Open Letter to CEO of HP

Mr. Hurd:

I have been a loyal customer of HP since buying my first desktop computer in December 1998. Since then, I have purchased a total of 4 personal computers from HP. Until my current laptop, I'd never had a problem or any reason to call HP for service.

The Pavilion dv1421us laptop that I purchased on June 29, 2005 has been the exception. After approximately two months, the laptop shut down and quit working. I had to send the laptop for service and was without it for about 5 days. This was an inconvenience, but I was able to live with it.

Last week, on the 22nd, the 8, k, i and comma keys on my laptop's keyboard intermittently stopped working. I contacted customer support online and spoke with an associate who attempted to fix it by installing a new device driver. This didn't work, so I spoke with Hannah via online support who told me that I would have to send the computer in again for service.

I explained to Hannah my current situation; I work full time and am a full time student in the evenings. I am aggressively pursuing my degree in Communication and Information Systems, and due to my heavy workload cannot be without my computer in the days that it would take to be serviced. I asked if there was a way, since this is my second hardware problem, if a replacement unit could be shipped to me. I explained that I would even be willing to have a hold placed on my credit card until you received back the defective unit, but she told me she could not do that.

She then directed me to call your technical support team for assistance. I called them on Sunday and spoke with a "Shane" and then his manager "Sam" who stated he would have a Case Manager call me on Monday night after 5pm EST who would be able to help me with a replacement unit. He said that the case managers were available Monday-Friday until 7pm Mountain Time, and that they would be able to call me after 5pm as requested.

I did not get a call Monday night, so last night I resorted to the online support chat again. Sandra told me that she couldn't have a case manager call me and to call Tech. support again. Since I had class, I couldn't call until tonight. When I called tonight, I spoke with Richard who said that he couldn't have a case manager contact me. I explained that Sam promised me on Sunday that a case manager would call me to make arrangements on Monday night, and he said that he was sorry, but he couldn't have that happen. He couldn’t explain why Sam told me this.

When I asked for the corporate phone number, he placed me on hold again and then told me he couldn't give me any information, but I could find it on the HP website. So that leads me to contact you.

HP has been building a reputation for impeccable customer service, yet has not lived up to it with my recent calls. I understand that a company can make mistakes, and am sympathetic to that. I happen to have gotten a defective unit, and have already had to send it in once for service. It was an inconvenience to send it in before, now it is not possible. I cannot be without this laptop for more than even a day.

I really want to be able to tell more friends to buy HP, but I'm having a difficult time because of the poor service I am experiencing. Please have someone contact me in the next 24 hours to make arrangements for repairing or preferrably replacing this defective product.

-S

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