Extreme issue when demanding support from Stardock

This is for everyone to know who uses impulse and other products from Stardock

from Stardock Forums

Below you can read the history of one of my Support Tickets in which you can cleary see the in my eyes extreme failure when providing help from Stardock support.

Tom Rieck     
    Posted On: Nov 11 2010 02:14 AM
Hello,

When trying to download the activation file for window fx 4 beta via alternative activation an server error occurs. Link: -cut-

Message:

Server Error in '/Sigs' Application.
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Runtime Error
Description: An application error occurred on the server. The current custom error settings for this application prevent the details of the application error from being viewed remotely (for security reasons). It could, however, be viewed by browsers running on the local server machine.

Details: To enable the details of this specific error message to be viewable on remote machines, please create a tag within a "web.config" configuration file located in the root directory of the current web application. This tag should then have its "mode" attribute set to "Off".

Notes: The current error page you are seeing can be replaced by a custom error page by modifying the "defaultRedirect" attribute of the application's configuration tag to point to a custom error page URL.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Besides, I'm just trying to activate another stardock program on my computer here at work and it fails again. I want all the software i bought via impulse to be activated without problems. Please enable me to do so.

Attached is the file I need for activation of the product. Please give me the sig.bin or whatever it would be and tell me right next where i have to put it as which filename to activate the product. And you could tell me as well how it would be with all other products as well, so that I do not need to contact support EACH TIME I want to activate one product.

Thanks.

Greetings,

Tom Rieck

==============================================


Anthony Towler     
    Posted On: Nov 12 2010 04:56 PM
Hello,

Some form of internet access is required to activate. If you do not have internet access on the machine you are activating on, you can follow the steps on this page for manual activation:

http://www.impulsedriven.com/support/alternative_activation.aspx

currently the "Website Activation" section is not yet implemented, so you can skip over it an go to the "E-mail activation" section.

Please let me know whether this resolves your problem or if you have any additional questions.


Anthony Towler
Technical Advisor
Stardock Corporation
https://www.stardock.com

==============================================

Tom Rieck     
    Posted On: Nov 15 2010 02:11 AM
This didn't resolve the problem.

I tried E-Mail activation, but there was an error as well (it tells me "There was a Problem loading this page, please try again later") And I allready tried it multiple times since you told me to.

Please help me and note, that I cannot afford to post a support ticket, EACH TIME I want to activate a product. This is simply unacceptable. So I want you to offer me a method which actually works. Or implement this activator.exe with proxy support so that It would work in corporal networks as well.

Greetings,

An unsatisfied costumer
Tom Rieck     

==============================================

    Posted On: Nov 15 2010 05:21 AM
I cannot activate Window Blinds 7 from my Work Computer as well! Even the E-Mail Activation for that one doesnt works too!
Anthony Towler     
    Posted On: Nov 16 2010 05:30 PM
Hello,

In order to have content digitally distributed to you, and for activation to function correctly, it is necessary to have access to a reliable, unimpeded Internet connection. If the security or accepted use policies in your school or place of business do not allow you to install Impulse, or block access to our servers, it is an issue to address with your IT department, not with Stardock. It is the responsibility of the consumer to have the necessary computer system and data connection to take advantage of digital distribution.

Thanks,





Anthony Towler
Technical Advisor
Stardock Corporation
https://www.stardock.com

==============================================

Tom Rieck     
    Posted On: Nov 17 2010 02:10 AM

Hello,
 
This Answer is not acceptable. You have alternative Activation Methods
which are there exactly for those cases. And these do not work. So I
demand support for getting my Products I bought from you activated!
 
Besides, this Ticket is about the Server error on Alternative Activation
Page! What does this have to do with my local equipment and
IT-infrastructure?
 
Why didnt you give me an activation file right away instead of giving me
this absolutely off-topic answer?
 
Greetings,
 
Tom Rieck
==============================================

 

Here you can see what all this is up to.

I am extremely disappointed by such a low level of support that I, as a customer, receive from Stardock. Actually I think this is horrible.

5,761 views 16 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

To Stardock Employees or whatever:

If you do not help me with my tickets right away, I will spread this post on several other forums as well.

I simply got enough of being treated like a stupid idiot when awaiting personal support with the problems I got with YOUR software which I ALLREADY PAID FOR!

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I am not defending Stardock, nor am I an IT expert, but threats and demands may not be your best course of action. Many of the people that haunt the forums here are generally pretty skilled and helpful, and may be able to help you, but only if you request their assistance, which you don't appear to have done.  

WindowBlinds - Free yourself of the default settings, customize your desktop.
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

The issue may be that your Corporate system does not allow you to install certain types of software. You might want to at least ask the IT person/department if that's the case. If this IS the case Stardock will not be able to provide you with a way to get around their restrictions.

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Is your corporate firewall getting in the way? From what I read above, it sounds like your place of business blocks its users from downloading and installing this type of software.

If it's an issue with your corporation, then it is not Stardock's problem.

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Instead of using the Alternate activation website, please send the activation information you would have uploaded to [email protected].  We can manually generate the activation file from there.

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Ive never been able to get impulse to work through our proxy server either. Fortunately I have the authority to bypass our proxy and open our firewall when I want to use impulse.

At the very least, I would like to see Stardock offer clear concise instructions for opening Impulse through MS ISA 2006.

However, you are not in a position to bypass your proxy and there is most likely zero legit business reasons for having Windowblinds installed on a work PC. You should accept this fact and restrict your windowblinds use to your home system.

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

I can install software and run impulse fine. The proxy server is configurable and anything works. From browsing with impulse to downloading and installing the software. Everything that doesn't work is the activation, because this Activator simply does not support the use of proxy credentials. Besides, the alternative activation methods don't work. None of them with all the programs I tried to register.

@ Shirley: I allready did that. That just created another Support Ticket on my Account there, and although this is more than a day ago, I don't have the activation file by now.

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

A refund and store ban might save SD time and money.  Some people are in situations where no amount of effort will resolve the issue. 

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

A refund and store ban might save SD time and money. Some people are in situations where no amount of effort will resolve the issue.
End of quote

Good Grief. This is a PAYING customer that despite repeated contacts with support has yet to have his issues resolved. Yes, he's pissed.

The "unless you do this/I'll do that" remark by him was not in good form but c'mon. We all know that quite often the support SYSTEM at SD is less than stellar due to the fact that every time you reply to an email your ticket is placed back on the bottom of the stack.

There has to be better solutions than SD banning ( or making threats to ban ) customers when they complain. This entire damn issue should have been done in private, but that remark was no better than the inital customer's threat IMO.

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Phoon, reply 9
Good Grief. This is a PAYING customer that despite repeated contacts with support has yet to have his issues resolved. Yes, he's pissed.

The "unless you do this/I'll do that" remark by him was not in good form but c'mon. We all know that quite often the support SYSTEM at SD is less than stellar due to the fact that every time you reply to an email your ticket is placed back on the bottom of the stack.

There has to be better solutions than SD banning ( or making threats to ban ) customers when they complain. This entire damn issue should have been done in private, but that remark was no better than the inital customer's threat IMO.
End of Phoon's quote

There has to be a break-even point for support.  The guy is behind who-knows-what corporate bullshit.  Who knows if it will ever work. Time spent on support is money lost.  If the support will benefit other users than the spent-cost can be mitigated but if this is a one-off, and there is no good resolution then it's lost money.

I'm not suggesting a refund and ban to be a jerk.  Guy gets his money back.  No loss to him, right?  SD loses the time (money) spent thus far but gets to move on.  Better than other options, right?

Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Look at response #5.

I just don't see SD being wrongheaded here. I can understand frustration causing anger, but at some point one comes to realize that honey attracts more than vinegar.

I understand Zubaz's point as well, and agree. Don't holler at me Phoon....but at some point the max/min equation turns to negatives...that doesn't obligate one to refund and ban, but it's an option.

Personally, I'd rather see a happy customer but sometimes that won't happen.... There's a max/min point beyond which the customer is going to be angry no matter what you do.

 

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

This definitely appears to be an issue that can only be worked out, to any kind of satisfaction, between the OP and support. 

I would say that trying to install software and programs of the type Stardock produces on computers in the work environment always seems to have a lot of variables involved. 

Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Zubaz, reply 8
A refund and store ban might save SD time and money.  Some people are in situations where no amount of effort will resolve the issue. 
End of Zubaz's quote

 

I'd be more than happy with a refund and a SD ban! Zubaz for president ~ even better than Obama...

Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Some feel that they're your ONLY customer and they're ALWAYS right and all others don't matter and if they show you that they're not happy that you will do your best to satisfy them. People who do this at restaurants usually get a little extra "gift" in their food.

Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top

 

Well thats basically how it goes in all fields. But here is the thing that "customer" is only going to care about their experience and why should it be otherwise when they are the ones paying for it? Of course they are not the only ones or always right but you have to try your best to make them feel that way or that you really care and want to do whatever it takes (within reason) to make them happy. Otherwise they don't come back and that's no good. As far as an "extra little gift" in their food, that would just be something a teenager would do and real professional would not resort to no matter what. This I know from being an executive chef for over 20 years.

 

 

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting mdchalice, reply 15


 

Well thats basically how it goes in all fields. But here is the thing that "customer" is only going to care about their experience and why should it be otherwise when they are the ones paying for it? Of course they are not the only ones or always right but you have to try your best to make them feel that way or that you really care and want to do whatever it takes (within reason) to make them happy. Otherwise they don't come back and that's no good. As far as an "extra little gift" in their food, that would just be something a teenager would do and real professional would resort to no matter what. This I know from being an executive chef for over 20 years.
End of mdchalice's quote

 

I understand now.