dell cust service sucks

Hi,

Does anyone have a *toll* number for DELL? I'm calling from overseas so I can't call a toll-free number, and I need to talk to customer-service but they don't list any toll number! I googled, and found a number for their head quarters (1-512-3384400) but amazingly there is only a voice listing toll-free numbers for me to call (which I can't) !!

I've just found out how non-existant and crappy dell's cust. service is.

All I need to do is download a display-driver for a labreastude CPi-A-Series to fix a clients laptop (he will be paying just 30$ but I have now spent more than 2 hrs trying to find this driver!). But the download section at the dell site lists 13 different display drivers (for the winXP os) with names like: Dell 1503FP, Dell 1702FP, Dell 1707FPc   , and so on.

Now how the **** am I supposed to know which one it is? I have the DP-N number: 000668 plus 12D-12800-980-1168 Service Tag number: VCKPC (and a Express Service number: 526-548-00) Model number: PPL Another model number: CPi A-series And another number: 6274T

All listed at the bottom of the laptop, and all useless except for the Service tag number. WHY can't the website tell me the exact driver I need? is it really that difficult for a big corporation to give a SEPERATE model number for each different model? so that people can find the drivers they need? My client doesn't have the original CD's he bought it second-hand.

Anyway, I can't email them because the website says it can't register me (which is necessary for me to email them!) because it's 'temporarilly unavailable'. I can't us the online-chat feature because it won't allow me to based on the service tag number (the warranty has expired). I can't call them because they only list toll-numbers I can't use the feature they have that can identify the hardware, because then the laptop in question has to have an internet connection, which is not possible.

And what's the result? I will NEVER AGAIN reccomend a dell computer to any of my clients and I will start looking for a supplier of Toshiba laptops. So this DELL company is yet another example of corporations in America going down the tubes pretending to give fantastic service with flashy websites, but when it comes down to it it really really sucks and is next to useless (DELL, Compaq+HP, IBM). I used to work for IBM tech support by the way, and that company also really sucks.

If you have a different toll number for dell tech supp. please please let me know it. thanks.

regards, Tobias