Why HP Customer Service sucks?

Update on 07/25/2006:
I have now been formally billed 307.35 by HP for what they said will be free of charge. Turns out the person in HP Corporate (do they actually have Corporate folks...seems like they dont) and the HP Parts Store person who took my order (Charles at 1-800-227-8164 x 5559147) didnt promise me anything or atleast there is no record of it. So now HP says pay up or return the product for credit. We hear everytime we call Customer Service about "Your call is being recorded for Quality purposes". If this is not of use now, why have the recording. If HP revisits the recordings of my conversation with them, it should be apparent enough. But no. They wont do it. I am now returning the product. I have also lodged a complaint with BBB (#253027).

Lessons Learned:
1. HP sucks
2. HP Customer Service is even worse.
3. Never buy anything HP.
4. Make sure you take down names of all customer service reps you talk to in any conversation.
5. Request that anything promised by Customer Service immediately be noted in the order Notes section (they have one that they never mention to you about unless asked for).
6. And finally, dont buy anything HP (I know I am repeating this but it should give you an idea of the inconvenience, lost time and effort that went into something that yielded nothing).

After a whole lot of time logged in phone calls with HP Parts customer service I decided to write a post my travails with them. This should tie in really well with how customer perception and the so-called awards and ratings differ and by how much. It also shows how impersonal the company is while touting their "The Pc is personal" compaign.

On the 3rd of March 2006, I ordered a 256MB graphics card for my desktop to play my games better. I got an order confirmation immediately. I waited eagerly for my card to ship. Hours turned to days and days turned to months. The status online didnt change. The seasons did. Winter was over. Spring came and left..and then it was summer. In the meantime, I had called HP Parts Customer Service multiple times (I called them between 5 and 10 times) to be told EVERYTIME that the product was backordered until recently and that it was going to be shipped in the next week. The next week never came.

When I checked status online for the Nth time on the 14th of July, I noticed that my order was cancelled. No warning. No reason. Just cancelled. By this time I had realised how much the company differed from what they claimed to be. HP is just another behemoth that cares two hoots about its individual customers. It likes the money we spend on its products. But just doesnt really care about how we suffer. I called Customer Service immediately and was sent from pillar to post (each pillar gave me a different reason why my order was cancelled - product unavailable to credit card denied) all the way upto Executive office. A lady in the Executive office started asking me stupid questions like what PC I owned and how old it was, that was completely irrelevent to the problem at hand and only outlined how removed the company was from reality. I could use the graphics card to stomp on. Why would the company care as long as I paid for it and knew what I was doing?

Coming back to the story, the Executive office lady redirected me to the Parts Customer Service section to redo my order and provide a VALID CREDIT CARD. Did I mention that I have been using this card for 4 years now and continue to use it on an almost daily basis?. Nevermind. I gave them a different credit card only to be told the product was no more sold by HP. The Parts store "expert" was unable to recommend a viable alternative from their store even after consulting other "parts experts". It took me all of 5 minutes to select an alternative from their store and a "new" order was created. I was explicitly told that HP would NOT be charging me for their repeated blunders. I figured this would be the very end of my ordeal. WRONG.

The new order confirmation came with a bill for 307 dollars. I called back immediately only to not be able ot reach the same Customer Service Rep. The other rep who handled the issue said that the new order or the old order had no notes saying that HP would be taking care of the bill. So now after 6 months of waiting and letting go of innumerable good offers on graphics cards, I am asked to pay 307 dollars for what amounts to multiple critical flaws in the famed and much ballyhooed customer service of HP.

I am at a loss of words. I figured as the helpless consumer who has spent hours wrangling to no use, I need to atleast let others know why companies like HP thrive. Its because suffering customers like us do not make the right kind of noise. The kind that gets noticed. If you have had a similar customer service experience, with HP or any other MNC, I would definitely like to hear about it.

City Hall in Sunny Philly

 

Weekend in the Big Apple

Its NYC. What do you expect?

X3 and Chinese

X-Men 3 was a lot of fun. And where we watched it made it all the more enjoyable :)
If you didnt know, the picture above is of the Grauman's Chinese theatre in Hollywood Blvd, LA, California.

Work and be happy

Work has kept me busy but I hope to be back to my regular blogging soon. Until then, something about work to see and enjoy!
This picture was taken in the Amish County outside Philadelphia, PA.

Rainbow

I racked my brains for a more interesting title this post but decided to stick with the simplest. The shot was taken last week from my house on a wonderful evening when the rain had left a lasting impression in the sky.

I live for this!

 

Its baseball season again. Will the Sox get it together after an oh-so-average season last year?. Will it be the Yankees after 6 years?. Will it be the WhiteSox repeating it?. So many questions. And so many reasons to watch the baseball season this year.

I know I will be rooting for my RedSox.

Who will you be rooting for? 

Chronicles of Collegeville:The Brush, the paint and the ladder. (a.k.a) Home Painting Tips from one novice to another.

Long long ago, there was a couple who believed that they could paint their house. They had never painted before but the lure of TLC and HGTV was too difficult to resist and the ladder and paint beckoned to them when they decided to move into a new house. Little did they know how hard it would be. Painting is hard, tiring, agonizingly long but most of all, a whole lot of fun. It was not this easy, when a partly painted house (a bad color at that) and an unpainted rest was what they started with. Along the way, they learnt a lot of things that they believe should be shared with all those other novices out there who, being the foolish romantics, think they too can. Here are some of those pearls of painting wisdom for you.

1. First off, HGTV and TLC are overrated for the most part. Yet, amidst all the unwanted stuff, there are some vignettes of wisdom you could do with. So start watching it if you intend ever painting your house or apartment.

2. The bargain bin in Borders, Barnes and Nobles and their smaller siblings (Borders Express, Brentanos, etc.) are excellent places to find cheap, colorful and extremely heavy tomes on painting ideas. Like their TV counterparts, these guides are filled with a whole lot of unwanted stuff but have some hidden gems you could start your project with.

3. When you decide to paint, plan your colors well in advance. A sampler (to-go) pack doesnt hurt. Lowes, Home Depot and Sherwin Williams keep coming with promotions to save 20-30% off on paints. Look for the ads. Spend your time visiting all the aforementioned stores and looking at their average prices, color selection and availability. In general, the more personal effort and money you spend, the better will be your final paint result.

4. Be prepared to experiment. Be creative. Its your house for Gods sake. Do what you feel like. Not what the world feels is the way a room should look. You are going to live there and the sense of accomplishment is all the more when you do it your way.

5. Dont ever scrimp on quality of paint, brushes, or rollers. They make a BIG difference. Trust the ones who have learnt it the hard way. Look at it this way. By conservative estimates, you are saving atleast $250 dollars a room (for a small one) by painting it yourself. You owe it to the room and the final look to give it the best of best. And the difference in cost is not more than 10-15% between the average and the best of supplies. Why be penny wise and pound foolish?

6. Dont forget to buy a lot of rags and kitchen towels and drop cloth (both canvas and polythene). They are truly invaluable. Also, having a gallon of primer (both the white and gray versions for light and dark colors) helps. A good ladder never goes waste.

7. Buy a lot of rollers. Roller reuse is bad idea. Even after a great wash, the quality of roller is so bad that it doubles your effort when you reuse it. Not to mention a wall with white spots all around. Having a couple of roller poles/extenders is also a good idea. It reduces your effort big time.

8. If you havent moved into a house, plan as much as possible to paint before moving or before loading the room with stuff. Its infinitely more difficult to paint with things around the room.

9. On the day of painting, be prepared to do this and nothing else. Painting is very tiring and strenuous. If you have back pain of any sort, be prepared for more at the end of the day.
Before the actual paint job, have the rags, a bucket of water, some kitchen towels, and spare everything at hands reach. Disposable gloves are a God send. Have enough of them around. They are cheap and universally available.

10. Be prepared to order in or cook in advance. You are not going to be able to do both painting and a lunch.

11. Make sure you either have your phone closeby or switch it off. Rushing to get the phone in the midst of painting, results in a whole lot of problems ranging from an irritated fellow painter to paint stains on the floor, wall or possible your phone and what not.

12. Eat well before and between the painting effort. Have some soda around. It really gives you a refreshing feel amidst the paint job.

13. The smell of paint can be overwhelming for very many. Either stay away from it or have your favorite headache pill around. Trust me. You'll need it.

14. Painting thrives on preparation. Every minute spent in preparation is 10 minutes saved while actually painting.

15. Painting is a fun job especially for couples. Be prepared for a tough day but never lose your sense of humor. There is nothing worse than a foul mood and a paint job. They almost never go together.

Many of the tips above are from the tens of books we consumed as part of the learning process and the hours spent watching various programs on TV. I have tried to summarise them to save you the time. The sense of accomplishment you get after seeing your handiwork is priceless. That alone is worth all the effort.

Enjoy your painting !

Rang De Basanti : Paint me Yellow

Rang De Basanti :: Official Web Site

I got a chance to see this movie last evening. Very thought provoking. Within the "Indian mass entertainment" format, the director weaves a tale that juxtaposes the turbulent times of 1930 -31 when Bhagat Singh and his friends revolutionised the freedom movement and the youth of today, quite unlike the youth of Bhagat Singh times. The slow yet powerful awakening of the youngsters of today makes for great thought provoking cinema. The acting is top notch led by the ever dependable Amir Khan and the brilliant Atul Kulkarni with excellent performances by Siddharth (he is a revelation), Soha Ali Khan, Sharmaan Joshi and Kunal Kapoor.

Watch it. It makes you think. The same cannot be said for the many hundred movies that the Indian film factory churnes out every year. This is good cinema at its best. Funny, sad, and most importantly, intelligent.

Nalladhor Veenai

During my recent trip to India, I got a chance to see the movie "Varumayin Niram Sirappu". While it reflects more of things at the time then, the way KB blends Bharathiyar into the storyline is amazing. The depth of each song complements the situations and vice versa. I wanted to revisit one exceptional piece in this post.

The composition "Nalladhor Veenai" juxtapositioning an idealistic and jobless Kamal trying to get a meal and his illustrious singer father singing the song in a concert in Delhi is exceptional. Kamal loses everything but his ideals and thus has everything. His father has everything but nothing since his son is not to be found and hence no peace of mind. The song and its lyrics are here along with the rest of the tracks in the movie. I am sure many of you have seen the movie, heard the songs but give it another shot and you will never regret it.

Movie Name: Varumaiyin Niram Sivappu (1980)
Singer: Balasubramanyam S P
Music Director: Viswanathan M S
Lyrics: Bharathiyaar, Kannadasan
Year: 1980
Actors: Kamal Hassan, Sridevi

nalladhoar veenai seydhae - adhai
nalangedap puzhudhiyil erivadhundoa

(nalladhoar)

solladi sivasakthi - enaich
chudarmigum arivudan padaiththuvittaay
vallamai thaaraayoa - indha
maanilam payanura vaazhvadharkae
solladi sivasakthi - nilach
chumaiyena vaazhndhidap puriguvaiyoa

(nalladhoar)

visaiyurup pandhinaip poal - ullam
vaendiyapadi seyyum udal kaettaen
nasaiyaru manam kaettaen - niththam
navamenach chudar tharum uyir kaettaen...uyir kaettaen...uyir kaettaen
thasaiyinaith theechchudinum - siva
sakthiyaip paadum nallagam kaettaen
asaivuru madhi kaettaen - ivai
arulvadhil unakkedhum thadaiyuladhoa (2)

(nalladhoar)

And here is another gem from the movie.

Movie Name: Varumaiyin Niram Sivappu (1980)
Singer: Balasubramanyam S P
Music Director: Viswanathan M S
Lyrics: Bharathiyar, Kannadasan
Year: 1980
Actors: Kamal Hassan, Sridevi

theerththak karaiyinilae therku moolaiyil shenbagath thoattaththilae
paarththirundhaal varuvaen vennilaavilae paanigiyoadenru sonnaay
vaarththai thavarivittaay adi kannammaa maarbu thudikkudhadi
paarththa idaththilellaam unnaip poalavae paavai theriyudhadi
paavai theriyudhadi

(theerththak)

maeni kodhikkudhadi thalai sutriyae vaedhanai seygudhadi
vaanin idaththaiyellaam indha vennilaa vandhu thazhuvudhu paar
moanaththirukkudhadi indha vaiyagam moozhgith thuyilinilae
naanoruvan mattilum pirivenbadhoar naragath thuzhaluvadhoa (2)

(theerththak)

It happens only in India

I am back from an awesome trip to India. More on that later. Here is a sampler from my photo collection. And yes, its all India and absolutely no photoshop.

(Taken outside the town of Nagercoil in the southernmost part of India)

Wedding in the shadows

I attended the wedding of two fellow bloggers in India last week. Since I have not gotten the green signal from them yet, I will post a picture of their shadows now and their faces later...

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

A quick review. Shalini and I did get a chance to see the first screening of the latest Harry Potter movie, "HP and the Goblet of Fire" at 12 last night. The movie is definitely the best Potter movie, yet. Its dark, its definitely more mature and it is outright gorgeous. The sets and effects are fantastic and there are very few areas where the computer effects stick out like a sore thumb. Effects are felt as experiences and not as just effects.

The acting has improved significantly with the only complaint being that Hermoine cribs too much and Dumbledore seems a trifle too angry at times contradicting his character in the book. That said, the chemistry between the lead characters is very good and new additions are all good. Ralph Fiennes as Voldermort, rocks !

The best part about the movie is the picturisation of the TriWizard tournament. It looks unbelievable and the thrills are many and great.

In short, the movie to beat for the winter and well, the movie to beat for future Potter ones themselves.

Here are some critics reviews:
NY Times
Chicago Sun Times

Fall, falling, fallen !

And Fall is over. Atleast officially. The weather has been surprisingly pleasant for the last week or so but things are changing...and the colorful leaves are history. For the year atleast.

So until Spring, here is to a bleak landscape and nightfall at 4.

Fall, at the door.

The nights are getting colder.
There are still a few that are holding on to their color.
But soon, it will be all black and all grey.
And Winter will be here.

Spicy!!!

This picture was taken at the same place I got many of my Fall pics and the previous Halloween post.

Its Halloween

Here is a Halloween picture that I shot in a nursery close by. I have since then seen a lot of innovative Halloween arrangements but this one blends the natural significance with pumpkins and the one with ghosts and all. And for trivia buffs, here is some information on the significance of Halloween.

Fall in Pa

Fall colors have started appearing all over town and this one is the best I have seen this season. This was taken on an evening drive around the place I live, Devon, Pa.

Man, Machine, God and Nature

This photo was sheer good luck. I had parked my car on a rainy night under the lights and the rain and lights together were creating this unique pattern above the dashboard of the car. Thankfully the camera was on hand and I got Shalini or rather her hand to pose for the photograph.

The honeymoon is over.

And thus the reign ended. It was nice and glorious while it lasted. After a comeback for generations last Fall to win the World Series, the RedSox sputtered and fell yesterday to the Chicago WhiteSox in the ALDS. It was shocking to few but expected by many. Inspite of tying for the top position in the AL East with the Yankees, the 2005 RedSox had been plagued by injuries, player chemistry and everything else that made it almost impossible for the RedSox to defeat a much better White Sox. There was a finality for the Idiot team of 2004 which will spread far and wide in the off season. While Theo pulled the almost impossible in holding most of the champion team together last offseason, changes are inevitable this year.

Yesterday, the loss was much less of a thought. The feeling of sadness in seeing the team splitting this offseason was evident in fan forums and message boards and the field. Millar, Damon, Timlin, Mueller have probably played their last game for the RedSox. And much as I hate even thinking about it, one of the greatest hitters in recent memory, Manny Ramirez, might be soon saying goodbye to the Fenway Faithful. The lovable RedSox of 2004 are soon going to be distant dream but the camaraderie and sheer joy they brought to the clubhouse and field would be remembered forever.

Goodbye team of 2004/2005. We loved you inspite of your problems and inconsistencies. We believed. You delivered . That alone is worth a lifetime of joy and joyful retrospection. May the best happen to all of you.
We will never forget the Fall of 2004.