The following is a redacted transcript of a conversation I just had with an HP sales agent. For a large portion of the conversation I had this vague feeling of being scammed. Since it was via hp's official web site I'm not too worried but am was I justified in feeling a bit uneasy?
Time Details
01/09/2011 01:32:19PM Session Started with Agent (Betty)
01/09/2011 01:32:19PM Dan ***: "Would like to return item"
01/09/2011 01:32:25PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you for contacting the HP Home and Home Office Store Chat. My name is Betty."
01/09/2011 01:32:31PM Dan ***: "Hello Betty"
01/09/2011 01:32:58PM Dan ***: "I would like to return a purchase that I made recently."
01/09/2011 01:33:02PM Agent (Betty): "If I understand you correctly, you want to return your order. Is that correct?"
01/09/2011 01:33:16PM Dan ***: "That is correct."
01/09/2011 01:33:35PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you. I will be glad to assist you today."
01/09/2011 01:33:47PM Agent (Betty): "An order number starts with letter "H". Do you have it?"
01/09/2011 01:33:57PM Agent (Betty): "I would like to check if you have some records in my end. For security purposes, please provide your e-mail address, billing phone number, and billing address."
01/09/2011 01:34:16PM Dan ***: "********."
01/09/2011 01:34:21PM Dan ***: "****@***.edu"
01/09/2011 01:34:31PM Dan ***: "***-***-****"
01/09/2011 01:34:35PM Dan ***: "**** ***** *******."
01/09/2011 01:34:39PM Dan ***: "**********"
01/09/2011 01:35:34PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you."
01/09/2011 01:35:57PM Agent (Betty): "Please let me check my resources before I provide you any information. May I place you on hold for one to two minutes while I check on my resources?"
01/09/2011 01:36:07PM Dan ***: "of course."
01/09/2011 01:36:11PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you. Please hold."
01/09/2011 01:37:30PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you for patiently waiting. I need more time. May I place you on hold for two to three minutes while I continue to check on my resources?"
01/09/2011 01:37:39PM Dan ***: "Sure thing."
01/09/2011 01:38:11PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you. Please hold."
01/09/2011 01:40:46PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you for patiently waiting."
01/09/2011 01:40:59PM Agent (Betty): "May I place you on hold for three to five minutes while I continue to check on my resources?"
01/09/2011 01:41:19PM Dan ***: "Sure."
01/09/2011 01:41:36PM Dan ***: "Is there a problem?"
01/09/2011 01:41:39PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you. Please hold."
01/09/2011 01:45:59PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you for patiently waiting."
01/09/2011 01:46:14PM Dan ***: "You are welcome."
01/09/2011 01:46:28PM Agent (Betty): "Why do you want to return your order?"
01/09/2011 01:47:12PM Agent (Betty): "Are you still with me?"
01/09/2011 01:47:37PM Dan ***: "Between the time I ordered the hard drive and the time I actually received it, a month had passed. In that time, my computing needs changed and I no longer have a PC which supports the HP personal media drive"
01/09/2011 01:47:50PM Dan ***: "The hard drive is currently unopened and still in the sealed shipping box."
01/09/2011 01:48:36PM Agent (Betty): "I am sorry for that."
01/09/2011 01:49:14PM Dan ***: "It's quite alright. The drive is covered by the 21 day return policy though; I would like to exercise it."
01/09/2011 01:49:49PM Agent (Betty): "How about giving it as a gift to a friend?"
01/09/2011 01:50:35PM Agent (Betty): "Are you still with me?"
01/09/2011 01:50:50PM Dan ***: "Is there a reason you are unwilling to take it back?"
01/09/2011 01:51:14PM Agent (Betty): "I am willing to take it back."
01/09/2011 01:51:33PM Agent (Betty): "Your wish is granted."
01/09/2011 01:51:39PM Dan ***: "That would be preferable."
01/09/2011 01:52:13PM Agent (Betty): "May I place you on hold for three to five minutes while I continue to work on with your request?"
01/09/2011 01:52:30PM Dan ***: "Sure."
01/09/2011 01:53:18PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you. Please hold."
01/09/2011 01:57:44PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you for patiently waiting."
01/09/2011 01:57:54PM Agent (Betty): "Your order subtotal is $*****."
01/09/2011 01:57:59PM Agent (Betty): "Your total tax is $*****."
01/09/2011 01:57:59PM Dan ***: "You are quite welcome."
01/09/2011 01:58:04PM Agent (Betty): "We will be crediting the difference of $***** to your credit card."
01/09/2011 01:58:09PM Agent (Betty): "The HP Home and Home Office Store issues credit back to your card within one business day. From there, it can take anywhere from three to five business days for your credit card company to process the credit on their end."
01/09/2011 01:58:14PM Agent (Betty): "If you do not see the credit posted to their statement, please call your credit card company directly since it's likely that the issuing and processing of the credit missed the posting/statement date."
01/09/2011 01:58:25PM Agent (Betty): "*Your Return Authorization Number or RMA number is ********.
*You will receive an e-mail which contains the link to print out a return shipping label.
*This label enables you to drop off the box at any Fed-Ex or Kinko's location within five days of pr"
inting the label.
*Remember to get a receipt with a return tracking number from Fed-Ex for your records.
01/09/2011 01:58:32PM Agent (Betty): "Would you like me to send your shipping label at the e-mail address below?"
01/09/2011 01:58:37PM Agent (Betty): "****@****.edu"
01/09/2011 01:58:51PM Dan ***: "Yes please, that would be preferable."
01/09/2011 01:59:04PM Dan ***: "Thank you very much for your help."
01/09/2011 01:59:36PM Agent (Betty): "You are welcome."
01/09/2011 02:00:01PM Agent (Betty): "Your shipping label will expire on January 13, 2011."
01/09/2011 02:00:19PM Agent (Betty): "Please log off and log back in to your e-mail account."
01/09/2011 02:00:23PM Agent (Betty): "I just sent your shipping label to your e-mail address. Did you receive it?"
01/09/2011 02:00:43PM Dan ***: "I did. Thank you very much. I will be sure to ship the drive back in time."
01/09/2011 02:00:56PM Agent (Betty): "You are welcome."
01/09/2011 02:01:18PM Dan ***: "Anything else I need to do?"
01/09/2011 02:02:05PM Agent (Betty): "That would be all."
01/09/2011 02:02:12PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you for choosing HP as your brand of choice! HP offers the best and innovative products to assure customer satisfaction."
01/09/2011 02:02:19PM Agent (Betty): "Do you have any other question that I can help you with? I want to make sure that I have completely addressed your concern today and are satisfied with my service."
01/09/2011 02:02:19PM Dan ***: "Ok. Have a great day."
01/09/2011 02:02:28PM Dan ***: "Nope, that's all for me."
01/09/2011 02:02:40PM Session Ended
"Gift to a friend?" "Your wish is granted"? That's not the sort of comments I would expect from an employee. My sarcastic friends, yes. A professional helping a customer? Not really. Am I wrong to be put off by that?
Edit: I didn't catch this until I posted it, but I should have let her know I have no objects, records or otherwise, in her end.
Time Details
01/09/2011 01:32:19PM Session Started with Agent (Betty)
01/09/2011 01:32:19PM Dan ***: "Would like to return item"
01/09/2011 01:32:25PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you for contacting the HP Home and Home Office Store Chat. My name is Betty."
01/09/2011 01:32:31PM Dan ***: "Hello Betty"
01/09/2011 01:32:58PM Dan ***: "I would like to return a purchase that I made recently."
01/09/2011 01:33:02PM Agent (Betty): "If I understand you correctly, you want to return your order. Is that correct?"
01/09/2011 01:33:16PM Dan ***: "That is correct."
01/09/2011 01:33:35PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you. I will be glad to assist you today."
01/09/2011 01:33:47PM Agent (Betty): "An order number starts with letter "H". Do you have it?"
01/09/2011 01:33:57PM Agent (Betty): "I would like to check if you have some records in my end. For security purposes, please provide your e-mail address, billing phone number, and billing address."
01/09/2011 01:34:16PM Dan ***: "********."
01/09/2011 01:34:21PM Dan ***: "****@***.edu"
01/09/2011 01:34:31PM Dan ***: "***-***-****"
01/09/2011 01:34:35PM Dan ***: "**** ***** *******."
01/09/2011 01:34:39PM Dan ***: "**********"
01/09/2011 01:35:34PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you."
01/09/2011 01:35:57PM Agent (Betty): "Please let me check my resources before I provide you any information. May I place you on hold for one to two minutes while I check on my resources?"
01/09/2011 01:36:07PM Dan ***: "of course."
01/09/2011 01:36:11PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you. Please hold."
01/09/2011 01:37:30PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you for patiently waiting. I need more time. May I place you on hold for two to three minutes while I continue to check on my resources?"
01/09/2011 01:37:39PM Dan ***: "Sure thing."
01/09/2011 01:38:11PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you. Please hold."
01/09/2011 01:40:46PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you for patiently waiting."
01/09/2011 01:40:59PM Agent (Betty): "May I place you on hold for three to five minutes while I continue to check on my resources?"
01/09/2011 01:41:19PM Dan ***: "Sure."
01/09/2011 01:41:36PM Dan ***: "Is there a problem?"
01/09/2011 01:41:39PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you. Please hold."
01/09/2011 01:45:59PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you for patiently waiting."
01/09/2011 01:46:14PM Dan ***: "You are welcome."
01/09/2011 01:46:28PM Agent (Betty): "Why do you want to return your order?"
01/09/2011 01:47:12PM Agent (Betty): "Are you still with me?"
01/09/2011 01:47:37PM Dan ***: "Between the time I ordered the hard drive and the time I actually received it, a month had passed. In that time, my computing needs changed and I no longer have a PC which supports the HP personal media drive"
01/09/2011 01:47:50PM Dan ***: "The hard drive is currently unopened and still in the sealed shipping box."
01/09/2011 01:48:36PM Agent (Betty): "I am sorry for that."
01/09/2011 01:49:14PM Dan ***: "It's quite alright. The drive is covered by the 21 day return policy though; I would like to exercise it."
01/09/2011 01:49:49PM Agent (Betty): "How about giving it as a gift to a friend?"
01/09/2011 01:50:35PM Agent (Betty): "Are you still with me?"
01/09/2011 01:50:50PM Dan ***: "Is there a reason you are unwilling to take it back?"
01/09/2011 01:51:14PM Agent (Betty): "I am willing to take it back."
01/09/2011 01:51:33PM Agent (Betty): "Your wish is granted."
01/09/2011 01:51:39PM Dan ***: "That would be preferable."
01/09/2011 01:52:13PM Agent (Betty): "May I place you on hold for three to five minutes while I continue to work on with your request?"
01/09/2011 01:52:30PM Dan ***: "Sure."
01/09/2011 01:53:18PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you. Please hold."
01/09/2011 01:57:44PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you for patiently waiting."
01/09/2011 01:57:54PM Agent (Betty): "Your order subtotal is $*****."
01/09/2011 01:57:59PM Agent (Betty): "Your total tax is $*****."
01/09/2011 01:57:59PM Dan ***: "You are quite welcome."
01/09/2011 01:58:04PM Agent (Betty): "We will be crediting the difference of $***** to your credit card."
01/09/2011 01:58:09PM Agent (Betty): "The HP Home and Home Office Store issues credit back to your card within one business day. From there, it can take anywhere from three to five business days for your credit card company to process the credit on their end."
01/09/2011 01:58:14PM Agent (Betty): "If you do not see the credit posted to their statement, please call your credit card company directly since it's likely that the issuing and processing of the credit missed the posting/statement date."
01/09/2011 01:58:25PM Agent (Betty): "*Your Return Authorization Number or RMA number is ********.
*You will receive an e-mail which contains the link to print out a return shipping label.
*This label enables you to drop off the box at any Fed-Ex or Kinko's location within five days of pr"
inting the label.
*Remember to get a receipt with a return tracking number from Fed-Ex for your records.
01/09/2011 01:58:32PM Agent (Betty): "Would you like me to send your shipping label at the e-mail address below?"
01/09/2011 01:58:37PM Agent (Betty): "****@****.edu"
01/09/2011 01:58:51PM Dan ***: "Yes please, that would be preferable."
01/09/2011 01:59:04PM Dan ***: "Thank you very much for your help."
01/09/2011 01:59:36PM Agent (Betty): "You are welcome."
01/09/2011 02:00:01PM Agent (Betty): "Your shipping label will expire on January 13, 2011."
01/09/2011 02:00:19PM Agent (Betty): "Please log off and log back in to your e-mail account."
01/09/2011 02:00:23PM Agent (Betty): "I just sent your shipping label to your e-mail address. Did you receive it?"
01/09/2011 02:00:43PM Dan ***: "I did. Thank you very much. I will be sure to ship the drive back in time."
01/09/2011 02:00:56PM Agent (Betty): "You are welcome."
01/09/2011 02:01:18PM Dan ***: "Anything else I need to do?"
01/09/2011 02:02:05PM Agent (Betty): "That would be all."
01/09/2011 02:02:12PM Agent (Betty): "Thank you for choosing HP as your brand of choice! HP offers the best and innovative products to assure customer satisfaction."
01/09/2011 02:02:19PM Agent (Betty): "Do you have any other question that I can help you with? I want to make sure that I have completely addressed your concern today and are satisfied with my service."
01/09/2011 02:02:19PM Dan ***: "Ok. Have a great day."
01/09/2011 02:02:28PM Dan ***: "Nope, that's all for me."
01/09/2011 02:02:40PM Session Ended
"Gift to a friend?" "Your wish is granted"? That's not the sort of comments I would expect from an employee. My sarcastic friends, yes. A professional helping a customer? Not really. Am I wrong to be put off by that?
Edit: I didn't catch this until I posted it, but I should have let her know I have no objects, records or otherwise, in her end.
