So, Thursday Morning, I took the old machine in for a check up and virus cleaning. I got tired of listening to Kaspersky beep at me about some riskware called Invader trying to inject into some process. Whatever the hell that means.

Checked out a few local places, and this one, Mothers Computers, said that a computer in early in the am, like before 10, would 9 out of 10 be out before closing. Plus it was a flat fee, and they run 8 special scans to make sure they get it all.  Now that is nice, and I got that information from more than one of their sales people, on different occasions.

So 9:20am they had my little baby.

10am today I picked it up, and Kaspersky is beeping about Invader still.

I think I am pretty clear on my instructions, and I even had them write down the name of the virus I wanted cleaned. Also made sure that barring unforseen circumstances, I needed the computer back before they closed at 6pm. Was assured not a problem.

This is what pisses me off almost the most. To begin with I had to call them at 3:44 to see if my computer was ready, which is when I was informed that it would be close, if not at all. They said it was half way done, and they’d know by 5:30.

You would think they would phone to say yes or no, but nope, I had to call them, which is when I was told that the scan was only 1/3 done, and no, wouldn’t be ready till Friday morning.  Hopefully by 9:30 or 10:00 am. Like that was a lot of help, nor would they tell me when they started on it either, just that it had been running awhile. Like I already knew that, but okay, so a night spend with Internet Withdrawal, plus no work done.

Called this morning, at 9:35 to be told, it was just finishing but would be ready by the time I got there. Like, gee, would have been nice to have had a phone call about that, instead of worrying, but then, not like they gave a shit.

And so after picking it up, spending time re connecting all the stuff, first thing I notice, is the desktop is changed, the screen resolution changed, and my IE password files are gone. Isn’t that sweet, because then right off the bat, WARNING RISKWARE INVADER ATTEMPTING TO INJECT IN PROCESS

Like that really pissed me off, specially as I asked, when we left what had been done. They said 2 viruses, 251 cases of spyware were removed and some registry stuff cleaned.

So how come Invader still there?

Phone call back to them, and the answer is, well guess it was dormant, and when you hooked back to the Internet it woke up. Only solution to wipe the hard drive, re install XP, and oh yeah, that is extra $35 and another $20 if you want us to save your data that is there.  Uh, gee I have 1.6 million files on this machine, yeah I’d want it saved, but like I am gonna trust them to do it?

Then too, if they are scanning, why the hell weren’t they hooked up to the internet to check for this stuff? If viruses can lay dormant, until online, would make perfect sense to log in and see what pops up? Or is that expecting too much from supposed highly trained technicians to comprehend?

See, this is what happens when you fail to provide service. I mean a nice smile is one thing, a nice crisp look, neat ties, all very pretty, but that isn’t service. The way it should be is that at 3 or so on Thursday, they should have called me to tell me how it was going. If not then, certainly before 5:30 after I had called. I mean you have an angry customer, you DO NOT IGNORE THEM.

And still, if not then, you damn well should phone by 9am to let your customer know.

Not from Mother’s Computers here.

Worse, is when a customer phone backs, tell you the reason he brought the machine in, is still happening, you don’t tell him he’s gotta pay more, you tell him bring it in, and it’ll be dealt with, or you explain that the next step is far more intrusive on time, and what is involved. You don’t quote new prices, you don’t add to the anger.

By the way, buying a new computer, guess who isn’t selling it to me?

And this is what I suppose is simply reflective of our entire society today. I keep telling my wife, David, that service is the key to being successful, but I look around, and I wonder. Am I kidding myself? Shit and acrimony is what makes people successful. Look at the Bank CEO’s and their salaries, while people are losing their homes, because of the double talk, the small print, the convoluted terms.  Don’t see them taking a pay cut.

Then our politicians, like Stephen Harper warning Canadians not to expect any help from his Government, if things get dicey in the economy. Like that is so reassuring, because the entire mortgage mess in the USA is because Government FAILED to Regulate the Industry, which is EXACTLY WHAT COMPASSIONATE HARPER would like to do here.

And people wonder why I don’t like the current crop of Conservatives?