VLSC impediments to use: Why does Microsoft have such contempt for its customers?

Jeffrey Fox 1 Reputation point
2020-06-10T17:32:20.127+00:00

Recently, someone at Microsoft had the big idea to not issue product keys for volume license software when purchased, as Microsoft has done for the 30 years prior. Now, when you buy volume license software (even Open Value, the most expensive way to purchase Microsoft software), for many products, there is this message where the key should be:

The product you have selected requires a product key for product activation. To obtain your product key, please contact your local Product Activation Call Center at the telephone number provided here.

Then there's a link to a list of phone numbers. When you call, it's the product activation center. Within a few minutes, you can get someone on the line (with a heavy accent), who asks you what product you want to activate.

The first time I called, I said it wasn't about activation, it was about having the keys for the software we paid for. I asked her simply to issue keys for all software in there, so I don't have to worry about calling Microsoft if and when the time comes for me to use a particular software product. She said she would, but she either lied or changed her mind.

Now, a month later, I';m trying to use some of this software, and I find none of the keys were issued. So I've called again. I've been on the phone now for over almost an hour. Why so long? Well, this guy agreed to issue the keys, but he told me he has to go through each product one by one. So that's what he did.

But, he says he doesn't see some of the products that I can see on the VLSC, so he can't issue keys. There's no reason for this, except that their system is messed up. And now he's asking his supervisor.

The reason I mentioned his accent is because it's actually quite significant. I have had some major problems with Microsoft twice in the past (in addition to numerous small ones), and both times the only people I could speak to were in foreign call centers. The people there are given limited access to do anything, and are set up by Microsoft not to be able to solve problems. Both of the major problems were unsolved because of this deliberate setup for failure by Microsoft, and both times I had to sue Microsoft, and in both cases I won judgments that Microsoft could have avoided by simply trying to resolve problems instead of showing us the contempt that they do by sloughing our calls off to helpless, inexpensive representatives in a foreign country without the resources they need.

So, as of now, I can't use some of the software I paid for, because some guy halfway around the world can't see one of the products I paid for on his computer screen, so I don't get my product key.

Why? How does this help Microsoft or its customers, or enhance the value of its products?

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  1. Dave Patrick 425.8K Reputation points MVP
    2020-06-10T17:57:38.037+00:00

    Volume licensing is not currently supported here on QnA. You can email volume support here

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/supportrequestform/2afa6f15-b710-db46-909a-8346017c802f?sl=en&sc=US

    --please don't forget to Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--


    Regards, Dave Patrick ....
    Microsoft Certified Professional
    Microsoft MVP [Windows Server] Datacenter Management

    Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees, and confers no rights.

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