On Tuesday, my new Apple desktop computer was delivered. I signed up for Best Buy’s Totaltech program, paying $200, because a tech would come to my house and install the computer. My iMac desktop is heavy and I didn’t want to lug it to Best Buy and also have to get a new heavy computer back home, too.

It was supposed to be a great day. The tech arrived wearing fragrance, which bothers my allergies. He said he didn’t get the message that I asked for a fragrance-free person to do the installation.

The technician began transferring data from my old computer to the new one. It ran for about half an hour. Then, the technician went out to sit in his car, another half hour.

He came in and said he needed to go to his next client. I asked when he’d be back. He said the next day; he had to go to Ocean Shores.

I was upset. How would I know if everything worked? What about installing Microsoft Office 2021? What about taking away my old computer? Could a co-worker come? His boss?

He shrugged it off, saying there wasn’t anyone else in the area. He also said he couldn’t take my old computer even though the Best Buy video on the Totaltech program says it covers haulaways.

A half hour after he left, the transfer was complete. What was on my desktop looked correct, and I could access my photos.

Then the trouble began. I tried to install Microsoft Office 2021. I had to contact Microsoft customer service, now only through chat rather than by phone, to get the installation finished. Then, I couldn’t get the program activated. I spent two-and-a-half hours on the phone with a tech person, only available to those having serious problems. I bet she was happy when the call was dropped.

It was a password problem. Microsoft wanted to send a text to the phone number it had for me – my landline.

I couldn’t access my documents. I couldn’t work on my newsletter. I wasted an entire work day and was so frustrated I thought I was going to have a heart attack.

The Best Buy tech, wearing fragrance again, arrived the next morning. He knew how to fix the password problem and was able to get Office activated in 15 minutes.

Then he left … not fixing the following: the backup wasn’t working, some of the links in documents from my previous computer weren’t working, and computer shuts off after my first session in the morning. Also, he didn’t give me much information on how my new computer works.

When I called Totaltech to try to get some answers to these problems, the technician was hopeless. He scheduled an appointment for me to take the computer to Best Buy on Sunday. More time wasted.

I complained to TotalTech about the technician who came to my house.

On Thursday, I called Apple technical support and got most of my questions answered.

Best Buy TotalTech, what a bust. I wasted valuable time that put me behind in my writing and holiday preparations.