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From: pwv@fluke.UUCP (Pat Vilbrandt)
Newsgroups: net.micro.pc
Subject: Re: Terrible service from Microsoft
Message-ID: <1174@vax1.fluke.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 19-Sep-85 18:37:39 EDT
Article-I.D.: vax1.1174
Posted: Thu Sep 19 18:37:39 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 21-Sep-85 04:40:23 EDT
References: <433@aero.ARPA>
Distribution: net
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA
Lines: 42
Keywords: Microsoft, support, sarcasm

> From: sinclair@aero.ARPA (William S. Sinclair)

> I was trying to get a simple question answered about their compiler, so I
> called their support number. I was put on hold for 45 minutes, listening to
> that dippy music, before someone answered.

I concur.  I have an old, dusty, grungy copy of the Microsoft Macro
Assembler version 1.00 that was performing rather poorly, so I contacted
Microsoft Customer Support (I only had to listen to the music for 5 minutes,
I must have been *lucky*!).  They weren't sure about the cause of the
problem (Ya, that version did some strange things... ), but said that I 
should upgrade to version 3.00.  I was underwhelmed with confidence.
Yes, for *just* $70.00 and my old disk, I could get a Newer! Faster! Better!
Whiter! Macro Assembler.  Oh well, it was better than paying $150.00 for
the assembler outright.  They took my name and address to send be the proper
forms.

Well, after more than a week had passed with no forms, I called Cust. Support
again, reexplained what I needed, gave my name and address, etc. etc. etc.

Another week later, What's This?  A letter from Microsoft?  They finally got
it right.  Rrriiipppp!  "Yes you can upgrade your version of the Microsoft
Macro Assembler from 3.00 to 3.01!!"  Damn.  Other expletives.  Wrong form.

I went out and *bought* a copy of 3.01, full price.

> Is there any way we can put pressure on them to improve their service?

I wish.


P.S.  Are you listening, Microsoft?

-- 

   Pat Vilbrandt
   John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc.
   Everett, Washington USA
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