In a devious plan to push customers towards online support channels, HP was about to implement a new policy that forces consumer PC and printer users to wait a minimum of 15 minutes before connecting with a telephone support representative. After the plan leaked to the public, the company nixed it.
The Register reports that HP, the computer and printer giant, planned to take a controversial step in an attempt to drive more customers to utilize its online support resources. This past week the company almost instituted a mandatory 15-minute wait time for any consumer PC or printer user in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, and Italy who calls HP’s telephone support line for assistance with troublesome queries.
According to internal communications reviewed by the Register, HP’s objective was to “influence customers to increase their adoption of digital self-solve” options, which the company touts as a faster way to address support questions. The new policy involves playing a message at the beginning of each call, informing customers of high call volumes and the expected 15-minute delay in connecting with a support agent. The message also suggests that customers visit HP’s website or virtual assistant for guided help as an alternative to waiting on hold.
Throughout the waiting period, customers would be reminded of the extended wait times at the fifth, tenth, and thirteenth minute, with each message reiterating the availability of online support options. HP’s internal memo emphasizes that the wait time for each customer is set to 15 minutes and that the expected delay is only mentioned at the beginning of the call.
The driving force behind this change appears to be twofold: encouraging more digital adoption by “nudging” customers to self-solve online and “taking decisive short-term action to generate warranty cost efficiencies.” HP planned to closely monitoring customer experience metrics on a weekly basis, including customer satisfaction, escalations, and the number of phone calls that subsequently give up and move to social channels or live chat.
After the Register initially published the plan, HP walked it back. The company said in a statement:
We’re always looking for ways to improve our customer service experience. This support offering was intended to provide more digital options with the goal of reducing time to resolve inquiries.
We have found that many of our customers were not aware of the digital support options we provide. Based on initial feedback, we know the importance of speaking to live customer service agents in a timely fashion is paramount. As a result, we will continue to prioritize timely access to live phone support to ensure we are delivering an exceptional customer experience.
Read more at The Register here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
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