If you are an ACT! subscriber you’ve probably received an email from SwiftPage letting you know that the Act support you had thought you had purchased was being yanked out from under you. Don’t shoot the messenger here; I am as ticked off about this as you are!
When you purchase a year-long gym membership you expect it to last for 365 days. And when you purchase an ACT! annual subscription you would hope that the terms would remain intact for 365 days.
So, what’s the bottom line? For many of you, these changes won’t affect you at all; you use ACT! year after year after rarely, if ever, call into support. Many of you reach out to Tech Benders for your support and trust me, we have not changed our practices.
SwiftPage argues that they are “giving you” a few additional benefits:
- Video tutorials available on Act.com and their training video channel.
- Hundreds of new and updated Knowledgebase
- An enhanced ticket management system.
So, what’s changing exactly? Here’s what you will no longer have:
- Install or upgrade your Act! software.
- Offer product training.
- Fix your hardware or software infrastructure if it’s causing ACT! to not work.
- Hop on your computer to provide you with tech support.
You will still be supported by phone, and if you have an upgraded support plan a technician will hop on your computer to help.
Quite honestly, I support some of these changes. Asking a tech support person to train you in feature usage would be like asking me to help you with your next brain surgery. I just don’t like the idea that the rules changed in mid-stream. And asking a technician for help with your outdated computers that are still running Windows XP is just not right.
If you want full details about what’s covered – and what’s not – you can read about it in the SwiftPage Scope of Support document.
Again, don’t shoot the messenger and if you are in need of ACT! Support or ACT! Training feel free to reach out – we’re here to help!
I am a Act! Pro Version 22.0.205.0, Update 1 user. I’ve been using Handheld Contact over the years to integrate a Pixel 4 with desktop.
I’m frustrated bouncing back & forth between the phone’s native contact database and contacts in 3rd party software (Handheld etc..) I’m discontinuing use of Handheld. I’ve been an ACT user for at least 30 years. I hate to leave ACT, as it meets most of my needs
If I could at least get my ACT calendar to integrate with Google Calendar I could live with entering new contacts in both places. I’ve tried integrating under the Tools menu but I’ve been unsuccessful.
Is this something you may be able to assist with?
Hi Andy,
Thanks for reading our blog! I use Companion Link. It will allow you to synchronize your Act calendar to Google. Although Act advertises this ability it is very flakey and can’t be relied on to work. However, both Companion Link and HHC will allow you to synchronize to the native phone calendar which I think is really what you are looking to do.
Karen
What is the cost of your ACT v20?
Hi Dennis,
Act v20 Pro was discontinued a number of years ago, and the entire Pro line was discontinued on 9/15/23. Act is only available in either the Premium Desktop or Premium Cloud versions. If need v20 for compatibility reasons I can sell you the Premium Desktop and you can install it in v20 format.