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Posted by Allan Martin on July 6, 2006, 10:03 am
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> Allan Martin wrote:
>
>> A 12-month trial version of QB does not make any sense and I can
>> certainly understand why the good folks at Intuit think you are full of
>> beans as I do.
>
> http://www.intuiteducation.ca/education_resources.shtm
>
> Scroll down until you get to "Using QuickBooks Pro 2005 for Windows". That
> is the book in question.
>
> From page 6 of the text:
>
> "Warning! Do not install the program that came with the book until you are
> ready to being working on the exercises in the book. The program will
> remain valid and accessible for 12-months after you activate it."
>
> Don't believe me? Well, I'm not going to argue about it on the 'net. I've
> given you enough information that you can pursue this on your own if you
> are determined to somehow prove I'm "full of beans".
Ok I see, Intuit does have a student 12 month demo edition. Live and learn.
>
>> The simple fact is that after 25 uses, the school's copy of the program
>> stopped working.
>
> Your "fact" is inaccurate.
Agreed, after 12 months of use the program stoped working.
>
>> No where in your post do you actually mention ever purchasing QuickBooks
>> but simply the fact that you purchased a book about the program which
>> probably included a limited 25 use demo version of the product.
>
> Correct, I have not purchased Quickbooks yet... as there is no need at
> this point since the book includes a 12-month trial which is sufficient
> for learning purposes.
>
>> Did you actually believe you could purchase a text book and a one year
>> fully working version of the program for 78.00?
>
> Initially, no... and I was considering purchasing a copy along with a book
> to learn the product until I heard about this book from the school. I too
> was surprised when they mentioned it came with the software since it is
> very unusual to have such a long trial version.
>
>> What portion the the 78.00 represents the cost of the demo? I say
>> absolutely nothing.
>
> I don't know.
>
> Suggest you ask the publisher, Pearson Education Canada, about the
> breakdown of the costs.
>
> Sounds like you don't know either.
>
>> Whats all this talk about a demo version that automatically
>> self-destructs? Bull, this does not happen with QB.
>
> I said "self-destruct" which referred the program uninstalling itself
> which is exactly what happened.
Since I now know that there is a 12 month version its not difficult to
imagine that this version also uninstalls after a certain system date is
reached.
>
>> Why would Intuit allow a demo version to be installed more than once on a
>> machine. It is not logical to assume that just because you had two demo
>> versions taken from two text books that you should be able to install
>> both.
>
> That is correct. Suggest you re-read my post for clarification on that
> point.
>
>> It is also reasonable to assume that tech support knows how to bypass
>> this restriction but is under instructions to refer you to customer
>> service where they can sell you a live product that would install without
>> any problems.
>>
>> In your defense I do not belive you are dishonest but simlpy uninformed.
>>
>>
>> I could be wrong, perhaps the fact that tech support comes from India is
>> the cause of all your woes.
>
> Oh I know that... I have a 30 year career in IT behind me. I do have some
> clues about software.
Then you just found yourself in one of those life sucks situations. I
understand your concerns and I can also understand why you were flip flopped
between tech support and customer (sales) service. Both you are and Intuit
are correct.
>>
>>
>>>
>>>> I purchased a book to assist with learning QuickBooks, this book comes
>>>> with a 12-month trial version of QuickBooks Pro 2005. The book is
>>>> authored by "M. Purbhoo" who also did one on Simply Accounting which
>>>> was
>>>> a good learning tool. Intuit actually recommend this book on their
>>>> site.
>>>>
>>>> Prior to purchasing the book an instructor at the school I previously
>>>> attended loaned me their copy. I installed the software from that book,
>>>> but never activated or registered it with Intuit. This is, after all,
>>>> the school's copy and not mine to register or activate with Intuit, so
>>>> I
>>>> never did... thus the reason for purchasing my own copy.
>>>>
>>>> Upon booting the laptop for the first time in a week I was prepared to
>>>> uninstall Quickbooks, but discovered that it was already gone. Ok, fair
>>>> enough... not having activated I know there was a "number of uses"
>>>> timer
>>>> and probably a "time" timer on it as well to "self-destruct".
>>>>
>>>> No problem. Attempt to install my own copy. Installer detects that a
>>>> previous version of the trial was installed and suggests I call Intuit
>>>> to speak with Customer Service. At this point I should have given it
>>>> some thought and simply restored the laptop to a point before the
>>>> previous install (my first mistake was not doing this)... which would
>>>> have removed all traces and allowed this install to proceed.
>>>>
>>>> Instead, I'm hoping for a quick fix to this simple issue so I call
>>>> Intuit... which was my second mistake. After explaining the situation
>>>> in
>>>> detail to Customer Service they tell me this is a Technical Support
>>>> issue and xfer my call to India. At this point I'm really hoping they
>>>> have taken notes in their help desk call management software so I don't
>>>> have to re-explain the situation over again. Oh but no, of course not,
>>>> so I patiently explain the situation over again after which Technical
>>>> Support immediately claims is a Customer Service issue.
>>>>
>>>> At this point, the patience is getting thinner. I explain that my call
>>>> was xfer'd from Customer Service who just claimed it was a Technical
>>>> Support issue. The agent protests and insists the call be xfer'd back.
>>>> I
>>>> agree... I just want this issue resolved.
>>>>
>>>> Ah yes, I have to explain the issue all over once again to the Customer
>>>> Service agent. The interaction starts to go a little sour at this point
>>>> when the agent first claims they don't have 12-month trials and that I
>>>> cannot reinstall the trial twice. I explain this IS a 12-month trial
>>>> and
>>>> that I am NOT installing the same copy twice... this is a different
>>>> copy. The agent as much as calls me a software thief. Ok, patience lost
>>>> now. I tell the agent I'm tired of being xfer'd around like a ball and
>>>> just want this issue resolved... escalate the call and xfer me to a
>>>> supervisor please.
>>>>
>>>> Not a word is spoken, and in a huff I'm xfer'd off to someone else...
>>>> I've been xfer'd to someone in sales! <grrr> Ok, no need to unload on
>>>> this guy... I calmly explain ONE more time what is going on. He tells
>>>> me
>>>> with a definite measure of reassurance that Customer Service can
>>>> quickly
>>>> resolve this issue. This fellow seems to understand the issue and the
>>>> importance of good customer relations, most certainly with potential
>>>> customers such as myself.
>>>>
>>>> Xfer'd back to Customer Service, explain again. Customer Support says
>>>> this Technical Support issue. Let me know when you decide. Xfer'd back
>>>> to Technical Support in India, explain again... this time we go through
>>>> a few things on the system but nothing works. Heck, they even have me
>>>> booting the system into safe mode. I'm thinking while we do this that
>>>> it
>>>> will not resolve this issue, and of course it doesn't.
>>>>
>>>> Finally after being on hold for 15 minutes I'm told that trial versions
>>>> cannot be installed more than once on the same system and there is
>>>> nothing they can do about that. I explain that I understand the reasons
>>>> for that; however, nothing fraudulent is going on in this situation. I
>>>> am not attempting to use a trial version for an endless period of time.
>>>>
>>>> Tech Support: Sorry, no can help you. Suggest you talk with your IT
>>>> support person.
>>>>
>>>> Me: This is a personal matter. I don't have the resources of a
>>>> corporation behind me. I AM the IT support person and accounting type
>>>> as
>>>> well.
>>>>
>>>> Tech Support: Sorry, we cannot help you.
>>>>
>>>> Me: Can you at least give me some indication of what it is I need to
>>>> look for in the registry to correct this issue?
>>>>
>>>> Tech Support: Sorry, we cannot do that.
>>>>
>>>> I get off the phone after 2 hours of being tossed about like a
>>>> basketball... all for nothing because I still have the same issue.
>>>>
>>>> Ok, the software uninstalled itself. Perhaps if I clean the registry. I
>>>> do this with a coupla tools... still no go. Then I get daring... lets
>>>> try REGEDIT.
>>>>
>>>> Wowaaaa... searching on "Intuit" and "Quickbooks" I find the registry
>>>> is
>>>> polluted with MANY entries related to this ONE software package. WTF?
>>>> Is
>>>> this necessary? I spend a good 1/2 hour tossing them out. Still doesn't
>>>> work.
>>>>
>>>> Ok, restore the whole system to a point before the install then try
>>>> installing my copy. Success! <of course>
>>>>
>>>> Sure, I wasted my time by not going for the above solution at the
>>>> outset... however I also learned that Intuit support is in the crapper
>>>> and I was made to feel like a crook rather than the potential customer
>>>> that I really am.
>>>>
>>>> The fact is, I'm looking to learn Quickbooks and was considering
>>>> purchasing my own copy of it after I was finished with the trial
>>>> version. Considering how bad my support experience today was and how
>>>> they would not consider for a moment that just maybe I was an honest
>>>> potential customer that just needed a workaround for this issue... I'm
>>>> not keen on doing business with them at this point.
>>>>
>>>> Stats:
>>>> -On the phone for a little over 2 hours.
>>>> -Issue not resolved & no workarounds provided.
>>>> -Xfer'd no less than 6 times.
>>>> -One agent was rude for no reason.
>>>>
>>>> Results:
>>>> -Pissed off potential customer resolves the situation himself after
>>>> coming to his senses and is now considering the advisability of a
>>>> future
>>>> relationship with Intuit. Not that ACCPAC (Simply Accounting) would be
>>>> any better, I've never had to call them... perhaps when I want more
>>>> abuse I will call them too. :-D
>>> You see this poor customer service tales on
>>> alt.comp.software.financial.quickbooks but it may endemic to all the low
>>> end
>>> accounting software packages such as peachtree, MYOB, simply accounting,
>>> etc.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
>>>
>>
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