The day Microsoft makes a product that doesn’t suck is the day they start making vacuum cleaners.
Microsoft (MS) has dominated the software landscape for decades, boasting vast resources and some of the brightest engineering minds. Yet, despite this wealth of talent, many users struggle with persistent issues that raise questions about the company’s commitment to quality and customer satisfaction.
Yes, there are alternatives that I could switch to, such as Apple, Linux, Google Docs, Notion, etc. However, Microsoft is the tool of choice for most of my customers and other companies I deal with. Plus, I have a wealth of experience with MS products and little to none with the others.
I bought into the vision of integrated tools and interoperability that was promised but never really delivered—even their two flagship productivity tools, Word and Excel, are still not fully compatible.
Moving to other software would be expensive and time-consuming. Plus, while the new systems might solve my current issues, they would doubtless come with their own set of challenges.
For better or worse, I am tied to MS products; I use Windows, Office and Teams in my business, to organise my personal life, and keep in touch with people… you name it.
But I’m not happy about it, and right now, if there was a viable alternative that offered simplicity, ease of migration and sensible cost… I would take it.
Death By a Thousand Cuts
Let’s face it: using Microsoft products often feels like navigating a minefield. I frequently encounter minor annoyances that accumulate and coagulate into significant headaches.
Whether it’s the crashes, unexpected freezes, or the software just not doing what is expected, these issues slow me down or stop me altogether, significantly disrupting my ability to get stuff done.
Rebooting my PC during work hours has become a regular pain.
Why must I close ten applications and restart my entire system just to return to exactly where I started? Often, but not exclusively, this coincides with Windows automatically downloading the latest updates—updates that haven’t even been installed yet!
Yes, I know these updates may be necessary, and I get that in 2024, security and system patches are a necessary part of everyday life… but surely, I should be the one to choose when they are downloaded and applied.
It’s as if we’ve been conditioned to accept this as standard behaviour in software.
Why Is This Happening?
Microsoft is about as far as you can get from a startup, with a record-breaking $245 billion in revenue for the last financial year.
It’s an established giant with incredible resources. So why do customers face such frequent crashes and glitches?
We all, especially those in the industry, understand that no software is perfect. Still, the sheer volume of issues suggests a lack of rigorous testing and a disregard for user experience, which hurts me as a testing professional.
In particular, I suspect that they have invested less in compatibility testing since they started forcing customers to upgrade frequently. However, problems still exist, and I can’t help but think they are happy to let their customers do the final testing for them.
I try to imagine being a test manager in that environment—it’s not a pleasant thought.
Microsoft’s priorities have shifted from delivering stable products to rolling out updates and new features at breakneck speed—often at the expense of quality.
A Case Study: Microsoft Teams
I’ve been ranting and talking generally, so here’s a concrete example of the kind of niggle that is driving me up the wall. In fact, this very issue was the catalyst for this article.
The straw that broke the camel’s back has been my recent experience with Microsoft Teams.
The recent significant upgrade, pushed out in early 2024 has been excruciating—and I know I’m not the only one who is suffering.
I don’t want to burden you with the pain, so I’ll give you the following short precis…
The software updates to the latest version, which causes me all sorts of issues. I finally work around them, and it then inexplicably downgrades itself back to the Classic version. This cycle has repeated itself over twenty times!
To add insult to injury, the latest version refuses to work effectively with my internal microphone, which works perfectly with every other application I use, and the Classic version (well, about 50% of the time). People can’t hear me clearly (ok, yes this could be a blessing), saying that it sounds like I am in a different room to my PC.
For a collaboration tool designed to enhance productivity, Teams often does quite the opposite.
I am not alone in having problems with Teams. I speak to companies off all sizes, from a handful of employees up to major enterprises with the best IT support. Most have experienced significant issues with Teams.
Here Are a Few of The Other Issues I’ve Experienced
I’m convinced every MS customer has encountered multiple frustrating quirks with Office, Windows or one of their other products.
For instance, some that I have experienced in recent years include:
- Excel – unexplained freezes when multiple spreadsheets open. .
- Word – odd and intermittent performance issues when spell-checking words.
- Teams –Significant lag between typing a message and the text appearing on screen.
- Teams – after a Teams call, the keyboard button to restart my music does not work.
- Memory leaks – consuming the available memory. Yes, this is probably also due to other non-MS software I use. However, does MS have standards for developers to follow?
- Disk Space – Available disk space can decrease by 20-30 GB if I don’t reboot every 2-3 days.
My IT support company has advised that my PC should be scratched and everything reinstalled every year to avoid these types of issues.
I have been brave enough to do a parachute jump, but I am not brave enough to do this. plus, why should this be necessary.
And yet… we keep coming back for more!
Despite these frustrations, billions of us continue to rely on Microsoft products. Why?
In theory, I could switch my systems and tools to other providers, but I don’t have the bandwidth or budget to change everything I do and learn how to use different solutions.
Microsoft knows this, and they’re taking advantage of this reliance.
So, there’s no viable alternative—I’m too entangled in their ecosystem. Transitioning to other providers would require time and resources that most businesses cannot spare. Although honestly… there may well come a time when enough is enough.
But does this mean I should lower my expectations? Absolutely not!
If anything, the more entrenched a company is in our professional and personal lives, the higher the standard should be. Microsoft should strive for excellence, not just deliver mediocrity.
Sometimes I Have to Laugh—Or I’d Cry!
In moments of exasperation, sometimes all you can do is laugh—if only to keep from crying.
Here’s a classic joke that captures the essence of our struggles:
There are three engineers in a car: an electrical engineer, a chemical engineer, and a Microsoft engineer. Suddenly, the car stops by the side of the road.
The electrical engineer suggests stripping down the car’s electronics to trace where a fault might have occurred.
The chemical engineer proposes checking if the fuel is emulsified and blocked somewhere.
Then, the Microsoft engineer chimes in: “Why don’t we close all the windows, turn everything off, get out, get back in, and open the windows again?”
Microsoft Customers Deserve Better
I’m sure I’m not alone in this, and our cumulative frustration isn’t fading.
If anything, it’s becoming more pronounced as the gap between customer expectations and software performance widens. We rightly demand more from our software than ever, but Microsoft isn’t keeping pace with our needs.
Maybe it’s a case of the grass being greener on the other side, but I don’t hear Apple or Google users complaining about their solutions to the same extent.
We deserve better than system freezes and unpredictable crashes.
Microsoft has an opportunity—and indeed a responsibility—to do better. It’s time for them to slow down and focus on delivering high-quality, well-tested software that empowers us rather than holds us back.
Conclusion: Microsoft Must Change
Microsoft must step up its game. It needs to provide dependable software that meets our needs without constant intervention or compromise.
If it fails to do so, loyal customers like me may finally be forced to seek alternatives.
