A new clients had a problem where their Microsoft Office 2010 Starter would not open. They clicked on a link for assistance they thought was from Microsoft and ended up talking to a representative from My Tech Gurus Inc. The company charged them $399 for support and soon after the client felt they’d been scammed. The support person used a program to show the client how many problems the person had on their computer and used that to convince them they needed considerable assistance. The program used highlighted many minor issues which weren’t significant problems.
The new client contacted me via a referral from another client. The problem with Microsoft Office 2010 Starter was quick to fix. The computer was cleaned and reviewed to make sure the remote support company hadn’t left malware on the computer. The client was also led to believe they were purchasing a copy of Microsoft Office 2010 which would subsequently be delivered. There was no such purchase.
Had the company simply fixed the issue the client was having (which could be done in a matter of minutes) a fair charge could have been made. Instead they did a sales job upselling the client and did not fix the problem with Microsoft Office 2010 Starter.
Think seriously about who you use for your support. Using unknown overseas companies (and even many local companies) can lead consumers to pay excessive amounts for basic support. Ask around. Ask your friends. Someone you know will know a good support person.
The new client contacted me via a referral from another client. The problem with Microsoft Office 2010 Starter was quick to fix. The computer was cleaned and reviewed to make sure the remote support company hadn’t left malware on the computer. The client was also led to believe they were purchasing a copy of Microsoft Office 2010 which would subsequently be delivered. There was no such purchase.
Had the company simply fixed the issue the client was having (which could be done in a matter of minutes) a fair charge could have been made. Instead they did a sales job upselling the client and did not fix the problem with Microsoft Office 2010 Starter.
Think seriously about who you use for your support. Using unknown overseas companies (and even many local companies) can lead consumers to pay excessive amounts for basic support. Ask around. Ask your friends. Someone you know will know a good support person.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.
UPDATE - 3/4/2013
After nudging the client to contact My Tech Gurus to request a refund the client did and received a refund. I felt it was appropriate to give My Tech Gurus credit for standing by their 15 day guarantee.
I refused to pay the fees for ongoing support etc they asked but did pay $79.99 for them to get my OS from Vista x32 to Windows 8 x64. Took them 6 hours because the first tech didn't understand what I needed to do -- and the language barrier made it difficult to get my point across. I OWNED the x32 and x64 and just needed help getting the systems changed.
ReplyDeleteWhen they didn't seem to understand I said let's just call it a day and send me a refund. I got a few calls to see what was wrong and techs finally got it done. I don't know how much I would have had to pay to have that done locally, but I would have had to spend $$ on gas and time away from home with 4 little people (I live in a rural area).
If I don't have anything crazy on my system (I will remove their calling card) I will be thankful.
Hi Alethea,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your story. Most people end up paying more than they should, but in your case you've managed to score a bargain. Quite unexpected.
That upgrade would have been a lot of work for any support person.
Kelvin.