One area Apple are really better than Microsoft

[YanniDepp]

Hey guys,

By trade, I'm a web developer. But due to the recession etc, I'm currently working for a large computer retailer in the UK. Given my knowledge, I've become "the Mac guy" in my store, and I've been signed up for both Apple's Sales Training and Microsoft's own ExpertZone training.

Signing up for Apple's Sales Training was easy. I sent them the details they needed (where I work, and the direct contact number and email address for the store). The next day, my account was activated.

With Microsoft's ExpertZone, it was a different story. I entered details of where I work, and my account was activated straight away. The next day, however, I was unable to log in to my account. After logging in, the only page I got was 'A critical error has occurred'.

Afterwards came the following to-and-fro of emails between myself and Microsoft.

Me: Hi. Whenever I try to access ExpertZone, it just says 'A critical error has occured'. I can't access anything.
Microsoft: Your account has been deactivated because you haven't sent us your verification details. We emailed everyone about this on 9th November. Please send us those details and we'll reactivate your account.
Me: I signed up on 21st November. As such, I don't have an email from you on 9th November. What do I need to send you?
Microsoft: Apologies for the mix-up. Please forward us the verification details and we'll re-activate your account.
Me: What details? You still haven't told me what I need to send you!

So it's over three weeks later. And I still can't get access to Microsoft's online training system. They take over a week to reply to each email, so I wonder, in a week's time, will I finally have the information I need?

This is kinda typical of Microsoft. Apple have a well-established system that works well and is well thought-out. Microsoft launch one that kind of looks the same, kind of works the same, but is poorly thought-out and badly implemented.

 

[ziggyonice]

Agreed 100%. Also, Apple's Sales Training site is very well laid out and is very appealing to one researching their products. It makes learning the ins and outs of Apple marketing a breeze.

Btw, I'd consider changing the title of this thread to "Yet ANOTHER area Apple are really better than Microsoft"

 

[mysterytramp]

This is kinda typical of Microsoft.

In 1986 or 87 I was putting out a textbook for a computer company. We were using Word 3.0 and some days it worked great, some days it was a demon child. Successive calls to tech support gave them new ways to blame other software on my machine, fonts, desk accessories, you name it; but nothing that would hint that the fault was Word. After a while, it was clear they were manufacturing reasons to get me off the phone.

Weeks later Microsoft admitted the problem was their software and Word cycled through several 3.something revisions. We managed to get the textbook out, using MacWrite and manually handling the footnotes.

I realize this is ancient history and a lot has changed in 21 or 22 years. But it still gives me a bad taste in my mouth that we were so dependent on that one company and didn't really have the resources for an alternative. It still rates as the worst experience ever with a software company.

Now I read your experiences and it makes me wonder whether anything has changed in Redmond.

mt