Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!bcstec!jsadler
From: jsadler@bcstec.UUCP (Jim Sadler)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp
Subject: Re: HP Customer Support...
Summary: support
Message-ID: <190@bcstec.UUCP>
Date: 30 Nov 89 05:40:21 GMT
References: <4310071@hpindda.HP.COM> <203@limbo.Intuitive.Com>
Organization: Boeing Computer Services, Seattle
Lines: 78

In article <203@limbo.Intuitive.Com>, taylor@limbo.Intuitive.Com (Dave Taylor) writes:
> Aaron Schuman, from HP's Information Networks Division, recently commented
> here in this forum that:
> 
> > HP has an excellent service department with procedures to ensure that every
> > customer gets helped.  There is a phone-in consultation service, a set of
> 
> While this might well be the company line, it is *not* the reality of
> the situation.  In fact, it's a wonder to me how HP can be rated so 
> highly on customer support, frankly.  I think that instead of showing that
> HP does it right, it demonstrates that everyone else does it even more
> poorly...

After dealing with HP for over 8 years, I have to agree 150%+ with dave on this
I think that the HP manuals are the best that I've used.  But they still need
considerable work.  (Yes, I've filled out the comment cards, checked the please
respond box and never received a reply)
> 
 Stuff about hp employees submitting bugs and being "resolved" only to have
 the bug show up again.
> one I submitted a defect via the internal Defect Tracking System like a
> good employee concerned with the quality of the end product.  NONE of them

Well I guess I can be consoled that what happens to me, happens to HP :-|

> Classic stories are those of my friends at HP Labs who submitted bugs in
> 1984 or 1985 and have only recently received a "bug closing report" that
> simply states "obsoleted by new release" when, ironically enough, they
> can go and duplicate the same bug in the most current OS release!

I reported a bug with the way cu doesn't find a open modem in 85 I believe
its still in the code.

> and solves it ASAP.  I have heard of some sites that have been without use of
> their machines for many months while waiting for their SE, customer support
> engineer, assigned engineer, etc to actually FIX the problem and send them a
> patch or workaround.

I hope to NEVER have this happen and it hasn't with any machine that I've
supported.

> been clamouring about for weeks here on the net, they simply have their SE's
> deliver the patch to those customers that ASK THE SE specifically about it

Unfortuneately this is true for several other vendors in the marketplace.  It's
almost "standard practice".  It a very poor way for any vendor too treat 
customers in MHO.

> 
> It would be an interesting experiment for HP to sponsor the creation of a new
> newsgroup "comp.sys.hp.patches" (or a mailing list, BBS, or whatever) and then

Sounds good the only problems is that instead of helping customers most vendors
listen to their legal departments.  Legal says "Be safe don't sell anything"

> 
> The most depressing thing to me is that HP is indeed one of the top companies
> in the computer industry when it comes to customer support!  Further, in my
> opinion (and in the opinion of many others) HP makes the most solid and 
> reliable computer equipment in the industry too, including their OS and
> applications.

 I think most of the good reputation that HP has comes from the commercial
 side of the house and not the technical/unix side.  I do agree about the 
 reliability of the hardware that hp produces.  The only disk drive I've seen
 go bad have been ones that were abused.

> 				From the trenches,
> 		
> 						-- Dave Taylor

Well that is my two cents worth.  I think HP is getting better, it's like 
watching a glacier move.  (I certainly can't say that my company is any better)



jim sadler
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