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! 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!
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