HP intentionally made each customer wait 15 minutes on support calls. Here's why

Hewlett-Packard intentionally made their customers wait for a minimum of 15 minutes on calls, according to a report by The Register.

Hewlett-Packard (HP) intentionally made each of its customers wait 15 minutes when they called the company's support team. According to a report by The Register, HP's minimum wait time was applicable to all PC and print users before they spoke to a human operator.

Hewlett Packard has reportedly revoked a controversial policy decision to make customers wait 15 minutes on support calls. (HP)

What is surprising is that this policy was implemented to encourage customers to use online alternatives, like social channels or live chat. According to the report, several employees at HP were unhappy with the decision and also voiced their criticism of it.

Among their strongest points of concern was that they were having to deal with customers using policies, like the one regarding the minimum wait time, that were made by the top management, members of which did not have to deal with the customers directly.

The company issued a statement and said, “We are 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.”

HP's decision was likely the result of pressure from annoyed customers.

From Tuesday onwards, HP had started playing a recorded message to customers calling its customer support numbers. The message warned customers of a longer wait time of 15 minutes and apologised for the inconvenience. On the fifth, tenth and thirteenth minute, the recorded message again mentioned the longer wait times and asked them to use other forms of digital support.

Hindustan Times has reached out to HP for a comment and will update the story after the company responds.

In an internal memo to staff, HP reportedly said the expected wait time was mentioned by the pre-recorded message only in the beginning of the call.

It was absolutely intended to test people's patience. It was all about “encouraging more digital adoption by nudging customers to go online to self-solve”, and "taking decisive short-term action to generate warranty cost efficiencies”.