How to provide feedback to microsoft?

VERY WELL SAID and I congratulate you on voicing these concerns so many of us have with Microsoft as I have literally spent HOURS upon HOURS trying to offer some suggestions to Microsoft I felt were important.  When one spends that much time trying  to find a method of telling Microsoft something, then it obviously is not easy to find a method of communicating to Microsoft and the company needs to recognize that.  In fact, in the earlier days, it was MUCH EASIER to send feedback to the company on specific products than it is today.

While I recognize that this post is somewhat aged, it is not accurate in that there simply is no "Email Us" option under CONTACTS anywhere with in Microsoft unless hidden so deeply in the bowels of the company no one can find it.  I know for certain as I have spent HOURS trying to find a method of emailing suggestions to Microsoft.  When you say, “Just Bing onto the Microsoft Support site” I assume you mean go to BING and in the search area type in Microsoft Support.  Why not just go to the address bar and type in “Microsoft.com/support”? Unfortunately, Microsoft is geared toward PROBLEMS customers experience, as opposed to Mac systems where customers don't experience problems every day in using the product.  

Microsoft must recognize that there are intelligent users out there who simply wish to either provide Microsoft, or the engineering team on a given product, a pat on the back by providing a complement or simply wish to make a suggestion. However, trying to find a means of doing this is like trying to get congress to do something intelligent.  Further, in these posts, when they become outdated due to changes in the systems which make the advice given outdated and thus no longer useful as they do not fit, they need to be deleted.  Surely with all of the vastness and highly advanced community of technology/engineering/development (amongst other fields) a method can be found using technology to delete postings or mark them as “OUTDATED – NO LONGER ACCURATE” in these forums which are outdated due to changes within the product systems.  Surely even Microsoft can recognize the great demands on time we all have and thus how much time we waste on outdated postings that have not been updated due to product changes.  It may well be true when it was posted, but it no longer is true.  However, we, the users, are still searching out there for a method of doing this and when we do, these outdated/incorrect postings show up and we waste time trying to do what is suggested thus spinning our wheels.  In this particular case, Ashley may have been correct when she posted it, but it is no longer accurate.  It used to be in Excel and Word, under HELP there was a line for FEEDBACK where a customer could send general feedback but was not setup for HELP as no one responded with help but I have had folks respond to feedback asking for more detail in what I was suggesting and the suggestion was later incorporated.  This type of feedback link needs to be available today, either for specific products or a general feedback link where we can send 'pats on the back' to whomever or for each product where it went to that product team.  What is very disappointing is that one can send a suggestion lets say on Excel and we get a response that we have sent it to the wrong place.  Well guess what, it is so difficult trying to find where we can send an email to and folks who say in Microsoft who get the wrong information but know where it should go, should have the initiative to send it to the correct place instead of telling the customer "Sorry, but you have sent this to the wrong party."  That is frustrating and extremely irritating.  Microsoft could solve this by simple listing feedback links for where Microsoft wants them to go:  Microsoft Feedback /  Excel Feedback / Word Feedback / Office Feedback and these links would be strictly for voicing suggestions, irritations or whatever, but not for HELP and if someone sends a HELP question there, just ignore it or return it and tell them where to go for HELP.  WHY is that so difficult for Microsoft to do? 

Further, if one is attempting to send feedback to Microsoft on a specific product, why would they follow the path you suggested in order to find a link to improve a specific product or to provide a pat on the back on a specific product.  Going to "Product sales and licensing section", would be the LAST place in the world I would go to provide feedback.  While folks at Microsoft think this makes sense, understand folks outside of Microsoft would not feel that going to an organization that deals in SALES or PRODUCT LICENSING would make a good place to offer suggestions for product improvement or providing general comments on a specific product.  This is called 'Company Blind' where employees only  think in terms of the company itself and what makes sense within the company KNOWING how the company operates whereas those outside the company do not have that knowledge and therefore seek a common sense link as, "Okay, I want to provide some feedback to Microsoft on Excel in the form of a suggestion so why on earth would I go to product licensing?  Does that make sense?

I also want to add that while you say Microsoft is too vast to setup specific feedback links, I strongly disagree with you.  You (Microsoft) knows what specific products are released to the general public so for each, offer a general feedback link and in fact, the best way is to put it in the product under HELP as it used to be done.  I have used Windows since before it was released and from time to time there have been specific links within the products to provide feedback.  Trying to find one today is much harder than going to congress and requesting a million dollar payment to myself for doing nothing and getting it.  While some at Microsoft may strongly disagree, it must be remembered that one must view things from the standpoint of the customer.  While something may make sense within Microsoft, outside of the company it makes no sense.

You see, I forgot to check that I want to be notified when someone responds to this and now cannot find a link to do so.  Therefore, I will copy all of this, delete this post, open a new post and then paste all of this back into the new post and this time hopefully I will remember to check the place so I am notified when and if anyone responds to this.  Please understand, that by no means do I mean to attack anyone or any company with anything said here as I am just trying to say what to me, is the obvious which is what makes all of this so frustrating.  Thanks!

@GLRaehn

Sorry to here your having so much trouble locating the "Feedback" options you seek, as far as I can read from you post, it's Excel that you are most interested in providing feedback for.

This feature request is very easy to achieve in several ways, via the program itself and various other online product specific blogs, live podcasts, seminars and via Microsoft's own Facebook page. To name a few and even directly via phone/email.

To provide just one option for you. I myself went to attempted to see how hard it's to provide feedback as you say it is buried and not clear. (I disagree, as I personally found it very easy/clear.)

Here are the steps I took (in under forty seconds) and completed this task.

First I opened my browser and went to the main Office website. (Please use the hyperlink I've high lightened for you for your conveyance, or you may prefer to type the address into your search bar, It's really a users preference how they locate a page/site as there is no right or wrong way, Bing it, main search address bar or hyperlink to get there, as long as you get there safely, quickly.) First of you will notice when you land on the page that right at the bottom of the page there is a "Feedback" option located there, I assumed you feel that this is not direct enough for you or not enough specific for your product choice. To gain greater in-depth options I then selected the "Support" option which is clearly marked at the top of the page next to Products. Then using the pull down tab simply select your product of choice, in this case Excel and just type Feedback. When the page opens second down from the list you will see "Provide Feedback" please open. This is product specific, where you can send your "pat on the backs" or anything else relating to this product.

As an extra feature for you There is also a specific community section relating to anything Excel in Excel Community which I've included for you, as an extra guide. 

This is just a few easy and direct options for you to use to provide valued "Feedback" relating to Excel, there are others ways of course as listed above and others. As I have already said in my previous posts for any specific product feedback, then always begin with the product in questions main landing page. As this is the official direct informational sections for that product, not just sales and promotions as you have misunderstood. Also product specific news, reference, help, training and feedback.

As regards to your reference to outdated posts/boards, this will always be an issue with an ever evolving global live brand like Microsoft and the vastness of products, the guy's and girls are working hard in the background to find ways to get greater support and relevant information that the user is seeking cleaner, even faster as I type, things do take time. On way around this is for you to select the title options first at the start page of this community that are all relevant to your request and then use the search bar to enter your request. Or use the Windows.com main page, using the displayed search bar within this page will display results that you can select from the left hand side which are relevant to you.

Hope this helps

Have a great day!

Thanks!

First I opened my browser and went to the main Office website. (Please use the hyperlink I've high lightened for you for your conveyance, or you may prefer to type the address into your search bar, It's really a users preference how they locate a page/site as there is no right or wrong way, Bing it, main search address bar or hyperlink to get there, as long as you get there safely, quickly.) First of you will notice when you land on the page that right at the bottom of the page there is a "Feedback" option located there, I assumed you feel that this is not direct enough for you or not enough specific for your product choice. 

This does not appear to be for obtaining product feedback. It seems to be for obtaining feedback about the Office website (as I think I have probably noted in an earlier post). If this is not the case, the message below (found on the feedback page) should be edited, because it causes confusion.

The page says "We are unable to respond to your feedback but will use it to improve the site."

To gain greater in-depth options I then selected the "Support" option which is clearly marked at the top of the page next to Products. Then using the pull down tab simply select your product of choice, in this case Excel and just type Feedback. When the page opens second down from the list you will see "Provide Feedback" please open. This is product specific, where you can send your "pat on the backs" or anything else relating to this product. 

This link is for providing feedback on the Mac version of Office only. It is not for the Windows version of Office.