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From: isle@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Ken Hancock)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps
Subject: Re: MS Word 4.0b and ATM 2.0
Message-ID: <24172@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU>
Date: 13 Sep 90 12:27:49 GMT
References: <4608@crystal9.UUCP> <1990Sep12.234423.11000@groucho>
Sender: news@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU
Distribution: comp
Organization: Isle Systems - Waltham, MA
Lines: 46

In article <1990Sep12.234423.11000@groucho> hermens@ted.cs.uidaho.edu (Leonard Hermens) writes:

>I requested 4.0b from Microsoft some time ago.
>
>The customer assistance person on the phone said that
>"Word 4.0a is the same as 4.0b", and I received 4.0a
>in the mail.  Hmmm...

              Tips for Dealing with Microsoft Corp.
           (or "How to Deal with Most Large Companies)
                  (c) Copyable 1990 Ken Hancock
 
 
1. Usually Microsoft is wrong.  Many customers who call up Microsoft,
believe it or not, know what they are talking about.  More often then
not, their customer support does not.  This leads us to (2).
 
2. Tell them they are wrong.  Let them know what you want.  If they
don't get it right the first time (usually the case, once again), then
call back (unfortunately, on your dime since customer/technical
support is a 206 number, not an 800).
 
3. Read MacWeek, UseNet, America Online, Compuserve, GEnie, or some
BBS.  Usually, information from other sources filters down fairly
quickly.  As a last resort, subscribe to MacUser or MacWorld.  The
information usually gets there sooner or later.  This step is
especially important in view of (1).  After all, wouldn't it be scary
if Customer Support actually started telling people the right thing?
 
4. Don't give up hope.  (This can be the hardest rule to follow.)
 
-----

On the Issue of Word 4.00B, it took me 3 times until they got it
right and sent me 4.00B.  (Yes, that means I have 3 copes of Word 4.00A
sitting around.  Free disks.)  4.00B has been around for quite some
time now -- if Customer Support is telling you that there's no
difference, ask to talk to their supervisor.  Fortunately,
supervisors are usually well-informed.  

Ken

-- 
Ken Hancock                   | This account needs a new home in MA...
Isle Systems                  | Can you provide a link for it?
isle@eleazar.dartmouth.edu    | It doesn't bite...  :-)