Thursday, July 27, 2006
Can't? Or won't?
Sometimes we get calls from people who aren't at their computer. Usually, that's because they assume that they'd have to be online for us to help. When we explain that they don't, it's no big deal; the customer goes to their computer and we proceed to look at the issue.
Other times, people don't have portable phones, or they don't have a phone in the same room as the computer. No big deal: you can plug a phone into the alternate jack in most desktop computers, or you can unplug the computer from the wall jack and replace it with the phone.
However, sometimes people simply refuse to do it. Like PushyKid.
PushyKid: "I cannot move the phone. It stays in the front room."
Me: "OK, then I'm afraid there isn't much left we can do for you, since you'll need to be at the computer to read some of the information from some diagnostics."
Now, that's not strictly true. We could have the kid take down instructions, go to the computer, open the appropriate windows, run a diagnostic or check a setting or make note of some information, return, and tell us. There are two major problems with that: time and the dramatically increased probability of being wrong.
It's like going to a doctor's office and telling him that the patient is still at home, then refusing to bring the sick person. Sure, he could ask you questions, you could drive home and ask the patient, and then relay those symptoms to the doctor, but that's several orders of magnitude more difficult (and silly) than just taking the patient to the doctor.
After PushyKid realized that I wasn't going to help unless she compromised on her phone-into-the-computer-room embargo, she said she'd move it and call back. This was her fourth call of the day.
Other times, people don't have portable phones, or they don't have a phone in the same room as the computer. No big deal: you can plug a phone into the alternate jack in most desktop computers, or you can unplug the computer from the wall jack and replace it with the phone.
However, sometimes people simply refuse to do it. Like PushyKid.
PushyKid: "I cannot move the phone. It stays in the front room."
Me: "OK, then I'm afraid there isn't much left we can do for you, since you'll need to be at the computer to read some of the information from some diagnostics."
Now, that's not strictly true. We could have the kid take down instructions, go to the computer, open the appropriate windows, run a diagnostic or check a setting or make note of some information, return, and tell us. There are two major problems with that: time and the dramatically increased probability of being wrong.
It's like going to a doctor's office and telling him that the patient is still at home, then refusing to bring the sick person. Sure, he could ask you questions, you could drive home and ask the patient, and then relay those symptoms to the doctor, but that's several orders of magnitude more difficult (and silly) than just taking the patient to the doctor.
After PushyKid realized that I wasn't going to help unless she compromised on her phone-into-the-computer-room embargo, she said she'd move it and call back. This was her fourth call of the day.
# posted by Terry @ 2:38 PM 
