In the archives of this blog, you can read about how we came in possession of a evaluation TiVo box.  So, we have been enjoying the TiVo service for the past 4 months and decided that we would like to sign up.

TiVo has won us over.  We like the services they provide.  I am ready to give them money.

I call them up over the holidays.  Their subscription price is a the lowest point I have seen it in the four months since we got our TiVo box. I do not want to miss out on the deal.
On the first call to support (probably a newbie in the tech center), I learn that I have lifetime service and I must speak with level 2 support for them to help me become a customer.  I am excited to learn that I have a lifetime service contract but have to hang up after an hour of waiting on hold for level 2 support.  OK, I really do not believe I have a lifetime TiVo subscription.

On call two a few days later, I learn that I do not have lifetime service (surprise), but that my TiVo box is under evaluation.  Great I have evaluated the product, I like it and will take it.  Sign me up.  “I CANNOT SIGN YOU UP - your box is working and under evaluation” says the level 2 support rep.  “So, you have won me a customer but I cannot become one”, I asked.  “That is correct,” is the reply I received.

I asked to speak to the level 2 support rep supervisor to see if this makes any sense.  She is very bothered that someone is asking her to become a TiVo customer.  She makes it clear that the level 2 support guy was very clear and correct on this fact.  Evaluation clients cannot be customers until the evaluation is completely over.

This blows my mind. It would seem to me that TiVo is in the business of getting paying customers to use their service.  If someone wants to become a customer in the middle of the evaluation - let them.  Is that not the purpose of an evaluation?  Try it out and see if you like it.

Maybe, there is a good reason why I cannot sign up until the evaluation period is over. I cannot see it.  From my view TiVo has put a rule into place that hampers what they are actually trying to accomplish which is to get new customers with evaluation boxes.
Hopefully, I am not putting up roadblocks in the way to what Sherwood is trying to accomplish.