I am currently engaged in a battle with a software company regarding a program that is not performing as advertised…or guaranteed. Their website promises completely satisfaction but when you call up to tell how dissatisified you are, you get some kid who's pretty much powerless to make good on any assurances. I've actually talked to a couple of Customer Service people at this company — obviously earning minimum wage or less in whatever country they're in. They have, I gather, these scripts they're supposed to read. If the caller complains about X, they read Script #1. If the caller complains about Y, they read Script #2 and so on. None of those scripts involve honoring their guarantee and several try to get you to spend more money, upgrading to a more advanced version of the product that already ain't working for you.
I'll tell you the name of the software if I don't get satisfaction…and maybe if I do. But I got the last phone lackey to route me to his superior, which only took about fifteen minutes of being on hold. The superior didn't seem all that superior. He said he didn't have the power to live up to their guarantee either but he could send an e-mail to someone who can. Which means the Customer Service for this product is probably an outside company and even he isn't allowed to speak to someone with the actual power to do anything.
I am not even asking for a refund. This software has versions of varying deluxe stature. They have the plain version for $30. They have the deluxe version for $60. Then they have the super deluxe version for $90. I used to be quite happy with the $30 version but somehow I let one of their phone tech guys talk me into upgrading to the $60 version and it's been a disaster. I think what's wrong with it is that it's full of bells and whistles and unnecessary features and some of them are conflicting with vital parts of my computer's operating system and setup. What I'm asking for at the moment is for them to give me the simpler $30 version for my $60…but all I'm gettting are people telling me that no, they're not allowed to do that so I have to pay an additional $30 if I want the current version of the $30 product. Obviously, I don't think I should have to do that.
I am promised a response from the superior's superior within 48 hours. Let's see what, if anything, happens.