HP Envy Poll

I just want to see the proportion of good Envy's to bad ones for NBR members.

Yes I know, there is a volunteer response bias so results will likely be skewed

 

Good idea for a poll. Yup, it will be skewed as the problem owners are far more likely to report. I'm still interested in the results. Perhaps link here from a couple other forums (either other NBR topics or another website?)

I'll add my vote after I get my machine (still est ship April 21...)

 

after that place a poll asking the same about the (8-series) elitebooks and their customer support, of course and compare it with the envy poll (probably still the "best" consumer notebook, so better not imagine the results of the rest).. you wont want to believe these two notebooks are actually built by the same manufacturer, if the results dont get somehow distorted and really only show design flaws and similar, not driver issues etc. that are easily solved.

a different story is how satisfied one is with the specs/design/usability... but there even the elitebooks are far from a satisfaction rating of lets say 90% unfortunately..

 

Voted the middle option, but should theoretically have voted twice, once for the first Envy i recieved, which came with a skewed case so had to send it back. The second one i got had a problem with the Q-key breaking off. Found out it was broken off for some reason so had to put it back on with a little (very little) help from some superglue. Now it's working fine. Otherwise this Envy is running like a champ with no problems at all.

Edit: Would just like to say, that the Danish customer service branch of HP is really good. Have had absolutely no problems with them, ever and that's with a three-year-old dv9300 dying on me three times and latest with the Envy. They replaced it without any questions asked.

 

I also had a great customer service experience. My previous Envy 15 had the black screen/video freezing issue out of the box and the Envy Tech Support rep immediately offered me to replace it for refund or exchange and they offered me a discount of a few hundred dollars if I decided to have them attempt to repair instead of returning for refund. They immediately emailed me a shipping label for the return. My new Envy works great, no black screen problems so far, but it still has very low 4k read speed on the SSD.

 

I took the middle option as my current Envy is being replaced after two repair sessions over the build quality and BIOS bricking woes and on top of HP Technicians cosmetically damaging it in the process of repairs. Therefore, my experiences with their tech support has been pretty good, but the particular Envy I got is one of the less better built ones (but it is a VR878AV model, which means it was one of the first to roll off the assembly line during January, so it is expected). However, I have been hearing people getting lemons and bad support on their Envys, especially the recent early to mid-April batches being made for order during that $450-off extravaganza.

 

Chose the last option, since it was returned:

Arrived with a defective screen. Called technical support, put on hold, hung up on. Called back, an hour of troubleshooting with an idiot who thought it was a software problem. Two hours of talking to other representatives and a supervisor to get it replaced. They're making me ship it back first before they start manufacturing a new one. Claimed they were giving me a $50 credit for the inconvenience, but when I called back they said that it wasn't on my file. On top of that, it'll take nearly a month to arrive at my door.

Another HP horror story to add to the list. If I wasn't getting such a cheap price for this thing, I'd be shopping somewhere else. Definitely won't be doing business with them again.

 

Sorry for your bad luck HBaby, I would be quite frustrated in that situation. I would "ask" for more money from HP for your inconveniences . Or maybe a free accessory like a mouse or HDMI to VGA adapter.

 

Thanks for the genuine sympathy. Well, I sort of "hinted" to the supervisor, asking her how much an external USB drive would cost. Put me on hold for five minutes and said that it costs $50, and if I wanted it, they would just charge it to the card. Right over her head.

 

lol. You should try to act like your really frustrated and mad about the delays or something. They should at least offer you $50 off for your troubles. That way you get the Envy for only $900. Now that's a steal.

 

Well, if I wasn't pissed before, now I certainly am. I was told twice, explicitly over the phone, that my replacement would be exactly the same as the one I received initially. The one I PAID for.

I just got my confirmation e-mail for the replacement Envy. Notice anything?:



The one on the left is the defective, and the right is the replacement.

Unacceptable.

 

Holy s**t, HP really f'ed up big time. Maybe what comes in will be the right one. If that's not the case, demand some serious compensation or order something else from another company. That's just bad customer service.

 

Yes, they certainly did f up. Maybe if they could get it to me in a reasonable time, or perhaps if they let me keep the defective laptop until I received a new one (like they did with everyone else), I would consider waiting to see if it shipped with the correct display. But I can't wait a month without a laptop for school just to see if it happens to come with the display I paid for, only to have to send it back and wait for ANOTHER to be built and shipped to me. I've just about had it with HP, and tomorrow they are not going to hear the end of it. At this point, I'm not giving up and going with another laptop. It's a full-on vendetta now. When it comes to large companies like this, these mistakes should definitely not be happening, and I won't be taking any crap from them.

 

Wait, how did you get HP to give you a replacement order number to track your replacement? I never got a number to see where or when my replacement is going to be built. I only got a date for the replacement by calling in a few times for a status update. I did get my FedEx Return label that my Case Manager told me to print and hold until my replacement arrives and use it to send the current unit in.

 

I don't believe I did anything special. I didn't ask for an order number or a confirmation. They just told me I'd receive one

 

Huh, cause my e-mail confirmation was just a list of specifications on the new laptop and there was no ETA date on it at all. At least via e-mail you know when your laptop is roughly going to arrive. I still have to trust the phone calls. Was the replacement offer made recently for you?

 

Yes, which would be very helpful if they even got the replacement order right. I have to go through this entire process again, I'm sure.

I called them about the replacement last night.

 

That would of been helpful. Since my Envy came via EBay, my CM couldn't ask me for an order number for my current unit, since it was CTO, but she asked me for all the specification options I had on it. So I told her everything I had on it and somehow she upgraded me to a Core i5-540M when I have a 520M in the current model, so I got a free upgrade. I know that the CM's will ask for an order number on your model so they can match the replacement or by word of mouth. Also, you have to reply back to the e-mail they sent you regarding the confirmation of the replacement. If there is anything wrong with the specs they are willing to put in the replacement and such, you are to call them back ASAP and get that changed before you reply back your e-mail. So there was a chance for you to catch that error and call in to correct that before you confirm their offer. At least that is what my CM did. Here is what my CM's confirmation e-mail the way she sent it to me that day:

Hello StrikeSaber47,



Please find the product specifications for the replacement product, which we discussed, attached below. Please review the proposed replacement product specifications to ensure that the replacement product will meet your needs. As we discussed on the phone this offer is contingent upon your prompt return of the product I am replacing. Also you will find the shipping address that will be used for this order. Please note that the product specifications and shipping address cannot be changed after the order has been submitted for processing.



When the order is submitted, I will send you a set of prepaid labels for you to use when returning your old unit. I can either email a prepaid return label that you must print or send you a physical prepaid return label. When your replacement unit arrives, remove it from the box and place your old unit in the same box. Place the FedEx prepaid labels I sent you on the box and ship it back to the Hewlett Packard recycler. Please note that a signature is required to accept your replacement product.



Please respond to this email with

1.) your acceptance of the product specifications,

2.) your confirmation that you will return the product I am replacing.

3.) your confirmation that the shipping address is correct, and

4.) your preference of how to receive labels (email or physical).

The replacement product described below may only be available for a limited time, so I do need your response as soon as possible. Upon receipt of your return email, I will submit the order for processing.



If you have any questions or concerns about these product specifications or the process, please contact me at the number below. When you call, please have your complaint ID number available. This number is 750****581


When responding to this email please leave the email subject line as it is, and use the “reply” button to respond. This will help me locate your email more efficiently. If the subject line is changed, your email might go unnoticed for an extended period of time.



I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your continued support of HP!



You may call me at 1-877-917-4380 Extension # 19 may ask for me by name, if I am not available, the Case Manager taking your call will take a message for me

Our office hours are Monday - Friday 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM Central time.





Your case # is: 750****581



Thank you,



Mirna R.

Case Manager

HP US TCO Escalations Team

Tel: 1-877-917-4380 ext 19





Address Confirmation:

*Private*



Replacement Offer:

HP ENVY 15 customizable Notebook PC
NX369AV

Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-540M Dual Core processor (2.53GHz, 3MB L2 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 3.06GHz
4GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
500GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
1GB ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) HD 5830 Graphics - For i5 and i7-620M Processors
15.6" diagonal High Definition LED HP Brightview Widescreen Display (1366x768)
Webcam Only
Intel Wireless-N Card with Bluetooth
HP QuickWeb, Corel VideoStudio Pro X2, Corel Paintshop Pro X2, Stardock My Colors
HP Color Matching Keyboard
6 Cell Lithium Ion Polymer Battery (standard)
No Productivity Software
HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

 

I never received any e-mail about the replacement besides the FedEx shipping label and the confirmation of the new one being built. I didn't have any clue about the configuration of the replacement model until I received an order number and could check. Until I did, I was trusting in the representatives that told me I would get the same as what I paid for.

 

Huh that is strange. I don't think every CM operates under the same protocol. I know for you that you got your specifications wrong but you got an order number. I on the other hand got the specifications, label and confirmation but no order number. Now I fear that my CM is just lying to me the whole thing and she hasn't submitted my order at all since I never got an order number...

In your case you should of asked for the list from the CM before you approved the offer. That way you could of cross-checked their specification sheet. I have to call my CM tomorrow for an order number...

 

I agree with you there. How one person can get a discount because of HP's mistakes, and the other doesn't, or how everyone getting theirs replaced gets to keep it until the replacement comes, but I have to send my defective one back first doesn't scream consistency. I guess that's what you get with outsourcing.

I could have done that, but I didn't feel it was necessary when two different representatives assured me that I would get the exact same configuration as before, along with them having that configuration on file.

 

Better yet was the CM phone number and extension the same with your CM? I believe my CM's division is in Texas.

 

Based on their accents, they were definitely not in the USA. I just used the post-sales number off of the HP website.

 

Oh that could be why. I got my CM services via the Envy Tech Support Line (with North American CSR's) and one of them pushed my case to a North American CM. In fact, all of my current concerns regarding my replacement and everything is now dealt directly with my CM and I have her specific number, so I can totally bypass the CSR's if I got any questions. So I will have to bug her again tomorrow to see if I can get an order number.

I know the sales support staff is not guaranteed to be in North America, so that is why I used the Envy Support Line to get me through to a Case Manager. Then again, most of my problems involved the tech support people, not the sales and I got my Envy no from HP Direct, so I got no way to access sales support anyways.

 

I called HP today with my list of grievances, as it were. The first representative was very short with me, and very rude. I ended the phone call with her and called the number the supervisor gave to me the first time I called in. I spoke with a more reasonable guy and told him everything that had happened: (Ordered this notebook on the 5th of April, delayed because of the Icelandic volcano, arrived with a defective screen, rude technical support, had to be charged $50 more than what I paid for and credited back later, told I was going to receive a $50 credit for my inconvenience but called later and was told it was not on file, forced to send my Envy back first BEFORE I received my replacement while others were able to keep theirs, initially not getting any type of discount for my inconvenience while those with delayed Envy's were getting 10% off their entire order ON TOP of their $50 discount, guaranteed by two representatives that I'd receive the same configuration I paid for but received the order confirmation with the lesser quality screen, and having it take nearly a MONTH to manufacture and send replacement to me, even with expedited manufacturing and two-day shipping.)

All he did was say that the first supervisor I talked to would give me a call back in two hours. After all of that, I have to wait an extra two hours to get anything resolved. I really can't believe it.

 

im so glad that i have never owned a consumer-line HP notebook....

and now i am definitely keeping my 8510p for some more time (1yr warranty still left) until the 8540p/w get hardware upgrades or their successors get released. not a single thought about a switch to the envy anymore.

 

Smart choice...I would definitely not recommend any of HP's products to anyone. Their customer service is horrible. Two hours came and went, and I never received a call back. I was put on hold twice, and I remain on hold right now. A total of about seven phone calls into HP about this damn thing, and nothing is happening.

 

from my experience (some 5-6 business notebooks in the past 10 years) i definitely would recommend their business line, especially the higher-end models, and on top of all the hp compaq 8#10s and their successors, the elitebooks.

and regarding the customer support - for the business products its great imo. ok, mostly some polish (thats probably also the reson why their repair site is located in poland, "Jabil" in bydgoszcz, and not here in vienna/austria for the austrian market anymore, like some years ago... lower salary expenditures ) women answer the technical support (here in europe, austria) that often cannot really follow me, neither technically nor in terms of language (no matter whether i speak german or english with them), but if you make them clear that you probably know more about hp products and the technical stuff than them, they stop asking stupid questions about things you always check first when a problem occurs or that you can 100% exclude concluding from the symptoms and everything gets done very fast and reliably.

the only problem still remains the often questionable train of thoughts of the guys deciding what pieces of hardware to put inside the models and also regarding some design questions (envy 15: ports only on the right side, extremely annoying when using a usb mouse on a mouse pad - only meant for left-handed people?? and the additional function keys on the left annoying you while gaming using W/S/A/D/tab/shift/ctrl, not very uncommon key usage.. ) - and these guys probably sit in porto alto, CA, not in poland

 

I do see your point. However, when they suddenly hear a 17 year old's voice on the phone, any attempt at convincing them that you might actually know more about the computer sitting in front of you than they do is impossible. My biggest problem with them is not their technical support, but the representatives that handle the returns/exchanges department. I've talked to them on eight different occasions now, and not until just now have I seen any progress on getting my problems resolved.

For an update to my HP horror story, I finally received a call back from the supervisor who initially set up my exchange for the defective Envy (only after I called in and complained after the two hours were up). She apologized for her mistake in creating the exchange, gave me another $100 credit towards my purchase, canceled the order that she made an error on, and said she would call me back tomorrow in order to set up my (correct) replacement order. Neverending saga with these people, I swear. XD

 

Issue fixed with new BIOS

 

Lol. Am I the only ENVY owner who wishes they could have a few problems so they could get even more discounted from their purchase?

I bricked my ENVY flashing the BIOS last week. They're fixing it for free so I laughed about it. I called and got an extra $100 off of my order when a larger coupon came out about 2 weeks after I ordered mine. I flat out told them in a friendly way that the reason I wanted to return my ENVY was to re-order with the larger coupon. The guy said he would match the difference and my credit card was credited shortly after that.

Maybe I've just been lucky but with my 1 CSO call, 1 call to ask them to match the newest coupon and 2 calls regarding the return of my first ENVY (They don't cancel orders, you just return the computer with a pre-paid shipping label once you receive it.) but I've yet to have a single problem with HP and have been absolutely satisfied.

Those hard luck stories go both ways people...