HP - any secret 'tech support' numbers where I can get a quick RMA?

[brxndxn]

ARgh.. HP Small Business.. maybe there's a reason my company orders everything from Dell.

I ordered 2 laptops and 1 1gb memory module for one of the laptops. The 1gb module causes the laptop to crash. So I need to RMA it.

Holy shit fuck goddamn it. I've called 4 times now. Every single time I get stuck on hold for 30 minutes or more and I end up getting called away. Right now, it's 4:47 and I really want to leave by 5pm today.. and I've been on hold for 35 minutes.

WTF.. HP Holy shit I've never seen such horrid support.

 

[effowe]

Sitting on hold with tech support is just one of the things you have to put up with when dealing with large companies like this, sucks but that's the way it is. If I'm on hold I usually just put the call on speakerphone and go about my normal business until they finally get on the phone. Hanging up only gets you pushed to the back of the queue.

 

[brxndxn]

Originally posted by: effowe
Sitting on hold with tech support is just one of the things you have to put up with when dealing with large companies like this, sucks but that's the way it is. If I'm on hold I usually just put the call on speakerphone and go about my normal business until they finally get on the phone. Hanging up only gets you pushed to the back of the queue.

With Dell, I call my representative assigned to my company. She picks up right away. She calls whoever I need to be transfered to. If they don't pick up right away, she has them call me back or handles any returns for me. It's a much better system.

This is nuts.. still on hold.. getting the same RMA # that's 'already been issued' again..

 

[Beev]

Originally posted by: effowe
Sitting on hold with tech support is just one of the things you have to put up with when dealing with large companies like this, sucks but that's the way it is. If I'm on hold I usually just put the call on speakerphone and go about my normal business until they finally get on the phone. Hanging up only gets you pushed to the back of the queue.

That's what I do.

 

[hiromizu]

Originally posted by: brxndxn

Originally posted by: effowe
Sitting on hold with tech support is just one of the things you have to put up with when dealing with large companies like this, sucks but that's the way it is. If I'm on hold I usually just put the call on speakerphone and go about my normal business until they finally get on the phone. Hanging up only gets you pushed to the back of the queue.

With Dell, I call my representative assigned to my company. She picks up right away. She calls whoever I need to be transfered to. If they don't pick up right away, she has them call me back or handles any returns for me. It's a much better system.

This is nuts.. still on hold.. getting the same RMA # that's 'already been issued' again..

Yes, HP does this too. You just have to create an account with them that's all. We have a 2 reps (1 backup) who handles everything from ordering new servers to dispatching parts and techs overnight. Never more than a 2 mins wait. Depending on the size of your account, YMMV. We have about 300 Proliant servers and about 1200 Dell Optiplexes in operation.

 

[amdhunter]

lol, a friend of mines who speaks spanish usually dials the spanish support lines and gets through pretty quickly.

Maybe if you speak another language, it might be quicker to use that line?

 

[daveshel]

Another HP caveat (for server buyers): even if you have a 4 hour response care pack, if a part is not nearly, you will not get that part within 4 hours. I found this out last week the hard way. We have about 200 servers, and most of them are Dell. I used to but HP as part of my previous position, and on my recommendation my department bought a handful of HPs, more or less as a basis for comparison. This aspect does not compare favorably with Dell - we have never had to wait extra days for Dell to get a part to us.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Dell small business is amazing, I've always had someone who speaks English very well and never had an issue getting what I needed, can't recommend them enough.

 

[jtvang125]

I have called IBM tech support numerous times and have never been on hold for more than 5 minutes. 95% of the time I get through to a tech instantly. I guess that's why they charge a premium for their hardware though.

 

[HannibalX]

I have a back office number I'll PM you when I get home from work...

 

[Reel]

Hewlett-Packard F 800-474-6836 Say "agent" at each prompt, ignoring messages.

from www.gethuman.com

 

[foghorn67]

Originally posted by: daveshel
Another HP caveat (for server buyers): even if you have a 4 hour response care pack, if a part is not nearly, you will not get that part within 4 hours. I found this out last week the hard way. We have about 200 servers, and most of them are Dell. I used to but HP as part of my previous position, and on my recommendation my department bought a handful of HPs, more or less as a basis for comparison. This aspect does not compare favorably with Dell - we have never had to wait extra days for Dell to get a part to us.

That is scary. Don't they have their own line of switches and routers as well? Eeek!

 

[dsity]

Originally posted by: daveshel
Another HP caveat (for server buyers): even if you have a 4 hour response care pack, if a part is not nearly, you will not get that part within 4 hours. I found this out last week the hard way. We have about 200 servers, and most of them are Dell. I used to but HP as part of my previous position, and on my recommendation my department bought a handful of HPs, more or less as a basis for comparison. This aspect does not compare favorably with Dell - we have never had to wait extra days for Dell to get a part to us.

ouch!

 

[pstylesss]

HP sucks for regular user customer service, personal experience. Never had to deal with them on the government side, but I don't believe they would be any better... either way I wouldn't be able to understand their techs. I got in a couple arguments an HP tech over my laptop. I sent it back for a problem with touchpad, when I get my laptop back I read what they did and they "Found a problem with the hard drive and replaced it", then they "found a problem in the XP install causing the problem and reimaged it"... Is it just me or is that a bit backward? On top of that, they didn't fix the problem.

We are a Dell shop at work and have an account manager assigned to us. Its very nice. Never on hold for very long. If something breaks you can just send off an email or make a call and they send off the part.

 

[jpeyton]

1-800-930-7734

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: effowe
Sitting on hold with tech support is just one of the things you have to put up with when dealing with large companies like this, sucks but that's the way it is. If I'm on hold I usually just put the call on speakerphone and go about my normal business until they finally get on the phone. Hanging up only gets you pushed to the back of the queue.

We have HP servers and Dell workstations...I never wait on hold more than 2-3 mins.

You always have the option to pay for higher level support. Support is a good portion of the price of a lowend laptop/desktop to a private person...but when you can measure downtime in money then paying a bit more to not have that downtime is a smart choice.

If you are calling on Monday at first hour or any timezone's lunch hour expect long wait times. Also the 5:30-6:30 time slot is a busy one for those coming home from work and making calls for support.

 

[buck]

We have mostly HP products here and the wait times are terrible. The number we call is 1-800-633-3600.

I dread having to call them.

 

[pstylesss]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: effowe
Sitting on hold with tech support is just one of the things you have to put up with when dealing with large companies like this, sucks but that's the way it is. If I'm on hold I usually just put the call on speakerphone and go about my normal business until they finally get on the phone. Hanging up only gets you pushed to the back of the queue.

We have HP servers and Dell workstations...I never wait on hold more than 2-3 mins.

You always have the option to pay for higher level support. Support is a good portion of the price of a lowend laptop/desktop to a private person...but when you can measure downtime in money then paying a bit more to not have that downtime is a smart choice.

If you are calling on Monday at first hour or any timezone's lunch hour expect long wait times. Also the 5:30-6:30 time slot is a busy one for those coming home from work and making calls for support.

We just pay for the basic warranty from Dell and still have great support... we don't bump anything up.

Even if the Dell warranty is expired, if you use some brains you can go through the hardware manufacturer and still warranty a part, it just won't be fast at all so you need spares.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: ZeroIQ

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: effowe
Sitting on hold with tech support is just one of the things you have to put up with when dealing with large companies like this, sucks but that's the way it is. If I'm on hold I usually just put the call on speakerphone and go about my normal business until they finally get on the phone. Hanging up only gets you pushed to the back of the queue.

We have HP servers and Dell workstations...I never wait on hold more than 2-3 mins.

You always have the option to pay for higher level support. Support is a good portion of the price of a lowend laptop/desktop to a private person...but when you can measure downtime in money then paying a bit more to not have that downtime is a smart choice.

If you are calling on Monday at first hour or any timezone's lunch hour expect long wait times. Also the 5:30-6:30 time slot is a busy one for those coming home from work and making calls for support.

We just pay for the basic warranty from Dell and still have great support... we don't bump anything up.

Even if the Dell warranty is expired, if you use some brains you can go through the hardware manufacturer and still warranty a part, it just won't be fast at all so you need spares.

Save the motherboard/system it's not worth us hunting down warranty replacements. Getting a HD, stick of ram, etc is not worth anyones time chasing that down.

Like I said it depends what kind of business you are in. We are Fortune 500. Having workers down is not a good thing, buying up tons of spares is impractical. I can get on the phone today and have my part and even an on-site technician tomorrow as part of our service agreement.

One of my servers dies same deal.

 

[altonb1]

My company buys ONLY HP laptops and desktops. Most of our printers are HP MFPs, and I'm pretty sure most of the servers are HP, also. NOC uses HP Openview...

I work for a fortune 200 company and they have a nice support agreement, but even so...I still had to hold for about 35-40 minutes yesterday to get a replacement hard drive sent to me fpr a laptop. Sometimes it just happens, but I normally can get through within 5-10 mins tops.

 

[ebaycj]

Originally posted by: Beev

Originally posted by: effowe
Sitting on hold with tech support is just one of the things you have to put up with when dealing with large companies like this, sucks but that's the way it is. If I'm on hold I usually just put the call on speakerphone and go about my normal business until they finally get on the phone. Hanging up only gets you pushed to the back of the queue.

That's what I do.

Yep, bluetooth headset FTW.