Complaint Review: Hewlett Packard - Palo Alto California

I have an extended warranty that I bought for my new computer. Yesterday I spend 6 hours on the phone with a complete moron in India. The problem still isn't fixed. So I call today, each time it takes 30 minutes for them to get your name, the product number, the serial number, your phone and your email address confirmed. Then you get switched to another person who asks all the same information again. One would think that once you registered the product, their files would have all this up on their screen. So after 1 1/2 hours, the computer tech is ready to help me. There are a couple dll files that need to be reinstalled - so he has me do a dos scannow command, that is supposed to fix any windows files and drivers. After an hour and half while the scan runs, it finally ends up with "Insert your XP Professional Disk 2"... In that the computer comes pre-loaded with XP I don't have a disc. I have to shut the computer down to clear this thing. Then the computer won't start up. Fortunately, I know how to restore the settings. Now I have invested over 9 hours of time with these people, and I still have the same problems. Based on what I charge per hour, I could have bought a color laser of the highest caliber. Additionally, I have an HP desktop I bought about 18 months ago. I called 4 months before the warranty expired to purchase the 3 year warranty on it which at the time cost about $ 180.00. I was told call back when the warranty expires, as the extended warranty doesn't start till then. So I do this, then I get told I can't buy a 3 year warranty because the warranty expired! They will only sell me one year for $ 120.00 So I call again, and get connected with a consumer advocacy department for HP. I get told the same thing. Some Advocacy! HP's outsourcing which certainly affects how many US jobs, are lost, so that they can hire these incompetents, cheap, is outrageous. HP does have US tech support people, but getting through to them, is a problem unless you KNOW someone higher up in HP, which I do. I hate to call my friend there and bug him constantly, but I am not sure what other alternative I have. I do know when I have gotten his assistance, I get a smart tech rep that follows up, speaks english, is NOT in India, and get you taken care of. Wouldn't it be great if everyone were able to file suit for all the expense for our time with this deplorable customer service? Maybe one of the Ripoff Report family who is an attorney could put that together. (Hint!) Bill L -Boca Raton FL

On 12/5, two weeks from the date I had the encounter with HP tech support, I received a call from "Eddie" who spoke broken English and sounded like he was from India like the three previous tech people I spoke with initially. Eddie said my complaint was just assigned to him and he was calling to see how he could help. I reminded him that it had been two weeks since I had the problem and he apologized saying he had just gotten the complaint. He went on to ask how he could help and I told him I had resolved the issue with the computer problem on my own, with no help from the HP tech people. I told him that I was very disappointed with HP for trying to sell me an extended warrantee when it had not yet been a year since I purchased the computer. He said the records show it was purchased in 11/05 rather than 1/06. I told him I had registered online when I bought it and asked why their records didn't show the correct date. He apologized and said he didn't know, but said if I fax my purchase receipt to him he would see that my records got updated. He acknowledged that the warrantee should be from the purchase date. When asked why all three techs told me that the warrantee began when the computer was shipped from the factory to the store and the only way they could help was for me to purchase an extended warrantee, he apologized again as if he didn't know it had happened. I told him he must have a copy of the case in front of him and he said he did. So everything that was said initially should have been available to him. He again asked how he could help and asked if I would fax the receipt to him so he could update my file. I told him I wasn't going to bother... my warrantee would be up in another month anyway, and I learned my lesson about HP. I asked him if he was also in India and he said he was in California. I asked him why the tech people in India couldn't give me a number to call in the US and he said they had no tech people in the US. He left me an 800 to call if I needed to get back to him and again apologized but offered no other solution to the "misunderstanding". It seems Eddie is just a cog in the wheel of HP's damage control system... apologize, seem concerned, but really offer nothing that you weren't entitled to in the first place.

Henry, That is exactly what was going on. And, yes, the reps do get a hefty commission on selling those warranties. I have even read the actual warranty of one of my HP computers and it clearly stated from date of PURCHASE. There is something extremely fishy here, or they have just changed their warranty policy. Either way, it is fraud to start a warranty before the consumer gets the item. I see a major lawsuit here. Good luck.

Henry, That is exactly what was going on. And, yes, the reps do get a hefty commission on selling those warranties. I have even read the actual warranty of one of my HP computers and it clearly stated from date of PURCHASE. There is something extremely fishy here, or they have just changed their warranty policy. Either way, it is fraud to start a warranty before the consumer gets the item. I see a major lawsuit here. Good luck.

Henry, That is exactly what was going on. And, yes, the reps do get a hefty commission on selling those warranties. I have even read the actual warranty of one of my HP computers and it clearly stated from date of PURCHASE. There is something extremely fishy here, or they have just changed their warranty policy. Either way, it is fraud to start a warranty before the consumer gets the item. I see a major lawsuit here. Good luck.

Henry, That is exactly what was going on. And, yes, the reps do get a hefty commission on selling those warranties. I have even read the actual warranty of one of my HP computers and it clearly stated from date of PURCHASE. There is something extremely fishy here, or they have just changed their warranty policy. Either way, it is fraud to start a warranty before the consumer gets the item. I see a major lawsuit here. Good luck.

I find it odd that all three of the techs that I spoke with told me the same thing... "The warrantee starts when the product is shipped to the dealer". I could understand if one person told me that and they were mistaken, but all three with the same story?? It should all be documented in their log... case #7335025135. They all referred to the log when I called each time. I would love to be able to get a copy of that log, but I doubt I could. BTW, I didn't send in the warrantee card but I did register online. If I did get bad information, it was from the HP people who are supposed to know. I was told there was no one else I could complain to. I tried to get a number in the US but they said they had no contact information for anyone in the US. I went to HP.com and called the numbers I found on the site and all I got were techs in India. Each tech kept insisting that my warrantee had expired and they couldn't help me any further unless I bought an extended warrantee. How many people just cave in and buy the warrantee just to get their problem solved? How many people can't remember when they bought their computer and just take the word of the tech person and spring for the extended warrantee? It sure sounds like a racket and I wouldn't be surprised if the tech people get a percentage for every extended warrantee they sell. And based on other rip-off reports about HP, it seems calling the main headquarters gets you nowhere.

Henry, ALL warranties begin when the consumer takes possession of the merchandise. When it was manufactured is irrelevant. Date of purchase = Start of warranty. I have owned several HP computers and my warranty always started on date of purchase. However, to have this documented in the HP system, you MUST register your purchase either by filling out the warranty registration card or doing it online. You might want to send your complaint to JD Powers and Assoc.