Have What You Need To Hand

[TelephoneAngel]

A type of call I hate is this -

(it shouldn't even come through to me but I try to help if it does end up with me)

We don't note on the computer when we send letters out as many are just fliers, but some of the special rate letters have a reference number, so if I can recognise which one it is, I can explain it.


customer - I received a letter from your company and it gives different rates and I don't understand it, can you explain?

me - there are lots of different rates for lots of different things, does it have any reference number on it? What does it say, read it to me.

Customer - I don't have the letter with me.



See also - I don't have a pen, my account number, paper, etc etc

[it'srefurbished?]

I get customers in similar situations in my tech shop.

SC: Yeah, I can't seem to get on my internet?

ME: Oh, OK. Can you click on the Start...

SC: Oh sorry, I'm actually at work/in my car/vacationing in Spain...

ME: *WHY ARE YOU CALLING ME THEN!?*

[UncleImpy]

Standard first question we have to ask in tech support for the consumer line (the commercial line, it seems, has a more, ah, intelligent level of end user):

"Are you currently in front of the machine that is having the problem you are calling about?"

It seriously disheartens me to know the number of calls that end after that question. Its more than a single-digit percentage.

[WageSlaveofDoom]

"IT, have you tried turning it off and on again?"

[underemployeed]

Standard first question we have to ask in tech support for the consumer line (the commercial line, it seems, has a more, ah, intelligent level of end user):

"Are you currently in front of the machine that is having the problem you are calling about?"

It seriously disheartens me to know the number of calls that end after that question. Its more than a single-digit percentage.

When its my cable modem, Im never in front of a computer to check right away because well I know how to read the lights and don't need to be on my computer to know the internet isn't working when the connection light is out. Really useful skill reading is when all my network equipment is on a shelf in basement because I wired the whole house so cable modem and router ended up down there. However, I also have a 4yr electronics degree and know significantly more than your average customer and because of the frequency my cable messes up have already done everything I can do on my end, exactly as if they were prompting me.

[Cazzi]

"IT, have you tried turning it off and on again?"

Are you sure it's plugged in?

[TheComputerError]

"IT, have you tried turning it off and on again?"

"Just push the button on the front...You do know what a button is, right?...Are you from the past?"

[Sableonblonde]

I'm one of those people who thought my computer was broken for nearly a whole week, only to realize it wasn't turned on. The same thing happened recently at work, as well. I'm not ashamed to admit it, either. I'm smart in other ways!

[Ironclad Alibi]

Are you sure it's plugged in?

Not to mention: "Are you having a power outage?"

[MadMike]

Are you sure it's plugged in?

The one time I wasn't asked that, that turned to be the problem. Not the power, but the network cable. Somehow it got loose and while it looked like it was still connected to the modem, it wasn't pushed in the whole way and wasn't making contact. I went thru both levels of tech support trying to solve the problem, and eventually they gave up and scheduled a tech visit. I felt pretty stupid when I called back to cancel the appointment.

[Geek King]

Not the power, but the network cable. Somehow it got loose and while it looked like it was still connected to the modem, it wasn't pushed in the whole way and wasn't making contact.

This is why one of the troubleshooting steps used to be "Unplug the network cable then plug it back in." Loose connections solve a decent number of network issues, particularly with RJ-45 connectors.

[Seenoevil]

Love "The IT Crowd" Wish I could find it for free online somewhere...

[TelephoneAngel]

there are several programmes of the it crowd on youtube

[Andara Bledin]

I felt pretty stupid when I called back to cancel the appointment.

I actually had a tech get to the apartment before I realized that the phone line had become disconnected.

You see, I'd checked the lines before calling it in. I just hadn't checked the correct lines.

^-.-^