|
Feb 19, 2003 We’ve all heard it at least once. For some of us, we've heard it more than others. Tech support tells you, "Your problem is your computer not our software." While shopping one day, you spot your dream software package sitting on the store shelf just waiting for you to take it home and use it. You read the box and BINGO, your machine meets the basic requirements, so there's no problem for you using it. You rush home and sit right down at your desk to install it, only to find out after installation that something is terribly wrong. It just doesn't work at all. You try to correct the problem by reading the "troubleshooting" section of the installation card. Nothing works so you call tech support for help. Big mistake! Tech support is trained to tell you that your problem is not with their product but with your computer. They have you go through some steps that supposedly will correct the problem like deleting all your passwords out of the machine because you don‘t need them anyway, but it only makes things worse. Now, you have the original problem that started AFTER you installed the new software AND a bunch of new problems created from the tech support advice that you followed. You struggle and fight, gritting your teeth until the wee hours of the morning and still the dumb machine refuses to cooperate. You resort to using your emergency startup disk that came with your computer, but that doesn’t include the other 10 computer programs you installed after you bought the dumb thing. You have no choice but to reinstall them too, because now that you’ve restored your machine, those other pieces of software don’t want to run either. You tell yourself it’s ok. You’ll just have to get your money back for the dud software you bought. But when you read the little card that was included with it, you find out THEIR return policy. Their policy is very strict. It says that if THEIR software doesn’t work on your machine, you must return it to the vendor you purchased it from for a replacement. And if that fails, you must return it to them, the manufacturer, in its original UNOPENED condition. When they receive your faulty disk, they’ll promptly send you a replacement, not a refund. Feeling defeated, you call tech support one more time. You request to talk to the same person you spoke to the first time around, only to find they are away from their desk and nobody knows when they’ll be back. Out of desperation, you talk to someone else who assures you the software works. They walk you through some other steps that you must do to correct the problem, but when they’re done with you, your machine freezes at startup. Their response? “It’s a hardware problem in your machine. You need to update it.” You argue with them saying that your machine worked fine before their software was installed, but they tell you their software uses the latest hardware technology that your machine obviously doesn’t have. You’re angry now. You ask how you can get a refund for their useless software. They reply, “That’s not possible. You’ve used the software.” You want to slam the phone down and give up, but they have one last piece of advice for you. UPDATE your hardware and all the problems will go away. Like a fool you take that advice and go out and purchase all the latest technological advances in hardware for your computer. You proudly announce to your family that you’ve solved the problem, but when you turn the dumb thing on, nothing wants to work right. You proceed to call tech support for your machine thinking you’ll get some results this time around, especially after you just got home with it. After explaining your problem to them they assure you they know exactly what the problem is. It’s your old software. It’s not equipped to run with the latest hardware advances. Their advice: “Update your software packages and the problem will go away.” After researching the marketplace, you find it would just be cheaper to purchase a whole new computer that’s preloaded with the latest updates of almost all the software you currently use. When your tax return arrives, you head out the door to the nearest computer store to get yourself a brand new machine. While waiting for the clerk to fill out the paperwork on the extended warranty coverage, you browse the software aisles and find another new and exciting program that you must have. Guess what? Your latest dream software package is manufactured by the same company that wreaked havoc on your last machine. But you tell yourself it won’t happen again, and besides, you really want this software. When you arrive home you decide rather than install the most recent software you purchased, you’d really like to test drive the last one you bought that you couldn’t get to work on your old computer. After all, tech support assured you it would work if your computer had all the latest bells and whistles. AND it would be a terrible coincidence if it didn’t work now right? Wrong. After the installation is complete, the software still doesn’t work. The only difference? This time you know better than to call tech support for help. It just costs too much money. About the author: I live in the beautiful Northwoods of Wisconsin, home of the World Championship Snowmobile Derby. I am married and have a teenage daughter. In addition to writing articles as a freelance reporter for my local newspaper, I also design and develop websites for individuals, organizations, and small businesses. Visit the site at: www.sl-comp-soft.com. Email Sherri Lea: smitty417@flashmail.com ------------ Comment on this column in the forum. ------------ |
||||||
|
|
|||||||
|
