Compaq, which entered the consumer market in the early 1990s with a sterling reputation for reliability and service, has dropped continuously in the PC World biannual survey. When users call to get help with these machines, they too often end up not being able to resolve the problem. The reasons here are mixed, I think. In some cases, the PC owners may not be technically savvy enough to communicate what's wrong with the computer, resulting in miscommunication. But in many situations the support person just doesn't have the technical skill to do more than rely on a set of scenarios in a problem database, or, even worse, has real contempt for those seeking help.
Quality talent is spread too thin.
First, be willing to spend a little more money to buy a quality machine. While some of the big names are still delivering DOA machines, that's less apt to happen than if you shop based on price alone. You can rant and rail about how poorly built and designed PCs are, but whining isn't going to get your machine working again. You can also seek out alternative sources of help. One of the best places I've found are Usenet news groups devoted to various kinds of computers, hardware and software.