaison for laptops, and has worked at Dell since 2003. His Twitt...

    Recent Posts

    • What's Your Mini OOBE Look Like?

    Andrew Ford

    Head of marketing, corporate accounts, Dell Europe, Middle East and Africa

    1 Posts

    About

    Andrew is a keen internet, e-mail and social media enthusiast, and has worked in the IT and telecoms industry since the...

    Recent Posts

    • Your Data -- How Much is Out There? Is It All Bad?

    Chris Kinnair


    1 Posts

    About

    Chris "Blackmane" Kinnair is the world famous Team Dignitas Call of Duty 4 leader and when not practising to win tourna...

    Recent Posts

    • Chris "Blackmane" Kinnair Reviews Warhammer Online

    Bob Blomquist

    Senior Manager, Electronic Media

    1 Posts

    About

    Bob has spent 15 years at Dell working in a number of communications roles ranging from video productions to broadcast ...

    Recent Posts

    • Social Network for Pedal Mashers

    Richard Margetic

    Global Online Digittante

    1 Posts

    About

    Richard has been with Dell for the past three years with earlier stints at IBM, PwC and Microsoft, all in online. His I...

    Recent Posts

    • Xobni|inboX

    Ricardo Guerrero

    Global Online Project Manager & "Twitter Dude"

    1 Posts

    About

    Hailing from Colombia, South America, Ricardo has worked at Dell since 1999 as a content developer, and most recently ...

    Recent Posts

    • Twitter: It’s Not Just TMI About Your Friends!

    Kerry Bridge

    Dell EMEA Digital Communications

    1 Posts

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    Recent Posts

    • Exclusive Interview with MTV Nominees ABRI at GiTEX

    Dawn Lacallade

    Lead Stormchaser

    1 Posts

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    Dawn has been with Community for several years and is currently the Lead Stormchaser for Dell Ideastorm. She has been w...

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    • Wii Fit: Who Says Exercise Can’t Be Fun?

    Mary Ellen Krautter


    1 Posts

    About

    I've been on the cutting fringe of the technology world since 1981 when my husband brought home one of the first person...

    Recent Posts

    • Coming Out of the Closet: The Ideal Home Office for the Not-So-Techie Gal

    DJ Moe

    DJ With Dubai's Channel 4 FM

    1 Posts

    About

    DJ Muhannad Al jazireh (aka DJ Moe) was born Aug. 14, 1969, to parents who still haven't the faintest idea of what to m...

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    • One Step Closer to the European MTV Music Awards

    MoneyGuyBK


    1 Posts

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    MoneyGuyBK is one of our most active and helpful customers on the Dell Community Forum, where he has earned “Supersta...

    Recent Posts

    • You and Your Idle PC Can Help Humanity

    Debbie Gormley

    Care Community Liaison

    1 Posts

    About

    I’m a native Texan, Austinite if you will. I don’t think I’d ever move away from here but there are many other pa...

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    • Shopping on the Internet

    Shaun Clark

    World Class Gamer

    1 Posts

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    Shaun Clark (game name Apollo) is a name that has been partnered with command and conquer since the release of EA's tit...

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    • My Weekend at the M Festival in the UK

    Amie Paxton

    Dell Channel Community Manager

    1 Posts

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    With over nine years of interactive program management in technology and advertising, social media is transforming Amie...

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    • Online Resources for Baby Names

    Stuart Wallock

    Dell Senior Manager, Global Community & Personalization

    1 Posts

    About

    Loving new tech things to play with since I started gaming on my Atari 2600 way back when, I have been working with Int...

    Recent Posts

    • New Dell Special Art Edition Laptops

    Mark Horner

    Team Dignitas

    1 Posts

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    Recent Posts

    • Coming Home a Winner

    Eric Erway

    Program Manager, Global Online

    1 Posts

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    Eric serves as a program manager for Dell’s Global Online team, working with multiple groups to translate customer re...

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    • Making Technology Work for You

    Gunther Hoffmann

    Team Dignitas

    1 Posts

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    Gunther "SiS" Hoffmann, of Antwerp, Belgium, is a member of Team Dignitas and ranked No. 1 in his home country for Trac...

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    • Dell-Sponsored Team Dignitas Wins Another Gaming Tourney

    Rick Scott


    1 Posts

    About

    Rick is a PADI open water scuba instructor and photographer. He splits time between his home in Austin and his ranch ne...

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    • For Under $500, Gear Up for Amazing Underwater Shots

    Todd Smart

    Dell Community Outreach Administrator

    1 Posts

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    My job is to support our Community Liaisons as they help to resolve customer issues. I’m originally from Western New ...

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    • Wireless Networking is Great, But There Are Practical Concerns

    Camille Nisich

    Global Communications Operations Manager

    1 Posts

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    Camille returned to her roots in 2007, joining Dell’s Corporate Communications team after nearly seven years in the c...

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    • When Your Photo Filing System Fails You

    Mary Ellen Gitachu

    Dell Corporate Communications

    1 Posts

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    ME (EMMIE) works in corporate communications at Dell. Originally from the East Coast, she’s tracked around the states...

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    • Over the Net and Through the Webcam to Grandmother's House We Go

    Kathryn Diana

    Dell Product Reviews

    1 Posts

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    Kathryn is a member of Dell’s product reviews team and works hard to get products into the hands of gaming journalist...

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    Geoff Knox

    Supervisor, Global Operations for Community Team

    1 Posts

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    Geoff has been with Dell since 2005 and has been working with Dell’s social media efforts since 2006. He has been a f...

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    aikiwolfie

    Frequent Contributor to IdeaStorm

    1 Posts

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    I got my first Atari when I was only 2 years old - 1980 I think - and I've had a computer of some kind ever since. Past...

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Archive for the ‘Customer Service’ Category

Sharing Your Love for Fashion Just Got More Fun

Thursday, October 16th, 2008

Recently I was catching up with my Google reader and happened upon a post from Geek Sugar, one of the many tech sites I follow. The post was based around a contest for an Apple 3G iPhone, but I was more interested in their online shopping site ShopStyle. Since it was lunch time (and yes, I was sadly eating alone in my cube) I decided to check it out. Unlike other online shopping aggregator sites I’ve looked at (Shop It To Me, Bluefly.com), ShopStyle goes beyond just shopping to include style trends, celeb fashion and social networking that help users create, share and shop for personalized looks.

As you browse the site you can add items to your stylebook, click through to the retail site, share them and set up a price alert. I was really impressed by the extensive list of brands, from J. Crew to 3.1 Philip Lim. With a lot of the other online shopping sites, I always felt like I had to go one place for high-end, and another for everyday clothing. Also, the groups and celebrity look sections really make the whole browsing experience more like flipping through a magazine with your girlfriends. Plus, as the holiday season approaches, it’s good to know you can create your own registry (flashback to the SATC episode where Carrie ‘registers’ for just one pair of shoes).

After sorting through some of the thousands of items, I decided to put together my first ‘look’ – based on an outfit I recently wore to a wedding. ShopStyle makes it super easy to share any of your looks on your blog or just via e-mail. Below is my “look” in a handy blog widget!

Steve Madden at ShopStyle

I have a feeling this site may become as addictive as Facebook, when it first came out. I can plan my fall wardrobe easily online now. No more tearing out pages from Vogue!

Cyber Sisterhood

Posted in Customer Service, Fashion, Social Media, Tips | 2 Comments »

It’s Not Just What’s In the Box That Counts

Thursday, October 9th, 2008

As many of us know, buying a laptop or desktop – or even something as simple as a monitor – isn’t really that simple at all. Beyond the feeds and speeds, there are other important factors you should consider.

Is this going to work the way I need it to?

Can I trust the company I’m buying from?

Am I going to be fully satisfied?

In my last blog post, I mentioned that more of us than ever are depending on independent third-party reviews to help decide what to buy. And we already know that no resource is as trustworthy as other customers!

What you may NOT know is that independent analyst firms like Frost & Sullivan and TBR conduct on-going research – collected from thousands of people – and publish reports recognizing the best-of-the-best in the industry.

These analyst studies reflect the collective voice of customers just like you. So it’s even more significant when those customers name Overall U.S. Consumers’ Choice for Best Brand for Notebook and Desktop Computers or #1 in Customer Satisfaction.

To learn more about these Frost & Sullivan and TBR awards – or to see the latest new product awards, customer reviews and Dell staff reviews – check out the Dell Awards & Reviews site.

Posted in Customer Service, Desktops, Laptops | No Comments »

Dell Makes Online Bargain Hunting Easier

Tuesday, July 15th, 2008

Everyone loves a deal, and they abound on the Web. But with so many options available in online services and providers, a single destination for recommendations from a trusted source can be invaluable. That’s why Dell has launched Best of Web, a new site offering a simple way to learn about and sample some of the best consumer services on the Internet.

Best of Web makes online shopping easier and more enjoyable by aggregating, organizing and explaining services and special offers from a selection of industry-leading providers. Vendors and offers will change periodically.

Current featured vendors and offers include Rhapsody, Blockbuster, WildGames, eBooks, Cosmeo, Kodak, Match.com and Travelocity.

Intuitive categories tied to specific activities - like “Listen,” “Watch,” “Share” and “Shop” - enhance the browsing experience and guide visitors directly to the services they want.  Each category contains offers from one or more service providers, which can include unique and exclusive deals, like free downloads, longer trial periods and subscription discounts.

Best of Web can be accessed directly through a dedicated icon on the new Dell Dock taskbar (available on all new Dell models).

Posted in Customer Service, Retail, Social Media | 3 Comments »

Wal-Mart to Test Solution Station Concept with Support from Dell

Monday, July 14th, 2008

Wal-Mart, with support from Dell, this month will begin testing a variety of services designed to make it easier and more affordable for people to set up and use digital lifestyle technology. It’s one of the additional ways we’re exploring to support our retail partners.

For more information, take a look at this Direct2Dell post from Downs Deering, Dell’s director of retail services, about the “Solution Station by Dell” concept.

Posted in Customer Service, Retail | No Comments »

New One-Stop Warranty Service Available to U.S. Consumers

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

Dell is launching a premium 24×7 warranty service called “Your Tech Team.” It’s the result of customer feedback on IdeaStorm and elsewhere, plus experience we’ve gained with a 30,000-customer pilot project in the New York metropolitan area.

The idea behind “Your Tech Team” is to offer consumers a one-stop, $99 option for all their Dell support needs. For details, recommend you check out Laura Bosworth’s post on Direct2Dell.

Posted in Customer Service, Desktops, Displays, Laptops | 1 Comment »

Thoughts on Simplifying IT and After-Sales Support

Wednesday, June 25th, 2008

Customer service is an emotive issue for many Dell consumers. My experience on IdeaStorm and Dell Forums has shown me that many consumers have encountered problems with Dell’s customer service. Inconsistent short-term special deals, poorly designed marketing and poor telephone support have left many customers feeling disgruntled and ripped off. The following is my opinion of what Dell needs to do to correct these issues.

Simplify IT!
Dell has made much noise about its campaign to simplify IT. What a shame it is then that this campaign was never extended to the consumer market. This is in fact the first step Dell needs to take. Not because Dell’s customers are stupid. But because communication is so much easier when it is kept simple.

Rather than telling the consumer the potential for the product. Tell them what it is actually for. Tell them what they can actually do with it. Again rather than show off all the potential things we could have with the product. Show us what we are actually getting. Too many times in the past has Dell made promises about products it never intended to keep. The XPS 700 upgrades, the M1330 remote controls and recently LightFX to name a few. Dell needs to focus its message to the consumer. Dell’s consumers shouldn’t have to campaign to make Dell keep these promises.

After-Sales Support
People hate call centers. They make us feel like we’re children getting into trouble for doing something naughty. And when they are overseas call centers the language barrier takes the frustration to intolerable levels.

Dell needs to ditch the overseas call centers in favor of more local call centers. Web-based support should be utilized whenever and where ever possible. Develop a proper on-line knowledge base. I believe customers actually prefer to solve problems on their own. Ditch the Microsoft Internet Explorer centric support tools. Go with open source technologies for support. Adopt open standards on your Web sites. ActiveX does not work for Linux customers! PHP does!

Use e-mail support more often. E-mails give everybody time to calm down and think. Customers can communicate more clearly what they want to say. Tech support can take a little more time to investigate the problem. They can even request log files for examination. Implement an instant on OS like Splashtop. If the main OS goes belly up, then at least the consumer can still get help. There are so many more tools Dell could use but don’t use.

Borrow a few ideas from Linux. Package repositories for drivers and pre-installed applications! How much easier life could be if Dell was more imaginative with it’s tech support.

The call center in the 21st century should be the last resort.

Posted in Customer Service | 8 Comments »


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