Bad customer experience

R

rumblesnort

Bit poster
Hello,

I've been using parallels for some time now with a fair degree of satisfaction. Until I actually needed support on an issue. Let me explain:

I re-installed my Macbook Pro with Leopard the other day and was re-installing my apps. Purchased Parallels 2.0 some time ago and purchased an upgrade to 3.0. Much to my dismay, when I downloaded parallels to re-install my key was no longer valid. Ok, sometimes these things happen, should be quick support issue.

That is when the problem started. Both phone numbers on the parallels main page are disconnected. There is no support email. There is no way to contact any of the management team. The only item I found was a form I filled out that I still haven't received a reply on (been a few days. Days are like weeks in software support, inexcusable). Meanwhile, I cannot use the software I paid for, there is no recourse, there isn't even a record of my purchases in my account. Is this a real company here? What is in Seattle, a post office box?

Since I've been waiting for a reply I've already:

1. Downloaded VMWare fusion
2. Had a quick chat with their tech support, they were immediately responsive and helpful.
3. Installed fusion and installed a downloaded a linux image.
4. Started converting my Parallels images to VMware images, handy utility here:

http://www.vmware.com/download/fusion/importer_tool.html

Before I wash my hands of parallels and become a permanent VMWare customer, to include recommending to my friends and business owners, I'd like to give the parallels team another day to respond.

Regards,

Soon-to-be ex-customer.
 
jackybe67,

Thank you for your reply. I'm currently on a trial key. My parallels 2.0 key doesn't work with 3.0. I don't remember if my 3.0 upgrade came with a key, I don't think it did. Unfortunately, unlike most businesses with an acquisition process online there is no way for me to look any of this up.

Does it not bother anyone that this company has phone numbers disconnected, no real form of contact (your average user won't think to go into a web forum and find a developer to talk to. In fact I didn't know there was a forum until google gave me the URL), etc? I can't say I would trust my business to this software and it isn't because of the technology, it is the business side of the company producing it that deeply concerns me. It doesn't take much to offer some form of recourse, you don't have to be Microsoft or Apple in order to have a working phone number on your website. This isn't a 'new company' or 'startup', SWSoft is established with cash. Even if it was a startup I'd believe someone would think to make a way to contact someone on a product issue. They aren't selling clock radios manufactured in China.

Parallels 'just works' well enough for me not to consider alternatives, but now that something went wrong I'm looking at my investment a bit differently. This is just for home use, too! I just need to use a single windows app!
 
Phone numbers disconnected? What are you guys talking about?? I've been calling the company the last few weeks and have chatted with several friendly sales people and didn't have to wait long. And the forum isn't hard to find at all...
 
Hello all,

Parallels Team brings deepest apologizes for the lack of support on holidays. Sometimes phone support could have been unavailable. We are sorry.

Rumblesnort, could you please let me know your Activation Key number by Private Message?
Where did you buy the versions 2.0 and 3.0? Are they US or Local versions?

With best wishes for a Happy New Year for everybody,
Xenos
 
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