Well, I'm not dead, just very busy. So what better way to come back than with a Rant! Following is an actual e-mail chain between me and TrendMicro customer service. Sorry for the length but you have to follow the whole thing to understand the WTFness of it. The only thing I have changed is certain info for privacy. The cliff notes are that I have an expired anti-virus license. I was trying to renew the license through TrendMicro's web site. TrendMicro uses DigitalRiver to process purchases. The URL the TrendMicro site point to is not accessible. I tried to work with TrendMicro customer service. To my amazement they repeatedly provided generic instructions that always brought me back to the same spot. It was as if they did not even read my words!
It is customer service at its worst!
--chaz
************************************************************************************************************************
From: Chip xxxxxx[SMTP:xxxxxx.xxx]
Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2006 9:09:20 AM
To: Retail support
Subject: DigitalRiver.Com
Auto forwarded by a Rule
Dear Sir/Madam:
One of my multi-user (3 pack) licenses has expired. I have tried to use the hyperlink provided by the pop-up message and I have tried through your web site to renew my license. Unfortunately both methods bring the user to www.digitalriver.com <http://www.digitalriver.com/> . This site is not accessible. The page starts to load and hangs. If others are having the same problem I am, you may be losing a lot of sales/upgrades!
Below is the expired PCCillin Internet Security information. I'd really like to renew all 3 licenses. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.
Serial Number: xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx
Program Version: 12.0.1244
Engine Version: 7.100.1003
Pattern Version: 2.184.00
Registered E-mail Account: xxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
Charles xxxxxx
xxx-xxx-xxxx
-----Original Message-----
From: PCC4DELL [mailto:PCC4DELL@support1.trendmicro.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2006 7:47 AM
To: 'xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx'
Cc: PCC4DELL
Subject: RE: [C1272828][S2323][WCV] FW: DigitalRiver.Com
Greetings Chip,
Thank you for your recent visit to the Trend Micro web site and question about renewing the 3-user license of our product. Let me assist you on this.
To purchase a 3-user-license renewal of a Trend Micro product:
1) Go to www.trendmicro.com <http://www.trendmicro.com>,
Click on the Products and Services tab, click on Desktop, and click on your product on the left side of the window. If you have PC-cillin Internet Security 2005, click on PC-cillin Internet Security. Or you may go to the site directly by clicking on this link:
<http://www.trendmicro.com/buy/us/pcc-us-serial.asp>
2) To purchase a renewal of your Home Security Pack, click
On the Upgrade Now at the bottom part of your screen.
3) Click on the Buy Now button under Home Security Pack For
Up to 3Pcs for $39.95. Your Shopping Cart should appear. (If you want a CD for the software, click the one which states Physical)
4) Follow-on the prompts to complete the purchase.
Make sure to click add for the option to order a backup CD for the
software.
If you will still encounter the same issue, please delete Temporary
Internet files first by doing these steps:
1. Click the Start button.
2. Click All Programs.
3. Click Internet Explorer. The Internet Explorer window appears.
4. Click the Tools menu.
5. Click Internet Options. The Internet Options window appears.
6. Click the Delete Files button. The Delete Files window appears.
7. Check the Delete All Offline Content box.
8. Click the OK button. The Temporary Internet Files are deleted.
9. Click the Delete Cookies button. The Delete Cookies window appears.
10. Click the OK button. The Cookies are deleted.
11. And OK again to close the window.
After performing the above steps, try to purchase the renewal/upgrade
again.
To completely document your responses about this issue, please reply
directly to this message. Do not create a new email or delete the
indicated subject. If this solution resolves the issue, please reply with a simple "close case" so that we could formally close this case.
If you have further questions about PC-cillin Internet Security, please
Be sure to revisit our web site at http://www.trendmicro.com as we are
continually adding information to enhance our services.
Regards,
Josh A
Trend Micro Technical Support
-----Original Message-----
From: Chip xxxxxx [mailto:xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx]
Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2006 10:52 PM
To: 'PCC4DELL'
Subject: [T1495439]RE: [C1272828][S2323][WCV] FW: DigitalRiver.Com
Josh,
My growing frustration with Trendmicro is that nobody will listen to the actual problem. DigitalRiver.com is not responsive. The site is down or hung. I have tried on several computers to perform the renewal and to access the primary DigitalRiver.com URL directly. I am an IT professional and I assure you the problem is NOT with my computer or browser, but with your e-commerce partner's web site.
So here is what I am going to do. I am NOT going to renew my PC-Cillin licenses. I am frustrated by Trendmicro technical support. I called about this issue prior to sending this e-mail with no satisfaction. The cookie cutter solution presented below is unacceptable. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH YOUR PARTNER'S SITE!
I will find a competing product that can provide protection and competent customer support.
Sincerely,
Charles xxxxxx
-----Original Message-----
From: PCC4DELL [mailto:PCC4DELL@support1.trendmicro.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2006 6:12 PM
To: 'Chip xxxxxx'
Cc: PCC4DELL
Subject: RE: [C1272828][S2323][WCV] FW: DigitalRiver.Com
Greetings Charles,
Thank you for your recent note.
With regard to your concern about unable to renew your subscription, I apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you and rests assure that I will assist you further.
To renew your subscription, you may go to this link:
<http://www.trendmicro.com/buy/us/pcc-us-serial.asp>.
Note: If the link does not load, please copy and paste the entire link on the address field of your browser.
If you get an error message, please send us the screen shot of it so that we can help you further.
To get screen shot:
1. Press Print Screen. The Print Screen button is somewhere on the upper right hand corner of your keyboard (Considering your are using a US/International/QWERTY keyboard. The position of the Print Screen may or may not be in other locations of your keyboard if you are using another type.).
2. Paste it on a new image using any image-editing tool you have, like Windows Paint Brush or Adobe Photoshop, via CTRL+V or by going to the EDIT MENU of your image editing tool, and selecting PASTE.
3. Please save the picture as a JPEG file, or Bitmap file (Jpeg preferred).
4. And attach the picture to your reply email.
Note: Please copy the screenshot to MS Word so that we can access it easily.
For other renewal options, you may contact our Trend Micro Online Store
-
Digital River at x-xxx-xxx-xxxx.
To completely document your responses about this issue, please reply directly to this message. Do not create a new email or delete the indicated subject. If this solution resolves the issue, please reply with a simple "close case" so that we could formally close this case.
If you have further questions about PC-cillin Internet Security, please be sure to revisit our web site at <http://www.trendmicro.com/> as we are continually adding information to enhance our services.
Regards,
Mhel A.
Trend Micro Technical Suppor
-----Original Message-----
From: Chip xxxxxx [mailto:xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx]
Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2006 9:26 AM
To: 'PCC4DELL'
Subject: [T1495868]RE: [C1272828][S2323][WCV] FW: DigitalRiver.Com
Mhel,
As I mentioned earlier there is a problem with the Digital River site.
The link you provide brings me to the PC-Cillin upgrade page. When I click on "Upgrade Now" link under the title;
If you own a Multi User License, please click on the link below to upgrade your license.
The browser goes to the following URL;
http://www.digitalriver.com/dr/v2/ec_MAIN.Entry17c?CID=0&SID=16269&SP=10023&PN=56&PID=661822&DSP=&CUR=840&PGRP=0
This URL renders after some time a "The Page Cannot Be Displayed" error page. But the browser window title indicates "Cannot find server". It may be helpful to note that the final part of the error page states, "
Cannot find server or DNS Error".
Charles
-----Original Message-----
From: PCC4DELL [mailto:PCC4DELL@support1.trendmicro.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2006 7:50 AM
To: 'Chip xxxxxx'
Cc: PCC4DELL
Subject: RE: [C1272828][S2323][WCV] FW: DigitalRiver.Com
Greetings Chip,
Thank you for your recent visit to the Trend Micro web site and question about renewing the multi user license of our product. Let me assist you on this.
To purchase a multi user-license renewal of a Trend Micro product:
1) Go to www.trendmicro.com <http://www.trendmicro.com>, click
on the Products and Services tab, click on Desktop, and click on your product on the left side of the window. If you have PC-cillin Internet Security 2006, click on PC-cillin Internet Security. Or you may go to the site directly by clicking on this link:
<<http://www.trendmicro.com/en/products/desktop/pc-cillin/evaluate/overview.htm>.>
2) To purchase a renewal of PC-cillin Internet Security 2006,
click on the Buy Online Now link at the right side of the window.
3) Click on Upgrade/Renew Now under PC-cillin Internet
Security.
4) Click on the Upgrade now link near the bottom of the page,
under If you own a Multi User License, please click on the link below to upgrade your license.
5) Click on 3 users under Multi-User License. Your Shopping
Cart should appear.
6) Follow-on the prompts to complete the purchase.
To completely document your responses about this issue, please reply directly to this message. Do not create a new email or delete the indicated subject. If this solution resolves the issue, please reply with a simple "close case" so that we could formally close this case.
If you have further questions about PC-cillin Internet Security, please be sure to revisit our web site at http://www.trendmicro.com as we are continually adding information to enhance our services.
Regards,
Joy dL.
Trend Micro Technical Support
-----Original Message-----
From: 'xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx'
Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2006 7:47 AM
To: PCC4DELL [mailto:PCC4DELL@support1.trendmicro.com]
Cc: PCC4DELL
Subject: RE: [C1272828][S2323][WCV] FW: DigitalRiver.Com
STRIKE 3! I hope somebody competent will read this e-mail chain from the beginning. For the third straight time, somebody has had me navigate to a link that is BROKEN on the Trendmicro web site. Maybe if I put it in all caps somebody will read this!
DIGITALRIVER.COM IS DOWN. IT IS BROKEN. PAGE CAN NOT BE DISPLAYED. PLEASE ESCALATE THIS ISSUE TO THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE SUPERVISOR. DO NOT SEND ME ANOTHER SOLUTION THAT BRINGS ME TO THE "UPDATE NOW" HYPERLINK. IT DOESN'T WORK!
AT THIS POINT YOU SHOULD GIVE ME A FREE 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO YOUR PRODUCT. YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS INCOMPITENT. NOBODY IS READING WHAT I AM WRITING. IT HAS COST ME WAY TOO MUCH TIME TRYING TO GIVE YOU MY MONEY!
IF YOU ARE NOT A SUPERVISOR OR EXECUTIVE OF TRENDMICRO, DO NOT REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
With great disgust and anger,
Charles xxxxxx
xxx-xxx-xxxx