I was working with a new Client this week.

They much like every other company in the UK have Sage accounts.

Now I was involved in installing a new Windows 2003 Small Business Server and Migrating desktops to their new network domain.

The client had elected to upgrade their Sage accounts from Sage Instant 10.0 to 12.0

So I carried out the install.

Now we experienced an install problem and I contacted Sage technical support.

The automated telephone service asked for a serial number of the software and gave me 6 numbers to choose from.

You know

Press 1 for Sales, press 2 for etc.

So I pressed 6 for Technical Support and when the call was answered it was a sales rep.

I said “I just pressed 6 for technical support.”

He said “yes I know but you don’t have any technical support, do you have a problem?”

I said “yes”.

He said “£285″

I don’t agree with software companies that charge customers again to upgrade their products. Upgrade technical support should be covered in the cost of the upgrade software.

I would even like to see a one free call voucher in the upgrade box.

Imagine if  Microsoft said if you want to open that Office 2007 document on Office 2003 you have to pay a technical support fee.

Why is Sage different to Microsoft. At the end of the day its your data locked into their proprietary  format.