After the fiasco in February, when I paid for and downloaded the 'key' for the 2011 version of Streets and Trips, and it turned out to be
the key for the 2010 version, because MS had screwed up the web by misposting that 2011 was available when it wasn't, I received a refund
and a promise from Demetro, a supervisor at Microsoft Store, of a 25% discount when 2011 finally was released.
Yesterday Demetro called to let me know that it had been released and I could now buy it. I was not home at the time and when I called back
I was on the phone for about an hour with various individuals at Customer Service at the Microsoft Store, and ended up with a supervisor who
reluctantly first offered me a 10% discount and then later increased that to 20% and said he would get in trouble for offering that amount.
Along the way I was told that the 2011 version had been withdrawn because of download problems, and when I suggested that was inaccurate the
individual checked and, after about 4 minutes on hold, came back and told me I was right, it had not been withdrawn. According to those I
spoke to, the incident number I had been given had not mentioned ANY discount, so they were not prepared to offer one!
I pointed out that:
1. My one hour playing telephone tag with them while they put me on hold, sent me to other phone numbers, and played ring around the rosey
was worth a lot more than first 10% discount, and the later 20% discount, as that 10% extra amounted to all of $4. Some 'bigger' discount!
2. That Demetro, who this supervisor claimed he had managed to catch as he was going into a meeting, did NOT remember his discount offer
from February at all, nor my suggestion back then that someone [Marvin] had suggest that I should ask for half off, even though he obviously
had finally found his notes from back then in February and called me yesterday with the offer of the 2011 version of Streets and Trips now.
3. That the major highways for Toronto, the 401, the 427 and the QEW seemed to have been fouled up in their 2011 version but were just fine
in their 2010 version, so since one of my interests was screwed up badly, it was not worth it to me. It turns out that Bing, online, has the
SAME problems with routing so the database used by both is fouled up on these roads and their connections to each other.
4. That I could buy it at Costco and other discounters in the U.S. for that same discount they were offering me, as Costco, for example,
always sells Streets and Trips at a discount from the suggested retail price. This they agreed was accurate, incidentally.
In the end I declined to purchase the 2011 version at the reduced price of $32.00 and will stick with my older version. I feel like billing
them for my time as well, but know it is pointless to send them an invoice for wasted time since it will simply go into the waste basket. As
far as their customer service is concerned, however, I am NOT impressed. When someone makes a promise they should, in my view, keep it. This
is a case where they have not!
FWIW
RsH
Post by Marvin.HlavacThe new Streets & Trips 2011 has been released, and review of new
features posted at
http://www.laptopgpsworld.com/2380-review-microsoft-streets-trips