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General discussion

Problems with HP nx7000 widescreen notebook

Feb 5, 2004 12:43AM PST

I just wanted to tell the story of what has been going on with my nearly new notebook, and share what I believe is appalling customer service from HP.

2 weeks ago my 3 month old notebook decided it didn't want to boot up. It would turn on, but then it would just sit there with the power light on, doing nothing. I called HP's tech support and they told me it would have to be returned to them to be fixed. At the time I asked them if they could replace it as it was so new, and I needed it for work - I can't be without a PC when I work in the IT industry... They said no, but said it would be a 5 day turnaround on getting my laptop fixed. I was told it would be collected next day from me.

The next day came, and it got to about 4 p.m. and I thought I'd phone them to see why they hadn't collected it yet - it turns out that they don't collect it themselves, they have a 3rd party repair house who does the work, so they give me their phone number, and I call them. They apparently don't collect it automatically either, I am supposed to wait for them to contact me to arrange collection, and then I have to pay for this! news to me!. So in order to save time, I opted to courier it to them myself directly (as I would have to pay for it anyway).

A week goes by, and no sign of it turning up at the office, so I contact them, and they tell me they have replaced the motherboard on the laptop, and it is fixed, and I am supposed to wait for them to contact me to arrange sending it back to me at my cost. Okay, so I arrange to get it back to me.

So, Finally I get it back in my hands. I turn it on, and the power light comes on, and nothing else happens. Same problem as before. Now I am mad! So I phone up HP again, and no matter who I speak to (tech support, customer relations etc.) no one seems to care - no one (even the senior management it seems) has the authority to give me a replacement for my laptop. All they can do is tell their third party company to prioritise it's repair if I send it back into them.

I'm not going to detail all the phone calls that I made, but needless to say, eventually the only option I am left with is sending it back again and hoping that it is fixed properly, and in a more timely manner this time around.

Am I the only one who gets treated like this? I know for a fact that if this kind of situation arose within my company, we would be sending a courier bike to the customer with a replacement unit free of charge.

Needless to say, our company will never buy another piece of HP kit again, and I will never recommend them to anyone else either!

Discussion is locked

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The only problem I've found is heat.
Feb 5, 2004 1:00AM PST

Those models seem to not take well when used as desktop replacements. You have to get airspace under the unit or it overheats and quits.

I read your post twice and I don't see where HP failed on the warranty. Did you consider you needed 24 hour service? The stock warranty doesn't do that.

As to 3 months being new, I have a grim revelation for you. Laptops are annoying in that 3 months is a good chunk of the average laptop lifespan. We're lucky to get 3 years at the office. I will note we can't kill off the IBM Tanktops. But no one will take them after 3 years.

Bob

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Re:The only problem I've found is heat.
Feb 5, 2004 1:07AM PST

I haven't had any heat problems with it - it has the new centrino processor which is supposed to run much cooler, and when it is used in the office it is on the docking station so it has ventilation underneath it too.

I guess I am just totally frustrated because I know how well we look after our customers, and would never have let them go through this kind of thing. If a repair had failed like this, and the customer was obviusly in need of the equipment asap then we would have sent them a replacement.

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I hear you.
Feb 5, 2004 1:11AM PST

But I know that the warranty doesn't really state a turnaround time or offer a "rental car." Such offerings cost money and would drive the initial purchase price up.

It's a vicious circle but all comes down to "da' money."

Bob