Regional corporate support is lacking professionalism

[MirceaRusu]

How to escalate the warranty support issue? I do have an dry response from the country HP representative who stated: "There is no way of contacting my superior, the answer you received from the technician who have seen your laptop is final".

The issue was the laptop's right side hinge that become seized. As a result, opening the lid with increased effort has displaced the case and the displays closure, from inside-out.

The first and the only response coming from the warranty technician was: "is your fault, you have to pay the Lcd back cover, the palmrest and" , very surprising, "the Hinge kit"!!!. Like is user's fault that the hinge become seized after 5 months of usage!

When I have try to ask for a reconsideration at HP Country representative, he denied and when I ask for a superior in order to escalate the issue, after minutes of waiting, the representative announced me that "there is no way you can speak with anybody else from HP. The initial evaluation is final."

More than that, the https://support.hp.com/ro-en url does not allow me complete the registration for 3 weeks already. The language and the country fields are not select-able.. Therefore I'm stuck in my endeavor on this forum.

There is nothing else to say about HP Corporate Support Type, while I'm the IT guy in a corporate environment as well. With substantial expenses in 2020 in HP hardware. 

[IT_WinSec]

Hello @MirceaRusu 

Good morning.

Could you provide more details about the issue you face with the computer ? Pictures/video ? How many computers are affected ?

Do you have a support case with HP (case number stars with 5 at the moment) ? Yes or no - do not post the case number here, please.

Did you reach the support department via these numbers >> https://www.hp.com/ro-ro/contact-hp/phone-assist.html

or you brought it to a local authorized service partner >> https://www.hp.com/ro-ro/contact-hp/parteneri/service.html

* Do NOT post personal information here in the public section of the forum, please.

[MirceaRusu]

The computer's user come into my office and asked me for help because the lid was hard to open/close. Indeed, the right side hinge was obvious resisting beyond normal, and the lid's cover and the back of the main chassis where loosed from the clips. I asked the user why he try to open it so hard while he sees that the lid wont open normally and he reply that he cannot work with the lid closed. I did have to admit that he has a point.

I do have computer pictures in that state.

Without opening the case i suspected that the hinge screws where loosened from chassis screws and, being seized, have acted as a lever inside the case.

With the lid carefully opened, I started the computer and I did a backup of user's files and hand him a spare unit to continue his work while I intended to send the computer for warranty repairs. With the exception of crunchy noise coming from the hinge when the action applied to the lid, everything else worked normally: screen, keyboard, fan and the mainboard.

The answer from the reprezentative come after around two weeks and I do have a case number. The answer was:

"Hinge kit, cod L22536-001, pret 31 euro + tva.

Lcd back cover, cod L83724-001, pret 24 euro + tva.

Palmrest, cod L83724-001, pret 77 euro + tva.

Manopera 25 euro+tva."

I did get a bit annoyed and I reply with the request to do the repairs in warranty conditions since the hinge wasn't hit, the computer does not have been dropped on hard tiles or immersed into acid in order to have the hinge seized. It was obvious that the lid and the chassis back cover where pushed from inside-out in that's hinge corner. And, most importantly, the hinge is obvious not working at his designed opening/closing forces.

After 1 more week, after several phones i did try to get support from HP, Opened an account and I get stuck in Personal Information screen where I could not select neither the language or the region from the corresponding drop-downs. While a yellow message was on interface stated that the system is under maintenance work I did reach an English speaker agent who asked me for pictures of the unit. While I did not have the unit in my office (it was still at the repair) I received an case number and I did get instructed to wait for the unit to return and do the pictures from there on.
After 2 more weeks, after asking specifically for a formal, written, denial of the repairs under warranty conditions, the unit come back to the office, with the clips closed for the backcover and the lid and with a substantial wobbling of the screen's lid. The hinge resistance is normal, the lid opens and close with normal effort but ifs obvious that the hinge is not screwed properly in chassis: the wobbling and a slight upward displacement of the palm-rest every time the lid is opening indicates that the lever effect from inside-out is still there,. Only the force applied is smaller since the hinge resistance is normal.

At that moment I contact the national https://www.hp.com/ro-ro/contact-hp/phone-assist.html I have spoken with a representative that, after I presented the situation stated that there is not much I can do. the original technician evaluation is final.

I have ask him specifically to escalate the divergence to his superior with the expressed desire to have a unit reevaluation. After I ask him clearly that i want to speac with a higher hierarchy individual he put me on hold and after 10 minutes come back with a stumbling answer. My superior does not have any reason to reconsider my case and I cannot talk with nobody else from HP. The initial technical evaluation is final. and that is: I have to pay for the repairs, including the hinge.

Therefore, i have 3 case numbers: the initial one, another one 2 weeks later and the latest one from the local HP representative that denied my reevaluation request.

The corporate support is bad. The superiors are hiding behind level 1 agents and a debatable evaluation written by somebody else. And this HP corporate policy is applied against a organization with more than 20 000 euros spent only in 2020 at its headquarters only. The subordinate organizations are around 194. How many you will think that will continue to consider using HP in the future when the lead IT department receive an answer like: "My superior does not want to speak with you. The initial evaluation is final. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

[MirceaRusu]

No answer from community regarding on how to escalate an issue with level 1 support level?

[IT_WinSec]

I have asked internally for your case to be escalated/reviewed. I hope they contact you soon. It will be here via private message (PM). Please, note that you should only engage in a private message with identified contacts with the appropriate colorful label next to the name/nickname (like experts, mods, admins, HP staff, HP agents). I am sorry for the delay in this process.

[MirceaRusu]

" I hope they contact you soon"

They didn't.

HP, the giant with feet of clay.

After this experience, for sure, HP become the last option when there is need for any kind of hardware. To be honest: I'm stumbled.

[IT_WinSec]

Hi @MirceaRusu 

Your cases are actively being reviewed. You have been contacted via PM. Thank you for your cooperation.