I want to describe a recent customer support experience.  The sad thing about it is that it’s not that surprising anymore.  This happened to me this morning.  I thought about posting and removing the names of companies and products, but I decided to leave them in. 

It all started when I needed to resize some partitions on my PC at work.  I have it set up for dual boot, and I’m blowing away one of the OS’s and installing it as a virtual machine instead.  This means I no longer need the partitions set aside for that OS.

Fortunately, I long ago bought PowerQuest Partition Magic 8.0 using a web download.  I installed it, and it says that I need to activate it.  No problem.  I have the serial number in my purchase e-mail.  I enter the serial number and click the “Automatic” activate button.  The activation fails saying that I have an invalid serial #.  I check, and I have entered it exactly as specified in my e-mail.

It helps to know at this point, that some time ago, PowerQuest was purchased by Symantec.  I suspect that what happened is that my activation component was trying to connect to a site that no longer exists.  Anyway, I asked our IT department if they had any partitioning software.  They told me that they had a five-user license of Partition Magic 8.0 that had been successfully installed by some people.  Rather than go through the trouble of contacting customer support, I decide to just try to install this copy from the IT department.

Of course, the install fails.  The reason?  I have another version already installed on my machine that must be un-installed first.

No problem.  I attempt to un-install my existing copy of Partition Magic 8.0.  I click on the box in “Add/Remove Programs” and click the “Change/Remove” button and wait.  And wait.  And wait.  Nothing happens.

So, at this point I figure that I’m stuck for now at least with using the existing copy that’s on my machine.  I reluctantly call customer support.

I traverse through the automated menu system, selecting the option labeled “If you are having trouble activating your product”.  After a few minutes, I’m connected with a live person.  I give him all my customer information including my purchase date (08-AUG-03). I explain to him that I’m trying to activate my Partition Magic 8.0, and that it says that I have entered an invalid serial #.

He pauses a moment and tells me that my subscription has expired and that’s my problem.

Partition Magic doesn’t have a subscription and I explain that to him.

He tells me that it does, and starts to tell me all about the product.  Problem is that he’s talking about Norton Systemworks, not Partition Magic.  I inform him of this.

He asks me for my order number.  I give it to him.

He asks me if I have the original CD.  I tell him that it was an Internet download.  I’m pretty sure that I’ve told him this already, but maybe I haven’t.

Again he starts talking about Norton Systemworks and tells me that I downloaded it in May, 2004.  Again I inform him that the product I’m having trouble with is Partition Magic and I downloaded it in Aug, 2003.

He puts me on hold.

He returns and asks me if I have the CD with me.

I again tell him that it was an Internet download.

I again give him all my customer information.

He again tells me that my subscription has expired.

I again inform him that Partition Magic does not have a subscription.

He finally gets it.  I think.  He puts me on hold.

He comes back and says that I need to call a different phone number for PowerQuest products.  Fine, whatever.  He gives me the number.

It’s the number I called, of course.

He doesn’t believe me when I tell him this.  He says, “No, you called xxx-xxx-xxxx”. 

I say, “I’ve never heard that number. I called the number on my screen, which is the one you just gave me.”

He puts me on hold again.

He returns and for the third time tells me that my subscription has expired.

He asks for all my customer information again.

He asks me why I haven’t attempted to re-download the product.  I inform him that the website I downloaded it from no longer exists, since Symantec bought PowerQuest.

He puts me on hold again.

He returns and tells me that I do need to call the phone number he gave me. He still doesn’t believe me that that’s the number I called.  But he does tell me what to select in the menu, and it is a different route through the menu system than I took.

I grumble a “Thank you”, and hang up.

I wait a few minutes to calm down.

I call back, traversing the path in the menu given to me by my customer support representative.

I get a live person and give him my problem and all my customer information up front.

First thing he does is tell me that I need to call a different phone number, and again gives me the same number that I have now called twice!

I explain that to him.

He puts me on hold.

He returns, with an explanation at last.

The PowerQuest support group is not open 24/7.  During the time they’re closed, their calls are automatically routed to the regular Symantec support number.  This explains the confusion with the phone numbers.

I ask him what hours the number I’m attempting to call actually works.  He tells me 6 AM – 5 PM EST.

I look at my clock.  7:20 AM EST.

I inform him that it appear to me that I’m in that window now.

He apologizes profusely and tells me that he really can’t help me, and doesn’t know why the calls are currently being routed to him.  He suggests I call back in an hour.

I haven’t yet done so.  I’m afraid.  Very afraid.

UPDATE:  Day 2.

I began to be suspicious that the customer service group I wanted was available from 6 AM PST - 5 PM PST, not EST as I had been told.  So, I called again, this time after 9 AM my time.

I'm connected with an individual who gives me a different serial # to try.  Hooray!  Someone who can actually help me.

Serial # is in the wrong format.  It doesn't work.

He gives me a new phone # to call.  These people will be able to help me.

Fine.  I call the #.  First thing the woman who answers asks me is if this is my first call.

I say no.  She says, great, so you must have an open case number and a priority id number for me.

No, no one has ever given me such a thing.

So, I give her all my customer information and explain my problem to her.

She's confused.  She says her group doesn't deal with Partition Magic, but deals with Internet Security.  She wonders how I got this number and suggests I call...you guessed it...the original number I've been calling all along.

I inform her that I called that number and they gave me hers.

She suggests that given the problems that I'm having, I call back the original number and tell them that I need a new CD.

I inform her that that won't work because I'm having trouble uninstalling my existing version.

She asks me if I need technical support uninstalling.  Also asks me if I want the repackaged Norton Partiion Magic 8.0.

I tell her I just want to get to a working application, and I really don't care how I get there at this point.

She's very sympathetic, but can't really help me.

She suggests that I contact technical support for assistance in uninstalling.  She also gives me a priority ID number so that I don't have to repeat my customer information every single time I talk to someone.  She kindly transfers me to technical support.

Or so I think.

When the phone is answered, I give my priority ID number.  The woman on the other end looks up my information and finds me.  Woohoo! Progress!

I explain to her that I want to activate my existing program or uninstall it.  I really don't care which at this point.

She suggests that I contact technical support.

Huh?  I thought she was technical support.

No.  They're at a different phone #.  They also might charge me for the call, but she doesn't know.  She gives me the number, but transfers me.

I'm still on hold.

FORMAT C: is starting to look good at this point.