In the past couple of years, I've learned that some software really costs 4 or 5 times more than the price on the box. You see, what the price tag doesn't account for is the time it takes to perform some of the basic tasks that come with purchasing software. Those tasks include installing, updating, importing data, and registering.

Two of the biggest offenders in this category are QuickBooks and Adobe Products (namely Acrobat Professional). Both of these products can easily be installed for the first time by an average user. There would be no data to import, updates would go fairly smoothly, and registration would probably be a snap. So far, so good.

The customer uses these applications without many problems for a year or more, UNTIL...they get hit with a virus, need a new hard drive, or maybe just upgraded their computer.

Now what they have is the task of setting up their software all over again. Sound easy? Think again.

Installing new and running updates, no problem. Importing data, not that hard. Registering the software, PAINFUL!

First they will make you call their registration support number. That person will ask for all the usual information and then ask you for the registration codes. Then they will ask you for the information you filled out on the registration form months (maybe years) ago! If you don't remember any of these items, then they go to plan B, faxing your receipt.

Now, who has this receipt handy for their QuickBooks 2005 purchase? Anyone? Anyone? (Bueller...?)

Exactly, so instead of faxing your receipt, you resort to communicating with more passion in your voice. This actually helps. The more upset you get with them, the more they are willing to help. Technically they're not allowed to hang up on you, so you do have the freedom to make this move. I've actually been on the phone with Adobe for 4 hours at one sitting, because they wouldn't hang up, nor would they issue me a new registration code. After 4 hours, they gave in.

Intuit is notorious for FORCING me to do one of 2 things: Scream from the very first "Hello" prompt, or lie. The latter tends to get you out the door faster, but sometimes the ex-FBI-turned-Registration-Code-Validator-Guy catches on, which then takes you back to option 1, audible force.

When a client hires us to walk through this registration process (and sometimes with the current version), it doubles the cost that they paid for the software. If they don't have us do it, then it equates to 2+ hours of THEIR time focused on something other than making money. Either way, Intuit and Adobe communicates to their customers that Legal software is more important than happy customers.