In the 2010s, computer giant Dell did a lot to repair its sinking reputation. Its founder raised $25bn to return it to private ownership, it updated its style and standards, and made waves with its handsome XPS laptops. But the old days are back, by the looks of it. John Walsh, AKA Eyepatch Wolf, condensed for your horror and amusement his experience buying a superficially high-end junker from the company, which was evasive when he (admittedly a low-info buyer who wasn't sure what to buy) tried to get customer support. Worse, phone agents ended up selling him inappropriate and expensive proprietary peripherals and adapters to upgrade him out of trouble.
The long twitter thread has everything bad about ordering custom PCs: crummy corners-cut desktops with inappropriate options on the configuration page, repairmen skipping appointments, mercilessly enforced return windows, and indifferent customer service designed to get you to hang up and fuck off.
Only when Dell's public relations team notices Walsh's growing thread on Twitter—and the million-plus size of his YouTube subscribership—does magic happen. It takes the form of a cold-call from PR that sounds more like being interviewed by the FBI than customer service, and, finally, an offer of credit for the box of lemons.
