HP/Compaq's PC Support
HP is one of the largest computer companies. Large enough that they keep trading places with Dell as the largest seller of PCs. Most consumers are probably more familiar with HP for their printing business. In fact, HP has a very diverse range of computer products that they support. So if you are thinking about buying a HP product or happen to have one that is having issues, be sure to check out my profile of their support department.
Included in the profile are the various avenues that users have for support, some published ratings of the their product support, tips and advice. In addition, I have a survey so users can rate how they felt HP/Compaq handled their support issues. If you happen to have used their support services, please vote to let others know how you feel how they handled your problem. If you have used their support, please add your opinions in the survey and share your experience.
How would you rate HP's support?
Comments
My current HP notebook computer has been quite a trouble-maker. I have sent it in for service three times, two of those times for the same problem. I have also had to replace the hard drive and the DVD drive with parts shipped to me.
Tech support from HP has mostly been poor, especially when I had the problem with the DVD drive. My computer had just been returned and an irritating problem had finally been fixed, but now the DVD Drive would no longer read any DVD that wasn’t in absolute pristine condition.
I was assigned a case manager and she argued with me for more than an hour about the drive, insisting that my drive did work so there was no need to replace it, I would just have to live with it. After a long enough argument, she agreed to send a new drive to me…then changed her mind and canceled the order. She told me she would contact an expert and get back to me with more information.
I never heard back from her, but the next day a new DVD drive was delivered by Fed Ex. And yes, the new drive works like a charm. I am not sure if she changed her mind or if the order slipped through the cancellation process, but at least it works now.
It is bad enough that this computer is a real lemon, but the tech support is the reason I will never ever buy another HP computer.
My husband and I purchased an HP computer and within weeks we noticed there was a problem (duh, the computer wouldn’t boot). When we called their tech support and finally reached them, they eventually determined that we had to reformat the hard drive. Well… this happened almost every two weeks (for 2 months) and always the same response. Finally I got upset with them, and sick of reformating and losing everything, and told them that there had to be another way to fix the problem or I wanted the option to return the computer because I had had it! I was told that wasn’t an option and I had to repair as they instructed. When I told them I wasn’t happy with that, the technicians response to that was…. are you ready for this?? “Well, it was your fault for buying an HP”. Since then, I have purchased 2 more computers for my home and 2 different laptop computers…. NONE of which are HP products. Thank you HP for making sure we never purchase the products from you again.
Last year I purchased a Laptop throught the HP website. Have had absolutely no problems and am very happy with this purchase. This year I purchased two desktops through CompUSA, a SR2020nx and a 2030nx. Both work great with one minor exception, the Compaq Windows XP Professional Total Care package does not think I am connected to the web, on either computer. On my laptop this works great, love it. HP support has been very helpful, courteous, and spent hours on line with me. No change. My case manager for HP support has sent me cartons for returning one of the computers for repair, not worth the trouble. I do, however like the fact that they were very responsive and appeared to be willing to go to great links to help me with my problem. I like em.
I purchased a Compaq Presario desktop computer and the only problem I have had was with the USB ports. Getting any customer support from Compaq/HP is a real trial.
Their websites linked to on this site take you around Robin Hood’s barn. It is quite difficult to contact Compaq/HP by e-mail. When I finally was able to send an e-mail, I received an automated response saying it was received. I have heard nothing else for two days.
I attempted to get to them by their “Online Chat” and waited two hours with only a message that “A technician will be with you shortly.” When I tried again the next day I found that the link to the chat program only give an error message “You are not authorized to view this page.”
A few days ago, after 40 minutes of holding, I was able to get through to one of the customer support people on the phone. He did not really seem to know what a USB port is and could only, after talking to others, suggest that I uninstall the USB drivers and reinstall them.
I had a HP laptop that I was quite happy with and expected to continue purchasing HP/Compaq products. It now looks like this will be my last.
Hello I ordered restore cd’s for my presario not only did i not get em but i havent received them as of the 3rd time each time they got my address wrong. But they still want to keep sending me a cd. To bad so sad I WANT MY MONEY AND NOW!!!! They should deffinatly be notified by the BBB…
My apologies if this looks like a dissertation, but I am awfully
frustrated. If you have no time to read all the story of why i recommend
that you do not buy HP laptops, at least tell this information to someone who might
be thinking about buying them…
I am writing this out of frustration because, clearly, there is no way
for you to get costumer service from Hewlett Packard, and I want to warn
as many people as possible about their horrendous warranties.
Here is my story: I am still waiting for an end to it…
I purchased a HP Pavilion DV2000 in May of this year from Staples. After
only owning it for 4 months, the hard drive stopped functioning. Since I
had purchased a 3-year extended warranty from Staples, I proceeded to
take the computer to the store to get help. Once there, I was told that
they could do nothing for me since the computer was still under the
manufacturer’s warranty, and that I should call HP (for those of you who
do not know, when you buy an extended warranty, it does not work for as
long as the manufacturer warranty is active. Technically, you pay for 3
years, but only get 2).
So, I called HP. After 2 hours on the phone, I was told the hard drive
needed replacement, and that I would receive one in 3-5 business days
(before Sep 26). When day 5 was up, I received a call from HP stating
that the hard drive was delayed and that it would take longer to deliver
it. I waited another 5 days, and called again. This time, I was told
there were problems with the delivery, but the hard drive would be at my
home before October 5th. I called later on that day and another person
told me there was no way it would be delivered since they did not have
them. I requested to speak with a manager. A very snotty woman said that
there was nothing she could do. That I had to wait. I told her it had
been 2 weeks, that I did not have a computer and that I needed a new
one. She hung up. I called one more time. This time, a nice rep told me
he would “escalate” the problem and that a manager would call me within
24 hours. 5 days went by. NOBODY called. I called again the next day. I was on hold for 2 hours with a rep, who passed the call to a manager called
“Scott.” He was going to solve the problem, and call me back within 2
hours. 6 hours went by… nothing. I called one more time. The rep told
me someone had “closed” the case, and that was why there had been no
follow up. That I should wait for another couple of days for another
case manager to call me back… The same thing happened over and over again. It has been a month. No manager has called to resolve the problem, and the hard drive has not been sent either.
HP has not done the minimum effort to try to assist me or to
make the situation any better. My cousin had something similar happen to
her with a Dell computer. She told them she wanted her money back, and
she got it. I tried that line with HP, and I got a hang up…
The bottom line is, if you are going to buy a computer, BEWARE! HP’s
costumer service is the worse I have ever experienced. They are not
willing to resolve issues. They just ask you to “be patient.” I did not
pay big bucks to buy a reliable computer and then “be patient” while it
does not work and time goes on.
I bought an HP desktop in October, 2007. When I bought it, the salesperson told me that, if I purchased one with a TV receiver, I would be able to hook up my video game console and use the monitor for my Nintendo games. After many hours with HP Tech Support to find out HOW, here are some of the experiences I had:
I had purchased the 3-yr warranty. Don’t waste your money. Every question I asked, including questions about setting up and using the features on the computer I bought “is a level 3 question,” which means they want another $39.95 to answer it. When I didn’t bite, they didn’t help!
One kept asking me if I had “installed the games on my computer.” He didn’t understand the concept of a “game console,” I guess.
Another had no idea what “coaxiel cable” is.
Another one didn’t understand the concept of Cable TV. He only knew about satellite TV.
Still another one told me how to hook up the TV tuner to cable TV (which I had already figured out) but he also said that, to use the computer instead of watching TV I would have to unhook the cable each time. He obviously didn’t know anything about Windows Media Center. Or maybe that’s a
level 3 question that he wasn’t allowed to answer. ;-{
Though they were given model numbers of my equiment multiple times, they kept telling me to plug things into ports that didn’t exist on my machines. When I told them that they didn’t exist, they didn’t know what to do.
Every time I asked for a supervisor, I was told that he/she was busy and would call me back. Even when I made a specific appointment, it didn’t happen.
They know nothing that isn’t on their pitch sheets. If your problem is unusual, or you have questions about how to actually run the thing, forget it!
I am in the process of looking for a new laptop right now, and I WILL NOT PURCHASE ONE from any company that uses off-shore tech support. These people are horribly un-trained, inexperienced, and, worst of all, have no concept of customer service. Gone are the good old days when Techies would enthusiastically share their knowledge and find a way to make things work; but customers don’t deserve this kind of treatment.
OH, BTW, You can’t hook up a Nintendo so that you can use the monitor instead of a TV. The sales dept. doesn’t know the equipment either!
I got a Pavilion DV2210US on Feb. 5 2007 and in October 19 it when bad. I send it to HP and after a month it came back for two weeks of use. They replace the MLB but it did not work. They say that this model came factory damage and they promise to replace thet laptop with a new one. Today it is January 10, 2008 and I am still waiting for the new laptop. I have call some many times my case manager to the point that now she is never avaliable. Thanks HP for so great service. Award Winnig Support, yeah right!
In March 2008 I purchased a “two year” on- site Service Plan for an HP computer I bought in April 2007 (at a cost of $160. My Best Buy warranty was espiring.
Last week HP sent an email notice that I needed to renew the Plan, although only one year had passed. I spent hours on the weekend speaking with personnel in India, who told me that indeed the extended warranty began with my computer purchase in 2007, even though I purchased the extended service plan in 2008!! Nothing of the sort had been explained to me when I bought that plan. I was assured at that time that any problem I couldn’t solve would bring a HP tech to my house. Why would I, or anyone, purchase a 2-year service plan that included a year that had already passed?
Yesterday, (Monday) I tried again hoping to get out of India. I was told I needed to consult with a “tech” person rather than a “warranty specialist.” The bored and sullen male technician, an American, once again confirmed that the 2-year plan actually begins from the date of purchase, not from the date of Plan purchase which is a year later. This explanation was omitted in the actual contract HP sent me by email. In fact, no explanation for any aspect of the contract was included. One has to trust the salesman, who can say anything.
I then mentioned that frequently, my computer couldn’t be re-started without pulling the plug in the back of the PC. He said I needed to remove everything on the hard drive and start over, and that no technician would come to the house with my service plan unless it was a hard drive problem. Since I have a month left on my “service” plan, I then asked if he could do a diagnostic for me. “How much time do you have?,” he asked. I said I’ve already spent hours on the weekend, and would like to get something for my money during the remaining month of my service contract. I mentioned that a phone diagnosis had been done in March, 2008, when I also purchased the Service Plan. I then asked him to begin the diagnostic, and, with a sigh, he hung up.
So I’m left with a meaningless emailed contract with no details, plus hours of uncompensated time going though HP’s artificial hurdles. HP was successful in wearing me down in a costly, worthless and demeaning process
Paul Ramsier