Reference: Technology support lines for the Christmas period

By Alun Williams

Posted on 18 Dec 2003 at 10:41

It's Christmas day, you've unwrapped your shiny new gadget, rushing to get it out of its packaging in one piece, and now... it just doesn't work! Who you gonna call?

We thought it would be useful to detail what level of support will be available over the Christmas period from retailers.

So here, for your handy reference, is a list of contacts that we hope you won't need! Dell, PC World, Microsoft, Dabs.com, Canon, Simply, Evesham, Carrera... It is is not an exhaustive list by any means, but contains many of the main players.

Feel free to add useful comments and further information via the Comment link below.

Dell

Dell's consumer technical support is available to UK customers from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday. The number is 0870 908 0800. It will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day.

Dell points out that it provides 24 hour technical support via its website: support.euro.dell.com. Here, customers can access the Dell Knowledge Base, Online Discussions, Dell Documentation, file downloads and can also email the technical support team directly.

PC World

The major highstreet retailer claims a round the clock service for customers. The exact telephone number to call is provided with the goods purchased, but a number of paid-for support lines are available: PC SoftwareCall 0906 559 7897 (for advice on loading software, configuring hardware and downloading games from the Internet); PC Helpline 0906 752 5600 (for advice on installing PCs, laptops, printers, scanners, modems, digital cameras, external disk drives, etc); and PC Repair Line 0870 901 3000 (for assistance with faulty hardware which is under warranty).

You can find the full details, including costs of calls, at the Customer Service section of the PC World website.

Alternatively, for general PC World store enquiries or problems, you can email customer.services@pcworld.co.uk

Dabs.com

As with most Internet-based retailers, you will be restricted to online contact and the use of their returns system. See also its Returns & Warrantiers FAQ.

Microsoft

Microsoft's hotline is 0870 6010100 and to its credit is putting in the hours over Chrismas. Briefly, the lines are open 8am - 4pm on the 24th, 10am - 4pm on the 25th and 26th, 9am - 5pm on the 27th and 28th, 8am - 9pm on the 29th and 30th and until 6pm on the 31st. Then 10am - 4pm on the 1st, 8am - 9pm on the 2nd and then regular hours thereafter.

Canon

Canon's telephone support line is 08705 143723, but note that it will be closed on Bank Holidays. Online technical support can be found at www.canon.co.uk/Support/

Simply

Its technical support line is 0870 729 7596 and normal opening times are from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. On Christmas Eve, however, the working hours are 9am to 2pm. Lines will be closed from 25 December and will reopening on 29, 30 and 31 December on normal working hours.

For the New Year, full normal hours will recommence from 5 January 2004, with the lines being closed on the 1st and 2nd of January.