The move aims to encourage frustrated customers to seek online help instead.

The enforced delay affects retail customers in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, and Italy, and more countries could join the list.

A leaked memo to HP staff outlines the company’s new strategy: “Objective is to influence customers to increase their adoption of digital self-solve, as a faster way to address their support question.”

HP’s telephone support system now plays a recorded message at the start of each call warning customers: “We are experiencing longer waiting times and we apologize for the inconvenience. The next available representative will be with you in about 15 minutes.” Callers are then encouraged to visit HP’s online support portals for “a quicker resolution.”

Customers who choose to hold are repeatedly told at the fifth, tenth, and thirteenth minute that HP is “experiencing longer waiting times” and are once again urged to check out online alternatives.

According to HP’s memo, this isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about cutting costs. The company is seeking to “encourage more digital adoption by nudging customers to go online to self-solve” while “taking decisive short-term action to generate warranty cost efficiencies.”

This means that HP does not have to hire so many staff who, no doubt, have to handle incredibly angry punters who have had to wait longer than they needed.

However, this seems to have been dreamed up by a middle manager looking for a promotion without thinking it through. Many within HP are unhappy with the fact that those making decisions are far enough up the food chain not to have to deal with the customers whose decisions they impact.

It also shows a scant disregard for customer perception. While some customers may begrudgingly switch to online support, others may take their business elsewhere.

HP faces fierce competition in both the PC and printer markets. The company may soon discover that a 15-minute wait time is a dangerous gamble.