Recently, I received an email from Microsoft about the Windows Live OneCare BETA that they enabled Online Photo Backup. They gave me a product key to activate the software, but I couldn't find a place to put that in. I phoned Microsoft Support and...

1. Called Microsoft OneCare support at 1 (866) 662 2273.
2. Pressed 1 and then 2.
3. Listened to repetitive messages about Windows Marketplace, MSN Billing and Windows Live OneCare.
4. Connected to a person, filled out profile info such as email, name and phone number and described problem.
5. Got transferred to the Windows Live OneCare team (huh?)
6. Transfer was disconnected by crappy systems.
7. Called Microsoft at number which the other person provided, 1 (866) 672 4551.
8. No person there, just a machine explaining about MSN stuff.
9. Retried step 1 through 4.
10. Steps 5 and 6 happened again.
11. Called the Microsoft Canada support line, a friendly person answered.
12. Transferred me to the US support line.
13. Somehow got rerouted back to Canada.
14. The support person answered, transferred me but got disconnected.
15. Repeat step 1 through 6 three times.
16. The third time, someone answered and was the correct support team.
17. Found support incident on my profile.
18. Informed me that beta versions weren't covered by tech support (OMG those other people that answered could have told me that!)
19. Told me I need to buy Windows Live OneCare in order to enter a product key.
20. Directed me to a beta OneCare support line on the OneCare website.
21. Couldn't find the appropriate options. I tried Internet Explorer and the same thing came up.
22. Found that US and Canada pages were different.
23. Connect to a Microsoft chat line, which was automated and was not helpful.
24. Was told to go to a site that was not linked on the Microsoft website.
25. Instructed me to type in Online Photo Backup, but didn't specify where.
26. Typed in Online Photo Backup into Windows Live Help, which wasn't useful.
27. Support person asked "Are you still in Mozilla Firefox?", "Um...no. I'm in Internet Explorer 7 right now".
28. Go to http://google.ca . Type in "online photo backup" and click on the Windows Live OneCare link.
29. Click the Start Now button and that's all I can help you with.

That was extremely lengthy that could have been avoided by configuring the telephone systems correctly. Also, they could have included the link to the Google page in the email or on the betas site or at least somewhere within the Windows Live OneCare thing.

If you are contacting Microsoft for some support issues, please ensure that you are very patient and have lots of time on your hands.

Sometimes I think I would rather gouge myself in the eye many times with a fork than have to deal with customer support... ANYWHERE!

I had a similar problem with embarq and MSI over long distance rights, and that someone had been using my phone line until my embarq kicked in. Having to deal with the phone made want to cancel all the embarq services that I had...

I am glad that a lot of these tech support people aren't my doctors...

Ya, that's Microsoft for ya, gouge you then provide crappy services. The XBOX customer support is a bit better, but it takes like more than 45 minutes to get to speak with support after the automated system. It got me pretty annoying when I had to send my box in.

xboxrulz

i thought microsoft phone support was $50? i think thats wot it is here anyway.

gee microsoft are pretty useless... they can at least afford better phone lines and better technical support people youd think.

although i tend to find most phone support pretty rubbish, they never tend to help. like when i first got broadband, it wasnt working, called 3 times and they just told me to do an adware scan...

The Microsoft Phone Support is $50 for certain software or if your software/operating system came OEM. Otherwise, it is supposed to be "no-charge", but I always ask before describing the details. I could have waited to connect to the appropriate area, they automatically transferred me to the US then to Canada assuming that I was waiting too long.

Heck, that's why I rather go with the Apple support team, it's covered under my AppleCare and they were helpful when I asked for the Leopard upgrade ... too bad my Mac was purchased 2 weeks before Oct. 1, so that got me really ticked off.

xboxrulz

what! those ms phonelines are dull. i'd forget the phone charges and asked by forum/email.

or i would put linux over windows. (deleting windows first!)

xxxx-jozh-xxxx

There weren't any phone charges, but they really should transfer properly. I mean the tech person said that they would stay on the line until I got to where I pressed options...4 seconds later..."Your call cannot completed at this time/beep beep".

I do have Ubuntu installed on my hard drive, but I do need Windows for some stuff (my parents prefer Microsoft Office, I need to test my sites on Internet Explorer, etc).

I usually only googling my problem and find the solution from people. Customer Support may have better knowledge than us, but they're not really users so they don't have sufficient experiences from user's side/point of view.