Saturday, 10 May 2014

I have a shiny new HP Envy 5530, and it works, but...

I was delighted when my new Envy 5530 started first time but HPs installation and support process really annoyed me.  Here is a list of the issues I recall from the traumatic installation process yesterday. 
1.  First I tried to register the product and was told that I was already registered to Snapfish.  This came as a surprise as I have never used Snapfish but I guess I was required to register when I bought my last (note not current) PC, which was from HP.  However I don’t see why I need to use Snapfish just because I bought one of your printers.
2.  As I had of course no idea what the password was for Snapfish, I had to set a new one.  However it appears that the format constraints were not clear so I had to try several times to discover that Snapfish only allowed letters and numbers.   If you are going to limit what can be put in a password can you please say what is allowed up front?
3.  Installation on my PC worked reasonably well after I managed to register with HP I tried to use e-print.  I received a message from HP saying that a document was available to print, but nothing was visible on your web site and nothing printed on my PC.  What am I supposed to do now?    
4.  I tried to install drivers on my wife’s Windows PC and the only option that appeared to be available, once the printer was detected, was to go through the whole process again. Surely there is a simpler process for connecting a second or third PC to the printer?  Instead I was left to wonder if I should allow the standard process or try to leave out some of the steps.  And if I selected the standard options, would that screw up the initial implementation?  This is surely a common issue and I suggest you ask, before installation if the printer is already registered with HP or not and adapt the process accordingly.
5.  I seem to have all sorts of additional HP software on my PC now, including some diagnostic stuff I download to help solve the e-print problem (it didn’t as far as I know as it only identified the drivers for my old printer). 
6. Why am I required to have all these “apps” and addins that seem to be totally useless as far as I am concerned?  Can’t I chose whether to install them or not?  HP Doctor and other programmes on my Sony Vaio have proved useless in permanently solving problems which is one of the reasons I have ended up dumping what is probably a perfectly good
7. I spent at least 1 1/2 hours yesterday trying to find answers on your websites but keep going round in circles, mostly being directed to pages that seem mostly interested in selling things to me.  When I want help I don’t want more PCs and printers shoved at me.  I am hardly likely to be in a mood to buy another HP product if I need help with the current one, am I?
8.  I tried to use the “feedback” buttons on two screens but all I got was directed to an error message.  Is this because you don’t want feedback?  In any event it is really annoying and the result was my plea via Twitter.

So HP please shape up.  Your product looks nice and I am hopeful will work well.  But that is all I want.  I don’t need to be obstructed and harassed by HP into the bargain

No comments:

Post a Comment