If I knew how to fix computers, would I be working here?

[Food Lady]

Three out of our 4 bridal registry kiosks died today while, at the same time, while customers were trying to use them. I happened to walk by on my way to the floor when one lady asked, "Can we get some help here?" I looked at the screen and saw the message about an error or whatever. I don't know what it says when it does that, but I recognize that it means we have to call a tech in. So I told them they could try the 4th one because a tech had to be called for the others. Cue catbutt face from at least 2 of them. I just walked away.

[sms001]

And even if you were a PC tech, working on many retail's POS or other infrastructure is strictly verboten if that's not your job description.

I swear, sometimes it's like the only answer that will satisfy them is "Oh, let me fix that just for you - we have a special button that makes it do that just to annoy customers, but you're special so I'll turn that off."

[An Haddock]

Three out of our 4 bridal registry kiosks died today while, at the same time, while customers were trying to use them. I happened to walk by on my way to the floor when one lady asked, "Can we get some help here?" I looked at the screen and saw the message about an error or whatever. I don't know what it says when it does that, but I recognize that it means we have to call a tech in. So I told them they could try the 4th one because a tech had to be called for the others. Cue catbutt face from at least 2 of them. I just walked away.

Ugh... idiots. What if they go to the bank and the teller's computer crashes? Do they get upset when the teller doesn't have the ability to replace a bad hard drive on the spot?

[Grendus]

Obviously you're supposed to pull your cell phone out and hack the kiosk right then and there and make it work. They know you can, they saw it on NCIS!

[wolfie]

Obviously you're supposed to pull your cell phone out and hack the kiosk right then and there and make it work. They know you can, they saw it on NCIS!

And some years back, on Hunter (cop show), the "system" silently spat a suspect's (full-colour) picture out of the printer. I recognized the printer involved - it was a black-and-white impact-matrix (i.e. noisy) printer - and the photo was coming out at the "form feed" speed. It's not just the plot that's fiction - the writers will "juice" the capabilities of equipment if it makes the story better.

[earl colby pottinger]

Could they at least

And some years back, on Hunter (cop show), the "system" silently spat a suspect's (full-colour) picture out of the printer. I recognized the printer involved - it was a black-and-white impact-matrix (i.e. noisy) printer - and the photo was coming out at the "form feed" speed. It's not just the plot that's fiction - the writers will "juice" the capabilities of equipment if it makes the story better.

Hid the paper feeding into the printer from below so we don't see the text/picture is already printed on the paper feeding in?

The number of shows where they make that silly mistake is ridiculous.

[Silent-Hunter]

I miss my Panasonic impact printer, I was sad when it died.

I was surprised, but the bridal registries at Fred Meyer's were actually running KDE, I recongised the cursor.

[EricKei]

Do they get upset when the teller doesn't have the ability to replace a bad hard drive on the spot?

You've been around here long enough to know the answer to thaaaaaaaat

[Dreamstalker]

Our SCOs are old, cranky and I suspect that the POS application was designed for a newer OS (and beefier hardware). Every so often the entire thing will freeze up; if it happens to be in the middle of a transaction, cue screaming. Yes, you have to scan everything again. No, I can't recover it as that function was disabled by management (or the kiosk just doesn't have enough memory and won't/can't save a transaction after a power loss). No, you will not be charged twice.

I know how to do a hard reset/powercycle, but that's all I'm allowed to do. The company tech at one point was going to show me how/give me the okay to get into the program if I needed to, but ASM (who is hopeless with computers anyway) said "oh, she doesn't need to know that"

[Moirae]

Quick bit of advice... most computer crashes can be cured by turning them off and then back on.

[Dreamstalker]

If I have to turn one off in the middle of a customer's order, they seem to think it will recover the order when it comes back up. Which used to happen, but they're not doing it anymore.

[Syriilord]

Going back to the title of the thread for a moment; I actually do know how to fix computers. My current job? A call center....selling insurance.

And no; if, during our chat, I happen to mention my skill set to you; it does not mean I will troubleshoot your internet problems etc. I'm hired to sell insurance, that's all. Just because someone can do something, it doesn't necessarily follow that they have succeeded in getting a job in that field. So don't act as though they have.

[otakuneko]

Quick bit of advice... most computer crashes can be cured by turning them off and then back on.

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

[Moirae]

lol. The reason IT says that first is because you'd be amazed the number of people that don't.

[Racket_Man]

The website is down