HP Added a 15-Minute Waiting Time for Telephone Support Calls

Paul Kunert, reporting for The Register last week:

HP Inc is trying to force consumer PC and print customers to use online and other digital support channels by setting a minimum 15-minute wait time for anyone that phones the call center to get answers to troublesome queries. The wait time was added on Tuesday, February 18, according to internal communications seen by The Register, and impacts retail patrons in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany and Italy, though we anticipate more countries could be added.

On the fifth, tenth, and thirteenth minute, the recorded message will tell HP customers it is “experiencing longer waiting times and we apologize for the inconvenience,” and again remind them they may switch to alternatives.

Three days later, HP reversed the new policy, issuing this bullshit statement:

We’re always looking for ways to improve our customer service experience. This support offering was intended to provide more digital options with the goal of reducing time to resolve inquiries.

We have found that many of our customers were not aware of the digital support options we provide. Based on initial feedback, we know the importance of speaking to live customer service agents in a timely fashion is paramount. As a result, we will continue to prioritize timely access to live phone support to ensure we are delivering an exceptional customer experience.

There’s spin, and then there’s just bald-faced lying. This clearly had nothing to do with improving customer support and was simply about cost. HP so wanted to discourage customers from using phone support to reach a real person for help that they instituted a 15-minute penalty timeout to discourage people from waiting.

There’s some kind of joke to be made here about this literally inhumane approach to customer support being unveiled in the same week HP announced its acquisition of Humane — the company that turned its $1,000 AI Pins into bricks.

★ Monday, 24 February 2025