this post was submitted on 22 Feb 2025
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Technology

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HP ditches 15-minute wait time policy due to 'feedback' (www.theregister.com)
submitted 1 day ago by alyaza@beehaw.org to c/technology@beehaw.org
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HP Inc today abruptly ditched the mandatory 15-minute wait time that it imposed on customers dialling up its telephone-based support team due to "initial feedback."

As The Register exclusively revealed yesterday, HP introduced the minimum time that PC and print users would need to wait before they spoke to a human being. This was to lean on customers to use online alternatives such as social channels or live chat.

This came into force for folks phoning up the call center in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, and Italy on February 18. It went down like a lead balloon internally at HP, with some staff on the front line unhappy that they were having to deal with a decision taken by management, who didn't have to directly interact with customers left hanging on the telephone… for at least 15 minutes.

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[–] jay2@beehaw.org 15 points 23 hours ago

HP was great in the 90's. They made quality stuff back then. My HP4MV's were like a tank. They built a great name for themselves legitimately. That all changed in 2000 when that dingbat took over as CEO. Everything they made became ultra cheap. When I'm out shopping, I've been known to approach random strangers that I observe looking to buy a printer just to tell them how bad HP is.

I personally stopped using them in 2002 after a brand new HP-5610 multifunction doc center cockblocked itself from windows 98 because I plugged in the usb data cable that connects the computer and printer without installing their bloaty software FIRST. It was a long night reinstalling the OS I had just reinstalled the week prior. Their helpdesk was so infuriatingly dumb and unhelpful I made it a goal to steer anyone away from them that I can.

The Brother laserjet I purchased as a replacement in 2007-ish is still going strong as well. I've never even serviced it (other than replacing toner and paper). Admittedly, it's getting tired after 18 years.

You do not need to support a company that treats its customers as badly as HP does, and never support anyone or anything that thinks you deserve to stand there like an idiot for 15 minutes before they can do their job for you. That, kids, is called neglectful and disrespectful.