Microsoft Customer Service

After an hour working on my account set up, I tried to contact Microsoft Support and was sent into a "decision tree" as to what my problem was. I simply wanted to talk to a service agent as to why my usb drives were disconnecting improperly. After an hour in the decision tree, I simply gave up. Microsoft expects me to be a properly trained techie and they cannot respond to me as a simple person. Go to hell Microsoft

Microsoft if un-reachable in person.

I recently downloaded a patch to windows server essentials 2016 and it locked me out of my server. Now I can't get into any of my files even if I am sitting at the server. Do yourself a favor and don't download windows patches without learning what they do first.

I received support from Microsoft Support person called Ejiro Ewhubare.

I suspect that the call centre is in Nigeria due to the surname.

It was taking up to 1 minute for me to create a new MS Word document with a message displayed "Contacting Server"

Ejiro directed me to go to Regedit and to rename the Key "Outlook" to Outlook.old

Since then I have been unable to use Outlook and all my settings have been lost.

My archive.pst file is over 25 GB in size, and it looks like it has wiped it from my computer and is now downloading all the emails over the past 15 years from the server.

In retrospect I should never have taken the action that he directed me to do.

But I assumed he knew what he was doing, and could simply change back the settings that he told me to change.

Now I can't contact customers as I don't have access to the past email conversations that we have had.

This would never happen with Apple support.

Do Microsoft not care about the training or experience of the support people, or thee damage they can do to their customer's business?

Dave

Microsoft has the worse customer service there is.

You want to solve issues they sent you to go sign in to your account. I called the customer sercive number and wanted them to help me, a real person, the lady hanged up the phone, said I can only be assisted through sending information via the website, wait for them. An urgent situation.

Thank you for your bad, very bad, customer service Microsoft.

Only because I already paid for the thing that I will use them but please stay away from this company.

Trying to get the Microsoft 365 renewal that I PAID FOR ONE MONTH AGO to reactivate my account. I might as well hold my hand on my ass and whistle Dixie. NO HELP WHATSOEVER. Just refer you from one useless "Help" source to another. Never seen such a circle jerk!!!

How long can Microsoft continue to couple terrible products with even worse customer support? I agree with other users that the company has effectively built a firewall between their customers and their customer support. You simply can't reach anyone. You can't resolve anything. All you end up doing it waste time and get frustrated as hell. That happens invariably, every time you try to get any type of help. It's completely insane that people still buy their products. I hope that I live long enough to see this company collapse. Its been a plague on our species for too long.

I wasted 5 hours of my life on the phone with customer support reinstalled windows multiple times spoke with 5 to 10 different people to help me fix my windows activation problem. To be told at the end that it is a non transferable key. I am not very happy and will be writing a terrible review about how badly I was taken care of and wasted my time and now have to spend 140$ on a new key from a 2.5 billion dollar company being greedy!

can't access live chat. The block and phishing buttons aren't work. I am blocking and again are coming same messages. What kind of service is that? I want contact any help to close this account. It is impossible.

Microsoft has taken my pictures to One drive without my permission and accesses my other mail addresses with receipts of my payments. This action is pirates act. Shame.

Terrible service . I have been calling for weeks and they keep closing my ticket and saying the issue is resolved when it isn't . They used to have better service but no one there seemed to be able to fix anything

Microsoft Support (video script I am working on)

Does Size Matter?

(Your going to need a bigger boat - Jaws)

Can something be too big?

(Show Shrek - Must be compensating for something)

In this short video I am going to talk about Microsoft has the worst customer support of any company I pay money to.

I will tell you upfront, I have a history of bad support with Microsoft.

The issue is not that Microsoft support engineer's are not helpful, the issue is Microsoft has too many customers (Show to care sign).

Before I tell you my current issue, I want to mention a past and still current issue I have ongoing with Microsoft for over 10 years.

(Show Energizer Bunny - Keeps Going and Going)

I have a product for sale in the Microsoft Store. The app is called NFlate, it cost $4.95 and it is a File Explorer with a font selector.
File Explorer is a critical part of my job, when I have one, as a software developer.

(Show will work for YouTube subscribers picture)

File Explorer is also one of the few Microsoft products that does not have a Font Selector. Notepad has a font selector, yet File Explorer,
which is a key component of Windows, does not.

(Show Let That Sink In video)

This issue with Microsoft goes back to 2012 or 2013.

(Travel back in time and show my 3D character looking younger)

I paid $19.95 to become a Microsoft Partner, and thus would give me access to sell products in the Microsoft Store. I tried to use this
app back then called the Desktop Converter, that converted a desktop application to a Universal Windows App. Sadly, I wasn't smart
enough to figure out the Desktop Converter. The Desktop Converter was a console app, so this means no User Interface. You had to type
in the right commands, and if you didn't know them, it didn't work. After trying for a couple of months, I asked for and received a refund
of my $19.95, unaware this refund would cause me to lose access to the Microsoft Store in the future.

(Show sign - The Future Is Not What It Used To Be).

In 2014, I watched a Microsoft conference, and Steve Balmer mentioned 400 million people had access to the Microsoft Store, so I joined
the Microsoft Partner Program again. This time though, I was told due to my account being refunded, and some not very bright programmer
at Microsoft made the decision to the make the email address the primary key, I was told I had to use an alternate email.

Back then I had a dozen domains, and email addrfessess were free for me at the time (Show the good old days sign)

After many months, I finally get my app, NFlate, in the Microsoft Store. I decided to give the app away free for the first 30 days,
hoping to get some good reviews. What actually happened was my very first review, 'This App No Work'.

I asked the person what didn't work, to which I never recieved a reply.

A few years went by, and I wasn't making any sales, so I forgot about it.

Fast forward to 2018, and by now I have a couple of dozen projects on GitHub (github.com/DataJuggler), and I wanted to put another
app in the Microsoft Store.


I tried to recover my Partner Program, but I forgot the temporary email I was forced to create. Forgot Password is automated, because
people forget things. Forget the email address you sign up with, and Microsoft will steal your money.

I created 23 support incidents. Out of those 23, a few times, Microsoft Support actually connected me to the backend team of the
Microsoft Store.

The customer service rep I was talking to, and had been working with for 3 weeks said 'I have so and so on the line, and he or she will
assist you with recovering your account. The person from Microsoft I was talking to hangs up.

The new person says 'Hello, this is so and so, can I have your email address.'

I explained I didn't know it, that is the whole purpose of this support incident.

The person said "Without your email address, I cannot help you, good bye.' Three times this happened.

In 2020, I purchased my own app, thinking someone in Microsoft Accounting would realize they have vendor money that doesn't belong to them,
and contact me by phone at the number I listed when I created my account. I have the same number now as 2012 when I signed up. Nope.

Stealing other people's money is a crime. If I stole someone's money, I would be arrested. If any attorney's are watching,
I will split it with you if you sue them for $5 million for theft or threaten to press Federal Credit Card fraud charges on them.

Now back to our current issue. On Tuesday of last week, my computer started running really slow. I thought either hardware failure,
or I caught a virus of some kind. To be on the safe side, I backed up all my important stuff, and started a Windows 10 Recovery Install.
I choose erase my Windows Drive, so I would wipe out everything on C Drive just in case a virus was lurking someone on my file system.

The recovery started, but nothing was showing on the screen. I decided to startup my old computer, so I could Google why the screen
is black. While moving some USB ports from my main computer to the old one, I accidently hit the power button.

After this happened, nothing I did could get the computer to boot up, and I could not even get to the bios, so I took my computer to a
computer hospital. The computer hospital still cannot get it to boot, but that is another story.

Before I tell you the next part of this story, we must travel back in time about 6 months.

About six months ago, Microsoft made a decision that to access Azure, Microsoft's cloud platform, or Microsoft 365, you must have two factor authentication
enabled. I do not own a cell phone, so my only option was to install an app called Authy, or I was locked out of Office 365 and Azure and
NuGet (Nuget is a component library that makes it easy to share code libraries).

Let travel back to the future (show Marty and Proffessor in a DeLorean)

Within an hour after my main computer became unusable, I had my old PC all setup, I had Visual Studio, and SQL Server and a few programs
I needed installed. I went to log into Office, to get my applications I have purchased, and this is where the fun starts
(Happy Happy Joy Joy).

I type in my email address. I look up my Microsoft Business Email Password, enter it, and Microsoft says 'Now enter the code displayed
on your mobile app. I do not own a cell phone, so I download Authy. This is where the good times really start.

Authy says, 'You do not have any accounts. I setup a new account for Authy, and Authy asks me to enter a code from my Microsoft account.

Now at this point, I am fuming, because I realize I am now locked out of my Microsoft accounts.

I call Microsoft, and Microsoft got rid of their switchboard, and replaced it with an automated system (Reached the limit of fun by now).

Hi, Thank you for calling Microsoft. To help you, I need to know if you are calling as a home user, or a business user. I have both, but I
made the mistake of saying 'Home'.

Automated Voice: Home Users, please go to support.Microsoft.com/Home and log in. Talk about pissed off.

(Show skin getting redder and redder on my 3D character).

I decided, I will call back and say 'Business' this time. I call back, Hi, this is Microsoft, for home users please go to
support.microsoft/Home to view your options. (Slap computer lady robot).

Call back several more times, always the same thing. I decide to look up other Microsoft Numbers. Find a tech support number, and this
time I said 'Business', if you ever are asked this question, say Business whether you are or not.

I do pay Microsoft for two Azure services, so when asked what department, I said Azure'.

Automate Voice: I will be happy to assist you, would you like me to connect you to a service rep now? (dumb question).

I talk to someone, explain to them everything I have mentioned here except the time travel and Store issues, and was told:

We will have to get the Microsoft Data Protection Team to call you back. It can be between 3 and 30 days. By the end of the call,
I was told the data protection team will call me back in up to 30 days (WTF - 30 Days With No Email When Looking For A Job)

I call back on Friday June 30, before the long Holiday weekend in the US (show fireworks), and talk to someone from the
Data Protection Team. He says, 'Your case has already been assigned to a technician, you should be recieving a call'.

I asked 'You have 100,000 employees, and only 1 person can help me?'

Technician 'Yes, your case has already been assigned to a technician'.

So, here I am, aging, unemployed, almost blind, and I have sent hundreds of job applications this year, and I cannot access my email
in case a potential employer reads my resume, which says 'Email Me First Please' next to my phone number.

A few other points to note

1. Microsoft Customer Service will close tickets whether there is a resolution or not. If you get rid of the customer, they consider
this to be a solved case.

2. When I mentioned the 23 support incidents ealier, I left out that each time I called up and asked if they could review my previous
tickets so I didn't have to start over.
Microsoft Technician 'Of course I can, what is the ID of the case #?'
Me 'Can you look up my previous issues by my name or email address or credit card number?
Technician 'No, what is the incident number?'

3. Now Microsoft does not have a switchboard, but when they did, not a single switchboard operator, or Microsoft Store customer service
could contactg the Microsoft Store back end. This only happens in companies that are too large for their own good.

In Summary

I feel like MS support is so bad, this will eventually cost them customers. I know I will be looking at ending my reliance on them.
The only reason I have tolerated their bad support is because they do give me Visual Studio, SQL Server Express, GitHub and NuGet
for free. That being said, I no longer consider Microsoft a trustworthy company.

Been using hotmail for years but as time goes it gets worse and worse. Wanted to open a new account with Google or other company but too many things tied up to my old hotmail account. Now I can't access even that. They first demanded money for me to be able to use hotmail but when I've paid I still can't access MY MAIL. In emergency being stranded I can't recover any passwords or use accounts as codes being automatically sent to hotmail account which doesn't work, when I call automatic voice said go online, online help tool is useless. When I try calling again they track my number and say "goodbye". People, stay away from anything Microsoft! I've switched to all Apple products while back and if it wasn't for so many things tied up with my old hotmail account would have switched long ago. Will have to do now but can't return money I've just paid, because no customer service available, they just say "go online" and "goodbye " with automated voice. Worst customer service, worst tech products in general and worst mail experience.

Not only do you have to wait for hours (literally, this is not a figure of speak) to speak to a tema member, but when they finally put you through, they keep sending you from one department to another where extremely rude and apathetic individuals lazily ask you the same questions again and again.
The worst customer service ever.

No way to contact a real person if you have a legitimate complicated problem unless you log in on the website, but if the problem is that you're locked out what are you supposed to do?

You're customer service is so poor that people in Microsoft can't understand something simple and that they don't even care to actually help

Microsoft customer service is the pits. Most of the people I've reached -- with great difficulty -- are pleasant and try to be helpful. But I think that the overall systems are too complicated and definitely unfriendly. I rate them a "zero" only because I can't rate them with negative numbers.
Microsoft has built a firewall between their customer service departments and their customers. Phone numbers listed on MS web pages don't work. Those that do work lead me through a long IVR only to tell me to look for my answers online then say "Goodbye" ... and the call ends. One customer service person told me to call a different number; that number was not a working number.
When I tried to update my autopay method for my MS Office 365 subscription, the MS page said I had entered incorrect information. I double checked and triple checked; the information was accurate. I used tried two credit cards; MS would not recognize either one I did connect with a service tech. We wasted 1.5 hours on the phone in two conversations. Between those conversations, I called my credit union and confirmed that my cards are working; I also used both cards to make a purchase. Yet, MS still refused to accept those cards. We resorted to a work-around; I used a third credit card from a different bank, which creates a slight inconvenience for me but that's better than wasting more time with MS's Almighty System.
Then, even though this issue is sort of resolved, I got another call back from a MS "Support Ambassador" last night ... AT 10:00 PM. I was in bed. But I talked with her after asking her, "Do you know what time it is?" Turns out she was located in my same time zone, she had my address, but chose to call at that discourteous hour anyway because, as she says, "I only work the night shift." Bah!
Previously, in regard to Office installations, payment updates, and other issues, I've probably wasted 15-20 hours on the phone with MS. Recently, I had to reimage my operating system and then reinstall my software, I reinstalled the software for all other applications: Quicken, email, anti-virus, Adobe, etc. while on hold with MS trying to find out how to get Office 365 working properly.
Have you ever tried to find out who is MS's top dog in regard to customer service? Or the top dogs within the company? You would think this information would be on a MS web site, right? Uh-uh. I've looked and looked. I want to write a letter. I had to go to a non-MS web source to find out their names and addresses. Seems they might be ashamed to be associated with MS, don't ya think? If I were them, I would be ashamed.

I have needed support from Microsoft 2 days in a row, and the experience has been the absolute worst I have ever had. That is saying a LOT. Today, I needed help with a problem that cannot be resolved in a forum. I first tried calling. When I went through the menu, the answer was "look it up online... Goodbye!" When I tired to call back, it seemed like they had my phone number in the system and went directly to the "look it up online... Goodbye!" without even letting me navigate through the menu. I then tried from my husband's phone and despite giving different answers to the menu, received the same end result. When I tried to find a chat, the menu of things that I had to navigate before getting to the chat did not apply to my problem, so I could not even get to the chat. This is truly the worst of the worst.

Microsoft has gotten so large ignores home users as far as Customer Service is concerned you can't speak with anyone and you get customer service people overseas and they don't really know what's going on. He spent an hour and a half on the phone and a chat and your results is Neil to none. And there is no place else to go when you're stuck with Microsoft Azure products this is wrong. Microsoft has gotten so big they don't care about people anymore. I can't login with my regular login because Azurá and something else hasn't gotten the message. well, that's not my fault , but do you think Microsoft cares no nobody wants to talk to you you get the runaround on the website from one health screen to another is sad they've gotten so big that they don't care about the people that are buying their products

Microsoft support is absolutely useless! I have been going around in circles for the better part of the day via their so called online support to no avail. Every call number just refers back to the non-existent online help.?

I have contacted Microsoft because I couldn't connect to the internet and they are horrible. One person, Roshan, was being a jerk to me for not having any pictures on my phone. I am never buying anything Microsoft related ever again.

Worst customer service I've ever experienced. They have no direct call-in number. The employee told me, I have to understand because otherwise "millions of people would call all the time"
That's what happens when your products are defective or cost customers hundreds fraudulently. He said they can't possibly hire enough staff to take care of call-ins. I've waited 4 days for an account that's locked for no reason but being paid for. No call backs, but they love to cancel tickets they haven't helped out with. This is criminal.

sent surface go 3 in for replacement because ms update locked machine it was unsble to even reset so was told to send it in i did next day now two weeks later im being told its lost and they are sorry but cant replace it or refund what i paid microsoft is nothing more then porch pirates theres hundreds of complaints for same reason n internet so as far as im concerned now microsoft stole my surface plain and simple and im out what i paid for it . great job guys you ripped off a disabled persons connection to internet .

Difficult to reach a live person. Double billed and cannot reach a live human in billing.

Totally incompetent oversee support, for 25 out of 30 minutes call I was on hold while she was "checking something in the background" total of 5 times. Solved nothing. Then she transferred me to different department, and I got disconnected. All other calls after that, 4 total, did not get me to live person at all regardless of what I said or number I pressed. 2 hours of mine time wasted. I really hope Bill Gates suffers terribly before he dies. Disclosure: I am not going to do anything to make that happened, just passive wish for justice. Because of his greed billions of people suffered.

Very pleased by the way they solved the problem. Excellent service by Vinesh and Olatunji G. Very very happy. Thanks a lot

I purchased Microsoft Office in May of 2022. I have yet been able to activate it on both of my computers. Supposedly the subscription is good for 5users and on multiple devices by any one of up to 5 users.
I have spent the last five or so days trying to find help on the Microsoft website to no avail. I have not been able to use my subscription as advertised and i cannot get a live person even at Microsoft headquarters. This is the worst company I have ever dealt with in terms of customer service.

I have had many customer service interactions with many different companies, but today I was helped by the best customer service person I have ever dealt with. Jonathan was extremely helpful, gave me his time, effort and expertise. He is to be commended for his efforts. Thanks Jon!
Doug Webster

Best support I've ever received.

Wonderful assistance from the Microsoft person , thanks for fixing my Outlook mail.

I was having a problem with my printer after renewing my MS Office package. I tried the virtual chat and got nothing but "canned"responses that didn't really resolve my problem. I then called customer service and was pleasantly surprised to get a call back within seconds! The person quickly resolved my problem within less than a minute by changing my printer back to the correct setting! I was very impressed with that part, the personal service.

The only question I have is why would renewing my MS Office package software online automatically mess up or change my PC's printer settings and add unneeded new features like One Note without getting my pre-approval?

Also, an aside, I noticed A LOT of loud laughter and chatter in the background as I spoke to the "tech" who got online to resolve my problem. It sounded more like a junior high school class at the end of the day, or a frat house, not an office full of professional computer techs. Honestly, in this day and age of daily hacking stories, it makes me pretty nervous to entrust my computer info. to a total stranger on the phone, probably some underpaid kid overseas. What steps does MS take to ensure our computers/data is safe from theft/hackers?

If you are going to buy a tablet, laptop or mobile i suggest you not buy Microsoft product. They are the most worsest servicing in the company. Talking to the customer care or sending an enquire to tjem is just to make pain in your A** if you dont want to regreat it then just don't buy the product. I need to send my surface pro 1 for repairing so i send a mail and try to make contact with the customer care its useless. you know what, if you want the product its ok buy it but i am 100% sure you are gonna regreat it. Buy surface pro for 40k and sell it for 5k after 10 months later thats gonna be your choice. Worst product and customer care+ the most worst servicing in the world especially in India. Think about it before you get one. This is the FACT

September 26, 2016: I wish to give an outstanding, superior, supremely excellent rating to the Technical Support rep who helped me today: Priyanka Nath, re Case Priyanka Nath is supremely knowledgeable, extremely kind and patient, and worked above and beyond all expectations in assisting me to resolve my printing problems! I am so grateful for her kind assistance. When I had to stop the initial phone consult and leave for a couple of hours, she even phoned me back to resume the tech. support assistance. This is fantastic! Thank you so much Microsoft for hiring Priyanka Nath as a tech. support rep.

Key activation problems with the office 2010. It was solved by tech Emad Amir, via remote control of my laptop. Great work.

I had a problem with my outlook and dreaded calling Microsoft support, but I'm glad I did. Chris, the agent who helped me, was patient, knowledgeable and quick. He made the experience painless and more importantly, he quickly fixed the issue

I used the store in Aventura Mall in Miami. On-line sign up for an appointment was perfect. Called me up when work was done and everything was very professional. They did the necessary work for free (Best Friends Geek Squad had asked for $200). I worked with Perry (I hope he gets credit because he was wonderful--not condescending but very understanding towards a 60-year-old panicking).

I am really thankful to Pallavi and Naveen from Microsoft bangalore office. I was in problem in installation and even my Internet was slow however Palladium patient fully helped me for long time. After that Naveen follow up till the moment I have successfully resolved my issues. I must say it was my best service experience ever. Thank you so Pallavi and Naveen. Thanks Microsoft for training your staffs to be patient and helpful.

to illuminada thanks for the help i got it to work.

I had many issues when switching from my broken computer to a family members old computer, and the two customer service reps I had during this process were more than helpful and extremely friendly. They were able to fix all the issues in a timely manner and saved me hundreds of dollars...I was going to take it to the Geek Squad originally.

Just had a problem with activating windows 10, spoke to Desirie B. and he/she was very cooperative, helped me get through my issue step by step, and was very patient, and most helpful. Very satisfied the help he/she gave me.

My order tonight form deal with by Liv (Europe). I somehow lost the review tab/section :(

Liv handled my order with great efficiency and professionalism. 10 out ot 10. aA great person to deal with :)

Michael

Sunshine was very helpful and responsive. I have always believed that microsoft is a good company with the intention of taking care of their customers. Sunshine confirmed this with the way she handled my technical issue. Thanks again, sunshine.

My customer service was amazing! I could not have asked for a more helpful representative. Ian (my representitive) worked with me to resolve the problem and even installed Microsoft Office on my computer for me. Thank you!

10/10. Microsoft Word wouldn't save. Using chat, I got through within 1 minute to a level 1 technician who spent four hours(!) with me trying to solve the problem. When she couldn't, she booked a phone-call for me to talk to a level 2 technician, who called back within one minute of the expected time, and used his level 2 expertise to diagnose the problem and fix it.

Well, what can i say, technical support here is both good and bad, but a bit more good in my opinion, ALTHO it takes 3 different people to download a new win10 dvd and do a windows repair with the words "hoping it will fix the issue"

call back had too take 2 days, was fine with that, computer was still partly working. calls was almost dead on time eventho im all the way in south africa.

guys there in Bellevir Washinton... please learn a little humor, you sound like robots.

not even a next level "expert" could fix mistakes, just run the same old common stuff you can find on google search.

Now that is out of the way i had too discover with this faults that win10 is NOT free. its only free on upgrade. so after the free upgrades expires and you want too redo your windows you need to buy it, because you cant install the old windows..do the weeeeeeks of updates and then upgrade.

hope they can fix my pc, because a fresh install is not a option without a serial key

Today August 31, 2015 Called tech support about windows 10 problems I talked to Jay C. And then also a guy named Micheal.What a waste of time no solutions and no help. I trusted Microsoft but feel like am getting nothing in return.I hope so much you read this message Bill Gates .Trust is like losing your virginity once you lost it its no getting it back.I feel betrayed and forced to move on another operating system and advise others not to give Microsoft the chance to do the same to you. Jesse York ,pa.

I made a microsfot account which took several seconds, then I explained my problem and got into a chat room with a nice patient person who then solved said problem. 10/10

Very good experience via instant messaging. Very friendly, knowledgeable staff willing to help who offered me a replacement for my surface touchpad, and were equally as happy to help with my enquiry to cancel this action as the fault had been fixed. Even recommended I try chamomile tea.

Overall, took FOREVER to connect to someone, everything from then on went fine.

Just had some great customer service from Microsoft, dealing with a problem with my copy of Windows. Thank you Maria at Microsoft :)

I read lots of comments, both positive and negative. I sincerely relate. I work at MS as CSR. It can be really frustating! We are required by quality reviews to make empathy statements (that's why they sound insincere) and we have to face the wrath for Tech's and Answer's desk mistakes.

Advice: Keep info like email, order numbers and CC numbers handy, to help locate your orders. Be kind, and dont vent for issues from other deparments. It's hard, I know, but a bad attitude generates more bad attitude. Don't think an overseas agent is inherently uncapable or viceversa, give them a chance.

Im truly sorry for all those bad experiences.