Windows
Fifty Dollar Fee Demanded Just to Reach Windows Tech Support

First I would like to say I am a direct tv rep for technical support, but I don't know jack about computers. Day after day I help people ranging from informative competent clients to the dumbest life forms to ever own a tv. Some times it can be the most frustrating job, assisting old ladies with snowy screens normally just on the wrong input channel or some jerk off screaming in my ear trying to intimidate me into sending a service tech out for free after he ripped his dish off the roof and took the other end of the pole supporting the satellite and shoved it up his butt (close to true).
Where I am going with this is being a rep is a very frustrating and challenging job when you have all these a-holes screaming at you because they hate your policies BUT we still have to help everyone no matter who you are or what your account has on it. Some people call asking for help hooking up their dvd player which has nothing to do with our company and we still assist them.
My Windows Vista after owning for a year or so decided to not pick up a wireless signal anymore. Of course I allowed the computer to download updates and reset it, a few other things that anyone with a pulse would think of but that is where my computer expertise ends.
I decided to call Windows up per 800 number and spoke with lady I could hardly understand (which by the way never gets old hearing customers complain about the reps from India) but in this case I'm just frustrated because it prolonged our call for a good 20 extra mins, after she asked me for all my information to update my account-no question had to do with my computer problem she then says she would be happy to transfer me to tech support so I could ask some basic questions about getting my wireless back up. BUT...
First I need to pay her 49.99
I explain to her that my knowledge is very limited and my issue is probably some thing very easy to fix and I don't need any special diagnostics of any sort just some advice. She went on to explain that the tech support will need to run a series of tests that require some kind of technological bs that would cost their company money.
Maybe I am new to this concept a most companies do this but mine, but I doubt it. A company warranty or not should have enough respect for their customers that have purchased a 1000 dollar computer and waited on hold for 28 min before getting a rep that can not speak worth a crap then tries to act like my friend and that she is doing me a favor by charging me. In my book a warranty should only be necessary if a replacement or a rep has to do something other then lift a finger-but just to listen to simple instructions for 50 bucks is out of the question. People pay 50 bucks for some a-hole to read a script THEN if the computer needs to be replaced charge me full price-It's crap.
Now I know all the tricks for a direct tv customer to get past their guidelines and I guarantee everything people struggle with in our company there is a way through it all, I promise. So there has to be a way that I can get some advice through their scripted process of tech support-if anybody has ANY advice please let me know, this has now become a matter of principle and I'm not letting these people take advantage of me.

Company: Windows
Country: USA
Site: windows.com

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