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I'm sorry - I am not perfect and nor is Microsoft. Sometimes it is our fault

I can be abrasive sometimes and whether it "is my fault" or not, I don't always understand others' point of views.  To this I would like to say "It is my fault".

Now, if you have got up off the floor, let me give you a few examples.

  • I say "contact our customer support" and you say "I don't have time".  Before I rant - OK, I understand this, if you could share the bug at some time, we will try to fix it.  We haven't been able to identify it yet, so need your help
  • I say "There is no OEM media, get over it" and you say "I need OEM media to do my installs". OK, I can't fix this one.  I do understand where you are coming from.  If I were to share the fact that in the UK, which is a low piracy country, our tests so far have shown between 10-15% of all copies of Windows are pirated and many come from Action Packs and other OEM keys, does that help understand why this is such an issue?  I do wish I could give you back OEM media, but I've been told it is just not possible.  While Microsoft did publish the changes coming, I now get the impression that many did not realise that this was linked to the change in qualifying an upgrade, making the process different to Windows XP

The list goes on, however why did I even start this?  Well a man I respect lots is Joel.  I started reading his latest filing:

"Now I was fuming. Squiggly lines were coming up out of my head. I was a half hour late to work and had to go to the locksmith for a third time. I was tempted just to give up on him. But I decided to give this loser one more chance."

"Seven steps to remarkable customer service

http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/customerservice.html

It then carries on:

I stomped into the store, ready to unleash my fury.

“It still doesn’t work?” he asked. “Let me see.”

He looked at it.

I was sputtering, trying to figure out how best to express my rage at being forced to spend the morning going back and forth.

“Ah. It’s my fault,” he said.

And suddenly, I wasn’t mad at all.

Mysteriously, the words “it’s my fault” completely defused me. That was all it took.

Potentially wise words from the sage.  I mean what I say

 

have a great day

 

David


Posted Mon, Feb 19 2007 11:26 PM by David Overton

Comments

Alastair wrote re: I'm sorry - I am not perfect and nor is Microsoft. Sometimes it is our fault
on Wed, Feb 21 2007 12:37 PM

David

No ones perfect - and that includes SB specialists;-).

Re the comment "tests so far have shown between 10-15% of all copies of Windows are pirated and many come from Action Packs and other OEM keys". I hope at least two actions  from Microsoft follow on from this:

1) The person(s) responsible for selling the AP media\numbers get the book thrown at them - if you track them down.

2) Microsoft look at tightening up the qualifying requirements for AP subscriptiions. At the moment it seems any Tom, *** or Harriet can subscribe no matter their true level of involvement in Microsoft related IT work.

Be good.

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