Request Help from Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer

May 29, 2012

I recall reading the following quote by Mr. Gates. 

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”
Bill Gates, Founder, Microsoft

Surely, he and Mr. Ballmer will help get the operating system that I paid for reactivated.

I send the following note to Mr. Gates and Mr. Ballmer.

What will their response be?

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Steve  <steve.@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, May 29, 2012 at 10:43 PM
Subject: Customer Experience
To: billg@microsoft.com , steveb@microsoft.com, Microsoft Counterfeit Report Submissions <cfrv2prd@microsoft.com>, mswish@microsoft.com, support@microsoft.com,

Re:  Counterfeit Report Number:  E37R-KU2U

Dear Mr. Gates and Mr. Ballmer:

Please review the following series of communication with your organization.  I work in a customer focused business myself and try not to go out of my way to escalate trivial matters.  With that said, this situation has gone way past the point of poor customer service.

In summary, please review the following timeline and notes:

•  I purchased a Dell computer with Windows XP preloaded and paid for an upgrade to Windows Vista.
•  July 22, 2011- I ordered Windows 7 Professional Upgrade from www.onlinedigitalitems.com  I have installed the software and have been using it since July, 2011.  I found your Retailer in a Google Shopping search.  The merchant was rated by Google.  I paid almost $90.00 for the upgrade. 
• mid-April, 2012- I started receiving the following noted counterfeit messages.  I am not able to download any updates from Microsoft.  After all of the documentation detailed below, I am being told by your representatives the that the license key I was sold has been used many times and has been disabled.  As of this date, the www.onlinedigitalitems.com website is still operating and represent “….genuine software online.:  It appears that all they sell are Microsoft products.
•  I tried contacting the merchant over 10 times via phone, e-mail, and chat.  I can not get a response.  PayPal is refusing to refund my payment as they have stated their buyer protection only covers items that were never received.

·         April 21, 2012- I provided all of the information that your Counterfeit Submisison department requested an online submission after I spoke to your Service Center.  I received Counterfeit Report Number: E37R-KU2U after submitting, although no one at Microsoft seems to know what I am referring to when I mention this number.  I also provided all of this information via several Chat sessions (one of which I was disconnected from when I asked for a Supervisor) and verbally over the phone.  After this customer experience, I escalate the matter within Microsoft.

• May 1, 2012- I am contacted by Susan .  She requests that I provide all of the same information to her, which I do on the same date.  She tells me that she will follow-up
• After sending multiple requests to the Counterfeit department asking for an update, I never hear back.
• After multiple requests to Susan, she continues to point me to check an online submission site.  (There is no way to receive a notification other than randomly checking a site?!)  I am required to enter four different pieces of information and the only updates I am provided is the confirmation of the April 26, 2012 submission date.  Please review the following series of correspondence with Susan.  Other than stating that I should have known that the software was counterfeit after paying $90.00 for it.  (Sorry, after paying for XP and Vista and considering I can buy a new HP or Dell desktop computer with the software pre-loaded for $400, this seemed like a reasonable upgrade price.)
• May 17, 2012- After my multiple requests to ask for an update and confirmation that all of my information has been received by the Counterfeit, Susan instructs me to mail the same information that I have e-mailed, provided via chat, and e-mailed to Susan in a .pdf.  Is this really a response from a representative of one of the world’s largest and most successful software companies.
• May 23, 2012- I notice that your Merchant site has been taken down.  Hopefully, the hours of work that I have put into this seemingly simple request, has helped some consumer out there.  I still have no update from Microsoft.
• May 29, 2012- After a month and half of notifying Microsoft, the Counterfeit website still states no update.

Will someone of authority, please contact me to get this matter resolved?  With the time of phone calls, chat, and e-mail follow-up, I could have bought a new computer with Windows 7 many times over.

Please have someone senior to Susan contact me.  Susan is not customer focused, not an advocate in any way, nor resourceful.

I can be reached at (XXX) XXX-XXXX.

I once again thank you in advance in hopes that this matter can finally be resolved.

Respectfully,

Steve