Randy tried to get new O and P keys for his HP laptop. The outsourced, English-is-not-his-first-language, customer service rep won’t sell or send him the keys and instead insists that Randy sit in for a $298 repair. Blithely indifferent to Randy’s increasing incredulity and rage, the customer service rep suggests that for that amount of money, Randy should just buy a new laptop for $400. That’s right, a new laptop because two of the keys are bad. The ridiculous chat transcript, inside…

[An agent will be with you shortly.]

[You are now chatting with Anthony .]

Randy: hello

Randy: ???

Randy: Anthony are u there….what will I say about the survey of this???

Anthony : Welcome to HP Total Care for notebook computer, my name is Anthony. Please give me a minute while I quickly review the issue description.

Randy: ok

Anthony : I apologize for the delay.

Anthony : HelloRandy,

Anthony : How are you doing today ?

Randy: not well just got a huge run around from tech by telephone when my system info clearly shows my warranty date of 4/7/08

Randy: I just need these 2 keys that I can easily replace myself

Randy: service ID 18097

Anthony : As I understand correctly you want the O and P keys for yourlaptop, am I correct ?

Randy: serial # CNF80347X1

Randy: Product# KC 489UA#ABA

Randy: yes those keys

Anthony: Thank you for the information.

Anthony: Thank you for the information.

Anthony: May I know what happen to the keyss ?

Randy: The plastic connectors under the key have not held up…ihey are very delicate and have splitf you have seen them t

Randy: so the keys won’t stay on

Randy: I assume it is wear, sorry to say not well made by the looks of them

Anthony : May is it the issue because of a damage ?

Randy: no use

Anthony : Okay, thank you for the information.

Anthony : I am really very sorry to say that we will not be able to shipp you only two keys for that you need to send the laptop for the repair to us.

Anthony : I am really very sorry to say that your notebook is out of warranty .

Randy: Then why does my HP info on my computer system info page show the warranty start date of 4/7/08?

Anthony : As I have seen from my rewources your notebook warranty had end on 03/11/2009 .

Randy: SERVICE ID IS 18097

Randy: what do the keys cost i am tired of the hassle

Anthony : We will not be able to send only the keys to you.

Randy: why???

Anthony : As it is not the customer replaceable unit.

Randy: they snap on easily

Anthony : If you want to be fixed then you need to send the laptop in for the service.

Randy: this is bull…what kind of computer do u think I will purchase in the future with this kind of crap fromHP??

Randy: all this hassle for 2 keys?

Anthony : As it is no the customer replaceable unit you need to send tha laptop for the service only.

Anthony : And the service repair will cost you about 298 $.

Anthony : If you go any where it cost you the same.

Randy: you are crazy!!! costs 2 cents to make in China and 2 minutes to replace!!!

Anthony : If you send the laptop for service then it cost the sameRandy .

Anthony : It will be same every where.

Randy: Fine so glad I just purchased an Acer mini not a HP..so it is worth it for HP to screw over customers???

Anthony : NoRandy it will be the same for all the notebook whether it is HP of any other laptop.

Anthony : As the keys are not the customers replaceable part you have send the notebook for the service.

Anthony : So instead of getting two keys reaired for the cost of 298 $ you can get a new laptop for the minimum cost of 400 $ only.

Randy: Can’t wait to get my survey of this…can’t wait to get my consumer reports annual survey…in fact will be writing to the editor…hope to see it in an upcoming issue..$298 for 2 keys!!!

Anthony :Randy if you want t to be reaptired you ahve to pay the 298 $ as it is the service repair charge.

Anthony :Randy we not sending you the keys as one theing is they are not a customers replaceable part.

Randy: you know this is ridulous for 2 keys…

Anthony : And the othere is if send you the keys you will not be able to fix the keys by yourself.

Anthony : That is the reason we tell the customer to send the notebook for the service.

Randy: bull, I can pull them off right now myself and push tem on, it is easy to do, you’d have to be an idiot to not be able to do it

Anthony : If you do most of the times settings of the key pad might gone bad.

Randy: they click right into place, it is only that the plastic on them underneath has split

Anthony : And it will affect the functionality of the keyboard and the notebook.

Randy: nothing wrong with keypad whatsoever who do you think you are kidding???

Anthony :Randy, it is the fact if you try to do it by your own most of the times it will affect and sometimes also damage the internal hardware of the notbook.

Randy: ask a supervisor to get me the keys… I am now coping and pasting this conversation to send to consumer reports with my letter to the editor…so absurd,, $298 for 2 keys….

Anthony : This is because the keys are not the customer replaceable unit.

Anthony : That is the reason we are taking the notebook in for service and
that cost you about 298 $.

Anthony : I am giving you the same information as I have seen from my reosurces.

Anthony : If the keys are got damaged then they have to be replaced and we cant do that manually.

Anthony : That is the reason we taking the notebook in for the service so that our best technition can go ahead and repair the notebook for our prestigious and loyal customers.

Anthony : So that they will not suffer the same issue again in future.

Anthony : Or face the same issue in future.

Randy: give me a break you only wish to rip me off with an outrageous price to repair something that anyone could do…

Randy: loook for this in consumer reports they will lvoe it…$298 for 2 plastic keys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Randy: hope the execs at HP like it too!

Randy: what is your employee ID #

Anthony : Yes I know but if the keys got damaged then only one fix is there that is take the notebook in for the service and repair it for our customers, so that they will not face the same issue in futuer.

Randy: your employeeID #

Anthony : We are very much concern about our customers.

Anthony : I am really sorry to say that we are suppose to give any information about us .

Anthony : Are you there with me ?

Randy: send me an e-mail containing this chat

Randy: rm@comcast.net

Anthony :Randy I am really sorry to say that we will not be able to send chat session onto your email address .

Anthony : Are you there with me ?

Anthony : Please respond if you are still connected as the non responsive might lead to disconnection of the chat session.

Anthony : Thank you for contacting HP Total Care Real-Time chat support. For any further assistance, please contact us again at: http://www.hp.com/support/chat
Chat support is available 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week.
Stay connected and protected with HP’s new online storage and sharing service, HP online. To try it FREE for one year, please visit: http://redirect.hp.com/svs/rdr?TYPE=4&s=upline&tp=upline_email&pf=cndt&locale=en_us&bd=pavilion&c=none
For information on keeping your HP and Compaq products up and running, please visit our Web site at: http://www.hp.com/go/totalcare

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I’ve been in the same situation asRandy. What he needs to do is buy a replacement keyboard himself from a parts supplier, should cost him $30-$100 depending on what kind it is and they’re pretty easy to replace yourself. Unfortunately you can’t buy single laptop keys to replace. Of course, HP would never tell him this and would prefer to sell him a new laptop…

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