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IT Calls of Shame

Posted by samzenpus on from the is-your-screen-on? dept.

snydeq writes "InfoWorld's JR Raphael offers up six memorable tales of trouble and triumph from the tech support desk. 'Working in tech support is a bit like teaching preschool: You're an educator who provides reassurance in troubling times. You share knowledge and help others overcome their obstacles. And some days, it feels like all you hear is screaming, crying, and incoherent babble.' Pronoun problems, IT ghosts, the runaway mouse — when it comes to computers, the customer isn't always right."

6 of 256 comments (clear)

  1. poor analogy by vlm · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Working in tech support is a bit like teaching preschool: (blah blah removed)

    Rather than the blah blah, from memory it seemed more like changing diapers, over and over and over and occasionally breaking up inter-sibling rivalry. It was excellent training for parenthood.

    --
    "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
  2. If your customers aren't always right... by rodrigoandrade · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Please send them my way. My compay will thrive with the new business. I treat customers right, which usually results in new transactions from the same customers. Whuch, in turn, recommend my business to their friends/family/co-workers.

    But hey, it's much easier to blame tough times on stupid customers and Obama (obviously).

    1. Re:If your customers aren't always right... by SJHillman · · Score: 4, Insightful

      What about the customers who insist a faulty cable is the reason their computer keeps getting infected and refuses to let you do anything but change the cable? Or the manager who asks why she can't print to the printer that was recycled years ago (and her specific words were "Why can't I print to the printer we got rid of?" - so she knew it was gone)? There's some customers that no amount of treating them right can help with. And both of the above happened to me within the past year.

  3. Re:Customer once demanded I go on location by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why insult them by asking? Just do the job, fix the issue, leave, and bill them. Not every tech support issue difficult, in fact most are quite simple troubleshooting. The smartest people miss simple things sometimes.

  4. Computer Voodoo by fwarren · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Don't forget computer vo0doo.

    You were the last person to work on my computer and that was 4 years ago. It has been working perfectly, I have installed no new software, I have made no changes. Ha! now it is not working and it is something that YOU did 4 years ago that is causing the problem. Fix it NOW and fix it for FREE.

    Yes, you are the hoodoo with the voodoo. Magically something you did 4 years back has kept the computer running beautifully for 4 years, then all of a sudden "poof" it has broken everything. Links don't open, and the computer runs slow.

    Do I even need to mention that on a computer with NO software installs in 4 years, now has 10 browser bars and Add/Remove programs shows Smiley Central was installed 2 days ago.

    --
    vi + /etc over regedit any day of the week.
  5. Re:One long phone cord.... by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Every time I chuckle at a story like this I can't help but wonder how much of a Grade-A Moron I look like to my mechanic or to any other service provider I use when I'm outside of my comfort zone.

    We really do need to be careful about associating understanding of the blinky lights with intelligence.

    --

    "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)