Posted on 02/26/2002 12:25:12 PM PST by RJL
I am writing this because I feel every Firearms owner should know this story.
I placed an order for a Dell notebook computer on February 13 on line with Dell. I was given a tentative delivery date of February 21st. I was watching the order through the Dell on line tracking system; I also opted for the automatic email notification of when the machine was to be shipped.
Well the 21st came and went, I am a Pistolsmith I know things can happen. I made a phone call on the 25th, did a voice mail message for my salesman to get back to me and I was looking for the delivery date. The 25th came and went with no callback. On the 26th I placed another call this time to cancel the order. After a few hours I got a call back, with this amazing reason for the delay. It seems someone in Dell had already canceled my order, when I asked why I was told Dell was afraid I was going to use the machine for illegal purposes. When I asked why someone would think that I was told it was because of the name of my business “Weigand Combat Handguns Inc.”. Because I am involved in firearms I might be doing something illegal. Now keep in mind I was never called or informed of this decision the order was just canceled.
Many of you know me personally and know I run my business about as squeaky clean as possible. In addition being the President of the American Pistolsmiths Guild I am under additional scrutiny as to how I run my business, if I am not clean how can I be the President of an organization that promotes just that! I was informed by a Dell supervisor not long after all of this the reason I was refused was because of their post September 11th policy of screening buyers.
I would like to respectfully ask the firearms community to do the following. If you intended to buy a Dell and because of this letter you do not, email Dell and let them know why. Feel free to distribute this account to all you know in the Firearms community, I think they need to know. I for one am sick and tired of people assuming just because we are involved with firearms that we are doing something illegal. I also do not believe Dell deserves our business if this is how they intend to treat us.
God Bless Jack Weigand President American Pistolsmiths Guild Inc.
------------------ www.jackweigand.com
Jeepers... I am going to guess any company the size of Dell has a few bad employees, and [the shame of it] a few gun control supporters. I bet they don't ask questions about politics on their job applications. I am not saying you should do nothing, but your business name might sound a little scary to someone who lives in the comfortable suburbs and is not familiar with guns. Let the supervisor know that a salesman may be either uninformed, or is letting their politics affect company sales. I think calling for an all-out FReep of Dell headquarters may be premature and un-called for...
No, it's from Austin, taint hardly the same thing you know. :)
I don't think anyone here is sending hate mail to Dell. I am sure that we are letting Dell know we are disappointed and that this may change our buying plans.
If Michael Dell or the Dell Company reply to any of the notes, they will be posted. With the proper quick action, Dell could make this disappear very quickly. The wrong or slow response will make things worse for Dell.
Neither did I, so I did a simple web search. Golly, whoda thunk, eh?
You might want to try that yourself before impugning his name by suggesting he works for Dell's competition!
Huh????? .. Sounds like a Discrimination to me .. I'd file a lawsuit against them
"For what it's worth, Bill Gates has been a very generous contributor to both Planned Parenthood and Handgun Control, Inc."
Wow, I guess that means that Steve Jobs donates to the NRA and Right to Life?
I never would have guessed in a million years!
Um, not to make waves, but can you perhaps back up the implicit suggestion that Jobs is more of a real American than Gates?
John Hamlin serves as vice president of Dell's U.S. Consumer Business. In this role, Mr. Hamlin is responsible for all sales, marketing and customer service activities directed toward the consumer market in the United States.
Prior to his current role, Mr. Hamlin, 36, served as vice president of Dell's Home and Small Business Division in Japan and managed Dell's Preferred Accounts segment in Japan.
Before his move to Japan, Mr. Hamlin held several positions within the Home and Small Business team in Austin, Texas, including director of operations for the Home and Small Business Division and director of marketing for the Business Systems Division. Mr. Hamlin joined Dell in March 1996 after working in the venture capital field for three years and serving as a strategic consultant at Bain & Company for six years.
Mr. Hamlin is a graduate of Dartmouth College and holds a master's degree in business administration from Harvard Business School.
What you said. I never buy a laptop except Big Blue (have three now), and I've purchased a couple desktops from them lately, and been very happy with the product as well as the service and support. The desktops seem to be unusually good quality and well designed for service. I had already been sold on IBM hard drives for several years.
I am more of a "attract bees with honey" type. Most people who favor gun control fear them and they fear us. I have turned more than one of them by simply appearing reasonable (and taking them shooting if I can). Intimidation never makes anyone fear us less... Your friend calmly and reasonably explaining the legitimacy and legality of his business to first the salesman, and then the supervisor if necessary, would have been a heck of a lot more productive than a bunch of emails sent out of the blue to Mr. Dell, who knows nothing about this decision, has unknown feelings about guns, and is suddenly spammed by a bunch of angry gun nuts.
How would it look to you?
For the most part, I agree with you.
From Jack's note he already has spoken with a supervisor and they informed him it's company policy "I was informed by a Dell supervisor not long after all of this the reason I was refused was because of their post September 11th policy of screening buyers."
I think talking with the sales person and a supervisor is as much as any company can ask their customers to do. If the company fails after that, its time for new tactics.
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