If I owned HP stock, I would SELL SELL SELL!
So on 9/13/2008 I ordered an HP Tablet tx2500z because my old Fujitsu tablet’s keyboard began to malfunction, so I took that opportunity to upgrade the system (after much thought, of course). There was a GREAT coupon code found on SlickDeals for an additional $150 off the already reduced price (price went from $1099 to 899), so I decided to pull the trigger on that deal.
After placing the order online, the site indicated it would take 10 days to build the machine. 10 days? And then an additional 5 - 7 days for shipping. Wha? Why so long? Well, I got a good deal, so I suppose I can wait. Mind you, I’ve been anxiously waiting for this system, as I have a lot of work to do… and… I spent a lot of money. So I want it!
It is now the 11th day of being “In Production”. I called this morning to the Customer Service line and spoke to a nice Indian woman (I could tell from the accent - and because I asked her). She was kind, however, I was less than patient at this point. She verified my information and then told me what I already knew
Customer Service: “The order is still in production sir.”
Me: “Yea, I knew that, that’s why I called. ”
She checked the system and there were no reported delays.
Customer Service: “Can you call back tomorrow and check?”, she said to me.
Me: “No, if I call back tomorrow, it will be to cancel my order and purchase the Dell tablet I should have ordered initially.”
Customer Service: “Ohh, sorry sir.”
Me: “I don’t want special treatment, I just want my item when it was promised to me”
Customer Service: “I understand. Please call back tomorrow.”
So, back to the title of this post. If I owned HP stock, I would sell it like it were infected with ebola. Why? Because if it takes HP 10 days to build a laptop, and they can’t even produce a laptop in 10 days, then there’s an internal problem within this company. Dell can produce laptops within 5 days of ordering, and have them out the door ON the 5th day. Why in the world can’t HP do that?
Finally, while the customer service person was nice and sweet, she was not helpful. Helpful, to me, means bringing to light something that I would not have noticed on my own, and thus, making the situation a bit more bearable, understandable, or at the very least give me some confidence that I won’t have to cancel my order and go with a competitor. She was none of these.
This may have been a random occurrence, but I find it hard to believe. I think the cheap and low quality of the Compaq has crept its way up the chain of command, to the point where the company can’t even stay true to a very gracious and heavily padded deadline (10 days is just crazy!).
EDIT: 10.7.08
Another reason why I would sell, if I owned the stock, of course (and may explain why my experience was sub-par as a consumer): LiNK