Microsoft customer service - Excellent experience

[LooseChange]

I had a problem with automatic updates... Everything kept on failing.
I contacted MS and asked for help. They moved me though three levels of help from self diagnosis to eventually a telephone call appointment where they called me when I suggested a good time.

The person who called was from India but the accent was not bad. She asked if she could take hold of my computer and I accepted. After 20 minutes she had everything fixed and all is good now.

MS took it upon themselves to continually ask me if the problem was resolved and would not let go until all was done.  This was completely free!

[EL34]

wow, didn't even know you could do such a thing.

good story.

[Shrapnel]

Nowadays they're so scared you'll drop 'em for an Apple or Linux they'll do more, but don't count on them always doing it for free.

[LooseChange]

Two years ago I had a problem with another PC that had XP loaded and would constantly ask me to register until it decided I couldn't do that anymore.

Same story... That time I gave up and MS called me a week later to see if things were still good.  I told them no and the scheduled a Sunday morning call.  The guy was on with me for 4 hours, most of the time sitting idle while the program installed.  I played some guitar for the guy too.  Also free.

I think it's the right way to run a business.

[Bassmanster]

Interesting.  Yeah there are a lot of people who don't want to administer their own machine; that could be their new niche with Apple growing and Chrome OS coming out and Ubuntu Linux catching fire.  Modern OSes are so complicated it's always possible to have problems.  Compared to what we had 20 years ago they are monstrosities.