Microsoft - Worst Customer Support ever! Where can I get a decent Microsoft customer support for Windows in the UK?

Question

I have just tried to created the ISO of the operating system I am using for last 5 years, Windows 7 Ultimate.  I remembered that on Microsoft website are quick links dedicated exactly for that purpose. However, when page loaded I've seen this: 
The Page or File You Requested Could Not Be Provided
The resource you are looking for has been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable. 
HTTP Error 404 - File or directory not found. 
If you purchased your Microsoft Windows software from another source, but have the software key provided by Microsoft, you can download the Windows operating
system from the following website:
Windows Downloads
When I have clicked on the download link it took me to the webpage which seemed everything going for it.  3-step guide, including  the product code and language. Brilliant! I thought, until after filling all the details I have clicked on 'Next-Verify
Product Key' than I faced a message:
Validating your product key. This may take several minutes. Do not refresh the page or select back, doing so will cancel
the request.
 When finished, a message pop up:  that the language provided is not compatible with the product key - try different language. Interesting, I am using this product last five years but is not compatible with English? I must have been a fairy then
to be able to make it work for all these years. Then it got better.
I have tried it again with a different message in the end: 
System Error
We encountered a problem with the product key you provided.  Please visit the  Microsoft Support Contact Us page
for assistance.  Refer to Message Code 715-123130.
So I have contacted Microsoft.  Contacting Microsoft is an experience itself and half.
Being Microsoft certified, I used the link provided for IT Pros. I click the link provided and the page started loading..... and still loading now....
So I have decided to call the customer support as you would normally do with any other organisation. To actually get to the phone number, illogically placed, took me a few loops around MS website. Once called, I got to speak to very efficient lady on reception
who kindly switched me to the Technical Support. That's going well, I thought.
Once the connection has been made, I felt that MS technical support is based in submarine 3 miles under water in Japanese sea. All I could hear was the very familiar sound of water of modern Voice over IP connection dated back in 2003 and a male voice (but
by the sound of it it might have been a whale) asking me my name. Unsurprisingly, the connection was interrupted several times when I tried to describe my issue I am having, and eventually I was disconnected. 
Still not put off, I made another attempt to contact MS customer service. This time I have been talking to a woman, seemed a little bit closer, maybe Bristol waters? Still in the submarine but not so deep. Also here I was asked my name AND surname; then
I have described my intentions and the difficulty I am having in succeeding it. The woman on the phone didn't get at all what I was saying. I had to literally spat out word by word what the problem is. (Luckily, I have many years of experience supporting IT
users over 60 years of age so it didn't take so long to explain it to her.) My thought just was, oh my God, how can she help if she didn't even understand the issue. Then the phone went completely dead for 10 mins. When it came back to life, I could hear clear
sound of fishing boat passing by until a voice, I assume the same woman, apologised for the delay. And now - the best is coming:
1) I was informed that the website is being tested, under construction and that doesn't work properly.
Comment: How can Microsoft, one of
leading organisation in  technology, do testing of website 'live'? Quite clearly, that is BS.
2) I was advised to obtain the ISO image from 3rd Party website!!!! On question if she can give me the link to any 3rd party website the answer was NO.
Comment: Seriously, so here we are in 21st Century, dealing with almost the GOD in IT and the recommended solution is - to obtain help for the God's product from UNKNOWN 3rd Party. Brilliant! If this is the case, where Microsoft is exactly heading to???
3) She cannot tell me when the issue of non-working website will be sorted and I should go and buy the copy of Windows; than I will be able to do the ISO.
Comment: Well, that's what I call a professional advise from Microsoft representative. The fact that I do have the physical copy was totally ignored, the fact that I have been running the system for several years have been totally ignored the whole point
of this exercise (to cut down the time making ISO using Microsoft website) was totally ignored. 
When I started asking questions to clarify what has been said I have been continuously interrupted. 
To my question whether MS customer service representative have been trained to interrupt customers I have been told that I am talking over her. I asked her name, which she told me but I didn't catch and therefore I have asked if she could spell it. On that
point she hung up.
Well done Microsoft! And now I want to know just one reason why I should buy your products when the support, in case of problems, is not existent.
Does anyone know where I can get a decent customer service that can resolve my issue better than smudge it ?
Thank you.
Lenka Novakova
Microsoft Certified IT Professional Enterprise Administrator
Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate

Answer 1

Just having the same issue there, which is real not fun, I have not tried to contact them, but looking at  your experience I am not sure if I should.
My key comes from the back of a laptop o so I guess that would be a W7
OEM, and that could explain why you can't download a ISO from their website, would that also your case ?
Also could it be because we are attempting to get the ISO after the product became EOL ?
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/lifecycle
Maybe I will give a go with the customer care people and maybe I will get a right answer ;)
Will keep you posted