Back in April, I got an email from my FTP software people offering a free 30 day trial of Carbonite Online Storage. I signed up and when 30 days was up, my backup still wasn’t complete but I signed up anyway. I had worked during the backup and hadn’t noticed any drag at all of either my system or my online experience.
On May 8th, I signed up for 2 years of Carbonite service. On May 22, I entered my office, turned on my computer and was greeted with the dreaded blue screen of death. My hard drive was dead.
I packed up the beast and dropped it off at my local computer repair shop. (C&W Computers in Stuart, Florida but the link provided to their website now loads some spammy site trying to get you to run an online virus check. UGH!)
Mark (my favorite tech at C&W Computers) went to work diagnosing the problem and I went home to a business that was now officially “on hold” until I could access my files.
But I had Carbonite! YEAH! I also had purchased an Alienware computer to serve as a business backup, so I installed my software onto the beastly monstrosity. Once the software was installed, then I tried to transfer my Carbonite backup to the new PC.
The process of transferring the subscription was fraught with problems. The password I set didn’t work… so I tried to retrieve my password using their system. They sent the password recovery email, but it included a code that wasn’t needed on the password recovery page… and didn’t send the code that was required.
So, finally, I pick up the phone and call. I am greeted with a message that tells me
a) I am the first caller in line and
b) for another $20 a month, I can get my calls answered immediately.
I then spend the next TWENTY MINUTES on hold listening to beg notices to upgrade to VIP customer status.
In the end, I did get through, I did get my password reset and I did backup the files to my other PC. However, I still have a really bad taste in my mouth over the whole VIP customer service deal.
A little more than 2 weeks earlier, I had paid a fee to use their service for 2 years. I had tried to use their “hands free” password reset option. I picked up the phone as a last resort… only to find I was being asked to pay MORE for customer service.
Carbonite, you should have offered me the priority service information BEFORE I purchased. Heck, better yet, why not include PRIORITY SERVICE for ALL of your customers!!!
Carbonite did a great job of backing up my files. Carbonite DOES NOT back up your software though. It doesn’t back up your email either. However, it did restore the backup of my data files to my new pc over the course of a week.
In all fairness, the guys at C&W were impressed by the amount of data I have on my PC… which is why they set me up with an external hard drive AND Symtantec Backup Exec. It’s backing up EVERYTHING I need, not just the data files.
It cost $500 to have the guys at C&W Computers in Stuart, Florida replace my hard drive and set up the new backup option. Carbonite cost less than $90 for two years of service. However, in the end I’m happier with C&W Computers in Stuart, Florida than I am Carbonite…why? Because C&W Computers in Stuart, Florida included VIP customer service in EVERY sale!
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Kathy:
I read your post about your experience with Carbonite and see your point. (The premium customer support package is $20 per year, btw, not per month — far cheaper than most similar services). Answering the phone in customer support is extremely expensive — probably $10 per call or more. We’re still trying to find the right balance between offering the lowest possible cost for the basic service and various levels of customer support. Nearly everyone in the software industry makes you pay for phone support these days — that doesn’t make it right, but it seems to be the least worst alternative.
Dave Friend, CEO
Carbonite, Inc.
Carbonite Online Backup
Sorry you had such a rough experience with the Carbonite program. I tested a bunch of these services out about six months ago. I went with ElephantDrive because it was just easier to get stuff back (and I have a mac and a pc).
I haven’t had a meltdown (knock on wood) but I have had a good experience with the service for getting stuff back and I got on a chat with a support person that was pretty helpful. Never tried them on the phone.
Check it out if you want: http://www.elephantdrive.com
@David,
The BIGGEST problem I had was the phone system telling me I was first caller and STILL being kept on hold AFTER I had tried to retrieve my password via your website.
Again, I got an email with a code I couldn’t enter and a page asking for a code that required access to my burned out hard drive. I never would have hit your support phone line had the email worked.
It didn’t matter if support was being offered for $20 for a lifetime subscription, being told as I hold that if I wanted my call answered promptly I would have to pay was MADDENING at a time when I was already stressed. As I stated, I already tried to do this WITHOUT bothering your support people but couldn’t.
Saying “everyone else is doing it” isn’t a great defense. Picking up the phone was a last resort for me after trying TWICE to get the password via your online support.
You don’t have to tell me how expensive support is. I have clients who need support too. Clients who, by the way, leave at the drop of a hat when I try to get them to pay for support. They expect it to be built into the services.
@Vince
Keep knocking on wood!!! There’s nothing worse that a hard drive crash. I was lucky to have competent people here to help me recover.
I’ve read on Wikipedia about remote backup and I tried some services, but the only one I bought is Memopal.
Memopal offers a search engine online that helps me find archived documents in few seconds. Some Competitors have a search engine too but it’s very slow and usually it is not online.
Memopal is online storage, online backup and file sharing services into one product.
Memopal saves all versions of my documents. Moreover I have two computers, desktop ad laptop, and I can install Memopal on both buying only one license. It’s great!
http://www.memopal.com
THANKS! I’ll give this a try!
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