It’s true. I’ve found a can’t miss business opportunity that I wanted to pass on to my wonderful {grow} community! Microsoft is sending me valuable, free software, just by asking.  Hey you can get it too! Here’s how …

In December, I purchased a new computer and ordered replacement disks for both Microsoft Office and Outlook Business Edition (basically my CRM).

About 10 days later, I received the Office software … but no Outlook. I waited another week and still didn’t have Outlook so I called Microsoft again. They had no explanation for the missing software and said told me they would have to re-order.

After two weeks I finally received a box in the mail. It was another copy of  OFFICE!  I called Microsoft again … they had no explanation but placed another order.  I asked them what I should do with the Office, and the re-order fellow said that he had no idea.

After another two weeks, I still did not have Outlook. I called a fourth time. This time the representative said the software was out of stock and that it would be another three weeks before I would have the software.

I just have to ask — how can a software company run out of software? Can’t they literally make infinite supplies of the stuff as long as they have shiny silver disks?

After three weeks, I finally got the disk. If you’ve been following along, it took me two and half months to get a copy of Microsoft Outlook.

A month later, I received two more suspicious-looking boxes in the mail.  Each box contained another brand-new edition of Outlook. Huh???

So now I have two copies of Outlook and one copy of Office that I don’t want, don’t need, and don’t know what to do with. Microsoft has sent me $600 worth of software and I didn’t even have to ask for it!

It seems like Microsoft has taken the “free” business model to a new extreme.  So now what do I do? Ethically, I need to return the software. But I am simply fed up with the time I’ve wated on this and can’t even bear the thought of calling these goofballs to have them figure out what I do next!

How can a company this big and this important botch a simple software shipment?  Maybe they need to use Outlook Business Edition. Works pretty well.