I was listening to a call recording from our Service Quality Tracker, and the call was so ordinary, yet pointless, that I was inspired to create some video commentary.
As Peter says, there’s nothing really horrible about the call except that it’s exactly like every customer service call you’ve ever had to make. It’s oddly infuriating. Listen for yourself. —MEGHANN MARCO
RELATED: Send Us Your Customer Service Calls And We’ll Mock Their Flaws
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The main problem with technical support is that it’s all grouped into one lump area. People with legitimate problems that just need quick resolutions (like a warranty exchange) are grouped with people that are having trouble understanding how to use or set up their computer and need a slow walking through.
What is needed is the phone company concept of a demarcation point. If your phone line stops working, and you talk to the phone company, they will test your line at the box on the outside of your house. If the phone line works there, they are off the hook, the problem is inside your house. You can pay them to come in and fix it, or you can find somebody else competent to do the work for you. If the line doesn’t work at that box, then they are not providing you service and are required to fix whatever is going on behind those scenes. The interface between the customer and the provider is well defined.
A ‘demarcation point’ for a PC would perhaps be a bootable CD which would test all of the hardware on your computer, and report a pass or fail. If the hardware failed, then you would clearly be eligible for a warranty return. If the CD reported success, it would be a software issue, which would not be the job of the base support that you get when you purchase a computer. (You would be able to purchase ‘software support’ where you would have to run all of their software, etc, and they’d answer questions and hand hold and walk you through)
A similar point for internet access would be the ethernet jack on the DSL modem. If that was providing “internet” (probably meaning you could reach a variety of sites and sustain a certain speed), then the problem is obviously on the PC and tech support should not have to deal with that. This could possibly be done with a small tester device, or another bootable CD and a PC.
This would serve as a well-defined spec of what the provider/manufacturer was actually providing. There would always be exceptions for things that did not get tested, but could somehow break. These would be rare, and would get rarer as this method progressed.
This way, the base warranty or service support would be dealing with problems that were their responsibility to fix. There would be very little troubleshooting, and the ball would be mostly in the companies court to rectify it (warranty return or fixing your internet service). There’s not much arguing with a test CD which says XXX is broken.
Those who need hand holding would be paying for it, either through phone support from their manufacturer or another vendor, or they could opt for somebody local to them to do it face to face. This would therefore be a money-making operation, rather than grouped with the money-cost department of warranty support.
I called HP around 20 times the winter regarding my girlfriends laptop that was sent in for repairs. Some calls lasted 2-3 hours. That hold music gave me shivers when I heard it again.
I’ve been hung up on by the best of them. It’s all about predictive dialing, etc. They’ll send the call but the chances of having someone available to help you on the other end are pretty slim.
Why? Because they’ve outsourced all the people that could potentially help you.
And it isn’t just HP, but Dell too. I remember when I bought the SO’s laptop the wireless card died after a month. I went through several hours of calls with Dell, had to re-install windows on the damned machine when I knew damned well it was the wireless card.
And then there’s Cox. When you have issues with Cox they let you talk to a computer that’s more infuriating than ever. I just sit there and scream “AGENT!” at it until it pukes and puts me through to a human.
Although I can’t possibly defend the quality of outsourced customer service in cases like this, many commenters are suggesting or implying that the Indian CSRs don’t know English. You should all be aware that India used to be a British colony and that, in fact, English is a major language in India. The Indian CSRs most people speak to are in all likelihood NATIVE speakers of English. Listen to it again: he’s not making on-the-fly translation mistakes the way non-native English speakers do. That CSR is a native speaker of English. He just has a regional (Indian) accent. It would be little different if HP had outsourced to Britain: same language, different accent. We may not be able to understand the CSR’s accent, but it’s not because he’s ignorant. It’s because we are.
AngrySicilian: The statement was made in a comment above. Scroll up to read.
Also, the same video appears on their corporate site alongside an explanation of how this process works:
http://www.vocalabs.com/sqtrack/
I swear! Almost Identical to what happened with me and DELL, only I only had my irritation to support me in my frustration. I ended up just downloading a copy of the *cough “factory” system software (XP) …..someone’s gotta pay right……
Thank you VocaLabs! I’m buying stock!
@KOURI: Trick to Dell support, tell them you run a small business. If you buy a system you’ll often get a Dell Rep calling you like a week after you get the computer asking if everything is OK, and he’ll give you his (or her, sigh) personal phone number if you need anything.
I will NEVER buy an HP computer product after listening to this.
@kmunoz:
I must disagree. It’s not just the accent. The CSR’s in India may be native English speakers, but their English is a formal, stilted version that is only made worse by the apparent requirement that they stick to scripted responses. None of us would mind speaking to someone with an Indian accent if only they spoke in American vernacular AND actually responded in a natural fashion to what is said to them. But what is most annoying to me is the total lack of individual personality or sense of humor in these Indian CSR’s. It’s impossible to joke around with them, tease a bit, chat about the weather or do any of the other stuff that makes normal human discourse tolerable. That’s why their apologetic language is so unsatisfying–it’s like getting an apology from a robot. I know there are some real people out there in outsource-land, and I’d love to feel like I’m speaking to one when I call. I often end up calling in the wee hours and just once would like to hear a Indian CSR notice my time zone and say “Wow, you’re up late tonite!” (like those nice ladies at Lands End used to do). It would change the whole tenor of the experience.
As someone who has had to deal with HP (for replacement parts/etc) at my workplace over the years, I can only advise that some issues are best dealt via e-mail.
Oh, but make sure to include the CPU Model, Serial #,Replacement Parts #, and shipping info. Also, remember sure to list all the things you tried that didn’t work — you know, to avoid such beauties as these (if you were to call):
Customer: I need my hard drive replaced. It is dead and no longer powers up/spins.
Support: Sir, have you ran our diagnostic software on the hard drive?
Customer: The drive isn’t detected since it does not power up and yes it is plugged in
Support: Sir, have you tried re-installing Windows?
You get the point…
Oh yea, one more thing — someone should do a survey across a range of companies and see how many of them actually use the answers from the automated system on the current call. My guess is that for many it’s just used as a statistical measure and nothing else.
@ungsunghero: Live online support chats make me laugh — the best are the ones that force you to login with your on-file account login/password — only to proceed to ask you questions to verify your identity — you know, the same questions that that are clearly editable/viewable from the account profile you just logged into — retarded!
The reason the CSR asks for the serial number and model number, even though they are already in the file, is pretty simple.
Many companies have multiple printers of the same class and model. They will buy one service plan and attempt to use it on every printer of that model.
Verifying the serial and model prevents this sort of gamesmanship. The serial also tells HP when the thing was made, if it’s still under warranty, etc.
/Worked helpdesk support for 3 years.
//Yes, it should still have been handled in less than 2 minutes.
1) Hi! Who are you?
2) What sort of equipment are you using?
3) What’s the nature of the problem?
That’s all anyone needs to solve a problem.
What’s really sad is how HP has plastered all over their boxes what high ratings they get for their customer service. Either those ratings are bull, or their competitors are so much worse that HP looks good in comparison.
I don’t allow HP products in my home. I haven’t been impressed with anything they’ve done for quite some time now, and garbage like this just cements that.
Okay this must just be me—
Anyone else think the followup call was almost as bad as the first? She hardly even cares what his reaction is, she’s just filling in the boxes on her survey.
She could hav asked… “you wouldn’t recommend HP? why is that?” “how did this service not meet your expectations?” etc… Honestly I’m surprised VocaLabs is posting this here since their service doesn’t come across as comprehensive or helpful.
Wow. This could have been me. I had a very similar problem with my HP desktop. My hard drive died at the tender age of 14 months after I bought my PC. As I was troubleshooting I learned the drive was actually under recall from HP, meaning I get a free replacement.
I learned about the recall from the HP website, but customer service in India didn’t know WTF I was talking about…they’d never heard of it. They wanted to charge me $120 for a new hard drive until someone figured out what the recall was about. Ultimately, my credit card was charged the $120 and I was sent two hard drives. I got the charge reversed and just installed the second HD along with the other one. They didn’y ask for it back, and no way was I opening that can of worms again.
So, HP does this nifty thing, in order to avoid giving you install CDs, where they partition the hard drive and assume you can reinstall the OS from the partition if you need to. Sadly, if you need to reinstall because your hard drive died that software died with the drive.
Ergo, I was on the phone again with someone in India to tell them I needed install CDs. They wanted to charge me for them. I spoke to three different people before I convinced someone I was entitled to the software. Happily, I got the software, at no charge, in a few days.
I recently used Dell’s online chat service (because I’m well past the point of being able to actually use the phone for these types of calls) to ask the simple question of “How big of a hard drive can my motherboard/BIOS support?”
It took about 30 minutes to get my question answered, at which point the CSR began to go especially far out of her way to make sure that my computer was in “100% working order” to which I kept having to explain that “No, it’s not working now, but it should once I buy another working hard drive”. I eventually had to just close the chat after 10 or 15 minutes of trying to say thank you and explain that she had answered my question.
I received a call from her a day or two later, making sure my computer was working “perfectly”. I had less patience this time, and after saying that everything was fine, I ended up having to say I was eating and had to leave. I mean, the CSR was too helpful, to the point of being obnoxious. I’ve never experienced anything like it before.
From the technician angle, there are several errors at all
Too long dead-air time, especially the call was cut off and HP had no reply or explain for this issue!
The tech interrupted customer’s talking, too rude…
Not so sure about if the tech was doing something else for sounds a bit lost in call
Any one call in don’t expect this service.
HP need pay more attention to customer experience beside the product or solution. Customer satisfaction decide how far HP will continu to go.
Ok so now its our turn to rant. I work for tech support on Laser Jet printers and actually I work for HP and further more I am outsourced. I sound American mostly cause I live in North America and in the next couple lines I am going to educate you the Customer. It doesn’t matter for what multi million/billion company you work for everyone has a job to do so when you call in and get the hold music and wait 15 minutes remember that while your waiting im not just sitting around doing nothing I am walking the last guy who called in on how to do the most basic simple steps like
Plug in your power cable” then “Turn on your printer” or how about “No sir the printer doesn’t print in white thats the color of your paper” then I well spend the next 15 minutes FIGHTING with you to do the same set of basic instructions that i walked the last guy through while trying to get your information so I can do my job all while you bitch about how I don’t know what I am talking about and how you want a new unit. Then I well ask you to wait on hold to check into my recourses on this problem and why? because I support 6 Operating systems over 120 programs 196 different models of printers and everyone of them all with there own software and hardware and menu options and different issues after that I get try and narrow down the issue all in a timly manner cause you know troubleshooting computer issues are sooooo easy right. When i have the solution I well tell you your service options and then you well get all upset cause I cant send a tech out to fix it for you then complain how we don’t take care of our customers when really what your saying is you didn’t read your warranty that says no on site tech and you well bitch an moan and then tell me I’m stupid or an idiot or I am going to hell or you want to shoot me or your going to bomb my building OR better yet how you have cancer and are dieing and if i don’t send a tech you well beat your wife and shoot your dog in the head. I well then finally convince you to take it to the service center 10 min drive down your road, the same thing i have been trying tot ell you for 10 minutes while you told me you hate me and the company I work for (even though you know I’m outsourced and have no idea what company I work for) You well then hang up on my with out saying thank you not even realizing that all I tryed to do was fix your unit then I well take an 8 second breather to get over the fact that someone just threatened to kill me (AGAIN!!!) and hit my ready key to take the next guy who is going to do the exact same thing as the last one but with a different unite then after my 40 calls in one day working on a 10 hour shift (next excluding the almost guaranteed 2 hour over time I well get when that one CU calls in at the end of the day “Whats a network?” and all I want to do is tell him “If you are not smart enough to know how a computer works let alone turn one on or what a network is WHY HAVE ONE!!!”
Anyway just remember when you call we are underpaid WAY over worked and have hundreds of process we have to do and get done on a call all while trying to keep you happy when your ticked to begin with. Tech support is not an easy job.
I felt this was a repeat of the phone call I went through the other week.
This guy is lucky: I was on the phone for over 45 minutes, and I still hadn’t gotten what I wanted. HP customer service is TERRIBLE. Not only do their calls take forever, I can barely understand their Indian accents. If I brought the product in the US I should at least be able to speak to someone who speaks a Proper English.
Thanx for letting me express my opinions.
Unfortunately, tech support in general is bad and HP tech support is awful. Why? Because (for reasons I cannot explain) tech support is not important to the customer. If tech support WERE important, then customers would be willing to pay a bit more for products with good support. They are not. If tech support WERE important, then companies like HP with truly awful tech support would go out of business quickly. This does not happen.
Even if you value your time at minimum wage, it is pretty easy to spend more in time wasted on bad support than you have spent on the product purchase.
Do you think a start-up company whose business
plan was to hire competent people and treat them fairly, and provide superior tech support would get funded by VC’s? I don’t.
Personally, I have sworn off HP junk since 2000. Until a lot of other customers do the same, nothing will change.
Ive been on both sides of those types of calls. Sometimes as a CSR you dont always have all the information you should in order to help the customer, and can appear to the customer to be ineffectual or incompetent at times.
Having said that, not asking the customer what the problem is 4 min into the call is pathetic. And transfering the customer (or worse) when all they needed was a replacement set of recovery disks was inexcusable.
Oh and dont assume that the CSR intentionally hung up on the customer, he may have, but call center routing software is so shitty it could have easily been the phone system that disconnected the call