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  • No, Office is not included!

    We have an annoying problem, people generally seems to think that Office is a component that is shipped with windows.

    And regardless on what is available to other electronic store chains, online stores etc etc, none of our suppliers has any laptop or stationary box that is shipped with Office bundled (heck, they don't even bundle $20 works )

    So we explicitly states on our price charts, flyer's etc etc that Office is a separate product.

    Never the less, we still get the blank stares, the stammering "but when I bought my last computer it was bundled", the "how am I going to be able to use my computer without office?"

    We always ask if they want an office license and (tries to) explain why they would need one, still seems as if they think that "why buy an extra copy, its bundled with windows"

    Gahhhhhhh!!!

    This is probably also an extension of the "No, we will not help you install your Compaq branded XP on your Dell Laptop"

    On the other extreme end we did have one customer that demanded a computer with just office and no Windows
    If there's artificial intelligence, there's bound to be some artificial stupidity.

    Jeremy Clarkson "806 brake horsepower..and that on that limp wrist faerie liquid the Americans call petrol, if you run it on the more explosive jungle juice we have in Europe you'd be getting 850 brake horsepower..."

  • #2
    So? From a customer's point of view this is perfectly understandable - what are they going to do with their computer without Office?
    There's an Opera in my macbook.

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    • #3
      Tell them they can have OpenOffice for a $5 installation-fee. Or sell them computers with Linux, where everything is bundled.
      Brian (the devil incarnate)

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      • #4
        I second OpenOffice. Most users will never even know the difference.

        Kevin

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        • #5
          Originally posted by az View Post
          So? From a customer's point of view this is perfectly understandable - what are they going to do with their computer without Office?
          You need Office to watch pr0n nowadays?
          Join MURCs Distributed Computing effort for Rosetta@Home and help fight Alzheimers, Cancer, Mad Cow disease and rising oil prices.
          [...]the pervading principle and abiding test of good breeding is the requirement of a substantial and patent waste of time. - Veblen

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          • #6
            Brian, KRSESQ, it doesn't matter. People must have Windows and MS Office, preferably free (after all they've payed for the computer already, and it's not possible to use it without those two things)

            edit: _not_ possible...
            Last edited by Nowhere; 21 August 2007, 12:01.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Nowhere View Post
              Brian, KRSESQ, it doesn't matter. People must have Windows and MS Office, preferably free (after all they've payed for the computer alrady, and it's possible to use it without those two things)

              If the consumer wants it for "free" just jack the price up on the asking computer to cover the costs of the OEM version of Office on it. I know if I have buy a PC from Dell or whoever is a $200+ option depending on the version...
              Why is it called tourist season, if we can't shoot at them?

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              • #8
                Yeah, when I price out a new PC I ask right out "Do you want the MS Office Suite? What are you using it for?" And then then, based on the answer to those questions I "bundle" it in and adjust the price accordingly.

                I spend a remarkable amount of time explaining to clients that the MS Office Suite that came "bundled" on the new HP or EMachine that they got from Walmart or BestBuy is the 60-day "evaluation" version and if they want to use it beyond that period they have to cough up a pile of cash to Microsoft again. Then they're REALLY easy to sell on OpenOffice.

                Kevin

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                • #9
                  So...you're lucky living in part of the world where people/institutions don't require from you to run MS Office?... (almost like they think it's free...and to most home users (here) it is...)

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                  • #10
                    It's obvious that I need to be easier to understand since you have both missed the point.

                    Originally posted by az View Post
                    So? From a customer's point of view this is perfectly understandable - what are they going to do with their computer without Office?
                    Originally posted by Brian Ellis View Post
                    Tell them they can have OpenOffice for a $5 installation-fee. Or sell them computers with Linux, where everything is bundled.

                    We do offer to install Open office (free of charge), but that is not the point.

                    the point was (and is) that to many people see Windows and office as one integrated product and more of them think that "should always be included when you buy a computer".

                    For example;

                    A customer ordered a specific Compaq laptop, he told me the model number, and the price and If I could match it.
                    On the question if he wanted us to set it up or if he wanted anything else besides the computer (pheripherals, carying bag, etc software ) He declined.

                    2 days later he came and picked it up and payed, the package from Compaq was still factory sealed.

                    The day after hes back and asking us why he didn't get any office discs.

                    I told him that there were no office disc because it was not included with the computer and nor had he wanted to buy them.

                    At that point he got slightly irate and pulled out a....Paper (had ya there for a moment )
                    with an ad from a computer chain.

                    The ad showed the laptop in all its glory and also in large bright colored letter "Windows XP included" and the usual MS crap about how XP would make it soo much easier to do your work on the computer.

                    Nowhere in the ad it said that the computer came with Office, and it was no hard thing to point that out.

                    And after a bit explaining, he wasn't averse at all to pay for office (this was before Openoffice ) he had just assumed that Office was a Part of windows ("but they're named the same").
                    And I's sure that If he'd bought it there they'd would have to have handled it

                    Yes, we should be more clear, but its always down to try and not be to overbearing.
                    Mostly when we custom a computer its never a problem but with Laptops its a steady irritation.

                    Originally posted by GT98 View Post
                    If the consumer wants it for "free" just jack the price up on the asking computer to cover the costs of the OEM version of Office on it. I know if I have buy a PC from Dell or whoever is a $200+ option depending on the version...
                    "But why should I have to pay more, I thought Windows was included in the price"

                    Originally posted by KRSESQ View Post
                    Yeah, when I price out a new PC I ask right out "Do you want the MS Office Suite? What are you using it for?" And then then, based on the answer to those questions I "bundle" it in and adjust the price accordingly.

                    I spend a remarkable amount of time explaining to clients that the MS Office Suite that came "bundled" on the new HP or EMachine that they got from Walmart or BestBuy is the 60-day "evaluation" version and if they want to use it beyond that period they have to cough up a pile of cash to Microsoft again. Then they're REALLY easy to sell on OpenOffice.

                    Kevin
                    Pretty much the same for us, just that for us they usual don't comprehend that it's a separate product.
                    The "60 day evaluation bundled product" we have problems with is Symantec NIS
                    Whatever performance Vista leaves, NIS kills
                    If there's artificial intelligence, there's bound to be some artificial stupidity.

                    Jeremy Clarkson "806 brake horsepower..and that on that limp wrist faerie liquid the Americans call petrol, if you run it on the more explosive jungle juice we have in Europe you'd be getting 850 brake horsepower..."

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                    • #11
                      Yes, of course you're correct that there is a lot of confusion among "induhviduals" about Windows and Office being separate entities. I think Microsoft deliberately plans it that way. The best any of us can do is be patient and speak slowly and use small words when we explain it to them.

                      Kevin

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by KRSESQ View Post
                        I second OpenOffice. Most users will never even know the difference.

                        Kevin
                        My personal opinion is that Microsoft Office is much more polished and easier to use than OpenOffice. Though I do use OO because it is free.
                        Ladies and gentlemen, take my advice, pull down your pants and slide on the ice.

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                        • #13
                          I use Office 2007 Pro because it's free, too. Well, I got two licenses for free from launch events And one copy of Vista Business, which I have yet to install.

                          Though I agree that installing OO.org is not really an option. First you'd have to install it, then change the default file types to .doc, .xls, etc, then install the Novel .docx converter, which still does not give you xlsx and pptx capabilities ... you get the point ... before you get an almost Office like experience that would almost work for the layman.
                          “Inside every sane person there’s a madman struggling to get out”
                          –The Light Fantastic, Terry Pratchett

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                          • #14
                            I see Google Pack now includes StarOffice, Oo2's big brother, and the installer lets you pick & choose what gets installed so you can nix the Google Desktop & Toolbar.
                            Dr. Mordrid
                            ----------------------------
                            An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

                            I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Technoid View Post
                              the point was (and is) that to many people see Windows and office as one integrated product and more of them think that "should always be included when you buy a computer".
                              Yep I get that all the time too
                              When you own your own business you only have to work half a day. You can do anything you want with the other twelve hours.

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