We have worked with Microsoft for years. Large parts of our e-commerce infrastructure used to run on Azure. That costs money, and we paid it diligently — without debate, without delay, because it worked, and it was fine. That is how a good partnership should be.
Until the moment came when Perfectly Basics, the webshop as it ran for years, ceased WITH US and we wanted to neatly close the Azure account a little while later. Just wrapping it up, I thought, as you would expect from a company like Microsoft.
There was still €2,131.05 overpaid on that account? Why?..... I don't know, but double paid or something says their "copilot - AI" No point of discussion, no complicated case it says, just money that doesn't belong to Microsoft and therefore should be refunded. What follows shows how poorly Microsoft handles that last piece of the relationship..... but really, I want you to read this, how it goes. It costs me hours of time and energy and I am nowhere and still have no idea how I am going to get this money back....
I start (again, after several give-ups) today 8 April 26 in the Azure portal, because everything should be there...... But you get nowhere. You are sent around in a system that is mainly good at repeating itself, loops where you always end up where you started. So you enlist help via 'Copilot' Microsoft's own 'smart' AI. It understands your question, explains it neatly and then sends you into the exact same loop you were already in, with 24x screenshots as 'do you mean this' Try again, another route, and Copilot itself sometimes says ' yes the UX of Azure is not so good", another button, I am really getting so frustrated WHY?? — until the advice comes to call the general number then it is SURE to be solved..... 020 500 1500 ....
So you do that. And then you end up in a menu that seems to understand everything, except your problem, a bot that hears everything except the word “billing” it suddenly doesn't exist anymore..... You try to phrase it differently, call again, choose other options, throw in English, it makes no difference!
Then you are sent back by that 'Copilot' Microsoft's own 'smart' AI to email, really email? in 2026? ok then patience peet.....calm, so...do this man! until your email returns directly because the address does not exist or does not accept messages. New attempt, new address, same result. But really, how then.
example, what the f....
And then comes the low point: Microsoft's own AI eventually advises to send a letter. A letter. With a stamp do you know that is such a thing you used to lick and stick on a piece of paper and that paper content more paper, and in that paper you say what the problem is so that a 'real MS person' sees this.....BUT WTF!!! I am only getting angrier!
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This is not an incident, this is how the system works. At the front everything is perfectly arranged. If you have to pay, there is no friction. Invoices arrive on time, payments are processed and if you are late, consequences follow immediately. But as soon as Microsoft has to refund, that perfection disappears completely. Then there is no button, no route and no owner. Then you are the problem.
And that is where it goes wrong. Because this is not just about €2,131.05, this is about how a company deals with customers who leave. About how you end a relationship. You may come in, you may pay, you may scale up — but just try to leave neatly.
If a company that can build everything — from AI to global cloud infrastructure — cannot solve this, then it is not a technical problem. Then it is a choice. But really though.
And then there is really only one question left: how on earth do you get your money back?
We have tried everything. Portal, phone, AI, email. To the point where a letter with a stamp is given as serious advice.
So hereby: is there anyone at @Microsoft who reads this and simply says “we will solve this”? We have worked together for years without hassle. All we are asking now is that same level — but then once back. €2,131.05. That's all it is. And I would always let the end of a relationship go smoothly because you always want your EX to speak well of you (pancake)
pb@pb.nl
For Microsoft. Or for someone who does understand how this should be. pb@pb.nl