HP Customer Service is Awful

The post below is a little long, as I am venting, but the short answer is:

DON'T BUY HP PRODUCTS, OR EXPECT QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICE IF YOU ALREADY OWN HP PRODUCTS.

A number of my friends in school who also have HP products have had poor experiences with HP's customer service as well.

In July 2006 I purchased a Pavillion DV 6000. The computer worked fine for the first 5 months I had it. In Dec. 2006 the wireless failed to work. I turned the computer on one morning and no longer had wireless access to the internet, it failed to recognize any wireless driver. I tried various solutions (3 hours on the phone with customer service) in the end the computer had to sent in for repairs. The System board was replaced.

Fast Forward to March 2007. Same problem. Again, spent hours on the phone with tech support with the same result -- the computer was sent back for repairs, this time however the computer was returned to me working with a note from the service center saying that there was no problem with the computer.

Fast Forward again to August 14, 2007. I wake up bright and early one Sunday Morning to get directions up to lovely Lake George, NY. And much to my chagrin, my wireless access does not work AGAIN. I call HP to discuss this problem, and this is where the customer service breaks down.

I begin by explaining the problem to an HP representative. The first person tells me that my warranty is expired, (2 weeks earlier) but wait I say -- "I have an extended warranty with a 3 day turnaround time" The response is "Well, you didn't register it so we can't help you. You have to call another department and they are not open right now." But I respond "I registered it online"

HP: Well, you still need to call this other department they are open Monday - Friday 9-5.

Me: Can i speak to a manager
HP: there are no managers, you can email them.

Me: I can't because I don't have internet access, my wireless on my computer is not working.
HP: well you can call during regular business hours.

ok. At this point i hang up and call someone else. THis other department tells me I have an extended warranty and there is no problem, she will transfer me to tech support.

This 2nd guy. Has an unintelligible accent. I ask to speak to someone else. His response..."the only way you are speaking to someone else is to hangup the phone. no one is going to help you." Ask for the manager route...same reponse "there are no managers here"

Call back. Get another techie...I can sort of understand him and let that go. Our conversation proceeds through various solutions (i.e. reinstalling drivers, rebooting, using the utilities installed in the computer etc.) None of these work.

When I inform the tech of this, his response is

HP: "OK, Now I need to get a Screwdriver"
Me: I tell him that is not something that I am willing to do and if there is a hardware problem that HP needs to deal with it, not me.

HP's response: "Well, if you are not willing to help yourself why should I?"

I again explain that I am not willing to take apart my computer and that if that is something that needs to be done than a box needs to be sent to me and I will return the computer to HP for repair (I have an extended warranty). This conversation does not end well and I hang up without having a box shipped.

The next day I begin this process all over again with another techie...at this point I've spent about 5 hours on the phone with HP. This techie is unable to help me either, but forwards me to a case officer. I leave Voicemails for the case manager, and finally speak to her on Tuesday.

The case manager asks me to explain the problem again, after a 20 minute conversation she finally agrees to send a box after "justifying the reason for the repairs." The case manager told me that if I did not have the notebook in 7-9 business days to call her and she would track it down. I receive the box on Wednesday or Thursday. I send the notebook out the following week (I needed to download my docs and other information over the weekend). HP received my computer on August 22. I still have not heard from HP regarding my computer. I have not received any emails from the informing me that they received the notebook or any ETA. (I saved the tracking number and checked with FedEx myself).

I called last Monday, to find out what was going on, the woman I spoke with said that she didn't know but would call be back within 48 hours and update me. I never heard from her. Thursday I called back. The gentleman I spoke with said that as of August 25, when my file was updated I should have the notebook by today (Sept. 5). I don't have the notebook.

I called the Case Manager today to find out where my computer is and when I should expect it as I've waited the 9 business days. Now as of today, I have to wait another 5 days.

I asked the case manager what the delay was. She didn't know.

I asked her what was wrong with the computer. She didn't know.

I asked her when I could expect my computer. She didn't know.

She said that If I don't have it by 9/13 I should call her back and then discuss replacements. I asked her what she meant by that. She wouldn't tell me. I asked her why -- she said she didn't have to tell me until 9/13. I asked her a few more times what she meant by that and she refused to answer. She repeated that if I don't have my computer in 5 business days that I should her back and then we could discuss it. Finally, I asked if that was company policy she said yes.

Next, moving on from those subjects I asked her if she could find out the answers to my questions (i.e. what was wrong with my notebook, when it would be available) and to call me back. She responded that she didn't think she could as she had lots of customers to help and didn't think that it would be possible. I again asked her why -- she said that she didn't think that she'd have time. I asked her if she could call me tomorrow with that information; explaining that it didn't have to be done today, I'd just like to know what was going on with it as I am in grad school and need it for school. She said no.

After that conversation, I called the executive offices and explained to the operator the problem and she transfered me to someone else who would try and get me that information....We Shall See...

I will never again buy an HP product, and suggest others do the same. I have a Toshiba notebook that is 7 years old and still works, but has no more memory left and it cannot be expanded anymore. I also had a dell notebook that I had for 3 years and was 4+ years old when I received it.