Posted by Scott Clark @ 3:09 pm
Microsoft bCentral Listbuilder - Broken. And no support
Filed under: RANT!, Web Site Advice
Oct
27
2006
27
2006
If you want to check out how well your anger-management therapy is working, sign up for Microsoft’s bCentral listbuilder program. And then try to get support for it. I have tens of thousands of subscribers on the system and it’s going to be huge pain to move but they’re not getting another dime from me. This is freaking nuts.
If you submit their support form, you’ll get a cut/paste support response in a few days. This will be the stuff you already know. You will then have to reply to them saying that they didn’t answer your question, and then you will get a response asking for something like your username and password, or something that you’ve already provided.
Should you want to cancel, the fact that you’re logged in wiht your “highly secure system developed to the highest standards for privacy and security” Microsoft Passport to the account isn’t enough. You’ll need to call them on the phone… per this email:
“Thank you for writing to Microsoft Small Business Center Customer Support regarding your cancellation request. In order to protect the privacy and security of our customers, we require that all cancellations be handled over the phone in order to verify and validate account ownership.-your Microsoft Small Business Center Windows Live ID log in
-your telephone number
-and the full name of your Microsoft Small Business Center service for verification purposes
Thank you for understanding the concern we have regarding t he security of our customers. “
C’mon people, give me a big-assed cancel button and get out of my way. It’s too late for you to stick me on hold and talk me into something. I’m running a busy company.
But, alas, there is no choice. If I don’t do this, they’ll charge my client’s credit card AUTOMATICALLY and there is no way to opt-out. This whole system sucks. I cannot wait to get everyone onto verticalresponse.com
UPDATE: 10/27/06: The Final Chapter….
After successfully canceling the account, the agent told me, unprompted, that I was violating their terms of service by reselling the service. Huh? I had told him that my client was being billed directly (e.g. no markup) and that I was just helping her with the setup. I explained the concept of reselling to him. What in the world are they thinking to accuse me like that. I had told him I had (at one time) 15 clients on Listbuilder - wouldn’t that make me like a Gold-card customer or something?
So, rather than construct a good reseller program (like verticalresponse.com seems to have, according to the call I received after my first post) they decided to accuse me of being some sort of renegade.
Update: Posted on the bCentral Site:
As of November 15, 2006 Microsoft will no longer accept new sign-ups for select Microsoft Online Small Business Services.
… that kinda explains it.
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19
2007
My ListBuilder Account on bCentral is not working as of very recently and I’m wondering who’s running the ship at Microsoft? The contact customer service email form doesn’t work and the Microsoft support team (3 calls so far) wasted the past two hours of my time with the following replys:
1) “We’ve never heard of bCentral.”
2) Call this number 866-***-**** (disconnected)
3) Call this number 866-***-**** (a company that has nothing to do with the service called Concentric.com
4) Call this number 888-***-**** (the customer service number for PayPal who also have nothing to do with bCentral)
I am unable to access my database that I’ve paid for several years to build up and had no notice as far as I was aware that the service was ending. Thanks Microsoft Small Business Services for helping me become an even smaller business!!!
20
2007
Microsoft did send out announcements regarding listbuilder closure for a while before it happened, however by that time the listbuilder support had degraded so badly that it really didn’t matter. I wonder how many people actually lost their lists.
Microsoft:
“Again, when the service is retired at 12:00 noon PDT on June 1st 2007, any data associated with the List Builder service will be permanently deleted from Microsoft’s servers. You are responsible for taking the necessary steps for copying and backing up your data prior to the service end date. ”
Regarding the transition:
If your list is over 2500 members and you email monthly or less, you’re going to pay more for CC. If you don’t email regularly, you’re better off with Vertical response, which charges only on “Sends.”
Disclaimer: I’m a vertical response partner:
http://sitecreations.vresp.com/signup/user_info.html
The system rocks… the people are terrific. That’s why I am hooked up with them.