Blackjack1
02-16-2001, 03:09 PM
About a year ago, I decided to purchase a HP printer with a cost of $495 plus tax. One month after the warranty ran out, it smoked the main processor chip. I wanted the printer repaired, so I called HP Support. The following is about how it went.
“Hello, HP Support, I need to talk to a technician about getting an estimate to repair a printer.” The operator said “OK, give me a credit card # so we can apply a $30 charge”. “A $30 charge for what, all I want is an estimate for a printer repair.” The operator replied “SIR! if YOU WANT to talk to a technician, you MUST pay $30 upfront”. Reluctantly, I agreed. And then, the technician came on the line. “Hello, Tech Support, I want to get an estimate for repairing a HP printer.” “OK”, he said, “ship the printer to us with a payment of $295”. Rather stunned, I said “$295? how do you know the cost of repair if you don’t know what is wrong with the printer?” He replied “That is a flat rate we charge, whether we fix the printer or not”. I said, “Let me get this straight, if you don’t fix the printer, it will still cost me $295?” “That is right”, he replied. My next question was “Do you have any job openings?” (I would like to get in on a deal like this.)
They manufacture the printer, but may not be able to repair it (I have not figured that one out yet). They will probably want you to pay shipping charges to get the unrepaired printer back to you (didn’t ask this, was afraid I would get charged another $30).
Now I know how they can afford to put carpet on the floor. I also know why they charged $30 upfront, because most people in their right mind would not pay $295 + shipping with no guarantee that a printer that cost $495 would be fixed. They just made an easy $30 off me and I am out looking for a new printer. Needless to say, they just also lost a HP customer.
“Hello, HP Support, I need to talk to a technician about getting an estimate to repair a printer.” The operator said “OK, give me a credit card # so we can apply a $30 charge”. “A $30 charge for what, all I want is an estimate for a printer repair.” The operator replied “SIR! if YOU WANT to talk to a technician, you MUST pay $30 upfront”. Reluctantly, I agreed. And then, the technician came on the line. “Hello, Tech Support, I want to get an estimate for repairing a HP printer.” “OK”, he said, “ship the printer to us with a payment of $295”. Rather stunned, I said “$295? how do you know the cost of repair if you don’t know what is wrong with the printer?” He replied “That is a flat rate we charge, whether we fix the printer or not”. I said, “Let me get this straight, if you don’t fix the printer, it will still cost me $295?” “That is right”, he replied. My next question was “Do you have any job openings?” (I would like to get in on a deal like this.)
They manufacture the printer, but may not be able to repair it (I have not figured that one out yet). They will probably want you to pay shipping charges to get the unrepaired printer back to you (didn’t ask this, was afraid I would get charged another $30).
Now I know how they can afford to put carpet on the floor. I also know why they charged $30 upfront, because most people in their right mind would not pay $295 + shipping with no guarantee that a printer that cost $495 would be fixed. They just made an easy $30 off me and I am out looking for a new printer. Needless to say, they just also lost a HP customer.