I have had many issues with Stardock Support not replying to my emails. It has pissed me off and I have vented in here before. I decided after the last fiasco in this forum, to resubmit my problems via email and see if conditions were any better. I am only intending to discuss what I see as communication problems here; this thread is not about the specific problems.

On Feb 23, 25, 27 & 28 I emailed support with 4 unique problems (all for OD+.) The emails I sent on the 27th and 28th did not generate an automatic email reply from support. So I resent those two again (and noted in the email that these were the second emails I set.) I did receive automated email replies after each second sending.

This is BIG problem # one: Emails get lost and if your unfamiliar with the automated reply mechanism or forget to look for the automated reply; you think your message is being ignored. People with problems don't like to be ignored!

The first problem (DIL-167580) was replied to in 24 hours by Travis G. He requested a screenshot of the problem. I first set a better verbal explanation email and then set an annotated screenshot of the problem.

For the other problems UQV-328578 (2/25), BPQ-641728 (2/27), and CSA-614789 (2/28) I never received anything other than the automated reply. The automated replies said this: "Please allow up to 48 business hours for a response." Now 48 business hours; is that 2 business days or 8 (48 business hours divided by 6 business hours per day (open 09 - 16:00))? It has been 8, 7, & 6 Business days since I sent them; so I'm not sure if your late on replying or not. This is not very clear.

Yesterday I received the second reply from Travis (144 earth hours after sending my last reply to his email.) I was a little surprised at what he wanted me to try. On the 28th, I had sent an email with amplifying information regarding the problem (and would have invalidate his recommended solution.)

I decided to look at the stardock.helpserve.com site to see if my amplifying email was received. I saw that it was received. I also saw that my three other unique problems were all now clumped into the one ticket (DIL-167580). Issues with this revelation:

1. I don't see these four issues as one problem.
2. No one notified me that problem tickets UQV-328578, BPQ-641728 and CSA-614789 were all combined into ticket DIL-167580.
3. Which problem was Travis's recommended solution attempting to solve, since the ticket now contains four separate problems?

This is BIG problem # two: combining issues into one ticket, without notifying the customer, is just bad communications. If I had not checked the helpserve site AND read all the messages carefully; I wouldn't know about this combining of problems. The auto reply emails don't make it sound like you really NEED to check the website.

I also noticed that Travis closed the problem that he gave the (lame) solution for. Is stardock support so desperate to close problems that they just fire-off cheap solutions and automatically close the ticket? Maybe they think people will just give up on their problems after receiving lame advice? Considering the known email problems at stardock support, maybe this fire and forget it mentality is a bad idea? This is BIG problem # three: automatically closing tickets.

OK, there it is. My opinion on bad decisions and policies. I worked in the computer industry for 30 years as a CS support type and a programmer in Ops. I have seen many good and bad policies in those years. These policies may be working for you now, but they will not work forever.

Dan Dunn