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One of my pet peeves is people who try to fast-talk their way into some sort of custom service for their computer (usually amounting to getting $400+ worth of service for $25, should they get their way) or try to wrangle a faster turnaround time than we can reasonably promise. This woman wanted BOTH.
Now, normally I have an uncanny ability to remember conversions word for word, but this one was so convoluted and took such a circuitous path that even I couldn't keep track of it, so I'll summarize the major points here.
This woman called in to inquire about having more RAM added to her PC. What she wanted to do was schedule an appointment with a tech so that she could come in, have the RAM installed immediately, then leave.
Well, frankly, we don't operate that way. You want work done? You drop off your PC, pre-pay for the work, and we call you when it's done. It is NOT done while you wait, and the turnaround time is 24-48 hours, depending on how many machines are ahead of yours in the queue.
First problem: the technician isn't in yet.
SC: I can't keep coming in every five minutes to see if he's there yet.
That's why you have to DROP OFF the computer.
SC: I can't be without my PC for that long.
Then install the memory yourself. It's that simple. If you are incapable of doing that, then that's YOUR problem.
SC: But it's just a matter of opening the case and sticking the sticks in.
Again, if it's so simple, why not do it yourself? Alas, it's not necessarily to simple, and doesn't take into account the possibility of encountering problems. And did I mention that it's first come, first served? We can't bump other work for this, no matter how simple.
SC: That sounds like bad management. If I were running this operation, I'd have someone available to do the work when it comes in.
Me: Management has nothing to do with it; we don't have the budget to keep someone on the clock at all times just to cater to walk-in tech work.
(Yes, I said that to her).
SC: I understand that.
Clearly you don't. If you did, you wouldn't have even said what you did. Not even the infamous Geek Squad operates this way.
SC: Well, I need my computer done as soon as I get there. That's why I'm trying to make an appointment.
Appointment? We don't schedule appointments for in-store work. You want an appointment? Come in and pay for an on-site install. But be prepared to fork over an extra $100 for the privilege, AND wait even longer than if you just brought it in, because you likely won't get called to set up a time until tomorrow.
SC: I'd think that you'd be willing to work with someone who's prepared to come in and spend a couple hundred bucks.
A couple hundred bucks? HA! That's pocket change. I've have personally closed sales MUCH bigger than that - where the TECH WORK ALONE totaled MORE than a "couple hundred" and the total sale was $1400+ - and those people didn't get the preferential treatment you're demanding. To paraphrase Uncle Khiras "Nice try, but the last person offered $1000 and they didn't get any either!"
This conversation lasted almost 10 minutes, which is about 9 minutes longer than necessary.
If you're wondering why I didn't pass it off to a manager, it's because despite her EW-ism and thick-headedness, she remained calm the entire time, never raising her voice or asking for a manager. That was the ONLY redeeming quality this woman displayed.
Ugh. And the hell of it was that through it all, I kept telling her that we WOULD get the installation done that night. That in itself was an extraordinary promise since the normal time is 24-48 hours. Yet that wasn't good enough. I told her over and over that I can't promise it'll be done immediately, just "tonight."
I guess no one ever told her not to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Now, normally I have an uncanny ability to remember conversions word for word, but this one was so convoluted and took such a circuitous path that even I couldn't keep track of it, so I'll summarize the major points here.
This woman called in to inquire about having more RAM added to her PC. What she wanted to do was schedule an appointment with a tech so that she could come in, have the RAM installed immediately, then leave.
Well, frankly, we don't operate that way. You want work done? You drop off your PC, pre-pay for the work, and we call you when it's done. It is NOT done while you wait, and the turnaround time is 24-48 hours, depending on how many machines are ahead of yours in the queue.
First problem: the technician isn't in yet.
SC: I can't keep coming in every five minutes to see if he's there yet.
That's why you have to DROP OFF the computer.
SC: I can't be without my PC for that long.
Then install the memory yourself. It's that simple. If you are incapable of doing that, then that's YOUR problem.
SC: But it's just a matter of opening the case and sticking the sticks in.
Again, if it's so simple, why not do it yourself? Alas, it's not necessarily to simple, and doesn't take into account the possibility of encountering problems. And did I mention that it's first come, first served? We can't bump other work for this, no matter how simple.
SC: That sounds like bad management. If I were running this operation, I'd have someone available to do the work when it comes in.
Me: Management has nothing to do with it; we don't have the budget to keep someone on the clock at all times just to cater to walk-in tech work.
(Yes, I said that to her).
SC: I understand that.
Clearly you don't. If you did, you wouldn't have even said what you did. Not even the infamous Geek Squad operates this way.
SC: Well, I need my computer done as soon as I get there. That's why I'm trying to make an appointment.
Appointment? We don't schedule appointments for in-store work. You want an appointment? Come in and pay for an on-site install. But be prepared to fork over an extra $100 for the privilege, AND wait even longer than if you just brought it in, because you likely won't get called to set up a time until tomorrow.
SC: I'd think that you'd be willing to work with someone who's prepared to come in and spend a couple hundred bucks.
A couple hundred bucks? HA! That's pocket change. I've have personally closed sales MUCH bigger than that - where the TECH WORK ALONE totaled MORE than a "couple hundred" and the total sale was $1400+ - and those people didn't get the preferential treatment you're demanding. To paraphrase Uncle Khiras "Nice try, but the last person offered $1000 and they didn't get any either!"
This conversation lasted almost 10 minutes, which is about 9 minutes longer than necessary.
If you're wondering why I didn't pass it off to a manager, it's because despite her EW-ism and thick-headedness, she remained calm the entire time, never raising her voice or asking for a manager. That was the ONLY redeeming quality this woman displayed.
Ugh. And the hell of it was that through it all, I kept telling her that we WOULD get the installation done that night. That in itself was an extraordinary promise since the normal time is 24-48 hours. Yet that wasn't good enough. I told her over and over that I can't promise it'll be done immediately, just "tonight."
I guess no one ever told her not to look a gift horse in the mouth.
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