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*headdesk* [venting post]

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  • #1

    *headdesk* [venting post]

    Buckle up, this is a doozy....

    As you know, I work at helpdesk for some software dealing with accounting systems. We have two versions of the software, 1.0 and 2.0 (which has a much niftier userface with more functions), and we're in the middle process of phasing 1.0 out and transition everybody to 2.0. Therefore, when a client is transitioned the helpdesk is always prepared for questions re: the new user interface.

    This particular client was very hesitative about this but eventually relented. Today was Transition Day.

    We monitor their platform, we can see that normal operations are running smoothly and we receive no support tickets. Until the CFO sends a mail...

    Mail header: "[Function] doesn't work"
    Mail body: BLANK

    I scramble and reply within 30 seconds: "Sure we can help you, can you give us more information?"
    No reply.

    After an hour: "I logged on your platform and can use the function you claim doesn't work. Can we arrange a remote session + phone meeting so I can assess the issue better?"
    No reply.

    After three hours: "Alright, I'm about to clock out for today, can we arrange a remote session on Monday?"
    Reply: "I'll be on vacation next week, just fix it, no remote session needed"

    Me: thinking with my inside voice IT'S LIKE GOING TO THE DOC AND SAY NOTHING BUT "I DON'T FEEL WELL"!!!!

    I ended up sending a terse e-mail back (cc: my boss) asking for more information, whether it be a remote session with some other person, a phone call or a full-blown error report with descriptions and screendumps a-plenty. Let's see what I'll get in my inbox Monday morning...
    A theory states that if anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for, it will be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.

    Another theory states that this has already happened.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    I hate that! I'm not a help desk person, but sometimes if a user is having trouble with a program, whether in testing or production use, I might be asked to look at it and determine the problem.

    The first thing I try to do is re-create the problem. One time, I got assigned a ticket and I didn't have enough information to do that. So I asked the user specifically what they were doing when the problem occurred. I was looking for something like that information was entered in which fields, which keys were pressed, etc. The answer I got was something like, "I was using (program) to (describes what the program was used for.)"

    Basically, that's about as useless as the mechanic asking what you were doing when the car started acting up, and you just say "I was driving it." I started at the reply in disbelief for several seconds, probably blinked once or twice, and muttered something like, "Well, no shit!" Then I composed myself and politely pointed out that I needed more specific information than that, and described what I mentioned earlier in this post as to what would be helpful. At the end of the day, I still didn't get a reply back. I ended up emailing my supervisor, who told me that if they couldn't be bothered to actually provide any useful information, not to worry about it. I don't think I even did hear back from the user.
    Sometimes life is altered.
    Break from the ropes your hands are tied.
    Uneasy with confrontation.
    Won't turn out right. Can't turn out right

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    • #3
      Quoth MadMike View Post
      Basically, that's about as useless as the mechanic asking what you were doing when the car started acting up, and you just say "I was driving it." I started at the reply in disbelief for several seconds, probably blinked once or twice, and muttered something like, "Well, no shit!"
      Yeah, I know that feeling. And I've seen the car-related thing on an episode of Top Gear (UK) when the lads were in Albania when Clarkson's car started having problems. They call a local mechanic out to look at it, and Clarkson's attempts at explaining the problem (in English to an Albanian) "So, working, then, stop."

      May and Hammond both pointed out how that describes most car problems. "Working, then, stop."
      PWNADE(TM) - Serve up a glass today! | PWNZER - An act of pwnage so awesome, it's like the victim got hit by a tank.

      There are only Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse because I choose to walk!

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      • #4
        And I thought it was just my users. We get those all the time. And from the same people.

        Comment

        • #5
          Quoth Jay 2K Winger View Post
          May and Hammond both pointed out how that describes most car problems. "Working, then, stop."

          The one I hate with computers is:-

          "It was working yesterday."
          or
          "It was working yesterday, why isn't it working today?"

          No shit Sherlock. All electronic equipment at some time in their lives do that. The reasons for that are boundless. Unlimited. That question will not be answered until I work out what is wrong and fix it, then I might be able to tell you what went wrong.

          Unless I don't know what I did to fix it, like rebooting. Then I can tell you in general terms what rebooting fixes, but not specifically what was wrong here. I can tell you if it happens again that rebooting might fix it.

          Computers are complex things. They rely on many parts operating correctly and at the correct time to work.

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          • #6
            It happens in so many spheres... "But it worked before!" Yes, that's how entropy works, things function until they stop. Why is this such a surprise?!
            This was one of those times where my mouth says "have a nice day" but my brain says "go step on a Lego". - RegisterAce
            I can't make something magically appear to fulfill all your hopes and dreams. Believe me, if I could I'd be the first person I'd help. - Trixie

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            • #7
              It's so much easier when it's a hardware failure. At least then, we can point at a component and proclaim that the "Magic Smoke" has leaked out. Software issues... can be a royal pain, even when the culpri... customer can show exactly what happened and where. When there's nothing but a "it don work"... Right.
              I can either draw out details, painful and expensive, each one, over time, or... how much am I not getting paid for this crap again? All righty then. Back to putting my feet up, I go. Seriously, I'm providing cheap tech support as it is. You up the difficulty on me, someone's going to pay for it, and I'm broke, buddy.

              Comment

              • #8
                Of course, sometimes the hardware is... unhelpful. Yesterday my boss knocked the new credit-card machine off the desk. (He's got MS, and his dexterity is dubious.) When I retrieved it, it was showing a box over the display: "Alert irruption!". Yes, spelled like that. It also failed the transaction we were trying to make. I tried the usual stuff: check and reseat the cables, no dice.

                When I powered it off and back on, the boot sequence included a screen with just ":-(" in the corner (When your hardware is actually showing you a frowny face, you know something's really wrong....), followed by an assortment of cryptic error messages, and then back to the normal display, still overlaid with the "Alert irruption!" box.

                So, boss's wife is ordering him a tablet and Square box, and we're gonna drag my boss into the 21st century. Mind you, this is a man who "brags" that he's never sent an e-mail....

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                • #9
                  A quick google found
                  https://www.wirelessterminalsolution...error-message/
                  ‘Alert Irruption’ means the terminal can longer be used to accept transactions. Within the innards of the card device, sits an anti-tamper proof device, if the card terminal feels it is being tampered with or if the terminal suffers a hard impact, the anti-tamper proof device will trigger and shut the terminal down.

                  In this eventuality the terminal will need to be sent back for repair.
                  I will not comment on the wisdom of this design.

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                  • #10
                    From a security standpoint, it's better to err on the side of caution. How easy/tempting would it be to add little bits to the device to record scans & pins, or mess with other bits of data? Nope, from a purely security POV, anything goes slightly wrong, and back to the shop it goes.

                    From a user standpoint... just how hard a drop does it take to bugger the damned thing again? *Thunk* "About that hard" DAMNIT!

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Quoth Buzzard View Post
                      From a security standpoint, it's better to err on the side of caution. How easy/tempting would it be to add little bits to the device to record scans & pins, or mess with other bits of data? Nope, from a purely security POV, anything goes slightly wrong, and back to the shop it goes.

                      From a user standpoint... just how hard a drop does it take to bugger the damned thing again? *Thunk* "About that hard" DAMNIT!
                      Knocked off the desk onto the floor. Yeah, that's $300 of the shop's money down the drain, and a lot of days we're lucky to pay off the electric bill.

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                      • #12
                        Quoth Buzzard View Post
                        From a security standpoint, it's better to err on the side of caution. How easy/tempting would it be to add little bits to the device to record scans & pins, or mess with other bits of data? Nope, from a purely security POV, anything goes slightly wrong, and back to the shop it goes.

                        From a user standpoint... just how hard a drop does it take to bugger the damned thing again? *Thunk* "About that hard" DAMNIT!
                        This reminds me of an episode of The Persuaders (I think) back in the 70's? Where they were responsible for transporting an attache case from A to B and it was being thrown around all over the place/dropped off buildings/involved in car crashes etc... and at the end when they hand it over to the proper owner whilst outside in a park they get told its actually got a very sophisticated bomb in it which could be triggered by the slightest touch ie a falling leaf... cue one falling leaf which idly drops onto attache case and the case duly explodes...

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