Dell in the "Best Places to Work".. when hell freezes over

About two months after I joined Dell in the Fall of 2002, I got a hand written thank you note from the office general manager along with a $100 "gift certificate". I had spent the previous eight weekends at work, not to mention long hours during the normal workdays to try get a derailed project on track. I thought the gesture was great. But, the "gift certificate" did not look like the usual AmEx gift certificates. But, I am no expert on gift certificates.

I tried using it at a few merchants and had problems using it. So, finally around Christmas time I decided to go to AmEx and encash the certificate. The whole of Chicago and their extended families seem to be at AmEx. After a 45 minute wait it was my turn. The woman behind the counter told me that what I had was not the gift certifcate but a form to buy a gift certificate. And, I could see she was trying her best to suppress her laughter as she said this.

I went back to the office and told the general manager about it. He agreed to take care of this. Over the next three months I followed up on this over email. I never received any response from the General Manager. I gave up. And, decided he was just cheap.

About three years later, in the Fall of 2005, I attended the Dell recruiting presentation at my business school. They held a draw for the Dell Ditty, flash based MP3 player. And, I won. When I went to collect the prize at the end of the event the woman told me that the Ditty was back ordered and they would send it once it becomes available. Five months and numerous emails later I finally got an ecoupon for $100 that was mailed to me by post. By then I was convinced that my earlier experience was not because the General Manager was cheap, it must have been the company policy.

I was bit saddened by the fact that I was not getting the Dell Ditty. I have never seen one and was quite intrigued by this product. From all accounts the itty-bitty Ditty is quite shitty. It is a pity that I will not know that for sure.