I recently decided to cancel my Windows Live OneCare subscription. Microsoft helpfully provides a central area where you can view all of your subscriptions. What I didn’t count on was how hard they make it to actually cancel a subscription.

Here’s how my journey went:

1. Go to Microsoft’s Billing site
2. Select the Windows Live OneCare plan from my list of subscriptions
3. Select "Cancel my account"
4. Watch the browser open a new window that’s supposed to look like the help sidebar in Office.
5. Select the link in the new window to get support for Windows Live services.
6. Watch the browser open another new window.
7. Select "Windows Live OneCare" from the list of Windows Live services in the new window.
8. Watch the browser open yet another new window.
9. Click a button in the newest window to activate the automated help support assistant.
10. Type "cancel account" into the search box.
11. Watch the browser open a new window with search results.
12. Click the link in the results list that says "I want to cancel my account"
13. Click the link: "Click here to cancel your account".
14. GOTO 1

That’s right. At no point in this process is there actually a way to cancel the account. Luckily in one of the many open browser windows (I forget which) was a link to "Contact Customer Support". This took me to a page where I could choose to chat online with a real person. I was connected with "Laijesh", who thankfully processed my cancellation request without any hassle.

I realize that no company wants to lose customers, but this is ridiculous. It’s not an isolated incident, either. I have also been trying to cancel my account for my MSN Direct Watch, with similar results:

1. Go to Microsoft’s Billing site
2. Select the MSN Direct plan from the list
3. Select "Cancel my service"
4. Get the new sidebar window.
5. Click the link for MSN services support
6. Get the list of MSN services.
7. Notice that MSN Direct is not in the list, but an "additional" service.
8. Sign in again.
9. Notice that Microsoft doesn’t think I have MSN Direct service, so there’s no clickable link.

It’s no better going through the MSN Direct website. It’s another long list of steps that eventually leads nowhere - literally, at a 404 error.

Luckily, Laijesh gave me the number for MSN Direct support. Hopefully I can cancel over the phone without going through a circular prompt cycle.

technorati tags:microsoft, customer support, frustration, service, annoyance

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