Has This Ever Happened to You?

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I'm not makin' this up...

(HP is Hewlitt Packard)


----- Original Message -----
From: Jack Greene
To: hp-online-store@hp.com
Sent: Saturday, December 18, 2010 4:40 PM
Subject: Re: Order being processed


Dear HP folks,

Please see that someone in mid-level management sees this.

If you pull the records up on the screen, you will see that this has been a long, arduous, and, to date unfulfilling week for me, your customer.

As we speak, I'm on 'hold'' with the latest in a parade of technicians and service representatives, all of whom have been courteous and tried to be helpful. However, they don't control what is and isn't in the box being shipped to me. This order is for the third one, the first 2 having been defective.

If you track hours spent on the phone with me, diagnosing problems, correcting billing errors, and re-ordering, I've been with your employees 30 hours this week, easily.

I don't have 30 hours to spend with a non-functional printer, and a billing error on the third printer I 'ordered' today to replace the first 2. You are paying your phone reps and techs to navigate this morass, but I'm working long hours on this end for free. Hardly seems like the kind of way to start a business relationship.

The current billing error also occurred with the second 'purchase,' when the company billed my credit card instead of the the gift card designed to trigger the replacement merchandise. So a few of those hours this week were spent straightening that out. Subsequently I received the 2nd defective new printer.

So the order you referred to below is for the third attempt to own and use your product. Prior to submitting the order, I expressed my concern that the order form insisted on my credit card information even though my intent and understanding was that the order would be paid by the gift card designed to replace the second machine. I finally agreed, with the assurance of the tech that my card would not be charged, to provide the information again.

On receiving confirmation of shipment, the order stated I had been charged 1 cent (!) against my gift card, and the remainder of the balance, including tax, was charged to my credit card. Again. All this occurred while I was still on the phone with the latest service rep.

Approximately one hour ago he told me was going to check on this, and asked that I hold. I am holding.

To date, trying to buy a product from you has been a regular US Post Office experience. Sadly, probably worse. Dark comedy at best. Hours and hours and hours later, from the original order, there are still serious dangling issues, plus a deepening concern that when the 3rd box does arrive, Pandora will be inside!!

Alert: the latest rep just reurned to the phone (I've been on for 5 hours) He verbally assured me my credit card would not be charged. I thanked him and requested:

1. Immediate confirmation via email that my credit card was not charged, or
2. That if it was inadvertently charged, that the charge be reversed immediately.

He said he would see to that...

I added that the treatment from those of your employees 'in the trenches', i.e. dealing with the customers, has been courteous and helpful to the extent of their capabilities. The problem is obviously one of internal structure. If I have to call again, it will be to talk to someone in management who is empowered to make tough decisons and get them expedited.

I'm tempted to refrain from what I'm about to say, for fear that if the the 3rd product sent is defective I will not be so well 'accommodated'. But, for the benefit of those who care about the survival and growth of HP, this situation has reached a point where someone should be contacting me with a conciliatory "how can we ameliorate the feeling from this experience, 'what can we do for you' question?" That might give me a ray of hope that you will be around in 5 years and you're worth giving a 4th chance. (Wanna LOL? In the midst of today's chapter of this fiasco, your service rep suggested I buy an extended warranty. I told him that I might be interested if I have something that WORKS to begin with.)

I am requesting a response from someone other than an entry-level person.

Appreciatively,

Thomas H. Greene

PS At 4:32 PM, still no confirmation by email that the credit card charge is being addressed.
----- Original Message -----
From: hp-online-store@hp.com
To: jgreene2@maine.rr.com
Sent: Saturday, December 18, 2010 3:35 PM
Subject: Order being processed


Hello Thomas H Greene,

Thank you for your recent order with HP Home & Home Office Store. It has been received and is being processed.

We'll e-mail you a status update within one business day.

If you don't receive this e-mail by 10 p.m. Eastern time on the next business day, please call us at 1 (888) 999-4747 between 7 a.m. and 2 a.m. Eastern Time on weekdays, or between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern Time on weekends, and refer to order number H115373581.

We appreciate your interest in HP products.

HP Home & Home Office Store