Taking Advantage of Microsoft's Policies

A lot of people bear a grudge against Microsoft that at times seems like the company has personally slighted them somehow. Myself, I rather like a lot of the products that Microsoft has to offer, and can usually deal pretty well with software issues that arise.

But one thing I do hate about it all is the price that the company charges for their software. Yes, the people who took all the time to write the code and debug it and test it a zillion and one times to make sure it all works deserve their fair wage, and I don't dispute that. But what, may I ask, are you actually paying for when you shell out hundreds of dollars for a product.

I have this info from somebody who used to work for Microsoft. You're paying not for the disc, not for the download, not really for the product itself, but the registration key. Yup, that string of numbers and/or letters that you have to input in order to unlock all the features of trial versions. That's the thing you're paying all your money for, really.

And I can't exactly blame people for thinking that's an unfair thing to pay so much money for. Especially when you consider just how much the company makes in a year. That money does go back into the development of new software, I must admit, but a large chunk of it goes into the bank and collects interest for the owner of the company (who, I might add, is no longer Bill Gates).

So what can be done? Well, not much, unless you're willing to use the non-Microsoft products that are developped all the time by independent developers, who make things to do pretty much everything the Microsoft products will do only without the insanely high price. Which is definitely an option.

But there are also other things that can be done is you're dissatisfied with what Microsoft has given you.

Now before I launch into that info, I want to add a bit of a disclaimer here. I am not advising anybody to use this information for the wrong purpose. And the wrong purpose is a dishonest and illegal one, to be blunt about it. I cannot condone that course of action, and I want that said so that nobody can use this article in such a way and then turn the tables back on me and get me in trouble for it. It's been said. Don't use this info for illegal purposes.

With that out of the way, let's get down to brass tacks.

Most people have heard that when you buy software from a retail outlet, once the package has been opened, you can't return it. This rule is put in place because lots of people will buy software, install it, make copies to sell illegally to friends, family, and strangers, and then try to return the product to the store. Since the software cannot be resold once opened, the store loses money, and stores don't want that. They might exchange it for another copy of the same product, but they won't give you your money back.

So what do you do when you buy software and have to return it? (For reasons such as faulty installation, genuine dislike of the product, etc.) You send it to Microsoft directly.

Microsoft's return policy states that a product can be returned to them directly within 45 days of purchase for a full refund. They do, of course, demand that you uninstall the software from your computer before you do so, but here's the kicker: there are very few ways for them to tell if you've done so. It's not unheard of for a person to buy software, install it, return it to Microsoft for a full refund, and then keep using the software on their computer because they didn't uninstall it. They, in essence, just got free software.

Now, there are drawbacks to this, and I feel compelled to go into them. First of all, you won't be able to get any updates for your software, at least not from the Microsoft.com website. Also, if you ever run into trouble with the program and need tech support, you will not be able to get it because they need your registration code and it will show that you returned the software to them and aren't legally entitled to use it anymore. And unless an illegal copy of the product was made and the product ID number was written down for safekeeping, you're out of luck if you ever need to reinstall it for some reason.

But for people who are okay with those drawbacks, they just got themselves some free software.

While Microsoft doesn't exactly hide this policy (they do have a webpage for it, after all), they're not amazingly upfront about telling people that they have this option. Microsoft doesn't want to return your money. Once they have it, they want to keep it. But for those who need it and know where to look, the option is there for them, within 45 days of purchase.

Here's the thing that always blows me away. Let's say you call Microsoft because some piece of their software isn't working properly, and they charge you for tech support. Some support is offered for free, but most is on a pay-per-incident basis, so you're looking at paying potentially $60 out of pocket to get glitches fixed. Which is no fun, to say the least.

So you call, you pay, you get the problem fixed. That isn't the end of the story, though. You can, if you so choose, immediately call 1-800-MICROSOFT (or 1-800-MICROSO, actually, since the F and T don't actually do anything when you press them), tell the agent you just got technical support, and demand a refund. They are trained to not ask questions. They are trained to just issue a refund right to your credit card, no questions asked.

The reason they are typically given for not asking questions is that it's not really any of their business. Even if the technical support agent fixed the problem you were having, they could have been rude to you, they could have taken their sweet time with it, or any number of reasons. When you call the toll-free Microsoft phone number, the first person you speak to will essentially be an operator of a glorified switchboard. All they do is basic stuff, like getting your info, finding out the problem, and then transferring you to the right department. And there are so many departments inso many different call centres in so many different countries that it's quicker and easier to just give you a refund for the tech support call than it is to properly investigate claims about why you actually want the refund.

As much as I said in the previous section that Microsoft doesn't want to part with your money, they are, on occasion, willing to give it back, if it results in the customer-company bond growing tighter. Their theory is that if they lose $60 now because they gave you a refund in good faith, you're more likely to come back to them in the future because you know that they'll give good service.

Which, in business-talk, can basically be summed up by saying, "We'll give you your money back now because there's a better chance of you giving us more money later if we do."

If you have a legitimate complaint and don't think the support you were given warrants the price you paid, then they can and will issue you a good-faith refund. Some people may use this dishonestly and demand a refund each time they have to call, though, and yes, Microsoft does have a way of keeping track of that, I might add, so if you choose to go this route, be aware of that fact.

Again, this is another thing that Microsoft doesn't exactly make people aware of very easily. One of the very few ways of finding this out is by actually trying to do so and ending up in a conversation with a very chatty agent who lets more things slip than they mean to.

Once more I stress that the information contained in this article be used for legitimate reasons. I can't stop you from going out and getting free software and free tech support from Microsoft, but I can cover my own behind and say that I told you the consequences of doing so. Technically, doing this could constitute as fraud and you could face hefty fines, and very few people would say that a fine of several thousand dollars is worth getting a bit of free tech support for.

But there are options there for you to be aware of, if such a situation arises where you. I'm a firm believer in people knowing what they're getting into, and being aware of company policies and practices is never a bad thing.