I will NEVER buy another product from avast

[Para-Noid]

Again, did your machine come with a pre-installed anti-virus?
If uninstalled how was it removed?
Uninstallers can be found here. http://singularlabs.com/uninstallers/security-software/

If you feel the need to contact avast directly about your issues contact     nekvapil(at)avast(dot)com

He's is involved with third party support. Drop him a line with complete details concerning your issues
and include a link to this thread.

[Firetree]

There is another thread I started a few days ago ("New customer service framework NOT good") with precisely the same customer service gripe, but to which I have not received any meaningful explanation. Dozens of folks I know with paid versions have called the same support number as you, with relatively minor issues (usually getting the license key to install) only to be slammed with demands to connect with their machine remotely to "fix" nonexistent issues, along with high pressure to pay $100 or more for "fixing" the problems (that don't exist). It's intolerable to have that sort of shenanigans going on. All I've gotten from the third party coordinator so far is essentially "well...what number did you call, when, so we can trace this down." It's a no-brainer. It's AVAST's published support number, on AVAST's support page, and Avast knows damn well who it is. I wonder if perhaps turning all this over to Ars Technica would shake some truth loose.

[Bill Bryan]

You said it better than me, Firetree. I didn't mention the pressure to sign up for $170 for a year of crappy support online. But I manage to handle 99% of all computer problems I have, being an MCTS. The third party support are cheats and scammers, and that's what Avast offers prominently on its support page. How was I to know that if you want any real help, you go to the forums instead? Many, many forums are like ghost towns, and they're nowhere near as responsive as a tech on the telephone.

But now I know I can never have any kind of decent tech on the telephone, because Avast turned it over to some crooks. Meh.

[kevpan815]

Just FYI. I think that it is time for the Moderators to either start Deleting his Posts and/or close this Thread.

[MrMaxaMan]

Just FYI. I think that it is time for the Moderators to either start Deleting his Posts and/or close this Thread.

He's not happy with the service he has received. He has every right to say so.

[DavidR]

Just FYI. I think that it is time for the Moderators to either start Deleting his Posts and/or close this Thread.

He's not happy with the service he has received. He has every right to say so.

Correct it is a legitimate topic and area of concern. But it shouldn't be come a self perpetuating mission to jump from topic to topic.

[MagicFeather]

I have the exact same problem, I got a Netgear N900 Wireless Dual Band USB Adapter.

So basically I payed for Avast Internet Security and the will not fix it... ?

[Nagan]

One can understand the annoyance of the thread starter , esp when a system becomes non-functional just when a software or two is installed.

WIN 8 being relatively new cannot be discounted for its own bugs (Guys at MS are human too) and can be considered as an evolving software.  Might be the AVAST installation takes care of issues like internet connection / disconnection  and proceed one at a time. Network shield is relatively insignificant when the file shield etc works.
1. Why can't AVAST give the user a choice to install the non-critical modules (But critical to the user) one at a time in cases of WIN 8 where there is a lot yet to discover.

2. An option to ROLL BACK from AVAST GUI itself. Perhaps this member did not wan't to take the system restore route?

3.AVAST should get serious with its support  mechanism. Generally good management practices place both the marketing and support depts in the same office. The 3rd party support may act as a conduit , but just demanding a fee to correct any inadequacies within the product is preposterous. A loyal customer of 7 years cannot suddenly be allowed to get dissatisfied.

[Hopper15]

Exactly why I didn't upgrade to windows 8.  It's a pain in the ass.

[dagrev]

Sorry for getting OT possibly, but didn't avast just go through this nonsense with iYogi, and thus got rid of them?  As a result, avast needs to know this is going on.

[guestja]

Man, I use the free version. But when someone buys several licenses they need to offered free assistance setting it up without being pressured by some self serving clowns. This is getting ugly! Deja Vu all over again.

[Para-Noid]

Man, I use the free version. But when someone buys several licenses they need to offered free assistance setting it up without being pressured by some self serving clowns. This is getting ugly! Deja Vu all over again.

There is free assistance. It's right here on the forums. We are always more than happy to help with your and anyone else's problems. 

[Klinker]

There is free assistance. It's right here on the forums. We are always more than happy to help with your and anyone else's problems. 

True, but this assumes that customers will find their way to the forums and also that there isn't a PC meltdown keeping them from using their PC in the first place to ask for help. There always has to be reliable phone assistance to cover customers I just described at a minimum, not to mention others who may prefer a human voice. If the customer service phone number is a third party more interested in selling their services than providing Avast assistance as is described in this thread, then that is probably worse than not having any phone contact number at all.

[Para-Noid]

If their computer has a "meltdown" then phone assistance is way too late.
The user then should probably get a reformat for their HDD. 

[Firetree]

I don't think that's the point. If you're going to provide decent customer service, it's OK to use a third-party vendor. No problem. It's NOT OK to allow that third-party vendor (if that's what we're experiencing) to engage in the tactics that are being reported. And...if it's NOT a third party vendor, then not only is it still not OK, but perhaps even more egregious? I think that's all anyone here is saying. We love the product...always have. Many of us have been using Avast since the days of Leo Laporte and The Screen Savers. Just advise and consent to fix it.