Vlog It! looks like a nice piece of software if you’re interested in video blogging. Now sold by Adobe, it makes putting video blog entries together about as easy as, well, iMovie.

At least that’s what the description says. Eager vloggers don’t actually know how it works, since for many of them, the program won’t run in demo mode without a serial number…and Adobe is having serious difficulty generating serial numbers for paying customers.

As described on Adobe’s forums, it took one customer hours of phone time and several escalations before even getting the serial number he or she had paid for. An excerpt of their customer service nightmare:

Back to Customer Service. I called and asked for re-serialization. The support rep insisted first that I try what the last 2 support reps have suggested.

CS Rep: Run the installer. Get to the Installation Key page. Click Get Your Installation Key. When you do this, a dialog box should ask you for your e-mail address.
Me: It doesn’t.
CS Rep: It has to.
Me: Well, it doesn’t. It takes me to http://www.adobe.com/products/vlogit/
CS:Rep: Is there a dialogue box that asks you for your e-mail?
Me: No. I am on the Adobe website at the Vlog It! product page.
CS Rep: Can you log in?
Me: Yes. But when I login and look at my purchase, it says call Customer Service for my serial number. Can I please get a new serial number?
CS Rep: We cannot give you a new serial number unless you lost the original serial number.
Me: But I never got an original serial number.
CS Rep: Then your only option is to get your installation key through the installer.
Me: This is not an option since it doesn’t work. Could you issue me a new serial number?
CS Rep: We need you to redownload the software and try again.
Me: That’s what I did yesterday and it doesn’t work. Could you put me through to someone who can help me?
CS Rep: I could let you talk to my supervisor but he will say the same thing. All I can do is open a case and someone will get back to you in 24 hours.
Me: I have a case open and it’s been 24 hours. No one has contacted me.
CS Rep: It takes 24-48 hours, but someone will contact you.
Me: So now it’s 48 hours?
CS Rep: Someone will contact you.
Me: There is no way you can put me through to this person now?
CS Rep: All I can do is open up a case.

Adobe blames a problem with serial generation. According to forum posts and reader Tim, up until this week, customers who have purchased or want to demo the software are experiencing these same problems. Maybe they should vlog about it.

Can’t get serial number for Vlog it! [Adobe forums]
Vlog It! [Official Site]

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