The concept of customer service
OK, so you know where I’m coming from, I’ve just had the 48 hours from hell. And it’s not over yet. I’ve had the gross misfortune to have to contact Microsoft. I’ve you’ve ever had to do that, you’ve probably got a pretty good idea of what I’ve been through. If not, sit down, and let me tell you a story.
I run several machines here, for both internal services and developing customers’ software. To do that, I have various different versions of operating systems and applications. Most of my systems run Office 2003, and for compatibility purposes, I need to keep them that way. However, I have a couple of clients who need some Office 2007 development. I’m not committed to it yet, just checking out the issues and preparing quotes. I only have one machine that I can afford to put Office 2007 on, and that happens to be the server.
So, I duly installed Office 2007 Enterprise Edition on the server, entered the product key, and expected to be up and running. But instead, AFTER installation and on launching any office application, I get a pop-up “This copy of Microsoft Office ….. cannot be used on Terminal Server”. (My server has Terminal Services enabled, so that I can do remote admin on it from any of my other boxes).
Pretty much all my OS and apps licenses are purchased through the Microsoft Action Pack Subscription; this is a package that gives me internal-use licences to just about everything, and is offered to partners so we can train, develop and demo MS software. We’re fully within the MAPS license terms in the way we use the software here.
I won’t bore you with the exact details, but suffice to say I’ve spent the past 48 hours in online chats, on phone calls, awaiting phone calls, etc.. etc.. with people in India, Egypt, the USA and the UK. I’ve had responses varying from direct insults and abuse, to having people literally pleading with me to let them help me. I’ve been cut off three times. I’ve been given wrong numbers by MS staff twice. One single phone call this morning lasted over 2 1/2 hours.
Ultimately, it seems the MAPS licensing does not include the Volume License that you need in order to run Office 2007 under Terminal Services. Office 2003 is fine, MS are aware of the issue and in Office 2010, MAPS subscribers will be able to run Office on a TS machine. The actual product is fine, it’s just a license issue.
There are two issues here. Firstly, NOWHERE does it say on the MAPS site that such a restriction exists. In fact, customers are positively encouraged to buy MAPS in order to demo various software configurations; yet for some combinations, we are expected to pay out additional license fees. Now technically, I’m pretty certain this contravenes the Trades Description Act, and possibly the Sale of Goods (fitness for purpose) laws as well. I have repeatedly pointed this out to MS, and whilst they can’t say that the MAPS info pages make this point anywhere, neither will they give any hint that they take the matter seriously enough to put a note on the webpages to that effect. This in itself is a clue to their attitude to their customers - they can’t be bothered to literally lift a finger and put a note on a webpage, warning their customers that additional expense may be involved.
Secondly, it should be blindingly obvious to any customer service rep that if there is an opportunity to resolve a client’s problem, (especially where it has arisen in good faith on the client’s part) at little or zero cost to the company, then it is incumbent upon them to do so. If nothing else, it’s simply good manners!
However, clearly either MS staff are not of this mindset, or have been instructed not to be helpful. On two occasions today, therefore, I had to spell it out to an MS support person: “There is a zero-cost to MS option here - you can issue me with the keys/license that I need in order to run the software you’ve sold me. I will still be aware of Micosoft’s appalling internal and external communications, absurdly complex licensing, but I will also know that MS genuinely have customer’s interests at heart and are prepared to make small concessions in order to provide decent customer service. Or, you can choose not to issue the key I need, confirming to me for ever that MS are totally self-centred, and have no interest whatsoever in their customers. In each case you can be assured that I will tell everyone who will listen my story. ”
The fact that on each occasion the rep made platitudes about taking my concerns seriously, having my interests at heart, respecting me as a customer etc.. etc., they both ultimately said “no” simply underscores the attitude that Microsoft have. Customers, to them, are the lowest of the low - dirt to be wiped from the soles of their feet.
No company, no matter how large, is invincible. This year we’ve seen many major US institutions - GM, Fanny-May, Freddy-Mac, Chrysler - collapse. Their downfall has been precipitated my many factors. However there are many ways to trigger disaster for a company, and I would suggest that Microsoft are single-mindedly charging down the road of totally disenfranchsing their customers. This is just as sure a recipe for disaster as any other.
If you have shares in Microsoft, I recommend you sell them now.