ziggy
06-06-2002, 12:35 AM
:evil:
As is almost always the case, "NEW" isn't necessarily better. I bought my 1st Compaq handheld back when Windows CE was still 2.1, and 16M was considered huge, and have always returned to Compaq when purchasing new computer equipment because of the exceptional treatment I have received whenever a problem arose. I have owned three iPAQ's, 2 Aero's and a laptop from Compaq, but unfortunately that relationship has just ended. The power button on my latest iPAQ, a 3850, has recessed into the unit and does not work. I thought there would be no problem, since I also purchased a "Next Business Day" Carepaq. The process has been a nightmare however, and after making my initial call Friday, May 31st, I still do not have a replacement unit. I was told on Monday and Tuesday, that someone pushed the "wrong button", and therefore they "forgot" to ship the unit, which brought the ship date to yesterday. Surprised to find that UPS did not have a package for me this morning, I called Compaq (HP) again, and was told that the plane had mechanical problems and was running late. That would have been fine except that the real problem was that they had shipped it to the wrong address, and I had to wait until I went home to get it. The fact that UPS had left it on my porch in a Thunderstorm didn't seem to bother anyone at HP either, and they apologized four about the 10th time. Feeling a little frustrated, I arrived home to find my new unit in the garage (sigh of relief), and started to feel a little better until I opened the bow and discovered that my 64M unit had been replaced with a refurb 32M one (refurb is fine, 32M is not). I put in yet another call to HP, and after over an hour on the phone, the best resolution I could get was that they would try to get me another replacement by Friday (sic). Yes, today is Wednesday, which means that if I had made my original claim today, I would have a new one by Thursday, but because of all of the problems that I've been through, they have offered to get it here in 1 extra day just to be sure. The official reason was that since I called so late in the day, that they had the right to ship it in the morning, thereby avoiding any extra charges they might incur by having a late evening UPS pickup. I was also told that if I was not happy with the resolution that they had come up with, that a customer service rep would be happy to discuss it with me in "2 or 3 days". Apparently, the "NEW" HP has decided that they have enough "NEW" customers to be bothered with anything so trivial as meeting the expectations created with us "OLD" ones. Well, I am no longer an "OLD" customer of Compaq and HP. I am an EX one!
As is almost always the case, "NEW" isn't necessarily better. I bought my 1st Compaq handheld back when Windows CE was still 2.1, and 16M was considered huge, and have always returned to Compaq when purchasing new computer equipment because of the exceptional treatment I have received whenever a problem arose. I have owned three iPAQ's, 2 Aero's and a laptop from Compaq, but unfortunately that relationship has just ended. The power button on my latest iPAQ, a 3850, has recessed into the unit and does not work. I thought there would be no problem, since I also purchased a "Next Business Day" Carepaq. The process has been a nightmare however, and after making my initial call Friday, May 31st, I still do not have a replacement unit. I was told on Monday and Tuesday, that someone pushed the "wrong button", and therefore they "forgot" to ship the unit, which brought the ship date to yesterday. Surprised to find that UPS did not have a package for me this morning, I called Compaq (HP) again, and was told that the plane had mechanical problems and was running late. That would have been fine except that the real problem was that they had shipped it to the wrong address, and I had to wait until I went home to get it. The fact that UPS had left it on my porch in a Thunderstorm didn't seem to bother anyone at HP either, and they apologized four about the 10th time. Feeling a little frustrated, I arrived home to find my new unit in the garage (sigh of relief), and started to feel a little better until I opened the bow and discovered that my 64M unit had been replaced with a refurb 32M one (refurb is fine, 32M is not). I put in yet another call to HP, and after over an hour on the phone, the best resolution I could get was that they would try to get me another replacement by Friday (sic). Yes, today is Wednesday, which means that if I had made my original claim today, I would have a new one by Thursday, but because of all of the problems that I've been through, they have offered to get it here in 1 extra day just to be sure. The official reason was that since I called so late in the day, that they had the right to ship it in the morning, thereby avoiding any extra charges they might incur by having a late evening UPS pickup. I was also told that if I was not happy with the resolution that they had come up with, that a customer service rep would be happy to discuss it with me in "2 or 3 days". Apparently, the "NEW" HP has decided that they have enough "NEW" customers to be bothered with anything so trivial as meeting the expectations created with us "OLD" ones. Well, I am no longer an "OLD" customer of Compaq and HP. I am an EX one!