Toner issues...

[Kipper]

As you can see, streaks/toner smeared all over the page. This was a brand-new HP OEM cartridge. Putting the old cartridge back in fixes the problem. Process of elimination. HP refuses to support me or swap out the cartridge because "your printer is out of warranty" and tells me to go back to the retailer. Well, Staples won't take it since the package is opened (obviously).

HP never getting my business ever again besides, any chance of salvaging this cartridge before I write it off entirely and give it to Staples for recycling, netting a grand total of $2?

Thanks.

 

[gsaldivar]

Keep calling HP and/or Staples until you get the answer you want. Clearly, the toner cartridge is defective not the printer. Be sure you are calling the right HP number, you want the consumables division, not printer support. Be polite and persistent and I'm sure it will work out.

Good luck!

 

[Kipper]

HP does not have "consumables" support according to the people I've talked to. Every single time I call I get routed to their printers division where a tech keeps on asking me for the "expiration date" despite my exhortations that toner doesn't expire.

I even called their "executive" customer service number and got a "sorry, we can't help you" answer. VERY disappointed in HP's support. I'd heard it had gone off of a cliff, but this is just ridiculous...

 

[gsaldivar]

I stole this from HP's forum:

"I used to work at Compaq before it became part of HP. I was in Corporate Quality and Customer Satisfaction for a time. Compaq had and HP has a Customer Relations group that is essentially the top level of response to customers. For instance if someone writes to Mark Hurd, the president of HP about a quality/service problem these letters generally get turned over to Customer Relations for a quick resolution. You might want to send an email with all the details to mark.hurd@hp.com to get quick action on this."

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Other-...r-Service-where-they-actually-know/m-p/100515

 

[Kipper]

I stole this from HP's forum:

"I used to work at Compaq before it became part of HP. I was in Corporate Quality and Customer Satisfaction for a time. Compaq had and HP has a Customer Relations group that is essentially the top level of response to customers. For instance if someone writes to Mark Hurd, the president of HP about a quality/service problem these letters generally get turned over to Customer Relations for a quick resolution. You might want to send an email with all the details to mark.hurd@hp.com to get quick action on this."

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Other-...r-Service-where-they-actually-know/m-p/100515

For the record, Mark Hurd was sacked earlier this year but Léo Apotheker, the new CEO, is at leo.apotheker@hp.com. I do appreciate the suggestion, I wouldn't have thought of going directly to the top - I kind of assumed "executive" customer service would handle that sort of thing.

Or so I assume. I'm not expecting much, but we'll see. On a somewhat unrelated note, can anybody recommend a good generics company?

 

[gsaldivar]

On a somewhat unrelated note, can anybody recommend a good generics company?

Not all printers can take generic toner, but if you have one that can, I recommend eBay. It took a few tries before I found some good quality suppliers, but I've been buying 10,000 page cartridges for $20 shipped for years now with no major problems.

 

[alkemyst]

Bad toners and other DOA type products are becoming more and more common. Many manufacturers I feel are shifting the final QC on to the consumer.

 

[Kipper]

Thanks for all the help. I actually received a call from the same "executive" customer service division this morning and was told my replacement toner is in the mail. It "only" took about 2-3 hours of phone calls and firing off a "pissed off customer" e-mail to the CEO to fix the problem.

I'm quite disappointed in HP's customer service to say the least, but to their credit they did eventually come through...after, of course, I spent $35 on replacement generic toner. (-_-)

 

[gsaldivar]

Thanks for all the help. I actually received a call from the same "executive" customer service division this morning and was told my replacement toner is in the mail. It "only" took about 2-3 hours of phone calls and firing off a "pissed off customer" e-mail to the CEO to fix the problem.

I'm quite disappointed in HP's customer service to say the least, but to their credit they did eventually come through...after, of course, I spent $35 on replacement generic toner. (-_-)

Yay! Squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Next time, be sure to emphasize your time and effort in the calls, letters and emails. Since you in a position to recommend printer products to other people, they should also be made aware of that. With this approach, you might have have been compensated with more than a single cartridge for your troubles.

The only way these companies will learn to stop taking customers' business for granted is when people stop buying their products.

 

[alkemyst]

wait someone emailed Leo Apotheker over a bad toner cartridge and he responded?