Letter to HP's CEO

Imagine you were the CEO of Hewlett-Packard, or at least someone in upper management, and you read the letter below. What would you do?


Dear Mr. Hurd,

In March of 2007 I purchased a HP Pavilion dv6000 notebook computer for $1269.09. For such a price, I had expected better support from your company. Please continue reading to understand my problem and suggestions.

My problem is as follows:

The wireless internet capability stopped working about a year after purchase. It is now the end of July 2009 and only last month did I find out the problem with the wireless was not software related, but hardware--a faulty motherboard. I found this out from a computer help desk on the campus I attend.

With the semester over and time to figure things out, I called the HP support number. I spoke with a female service representative who told me there was a two year warranty period for the faulty motherboard, but it had expired in June, last month, and therefore HP would not fix the laptop unless I paid $298. I explained I did not know about this limited warranty and HP never contacted me about this recall period. I also asked why I should have to pay to fix this product when HP is to blame because of the faulty motherboard. After receiving an unsatisfactory answer, I asked to talk to a manager, but she stated it would go on her record and it was not a valid reason to talk with a manager. That was pretty much the end of that conversation.

My wife, also unsatisfied, decided to call. She talked with an agent named "Mike." After she explained the problem, Mike told her she was mistaken and there was no problem with the laptop model. She also asked to speak to a manager. After two attempts she was sent through and talked with "Aja." Once again the problem was explained. Aja admitted that the problem was HP's, but since the laptop was not covered by the warranty, lacking one month, it would not be fixed--and as far as she understood, it would not be fixed at all.

From three different service representative we received three different answers. The first said the laptop could be fixed for $298. The second said there was no problem with the laptop. The third admitted HP's fault, but said HP would not even take the laptop for repairs.

To lead into my suggestion, I wish to explain that my wife and I are college students, with a baby, and money is tight. College classes require a laptop with a wireless internet connection. Also, this is the first HP product I have purchased, but how can one expect to pay almost $1300 for a HP laptop and then pay an additional $300 to have it repaired when it is HP's fault that the laptop needed to be repaired in the first place? I cannot afford the repairs much less a new laptop.

My two suggestions are as follows:

First, give better training to your support service agents. We received three different answers to the same problem and we don't know who to believe.

Second, do not penalize your customers with limited recall periods and warranties when your company is at fault.

Given that I had not been informed of the recall period which has barley expired, and since the laptop’s wireless stopped working during the period, I hope that you can resolve this problem so that, in the least, my laptop can be fixed.

Sincerely,
Charles Riggs