you call this support?

Nov 28, 2009

After my 2nd live ‘support’ chat session with Norton, I’m wondering what they think support really is. Heck, I wonder if they know what SPAM is…

Here’s the deal:
I have Incredimail, and Norton identifies possible SPAM messages by noting it in the subject line within that program. (I also have JunkFilter Plus on Incredimail and it’s awesome!) But Incredimail doesn’t work well with Evernote — and not at all with ACT (our primary contact relationship management system). ACT refuses to be friends with email programs other than Outlook. But Norton can’t find ONE message that is SPAM through Outlook! My messages can have the subject line ‘Viagra’ and that doesn’t get filtered — and Norton can even remove a virus attachment and still think it’s an ok message.

Actual cut & paste from my logged support session:
[12:17] ~Ms. Shelley Erwin > Norton should filter email messages upon certain criteria.
[12:18] Harikrishnan > Sorry Shelley. Norton will not move mail automatically to antispam folder.
[12:18] Harikrishnan > Is there anything else that I can help you with?

Not only was Norton’s support representative rude and dismissive — but seriously, if Norton doesn’t move suspected SPAM into an AntiSpam folder, what good is it — and by definition, how can Norton call their product Norton AntiSpam??

antispam

So here’s what gets me…even in a challenging economy, Norton survives and even THRIVES. Their product isn’t cheaper, their customer service stinks, and their product evidently doesn’t work properly (at least according to their own representative). So would someone please tell me why Symantec is the market leader in almost every segment it operates in? Is it only that they offer the sweetest deals to equipment manufacturers for THEIR product to be installed? And is that why McAfee shares are trading at about twice the earnings multiple of Symantec? I wonder if the bottom line was HP’s only consideration when installing Norton on my system at the factory.

Sheesh – these issues are non-issues with a MAC.