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Had an interesting case tonight at the tech bench...
A customer approaches me while I'm walking the floor.
SC = repeat customer
Me = Your local gray shirt computer guy
Alice = Manager
SC: Hi, I had my computer in here in November for one of those tune-up things [referring to our free "PC Tune-Up" program, a basic cleaning of the system, and a check on the system). I went on a trip overseas after that, and when I got back recently, it wasn't working. Is there something you can do about it?
Me: Sure, bring it in, and I'll take a look at it.
A half-hour later, he returns with the computer. I hook it up to our rig, turn it on, and get absolutely nothing at the monitor (the hard drive indicator light was lit steadily, a bad sign). I pull up his paperwork, and it turns out that he had brought it in not in November, but in August (nearly three months before I was hired), and his having signed it meant that it had been working when it left.
Me: Sir, it appears that there's something wrong with the motherboard. I can perform a diagnostic on it, to see if I can figure out what's wrong.
SC: Will that be done free?
Me: Well, no, it's a $50 charge, since there's some labor involved.
SC: Is there any way that it can be done gratis?
Me:
I dunno, a manager would be the best person to decide that.
I page Alice, the manager-on-duty. He explains to her what happened. As you might expect, things turned a bit heated.
SC: Is there any way that it can be done for free?
Alice: Sir, I'm afraid not.
SC: But you guys worked on it!
Alice: Sir, this happened in August, so there's nothing we can do at this point!
SC: But I'd expect to get back a working computer after you worked on it!
Alice: Again, sir, this happened in August, so there's nothing we can do about it now!
SC: I didn't even have it plugged in while I was away!
Alice: Sir, it's been five months, and there's a lot that can happen to a computer in that time, even if it's not used.
SC: But you were the last people to work on it, and now it's not working!
Alice: Sir, you signed the paperwork, which says that it was working when it left, so there is no way that we can do this for free!
Fortunately, after that, the guy cooled down. I showed him what we had for new computers, since repairs on the old one would likely cost more than it's worth, and he decided to take the old one home with him without any further incidents.
Still, I found the whole thing highly absurd; if the tech on duty then had been aware of a major issue with his computer during the PC Tune-Up process (which often brings up recommendations for improving the computer's performance), the customer would've been informed of them. Not only would we avoid being held liable for the issues, but we would also have an opportunity to make more money by offering to repair it.
-Adam
A customer approaches me while I'm walking the floor.
SC = repeat customer
Me = Your local gray shirt computer guy
Alice = Manager
SC: Hi, I had my computer in here in November for one of those tune-up things [referring to our free "PC Tune-Up" program, a basic cleaning of the system, and a check on the system). I went on a trip overseas after that, and when I got back recently, it wasn't working. Is there something you can do about it?
Me: Sure, bring it in, and I'll take a look at it.
A half-hour later, he returns with the computer. I hook it up to our rig, turn it on, and get absolutely nothing at the monitor (the hard drive indicator light was lit steadily, a bad sign). I pull up his paperwork, and it turns out that he had brought it in not in November, but in August (nearly three months before I was hired), and his having signed it meant that it had been working when it left.
Me: Sir, it appears that there's something wrong with the motherboard. I can perform a diagnostic on it, to see if I can figure out what's wrong.
SC: Will that be done free?
Me: Well, no, it's a $50 charge, since there's some labor involved.
SC: Is there any way that it can be done gratis?
Me:
I dunno, a manager would be the best person to decide that.I page Alice, the manager-on-duty. He explains to her what happened. As you might expect, things turned a bit heated.
SC: Is there any way that it can be done for free?
Alice: Sir, I'm afraid not.
SC: But you guys worked on it!
Alice: Sir, this happened in August, so there's nothing we can do at this point!
SC: But I'd expect to get back a working computer after you worked on it!
Alice: Again, sir, this happened in August, so there's nothing we can do about it now!
SC: I didn't even have it plugged in while I was away!
Alice: Sir, it's been five months, and there's a lot that can happen to a computer in that time, even if it's not used.
SC: But you were the last people to work on it, and now it's not working!
Alice: Sir, you signed the paperwork, which says that it was working when it left, so there is no way that we can do this for free!
Fortunately, after that, the guy cooled down. I showed him what we had for new computers, since repairs on the old one would likely cost more than it's worth, and he decided to take the old one home with him without any further incidents.
Still, I found the whole thing highly absurd; if the tech on duty then had been aware of a major issue with his computer during the PC Tune-Up process (which often brings up recommendations for improving the computer's performance), the customer would've been informed of them. Not only would we avoid being held liable for the issues, but we would also have an opportunity to make more money by offering to repair it.
-Adam
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