HP had implemented an additional wait time in several European countries for customers seeking telephone help. HP is now abandoning the plan after negative reactions from customers.
HP is doing away with a controversial phone support rule. Anyone in France, Germany, Italy, Ireland and the UK who wanted to get someone from HP on the line had to be patient for at least 15 minutes. The company had implemented a 15-minute minimum wait time for telephone help since early last week. That’s what The Register reported based on internal communications it was able to review.
ITdaily sought comment from HP, which has since announced that the 15-minute rule has been dropped. The manufacturer frames the customer-unfriendly measure as an attempt to improve service. The reasoning goes like this: “We are always looking for ways to improve our customer service. This support option was intended to provide more digital capabilities, with the goal of reducing the handling time of inquiries. However, we found that many customers were not aware of the digital support options we offer.”
HP goes on to explain why the policy was dropped: “Based on initial feedback, we know that being able to quickly speak with a staff member is very important to customers. Therefore, we continue to prioritize direct telephone support so that we can continue to provide an excellent customer experience.”
In other words, HP found that customers who call a human would like to call a human and not be lied to about imaginary wait time. Indeed, HP was not honest about the reason for the wait time.
Customers who called in hopes of receiving support from a fellow human being were first told that the call center was experiencing above-average traffic, and that a caller would only be available in about 15 minutes. That message was independent of any real pressures. HP then encouraged callers to find their own solution online. Over the course of the quarter, HP repeats that message.
Mandatory self-help
The mandatory waiting period was supposed to steer more people toward “self-help. HP has a lot of documentation online, including FAQs. The company prefers that callers solve their problems themselves with those digital tools. HP does not distinguish between customers who have already searched online and those who call immediately: everyone has to wait 15 minutes.
Employees at HP were not happy with the policy, which could be called customer unfriendly and misleading, to say the least. An anonymous source within HP stated the following: “Many within HP are not happy with the measures, and the fact that they are being taken by people who are not in touch with the customers who are being impacted.”
Anyone who wants to get a human being on the line today would, in principle, no longer face imaginary waiting times.
This article originally appeared on Feb. 21, 2025. It has been updated with the latest information.