US-based printer and PC company HP has been accused of deliberately adding a 15-minute wait time to its customer service line in an attempt to encourage customers to solve their problems themselves.
According to reports, HP informed its staff that the new “interactive voice response” system would include a mandatory delay to push digital self-solve solutions. This means customers will be told they can expect a delay and offered alternatives such as visiting the website or using AI chatbots.
The move is part of a larger trend in businesses adopting automated call handling and AI chatbots to save on staffing costs. However, critics argue that leaving customers hanging on hold for extended periods is frustrating and unfair, particularly when printer issues are common and often expensive to fix.
In 2022, consumer advocates found that some printer ink cartridges cost more than luxury champagne. HP’s own customer service line has been accused of forcing customers to take this route, with an automated bot telling callers they will wait about 15 minutes before speaking to a human representative.
Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/02/20/hp-uses-fake-queues-to-force-callers-to-fix-their-own-print