Some History and Context Regarding the HP Soldier Video

[McNally]

I had a laptop that I took to Iraq with me that had its cooling fan die, causing the GPU to overheat and fry itself shortly after I returned from Iraq.  It was still under warranty (... sorta), so I took it to the Geek Squad, who then sent it to HP for repair.  The first time it came back, they did nothing to it because they tried to fix the "not booting" problem, which was actually a symptom.  It went back and they replaced the motherboard and the hard drive.  The second time it came back to me, the speakers were only putting out about 40% of their normal volume and the ethernet port didn't work.  They replaced the motherboard again.  The third time it came back, it wouldn't boot.  At all.  They replaced the motherboard a third time.  The fourth time it came back, it seemed to work but given it had had its motherboard replaced THREE TIMES in TWO MONTHS, I had zero confidence in it.

All attempts to negotiate some manner of replacement from HP basically yielded "it's not our problem, talk to Best Buy."  Best Buy's opinion was "it's not our problem, talk to HP."

"Support the Troops" is a catchphrase that's great for people to throw around, because you hardly ever get called on it.

[McNally]

Mr. Thatcher:

Please take down your response video, as it only serves to discredit you and HP even further (which, until recently, I thought was an impossible feat).  To imply that HP supports the troops is misleading at best and is more accurately a bald-faced lie.  HP supports the troops the same amount as it supports the rest of its customers, which is to say "not at all."

I've contacted HP regarding a laptop that overheated and died shortly after I returned from Iraq (having deployed, coincidentally, with the 155th Brigade Combat Team.  That's our patch on the shoulder of the officer in the original video).  All contact with HP regarding that laptop resulted in me being blown off entirely.

Free phone support?  It is to laugh, sir.  The average deployed soldier has limited phone access and what he does have often comes with a time limit.

Stay classy, HP.

[morrigan173]

It amazes me that so many comments turn the blame of the company for faulty equipment to the soldier for his reaction.  I'd like to see someone go through an extended period of warfare, then be asked to put up with the same bs those of us stateside have been conditioned to think of as acceptable.  Furthermore, how can anyone say military personnel "use" their military status to gain some benefit??  THEY DESERVE IT!  You go watch your friends die, then come home & see how it feels to be treated as if you haven't done anything deserving of a little special respect!!!  

[hahayou]

violence... the common answer to US citizen problems -Bart Simpson-

[Pankay]

[Smittie]

@ARHPG - what misuse of government property? The printer? It wasn't working properly and had become a paper weight. It needed to be disposed of. His weapon? We take all manner of stuff out to the shooting range to shoot at it. Keeps us proficient. There is no harm done there. You have no idea how difficult it is when a piece of equipment, like a printer, doesn't work. Soldier's who make the effort to contact customer support do so at great effort. Nothing is easy about contacting the states from Iraq, even on the larger bases. And, as someone else already asked, just exactly how many time should this forward deployed soldier have tried to get a correct answer before he is allowed to get frustrated???

Smittie

[Smittie]

Mr Thatcher,

What a lovely video reply to a PR nightmare. You provide no details, no facts whatsoever. How did you resolve this soldier's issue? Why did HP allow it to come to the point that this soldier was motivated to take his frustration out in this way?

Smittie