Some History and Context Regarding the HP Soldier Video

[dukenukem]

In many ways HP has been a great business model - including general product reliability and product support. HOWEVER - there are some products that should have been tested more thoroughly before they were sent to market - the HP5510 All-In-One being one of them. Initial satisfaction reports were adequate back in 2003 - the (apparent) year of the initial release of this product. However, a few months into 2004 the trouble reports began pouring in. It seemed obvious that there was a reliability problem with this product. When a product demonstrates weakness, effective "service after the sale" becomes paramount. The effectiveness of this service defines the manufacturer's committment to the product and the customers. Maybe the quantity and severity of the trouble merited a recall - maybe it didn't. By comparison, I dare you ask me about my (fantastic) support experience with a Canon printer!

I can truly relate with the many complaints of the HP Support delays regarding resolution. By the time that I (and many others like me) need tech support, I need TECH support - not some flunky who can only read from a canned "support" script - often in nearly unintelligible English - wasting my time, causing unnecessary delay in resolving problematic HP products that so many people depend on to fulfil their job responsibilities - this soldier included. Shame on you, HP, for sending jobs overseas to provide cheaper (in every sense of the word) support!

I can appreciate Garen's apparent loyalty to HP, but he seems to have lost sight of that which has enabled his "25 years and counting" - HP customers. Whatever happened to the proven successful business mottos of "the customer is always right" and "keep the customer satisfied"? Resurrecting these time-honored mottos will help to recover some of HP's lost integrity and brand loyalty.

Garen stated that HP resolved the soldier's issue? Well, if that is so, then why was this soldier frustrated to the point of violence directed at the product?  It appears that Galen's statement is fallacious. How can HP resolve a bullet-riddled problem over the phone??? (I've been in the same situation many times with HP, but I didn't have a gun at the time!) Also, he states that HP provides "free phone support for all active duty overseas U.S. military personnel". If so then why does the soldiers state that HP demanded payment for support? Something's not right, here.

As to other (unqualified) statements by others of (mis)judging the soldier's resolution to trouble - Get the facts! Don't presume on supposition.

1. Maybe the soldier was using ammo that had an expired shelf life - unauthorized for combat. Maybe he was only using it as a target for required target practice.

2. Maybe the soldier was trying to send/print forms to order gear for an planned offensive, or needed equipment to bolster their camp's defenses.

3. Maybe this wasn't the first time he had contacted HP about the problem.

4. I'm no military weapons expert, but did you stop to consider whether the weapon used had been recovered from the enemy?

5. Bullets are cheap - a soldier's life is not.  

There are so many unknowns and variables surrounding this issue - and many other issues like it. Nobody has the right to make unqualified assumptions and discredit a soldier's statement.

Support our troops - don't make excuses not to. If you don't want to support our troops - that is your free choice. But I also have a free choice to tell you that if you don't support  our troops - GO LIVE IN IRAQ!!!

[SharonKitCat]

I do not know about the Soldier whether he was trying to get attention (because he was mad) or what but I know two things :

 not all our troops are saints and/or patriots (my father was in the U.S Air Force for 25 years and told me some of the greatest and worst could be found in uniform. He saw action in Korea at 19 and Viet Nam.

and

I have seen a lot of mean spirited stuff on YouBoob or Tube or whatever and woudn't give two cents for it.

The foul mouths don't help either.

OK I'm an old hag but somebody has to keep the trade alive or the brooms will get dusty and the winged monkeys will get fat!! (:

[MsMaggy04]

As a veteran of the Iraq War I can understand where this soldier is coming from. Equipment is always breaking there and it gets frustrating. Things get broken and are not replaced for a long time. Big deal he shot a printer, how is this hurtful to you? Life in Iraq gets very tedious and I guess this was his way to get some of his frustrations out. Soldiers have to do something in Iraq  for some kind of amusement or else we would be robots. As for misuse of government equipment, if the printer was broken and taken of the books it was going to go in the trash anyways so why not have some fun with it?

OIF Veteran, Former SGT US Army

[ConaumerIsKing]

I am a consumer of HP produxts. Less than a year ago I purchased a three in one printer. Kapow it went poof in three weeks. My three in one was so new I took it to the store (Best Buy) for a replacement. Best Buy REFUSED to do anything and told me to buy a new one. I called HP I was given the run around and asked for a Credit Card number but was not offered a new printer, was not oiffered any trouble shooting all though I was still under warranty. What happened to me is WORSE than what happened to the soldier. I do not believe one word you have said regarding your customer service. Here I am soem six years after this video was made and your company still treats people the same way. WHAT WILL YOU DO TO REPLACE MY NON WORKING THREE IN ONE PRINTER?

You have my name, you have my Email, I had to register to log in here to post this so you know how to contact me. Stay tuned kids if HP don't do anything for my NON WORKING  three in one printer I am gonna blow it away in the mountains and post the video. Just lovely christmas is just around the corner so I am sure my video will help your company. I am the only video PodCaster in the State I live so you want to see video run rampid get ready.      

[IXOYCtheFISH]

What a pity now that HP has to suffer bad publicity for 4 years now because of one moment of thoughtless and abominably bad customer service. Perhaps it would be a good idea for companies to NEVER give such bad customer service.

[HighEndUser]

I am:

• Not in the military
• A former technical writer
• A former IT director
• Well above average computer user
• Have decades in technical support and graphic design

Unfortunately, I now don't even consider HP products. I have had to deal with HP support far too many times because, my expersion has shown that:

• Products fail quickly
• Drives are unstable
• Product advisory update notifications are inaccurate and grammatically incorrect to the point of confusion
• Support staff refuses to give complete or accurate answers
• Support takes multiple calls to resolve any issue
• Support staff rarely speak English and are just outright rude (Canadian staff is completely different)

I have had to go so far as to call their corporate offices before to report an abusive support rep who actually accused me of stealing a printer (It was the second replacement one for an all-in-one unit, and HP forgot to clear out the registration!!! And guess what I have to call HP about next week! That same unit. Oh joy.) and then cursed at me and wouldn't let me speak to his manager. If you can ever get to the folks in Canada, they are at least nice.

So, GarenT, what is the proper way to get proper service from HP? Feel free to contact me via the e-mail address associated with my account.

[HighEndUser]

I was wondering the same thing when I read that response. What, someone got mad because support provided a wrong answer?!? How dare a customer expect correct answers from the company!

[ml92370]

This appears to be just another example of a company being reactive, rather than proactive, to a situation.  I believe if the Capt. hadn't demonstrated his feeling upset in such a manner, he would have gotten zero response from HP.  Sure, they made good by him after they were called out, but what choice did they have at that point?  The TRUE choice point they had was having the policy of helping our military out first time every time BEFORE this happened.  Sure, its easy to close the barn door after the cows our out, but what's the point?  YOU STILL LOST THE COWS!!! So,  sorry HP; to this consumer, this is just an example of "to little to late"; and you have lost a potential customer for life.  LEXMARK makes just as reliable a product, and TI makes just as good a calculator.  You, have nothing left to offer...Good bye.

[BobInVA]

A personal friend of mine claims to know the soldier in this video.  According to him, HP did NOT reach out to him within hours and that it took 4 months to resolve the issue.   And that that only happened because he was in charge of ordering new equipment.  His name is Dirk Waldrop from Senatobia Mississippi.  Since that information is known to not be true, it makes me question everything else in this post.

[celliott121]

IRRESPONSIBLE CONDUCT????  The only irresponsible conduct that was apparent to me was from HP!!!  They OBVIOUSLY don't stand behind their products... or for that matter... their country!!!!!  The only reason HP responded "quickly" was because of the soldier's video.  WHO, BTW,  WAS RISKING HIS LIFE AT THE TIME!!!!

How dare ANYONE defend HP!  [Edit: Per guidelines keep it courteous]

I don't care how they changed their "policy" for active duty soldiers... giving them free tech support is a NO BRAINER!!!!  Even convenience stores give the policemen that come into their store free coffee for protecting them!!!!  Their "policy should have included common decency!!!!