post

Customer Support, the HP Way

I briefly wrote about my dismal customer support experience in Everything on this Vista PC is an Afterthought. The one piece I really like in this PC setup is the screen: 22 inches of shiny black beauty, sharp screen, it tilts and moves around in every imaginable way, even pivots for a vertical view.

There’s only one problem: colors are way off without detailed calibration. HP provides an easy-to-use (albeit not too effective) software product, which allows me to save my new defaults in a file. Too bad the configuration file is user-dependent, and I have two User Accounts on this machine. I really don’t want to go through the configuration hassle twice, so I thought I’d copy the file to the other user account… however, I could not locate it in any of the usual suspect directories, not even search by name. That’s what online support is for – so I thought, naively. This is the template response I received to my 3-line request to locate the file:

Hello Zoltan,
Thank you for contacting HP Total Care.
I gather from your email that you have downloaded and installed HP My Display and you would like to know if you can make this software user dependent.

I understand the importance of your query and look forward to provide you with the appropriate information.

Zoltan, the display settings for each user can be saved, providing an
easy way to select display characteristics in a multi-user environment, or to
save multiple defined presets for a single user based on content and ambient
lighting.
HP My Display enables monitor adjustment and color tuning using the Display
Data Channel (DDCommand Interface C/CI) protocol. All adjustments to the
display are controlled through software to eliminate the need to use the
monitor on-screen display (OSD). HP My Display runs in the background and can
be accessed through the Task tray, Start menu, or by right-clicking in a blank
area of the desktop. The HP My Display utility enables quick, accurate tuning
of the display, with the ability to easily save and use monitor configurations
that are best suited to the user.
HP My Display has two modes of operation: Wizard and OSD mode. The preferred
method of use is Wizard mode, which provides a step-by-step process to
accurately calibrate the monitor. OSD mode enables changes to any single
monitor setting without stepping through a predefined sequence. This method is
less accurate than Wizard mode, but enables easy access to any monitor
adjustment.

For more information you can use the Manual as how to use the software:

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00834092.pdf

I also want to inform you that the downloaded files gets saved to temp folder as default location if the location is not given while downloading the file and the setup file can be located by any user by following the steps given below:

  • Click on Start >Computer.
  • Double click on Local drive (C:)
  • Double click on Program Files.
  • Select HP My Display folder and open the same and you will get the setup file.

If you need further assistance, please reply to this message and we will be happy to assist you further.
You may receive an e-mail survey regarding your e-mail support experience. We would appreciate your feedback.
For information on keeping your HP and Compaq products up and running, please visit our Web site at:
http://www.hp.com/go/totalcare

What’s wrong here? I’m looking for a solution, don’t give me this pompous BS on how great your software is, HP, especially when you don’t address the one and only question I had. In fact the first and only non-canned sentence clearly shows you did not even listen (read): you think I want to make configuration user dependent : it already is, I want it user independent! If you read my original inquiry, you should know all this crap on how to install and use the configuration tool is useless, since I have already completed these steps.

OK, cool-off, send HP another email:

Thanks, but this template answer is a complete nonsense. I have succesfully used the software, saved it to a file. The ONLY question I had, and still have is this:
A: Can I save the confguration in a non-user-dependent area, so the same settings apply
B: If not, where is the config file stored, so I can copy it to other user directories.

Same-day response:

Hello Zoltan,
Thank you for contacting HP Total Care.

Zoltan, it is our goal to answer questions presented to us as quickly as
possible. From reading your e-mail I will need to do some additional
research to provide you with a resolution to this issue.

As soon as I have gathered this information I will e-mail you again. I apologize for any inconvenience this delay may cause.
If you need further assistance, please reply to this message and we will be happy to assist you further.
You may receive an e-mail survey regarding your e-mail support experience. We would appreciate your feedback.
For information on keeping your HP and Compaq products up and running, please visit our Web site at:
http://www.hp.com/go/totalcare

Locating a file needs additional research. Two days later I’m still waiting. Customer Support, the HP-way. thumbs_down

Comments

  1. Zoli.. this is so sad. HP has a huge emphasis (and team) dedicated to Customer Experience. Clearly they have not been spending enough time on the support side, which as any CE dude will tell you is one of those fundamental things YOU HAVE TO GET RIGHT or else all the slick and easy to use web experience is for crap!

  2. Steve,

    I’m sure they do… in fact I met some HP’ers at Teched in LV. But I guess there are different classes of customers, and as an individual consumer, I fall in the lowest one 🙁 The above experience is not the first one in the short lifespan (2 months) of this PC.

  3. Well.. let me know if you want me to hook you up directly with the CE folks!

  4. This is an old post but I thought I would reply in case anyone needed the informaiton in the future.

    The profiles are saved in the Windows Registry under the Current User key so that different users can have different profiles. The keys would have to be copied to each user’s registry entry.

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Portrait Displays\DisplayTune\HPW\Profiles

    Hope this was useful.
    -Darv

  5. Darv,

    Thanks a lot for posting the answer here. You’ve certainly beaten HP to it…I guess they are still “gathering the information” 🙂

    While it’s helpful, I’m sure you’ll agree it would be nice to have a more user-friendly solution that does not require messing with the registry.

    Thanks again!

  6. Yes, I agree it would be nice but unfortunatley not something we get any reqeusts for. In fact this is a first so it’s probably going to be the only soltuion for a while. But I will mention it during out next meeting. Best I can do.

    Regards,
    Darv

  7. My guess is HP doesn’t stand for Highly Personal.

  8. Apparently HP has lost sight of their mission in taking care of their customers. I sent a laptop for repair and received notice it will be delivered in 10 days. On the 10th day received notice it will be 10 more business days. I asked for a loaner until the laptop is repaired to get by. The best HP customer support could do for me is return the broken computer. Give me a break! Apparently HP is having financial difficulty because they forgot how to satisfy their customers. Pretty soon computer companies like HP will start getting a bad rap like the airlines who have also forgotten who is their customer. Years ago I was so impressed with HP support that I purchased additional HP computers. Clearly that logic does not apply. If you want poor/ no customer service, buy an HP product.

  9. Rob LLewellyn says

    Tell me about HP and customer care!!! 2 months ago I raised a ticket for a BD ROM that has never worked. Within 3 days they diagnosed what I already knew. They said I would be contacted in one working day. I chase the call all the time and today I find the call it with a tech dept in usa where they are not authorised to ship parts nor able to forward the call to someone who can. Despite repeated requests the first line idiots will not supply me with escallation contact information.

    I have never experienced service this bad for anything else in my life – I will never buy HP again.

    • Hi Rob,

      Did you get your problem resolved yet? If not, please let me know.. I work for HP in IT support and can get you in touch with the correct place for such a situation. We do have escalation contacts. I’m not sure why you weren’t given it in the first place but believe me, the HP Way still lives with it’s employees who are trying to do their best.

  10. Have others had this experience? I contacted HP support regarding a new desktop that has a bad soundcard. After three hours with three first-level techs doing things via remote desktop, I finally spoke with “Andrew”, a service “supervisor” who directed me to hit F11 during reboot. I asked him what this would be doing and he said that it was the first step in a multi-step process to “fix” the problem. I read him the warning I had on the screen pertaining to software and data I had already loaded on the screen. He told me not to worry and to just follow his instructions if I wanted to resolve the problem. So, I proceeded.

    As soon as I had begun the routine, Andrew gave me a case number (first time one had been assigned during these calls) and told me to call in when the process was completed. I replied that I expected him to remain on the line with me during the WHOLE multi-step process, at which time Andrew stated that he couldn’t hear me (implying a bad connection) and that he would call me back. I replied that I could hear him fine and to please not hang up – I was very concerned about this procedure that he had me launch. He hung up anyway and NEVER! called me back. When I called in after 20 minutes of waiting, all I got was, “You lost all of your software and data and we cannot retrieve it.”

    Consequently, I asked to speak with someone about this. A time was appointed for a case manager to call me – never did. So, I called in for another appointment. This time a case manager in Ontario, Michelle, called me and was very defensive: “loss of customer installed software and data is not covered under our warranty.” I said that I only did the F11 procedure at the direct instructions of the HP supervisor, only after I’d read the screen warning back to the supervisor and explained that I did have SW and data that would be impacted, and only after the supervisor had assured me that this was only the first step in a process in which I wouldn’t suffer loss and instead would “fix” the computer sound problem. He insisted that I needed to follow his instructions if he were going to help me.

    Now, this was an intentional act (whether from malice or severe mistraining) and I’m very interested in obtaining from others examples of similar instances where the agents have advised of procedures that resulted in the loss of computer settings, software and/or data (or other types of losses).

  11. Hi Lon,

    I read your note regarding the situation…Do you have your case # so I can send this over to our HP customer escalation team and have them review it and the notes input by the case manager etc..? I work for HP and as an employee I’m saddened when things don’t go as one would expect. Mistakes do happen but we need to know about them when they do. Regards, Bob

  12. Thanks a lot for posting the answer here. You've certainly beaten HP to it…I guess they are still "gathering the information" 🙂 <a hrfe="http://www.sampleresumes.in/category/graphic-arts-resumes"&gt; Graphic Arts Resume is there in Sampleresumes.in which is amazing. Its fantastic. Just see it you will also like it.

  13. My advice as a buyer of HP products ( I can't seem to learn, not to touch the hot iron) is to stop buying HP products.
    Their support sucks, poor english comprehension, you get bounced around for hours, and when they cannot solve it, its the other guy's fault.
    I have two HP products, once they crap out, thats the end, I will never buy HP.

  14. I asked 2 separate HP techs if a client’s laptop was upgradable from Vista to Windows 7. I was told it was. After buying a copy of Windows 7 upgrade, I found out it was not.
    After 18 hours of being transferred, hung up on, and talking to the “wrong” department I was told- “If I were any kind of tech, I would have known it was not upgradeable”
    This was from a senior customer service rep.
    I wish EVERYONE at HP cancer. I will never buy another HP product again.

  15. hp support site is crap.they dont asnwer emails and their online chat is crap too it doesnt work, after filling out all the info it fails to initialize giving an error message. The site is too confusing and full of big words
    designed to confuse u. All their downloads are worthless as fixes. I'll never buy another hp product.

  16. I agree HP doesnt help you at all to fix the smallest of issues. I spoke to Asif at 1-800-474-6836 today and they were "unable" to assist, but had the audacity to suggest that we by a new PC. I had contacted Microsoft before going to HP and Microsoft bent over backwards trying to help and when they said it was an issue that HP should be able to clear up, because it was a OEM subscription/licensing issue. Windows even told me what to tell HP when I contacted them, but HP was no help.
    This worries me and I don't think I can buy another HP PC after this.

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