Customer service that stinks

So I'm trying to order a new Dell Precision. I actually have one already and they're a great machine, solid as a rock and they run cool and quiet. You can't ask for anything more in a computer... but as I realized when I went to order a second one, the customer service Dell offers leaves a lot to be desired.

I ordered a new Dell Precision on March 1, 2010. On the website it quotes as saying the item will be delivered between 7-10 working days from the time the order is placed (2-3 weeks). Order tracking is supposed to be available no more than 3 days after the order is placed.

So 3 days after ordering, I check the order status and nothing has changed on my T3500 build or my 27" Monitor I ordered with it. I give them a call, which is a total cluster fuck of an experience trying to get through to a human, who when you do finally reach, puts you on hold to talk to someone else (who just happens to be in India somewhere). Anyway, finally I find someone and they say that there is a problem with the order (if I didn't call would I ever have found this out?) and they'll check with the factory and let me know.

Meanwhile my order status has changed, saying the order was no longer placed on March 1st, but now it says March 3rd. Great.

So the next day I wait and still nothing.

The day after that I finally get a call, the order has gone through it's okay now, the order will ship once the build is done. At least I know my order is being worked on.

Hold up, 30 minutes later I get a call and the lady says that there is an incompatibility issue with the Hard drives and the RAID card I selected. (For the record, I didn't even select what type of RAID card I wanted, simply that I wanted RAID 0 on my two hard drives). I'm asked if it's okay if they don't install the RAID. I say no, I paid for the RAID, I want RAID. She puts me through to the manager. The manager starts rambling about the difference between RAID 0 and RAID 1, I tell him I know the difference between them and I chose RAID 0 and I want my order filled as I ordered it. He says no problem, no problem whatsoever sir. I asked why I was called about it then... he checks back with the original lady and then tells me it appears there is conflict with the RAID card...(back to square one, thanks for wasting more of my time), I said I know there is, but I want my order filled as I paid for, so he says he'll get back to me about it.

Two days later, still no word and still no change in my order. Oh, except that now my order reads as being placed on March 5th, instead of March 1st, as it originally said.

Stay tuned.

Update

My order status online has not changed, except to say that the order was now placed on the 8th, a full week from when it was actually ordered.

Update

It's 3 weeks since my order, online order status shows no update.

Update

4 weeks have passed. Without going into too much detail, I know have 3 order numbers for my computer, one is canceled, two are open with no details, delivery dates, or any other type of information that helps you figure out what is happening. On top of that, any call to Dell results in several transfers with growing call quality issues on each transfer until the rep is inaudible. I've sent 9 emails to customer service and 3 emails to missing orders, all without a reply. Fantastic.

Update

• Check out this link for an update.