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8 out of 8 people found this review helpful
0.5 stars
"Buyer Beware!!! Abysmal HP Customer Service overshadows any laptop benefits"
Pros: Makes a great doorstop
Cons: 4 out of 4 DV1000s we own have been in for major service mutliple times
Summary: Where do I begin? We purchased 4 DV1000 laptops from HP, 2 online last year (call them A + B) and 2 from Costco 2 years ago (call them C + D).
A has been into HP service depot three times. Twice for hard drive replacement, once for motherboard replacement.
B has been into HP service depot three times. Once for hard drive replacement, once for motherboard replacement (which they didn't do, they replaced the lcd panel and a fan. It came back and failed again within 30 minutes of coming off the Fed Ex truck) So now it's going back today for a motherboard, power supply, battery and AC adpater replacement.
C + D have both had hard drive failures. We have a pool started at work for when the motherboards will go.
Now the Customer Support mechanism: It sucks so bad that someone could produce an Oscar winning movie about it.
1. English is apparently not a requirement for working for the US support line. I've been put through to India and Mexico. 95% of the people I speak with can't converse in intelligible English. I'm bilingual and grew up in S.F., so I've been exposed to many for whom English is a second language. Attempting to hear and understand the HP techs is like being parachuted into a foreign movie with no subtitles.
2. They don't listen when you tell them your issue. I can hear the pages rustling as they navigate themselves and you through a painfully obvious series of steps to diagnose the problem. No one seems to be a computer tech. The most common diagnostic tool they offer is to reload the Windows OS. You really have to push them to get them to acknowledge that there's a problem that needs a warranty repair.
3. Speaking of warranty repair, make sure if you do buy an HP product that you are fully aware of when the warranty expires. They no longer call, email or write you to let you know your warranty is about to expire, even if you register your product. I did get a letter for C & D to renew warranty, and wrongfully assumed that they would do the same for A & B. When A's motherboard when out this fall, it cost me $ 400 to fix it, plus $100 to get it back on a one year phone support and another $100 to get it back on HW warranty. Hardly worth it, but I can't afford a replacement yet, so sticking with it is one of my only options.
4. At no time does anyone at HP apologize or show any empathy for the fact that your computer is on the fritz and you may be without it for 3-7 business days.
5. There is no consumer advocate number at HP that I can find. I have tried escalating through the support number to get to a supervisor, but get shut down or get told to call a different 800 number that leads you nowhere. I finally did navigate through the HP website and found a place you can email the President of HP. I did get an email back a couple of days later, and was finally referred to an HP Quality Case Manager. They told me my problems did not qualify for any special consideration (like give me new laptops or a refund) or any sympathy. The one redeeming value was the tech I was assigned to is based north of Vancouver BC, so at least we could have a conversation. I got no empathy or apology from anyone at HP that I was having any unusual problems. Excuse me, but hard drives and motherboards going out multiple times on a computer qualifies as unusual in my book. That's like GM or Toyota telling you that an engine going out at 15 or 20,000 miles is something to expect from a car they sold you.
- 7 replies to this review
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I wish I had read these reviews before I purchased an HP. I have been through the exact same situation with my laptop which I purchased to use for my thesis research. The two weeks that it takes for me to mail them my computer and get it back is absolutely unacceptable.
If it isn't fixed this time, I will just scrap it and buy from another company. -
You are completely right. This is the first ever company, computer or not that caused me to actually yell on the phone. They just repeat the same questions over and over even AFTER you told them the answer. One guy actually said "i don't know the answer" I said isn't this the right department for my problem? and he said "yes" then i said so you should know this. And he says yes but i don't. WOW.
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I had an HP dv4000 and had the motherboard go out fairly quickly. I was suprised since I heard that HP was a good brand, etc. But, if you really look online from real people using HP's, you'll find that many, many people have problems with them! I would never buy another HP again, unless I wanted to purchase a 'disposable' computer.
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Called up HP because my charger broke. Didnt wait on hold longer than a minute and got to talk to a woman who I could understand (ie she wasnt foreign). I told her my charger broke and I even accidentally hinted it was my fault and they still sent me a new charger. And I don't even think 24hours went by after the call before I had a new charger at my door.
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This computer is astonishingly bad. HP should be ashamed. Even more so for the terrible service. It is downright pathetic.
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My DV1000 started having problems after three months. There is class action suite being planned against HP (search for link). You would be tired of calling them once send your Laptop for service. Consider lucky if you can get back under three months time during warranty period..
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Unfortunately, this type of thing is common. The computers are good until they break and then the technical support is atrocious. I hope HP is listening
