Mr. Hurd:

I previously wrote you regarding the poor product quality and even worse customer support I received with my HP Pavilion DV2310US notebook PC in May of 2008. Immediately after I sent that letter, I received notification that my PC was repaired and being returned.

When I received the PC, I was confused about the repair job because the hard-drive had not been wiped and the system was not “returned to the factory settings”, as I was assured it would be by HP technical support. I didn’t much mind, though, as the system worked and continued to work until recently.

In January 2009, my PC began to exhibit the same malfunction which originally required repair. As I wrote you in 2008 “It would not fully turn on and became unreliable.” This leads me to believe two things:

1. There is a design or manufacturing flaw in the HP Pavilion DV2310US notebook PC motherboard
2. The HP Service Center did not replace the motherboard and performed only a “quick” repair

The PC is now out of its warranty period, so HP will not repair it and a replacement motherboard from HP lists at $373.87 (other websites were similar in cost), so repairing the PC myself would be nearly as costly as purchasing a new desktop.

Because of HP’s inability to manufacture quality computers or provide adequate technical support and repairs, I must purchase a new PC within 2 years of making a more-than $1,000 investment. I was hoping for the HP notebook to last at least 3 years (when in reality it lasted just more than 9 months prior to the initial repair and 8 months after that).

In the current economic conditions in the United States, this will be a huge investment for me. Unfortunately for you and HP, however, I will not be purchasing any new HP PCs. I have maintained and will continue to boycott HP products. I will also be continuing my practice of dissuading my friends, co-workers and anyone else of purchasing HP products.

Thomas S. Brock

You can read more about experiences with HP at these posts:

• Dear Hewlett-Packard (HP): I want my computer back, please
• Hewlett-Packard (HP): Strikin’ Out Alls Over the Place…
• Bloviations Welcomes Visitors from Porter Novelli, Inc.
• HP Strikes Out: Loses Another Customer
• Hewlett-Packard (HP): Liars and Hostage-Takers
• Hewlett-Packard (HP): A letter to CEO Mark Hurd

I still urge you, friends and neighbors, don’t buy HP products. They’re not well made and the customer service sucks.

I chuckled at that.

Then, later today, I received an automated email from HP telling me that my PC had been shipped and providing a new link to the Customer Service Order Status page which had a FedEx tracking link. Which means my PC, hopefully fixed, is in a pretty little brown box on its way back home.

My fear is that, with a warranty expiring at the end of May, my PC was fixed just enough to work until June. I wonder if, as one of the several customer service representatives told me, the warranty is extended since the PC must be returned to me in factory condition…

I just want everyone to remember that it took an email (also sent as a printed-on-paper-and-stuffed-into-an-envelope-and-stamped-and-mailed letter) sent to the CEO, Chairman of the Board, and President to get any results from HP.

Related posts:

• Dear Hewlett-Packard (HP): I want my computer back, please
• Hewlett-Packard (HP): Strikin’ Out Alls Over the Place…
• Bloviations Welcomes Visitors from Porter Novelli, Inc.
• HP Strikes Out: Loses Another Customer
• Hewlett-Packard (HP): Liars and Hostage-Takers

I would like to take this opportunity to express my complete disappointment in HP.

I purchased an HP Pavilion DV2310US notebook PC in May of 2007. In March of this year, the PC began to malfunction. It would not fully turn on and became unreliable. On 27 March 2008 I submitted an online service request and was informed that a box would be delivered to me for shipment of my PC to an HP service center for repair. The HP service center received my PC on 31 March 2008 and I was given a one-week repair time (meaning that my PC would be returned by 8 April).

On 8 April, I received a telephone call from the HP customer service notifying me that the repair would be delayed due to a parts shortage and that delivery would be 22 April (another two weeks for a total of three weeks).

On 22 April, I received a telephone call from HP customer service notifying me that the repair would be delayed, again, due to a parts shortage and that delivery would be 6 May (another two weeks for a total of five weeks).

Yesterday, 5 May, I called the HP customer service to inquire the status of my PC repair order. I was told by the representative that my PC was repaired, being checked for quality control, and would be delayed one day (to 7 May).

Today, 6 May, I received a telephone call from HP customer service notifying me that the repair would be delayed, again and in contradiction to the information I was given yesterday, due to a parts shortage and that delivery would be 20 May (another two weeks for a total of seven weeks). I contacted the HP customer service and spoke with a representative. He told me that there was no record of a telephone call yesterday and no record of any information regarding to my PC being repaired, receiving final quality control checks, or being delivered on 7 May. My record reflected that the repair was delayed and that delivery was scheduled for 20 May. I requested to speak with a supervisor and placed on hold. When the supervisor was on the line, he gave me the same information that the previous representative provided: That my PC was in a back-log due to a parts shortage and was scheduled to be delivered on 20 May and that there was no record of a telephone call made by me yesterday. I informed the supervisor that I was disappointed with HP’s inability to repair my PC in a timely manner. The supervisor, again, informed me that there was a parts shortage that was beyond HP’s control and that my PC would be delivered on 20 May and that the most he could do would be to request the service center expedite my PC’s repair, if possible. He was certain to inform me that there was no guarantee that my PC would be repaired or returned to me sooner than 20 May.

I have been a frequent and loyal HP customer for nearly 13 years. I have owned three HP/Compaq notebook PCs, two HP/Compaq desktop PCs, and three HP printers. I have purchased hundreds of HP printer cartridges. I have recommended to family, friends, and co-workers HP products. Unfortunately, I can no longer, in good conscience, continue to do this and will neither purchase nor recommend HP products in the future.

Thomas S. Brock

For more information, please see my personal blog, specifically the following entries:
• Dear Hewlett-Packard (HP): I want my computer back, please
• Hewlett-Packard (HP): Strikin’ Out Alls Over the Place…
• Bloviations Welcomes Visitors from Porter Novelli, Inc.
• HP Strikes Out: Loses Another Customer
• Hewlett-Packard (HP): Liars and Hostage-Takers