HP adds 15 minutes to all customer service phone calls

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In February 2025, HP Inc. instituted a policy to artificially tell all consumer PC & print customers they will have to wait a minimum of 15 minutes when calling support. This was designed to discourage customers from using phone support, but did not actually artificially inflate wait times.

Background

HP's actions must be understood in context with their other business practices. Normally, answering the phone would not be that bad, even if a customer is frustrated with a broken device. However, HP has several anti-consumer policies that exist for no reason other than to make money: the company has a documented history of deliberately implementing these policies.

• HP's printer business model relies heavily on recurring revenue from HP Instant Ink subscriptions and cartridge sales rather than hardware profits
• The company uses various technological measures like HP Dynamic Security to prevent customers from using third-party ink cartridges
• Their all-in-one printers restrict functionality like scanning when ink levels are low, forcing additional cartridge purchases HP Printers locking functionality behind ink availability

In this context, the phone support delay appears to be another method of channelling customers toward HP's preferred digital support options, which mitigate the company's exposure to speaking to angry customers, and answer for these policies. As acknowledged in internal documents, the policy was explicitly designed to "generate warranty cost efficiencies" and increase "digital adoption" by making phone support deliberately inconvenient. The company's Chief Financial Officer Marie Myers has previously stated that customers spend 20% more when locked into HP's digital ecosystem compared to traditional transaction models.

Artificial wait time implemented

On February 18, 2025, HP implemented a mandatory 15-minute wait time for anyone calling their telephone support centers in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, and Italy. The system was designed to:

• Play an initial message warning of "high call volumes" & a 15-minute wait
• Repeat this message at the 5th, 10th, and 13th minute of waiting
• Direct customers to online support options throughout the wait
• Track metrics on how many customers abandoned phone calls in favor of digital channels

Internal HP communications obtained by The Register revealed that this was not due to actual high call volumes, but was instead an intentional policy to "influence customers to increase their adoption of digital self-solve."

HP's response

At first, HP declined to comment publicly on the implementation of this policy. However, after public exposure by The Register on February 20, 2025, & significant backlash from both customers & internal staff who were forced to deal with customers who were angry with the artificial 15 minute delay, HP reversed the policy on February 21, 2025.

In their statement announcing the reversal, HP claimed the initiative was "intended to provide more digital options with the goal of reducing time to resolve inquiries" and acknowledged that "speaking to live customer service agents in a timely fashion is paramount."

Internal response

Internal sources at HP reported significant dissatisfaction with the policy among staff members. An insider in HP's European operations told The Register that "Many within HP are pretty unhappy [about] the measures being taken and the fact those making decisions don't have to deal with the customers who their decisions impact."

Consumer impact

The policy represented several aspects of modern consumer exploitation:

• Deliberate degradation of service quality to try and change consumer behavior
• Use of false pretenses (claiming "high call volumes" for artificial delays)
• Forcing customers toward automated systems that limit their ability to negotiate solutions
• Creating artificial barriers to access warranty and support services

The rapid reversal of the policy after public exposure shows how companies may abandon anti-consumer practices when faced with public scrutiny, even if they initially deemed them acceptable internal business practices.