is IYOGI For real?

[sarojg]

I just had the most bizarre "tech support" experience of my life with iyogi and I'm a long time pc owner (30 years) so, believe me, I've had a lot of them.

I got a pop-up notice that my avast subscription had expired (by the way it was the FIRST notification I received and I just searched my entire email file)... so I renewed and reinstalled avast... error messages came up with no indication of how to fix them so I called the tech support number and reached an iyogi person, whom I thought was a tech guy.

I gave him access to my computer and watched as he perused my desktop for a while... then the program list... then the log files... continually making comments about how inefficient my computer is... and never addressing the problem with the avast installation.  I was patient for a while expecting him to address the issue any moment... he asked where I lived, commented on my name, etc. etc. then after about 10 minutes of poking around and chatting like this, he launched into a pitch for a subscription to "infinite" software and computer support for $399 (3 years) to $169 for one year... After 5 minutes or so of his pitch, I said that all sounds good, but I'm here to get avast installed... let's deal with that and I'll decide about your offer later.. reluctantly (more pitch) he went offline for a while and then said someone else would have to help me with that and after another delay he passed me off to someone else... I expected a swift resolution and some explanation of what the problem was... but this guy (who also was offline for quite a while), he reinstalled avast and changed some settings and rebooted the computer... all in all this took an hour or so.

This is NOT the sort of experience I expected.  In fact I would have appreciated the initial contact doing the reinstall... this could/should have been a 15-minute tech call... Afterward I did some searches on "iyogi" and see many, many complaints about them.  So now I've lost confidence in avast! as my virus protection.  I think you are damaging your reputation by passing off your tech support to a firm like iyogi.

BTW, don't you think it is common courtesy to send out an email prior to the expiration date to forewarn your customers?  (at least if you prefer to retain them as customers)

[Asyn]

Well, I have no experience with them, but the feedback from customers is not really good.
I can only suggest to come to the forum and ask the helpers here. We offer free support.
asyn

[DavidR]

@ sarojg
- The avast CEO, steckler (at) avast (dot) com has requested info about iYogi, so if you have time to recount your experience.

A copy and paste from your post would probably be sufficient.

[sarojg]

To Asyn: thanks for your replay... I realize that now I can request support from the forum; however I was having problems with my computer and was shocked to discover that my subscription had expired.  To be honest, I don't peruse avast day in and day out and had not noticed that it had expired; furthermore, my license file was dated May 2010 so I'm still wondering how it expired before May.  If I can't expect the avast download site to provide accurate information about support, then what else can I trust or not.

To DavidR: I noticed that in previous posts and did so right after I posted... however, there have been complaints about avast using iyogi dating back 8 months or so; it doesn't appear that Steckler is all that concerned if he hasn't done anything about it in 8 months.

[Asyn]

To Asyn: thanks for your replay... I realize that now I can request support from the forum; however I was having problems with my computer and was shocked to discover that my subscription had expired.  To be honest, I don't peruse avast day in and day out and had not noticed that it had expired; furthermore, my license file was dated May 2010 so I'm still wondering how it expired before May.  If I can't expect the avast download site to provide accurate information about support, then what else can I trust or not.

You're welcome..!
Not sure, why your license expired before May, but was it legit..?
There has been a lock of stolen licenses lately...
asyn

[sarojg]

Asyn, not sure what you mean by "was it legit?"... I bought and paid for it.  How can a license be stolen?

[sarojg]

Unbelievably, now I'm getting phone calls from a "supervisor" from iyogi... first he said he was surprised at how my call was handled and started to offer me free support for a year for avast... isn't support supposed to be free any way?  Then he said "well, I'm not going to force you."  Good grief!

When I told him that I had no plans to use iyogi again and had posted my experience he called back twice to ask me to remove my post.  I told him I would not remove my post as I had accurately described my experience and others deserved to know.  This belies a clear culture difference between here (U.S.A.) and there (India).

[Gargamel360]

Unbelievably, now I'm getting phone calls from a "supervisor" from iyogi... first he said he was surprised at how my call was handled and started to offer me free support for a year for avast... isn't support supposed to be free any way?  Then he said "well, I'm not going to force you."  Good grief!

When I told him that I had no plans to use iyogi again and had posted my experience he called back twice to ask me to remove my post.  I told him I would not remove my post as I had accurately described my experience and others deserved to know.  This belies a clear culture difference between here (U.S.A.) and there (India).

Whoah, they called you back to try to get you to remove a post on these forums???  You definitely want to email Vince Steckler about that, as DavidR had previously suggested (if you did so already, this warrants a new one). 
I would consider that borderline(if not outright) harassment.

[Asyn]

Whoah, they called you back to try to get you to remove a post on these forums???  You definitely want to email Vince Steckler about that, as DavidR had previously suggested (if you did so already, this warrants a new one). 
I would consider that borderline(if not outright) harassment.

+1
asyn

[sarojg]

RE: <<You definitely want to email Vince Steckler about that, as DavidR had previously suggested (if you did so already, this warrants a new one).  >>

DONE.

[Asyn]

RE: <<You definitely want to email Vince Steckler about that, as DavidR had previously suggested (if you did so already, this warrants a new one).  >>

DONE.

Good..! Please keep us updated..!! Thanks.
Have a nice sunday,
asyn

[sarojg]

Thanks Asyn... I'd like to hear back from you re: stolen licenses... is this something I need to protect myself from?  or were you just wondering if I, myself, had a stolen one?

[Asyn]

There have been pirated licensies: http://www.avast.com/pr-avast-software-over-770-000-pirates-plus-2-in-the-vatican
To be sure to buy a legit license here's the list of Local Dealers/Resellers: http://www.avast.com/locate-dealer

[sarojg]

Thanks Asyn... I'm pretty sure I bought it directly from avast.

[sarojg]

Update... well, there isn't an update... by which I mean, I sent 3 emails to the president of avast...  I have not heard back and got no "can't deliver" messages).  Guess, as I thought, he isn't interested... avast support page continues to refer to "iyogi" as "our partner".