Why I sigh...
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Thread: Why I sigh...

  1. #1
    Registered User Guts3d's Avatar
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    Why I sigh...

    Actual phone conversation:
    Hello, I was just wondering where the *$#@! my documents are??? Customer with an attitude.
    Well, as I told you when you picked it up, they are in a folder named “Old Stuff” under the User1 profile. You can either log on as User1 and put them where you like, or navigate to that folder from the User2 profile. Me, repressing an inward sigh.
    (Sounds of furious clicking) Well, I don’t see it anywhere!!! Customer with an even greater attitude.
    “Are you logging in as User1 or navigating to the User1 desktop folder named “Old Stuff”? I ask, knowing full well that she is logged in as User2 and not looking where I specified.
    “No, all that is on the desktop is My Computer, Recycle Bin, Internet Explorer, and a shortcut to Nero.” Says customer venomously.
    I sigh out loud, making sure the customer can hear me, and patiently explain “ Well, let’s try this: Log off and log on as User1 and look to the right side of the screen for a yellow folder named appropriately enough “ Old Stuff”.
    Click, click, click… click, click… Never mind, I found it. Thanks anyways. Bye. ßSarcastically as possible.
    Me, making a mental note to add extra $$$ to her bill the next time I have to re-image her laptop because her innocent little angel downloads so much virus laden pron that it won’t boot up anymore.
    " I don't like the idea of getting shot in the hand" -Blackie in "Rustlers Rhapsody"

    " It is a proud and lonely thing, to be a Stainless Steel Rat." - Slippery Jim DiGriz

  2. #2
    Registered User Draggar's Avatar
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    I hate people like that. Extra charges are warranted.
    Live Free or Die

    Never forget, never lose those who have been lost.

    My Malinois is smarter than your honor roll student!

  3. #3
    Registered User Niclo Iste's Avatar
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    Yes extra charge definately. Though also note to keep image of virus laden machine for next visit. That way if they can't handle folder navigation you can offer for a fee to put it back exactly how she had it before you got it, or without a fee. It's nice when they opt to pay though. My personal policy is the computer work is free. The wofk of putting up with the BS you have me go through costs extra. However that wouldn't fly on the advertizing.
    One Script to rule them all.
    One Script to find them.
    One Script to bring them all,
    and clean up after itself.

  4. #4
    Registered User Guts3d's Avatar
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    Good thinking, Niclo. I'll print out a copy of the virus report and tape it to the outside of her computer. When she sees that and a list of the more colorful sites visited by the young Lothario she is raising, she might lose some of that venom. Thanks for the vote of confidence as well, Draggar!
    " I don't like the idea of getting shot in the hand" -Blackie in "Rustlers Rhapsody"

    " It is a proud and lonely thing, to be a Stainless Steel Rat." - Slippery Jim DiGriz

  5. #5
    Registered User Guts3d's Avatar
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    Ring--- Me: Hello, Customer, your laptop needs to be re-imaged with either XP or Vista, I recommend XP for speed with these specs.

    Customer : Oh, I don’t care, that’s fine, let me know when it’s done, I need it back as fast as possible. My son uses it to search the internet.

    Me: Ok, I can take it home and have it ready Friday or Monday…

    Customer : Great. Let me know.

    Me: O.K., I charge $30 per hour for labor, and it takes about 3 hours from start to finish, and I’ll save your kids data for free.

    Customer : What!!??? What do you do, run in place? Why are you charging me? All you have to do is sit there and click buttons. I don’t understand, this isn’t fair.

    Me: Well, it takes more than 3 hours of my time to do this, plus the time saving data and getting rid of all the viruses, and that’s time that I am not doing what I want or need to do. My prices are cheap, some stores charge over $120 for a simple overload, no data saved and no drivers loaded, and you must provide them the cdrom, which you don’t have.

    Customer : Well, I still don’t think that’s fair…

    Me: Ok, no problem, come and get it, it is right here just as it was, ready to go.

    Customer : (Spoken with a nasty attitude) Never mind, you just go ahead and charge me whatever you want.

    Me: Ok, I just don’t want you to feel upset.

    Customer : My cell number is XXX-XXXX in case you have a problem or need anything. Bye.

    Me: ( Thinking) I hope her kid likes gay midgets…
    " I don't like the idea of getting shot in the hand" -Blackie in "Rustlers Rhapsody"

    " It is a proud and lonely thing, to be a Stainless Steel Rat." - Slippery Jim DiGriz

  6. #6
    Registered User Draggar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Guts3d View Post
    [SIZE=3]Me: O.K., I charge $30 per hour for labor, and it takes about 3 hours from start to finish, and I’ll save your kids data for free.

    Customer : What!!??? What do you do, run in place? Why are you charging me? All you have to do is sit there and click buttons. I don’t understand, this isn’t fair.
    Why do people think that "work" doesn't have to be moving things around?

    Me: ( Thinking) I hope her kid likes gay midgets…
    You may find evidence of that on the computer..
    Live Free or Die

    Never forget, never lose those who have been lost.

    My Malinois is smarter than your honor roll student!

  7. #7
    Registered User slgrieb's Avatar
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    Just today...

    Me: Hey, just got through checking the computer and it seems to be locking up because your video card is overheating. Memory tested OK, and the machine runs fine with the onboard video.

    Customer: That can't be right! Those cards have a Lifetime Warranty! Besides, We Be Computers has already replaced that card twice. It can't be bad!

    Me: Were all the cards the same model?

    Customer: Yeah.

    Me: Do you see a pattern here?

    The video card at issue is a passively cooled 7600GS with a heatsink that looks like it might have been made from an old wire shelf and a hubcap.
    Last edited by slgrieb; September 23rd, 2009 at 02:46 PM.

  8. #8
    Registered User Ferrit's Avatar
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    Those kinds of customers need to pay extra period.
    Thinking because we are behind a counter we arent doing anything anyway annoys me to no end.
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  9. #9
    Registered User Niclo Iste's Avatar
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    I just get a happy tone to my voice and let them know I'd be happy to not work on it and I even give them the location of the nearest Best Buy. I am more than happy to let problem customers be someone elses problem. More often than not they realize they were being an ******* and they change their attitude. Interestingly enough I've even had some of my best customers start out that way.
    One Script to rule them all.
    One Script to find them.
    One Script to bring them all,
    and clean up after itself.

  10. #10
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    I have learned a LOT here: I have learned that patience IS a virtue (seriously) and it would seem that, in your business, it should also be a silent one;

    You should think about people that come here to post and don't know a lot about computers and find so many of you being so derogetory about customers problems and how they fell versus your great knowledge and shaman-like powers (noone like a witch or wralock, really) and maybe just soften up a little.

    Or, just throw a curse!


  11. #11
    Registered User Niclo Iste's Avatar
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    I don't hide my opinions. A client stumbling upon this isn't going to worry me one bit if that's what you're implying. I offer a service for a specific amount. If my client feels that something they are unwilling to do is my fault we can discuss it. If they still feel like it's my fault I'm not unreasonable and am willing to let them choose another venue. I'm here to help people who want to be helped. There are many people out there who don't like being helped even when they asked for it in the first place. I can solve their problem and only show them how to prevent it. It is entirely their responsibility to follow the said instructions. I'm very up front about anything they want to know. I've also been up front about my opinions of how they treat me. If a client is going to treat me unfairly I will not hesitate for one moment to let them know I am not obligated to take their abuse. Like I said this straight forwardness has won me some of my best clients.
    One Script to rule them all.
    One Script to find them.
    One Script to bring them all,
    and clean up after itself.

  12. #12
    Registered User slgrieb's Avatar
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    In my case at least, I found the lady with the bad video card a lot more funny than annoying. Hey, for what it's cost to ship those things back to the vendor, she could have already bought a better card. Still. Lifetime Warranties don't come along every day, I guess.

    I always try to be upfront and clear in giving customers my opinion. If they want to disregard it, so be it. Nevertheless, I've got a pretty severe BS allergy, and sometimes you just have to tell folks you don't think you can do business.

    Actually, I had another amusing tale from today. I just got through ordering $70 of parts for a 9 year old Deskjet 970Cse (a clutch and some rollers) because the customer's daughter inadvertently purchased a case each of black and color cartridges for the printer. The vendor didn't want to eat the sale, so he cut them a deal on the cartridges. So, now, if the customer doesn't get his suddenly sick printer running, he's stuck with all this ink! Can you say "Ebay"?

  13. #13
    Registered User Guts3d's Avatar
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    Yikes! A case of ink! Sounds like they married that printer.
    " I don't like the idea of getting shot in the hand" -Blackie in "Rustlers Rhapsody"

    " It is a proud and lonely thing, to be a Stainless Steel Rat." - Slippery Jim DiGriz

  14. #14
    Registered User Guts3d's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CCT View Post
    I have learned a LOT here: I have learned that patience IS a virtue (seriously) and it would seem that, in your business, it should also be a silent one;

    You should think about people that come here to post and don't know a lot about computers and find so many of you being so derogetory about customers problems and how they fell versus your great knowledge and shaman-like powers (noone like a witch or wralock, really) and maybe just soften up a little.

    Or, just throw a curse!


    CCT, I am very nice to the customers, this is just me ranting to a select group of fellow techies whom I know will have similar stories. I feel lost when I take my car to get serviced, and I try not to ask stupid questions or talk down to the mechanic. I know that they are professionals as well, and I respect their competence. I depend upon them for service, and I surely wouldn't berate them or cop an attitude. But I am sure that they have a few similar stories as well.
    " I don't like the idea of getting shot in the hand" -Blackie in "Rustlers Rhapsody"

    " It is a proud and lonely thing, to be a Stainless Steel Rat." - Slippery Jim DiGriz

  15. #15
    Registered User El_Squid's Avatar
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    Having to deal with the"public" is why I opted to work for the "man". That keeps my exposure down to a handful of "administrators", as the source of my frustrations, rather than the teeming masses of a$$es. Thankfully, I have the good fortune to work for, and with, a bunch of great folks.

    That, and my previous job was as an aide, for twenty years, at the one of Oklahoma's State Mental Facilities. (Niclo probably knows it: Central State Hospital) So, I have a tendency to want to throw loud mouth jerks into the floor and tie them up. Fortunately I am level-headed, old and fat now, so I don't follow through.


    Got tired of wrecking my back and knees, so I turned my hobby into my profession! Noone has tried to clock me in the head with a chair for over a decade now!
    I didn't surrender, but they took my horse and made him surrender. They have him pulling a wagon up in Kansas I bet.

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