July 15th - Adventures in Emailing

Since it was too late at night to call corporate, and I needed to do SOMETHING, I decided to launch an email assault. Here's the email I drafted:

Dear ___,

I am the owner of an HP dv9000 notebook, purchased in December of 2006. This notebook is used primarily as a desktop replacement, and has very rarely been opened/closed/transported. It has NEVER been dropped. It has NEVER been hit against any surface. It has NEVER had any liquid on it or near it.

Imagine my surprise when this morning, the left hinge connecting my notebook screen made an audible crack. I noticed the plastic housing had cracked and separated, exposing the screen. A quick Google search revealed thousands of other consumer complaints regarding the same problem, a website devoted to the problem (www.notebookhingecrack.com,) and talk of a class action lawsuit.

Believing the best about HP and its customer service, I called the main customer service line and spoke with a woman who informed me her supervisor authorized escalating my case to a case manager. I gave her my phone number and patiently waited.

I heard back from my case manager, Chris, this evening. While he was wonderful, well-spoken, and polite, he was the bearer of some horrible news - HP Corporate had instructed them not to issue any discounted or free repairs to consumers complaining of this problem, as the "limited service enhancement" had expired for my model in January 2009.

I am flabbergasted. Maybe, if I had been rougher with my notebook computer, travelled more with it, or given it a harsh drop or two, it would have broken within the terms of the service enhancement and I would be able to have it repaired. It seems that HP makes a practice of rewarding those customers who are rougher with their notebooks, and screwing over those who are gentler with them.

I am unemployed (my company filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy liquidiation in May of 2009) and my notebook is the ONLY computer in my household. It is my connection to email, my resume, references, cover letters, and online job searches. I am absolutely amazed and speechless that in this economy, HP would allow its "valued" American customers to suffer from a KNOWN DEFECT on their main employment tool yet refuse to repair it. I cannot fathom the logic in admitting a defect but refusing to fix it.

(THE PERSON I ADDRESSED TO), I urge you to make this right.

I am prepared to contact the Better Business Bureau with regard to your accreditation, as well as the Federal Trade Commission and any local news network or Problem Solvers organization that will hear my story. I understand World Law Direct is in the process of filing a class action lawsuit. I am prepared to start a publicized blog regarding my experience with HP customer service, and prepared to send out press releases to any news organization that will hear me.

If you have one shred of a conscience, I urge you to make this right among your consumers. You find yourself with a golden opportunity here - if you make this right, you will have made me an HP customer for life. If you do not, not only will I NEVER purchase another HP product, but I will see to it that everyone I know and everyone that will hear me will refrain from buying one, as well.

Please contact me as soon as possible.

-Victoria Hahl

I sent this to several email addresses:

Mark Hurd, President & CEO of HP through online form at http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/execteam/email/hurd/index.html

The HP Board of Trustees at BOD@hp.com

Several executives from the HP executive info. website: corpmediarelations@hp.com, ethan.bauley@hp.com, ann.finnie@hp.com, sheila.watson@hp.com

And then, seeing how HP formats its email addresses, for good measure I sent one to mark.hurd@hp.com. His middle name is Vincent - so I may try mvh@hp.com or other variants in the future, since his actual email address is not published.

In addition to my phone efforts, I will send this email to all of these addresses, EVERY DAY, until the problem has been resolved.