The Wireless SC Files: Shut the whole thing down, it makes people too stupid.

[icantbelievethesepeople]

So, I actually refuse to believe that people are naturally this idiotic. I simply cannot believe that most rational agents would chose to believe the way wireless customers do. I think its something about the expectations or the business itself which leads itself to a circus-like atmosphere.

Heres a great example

ME: Hello, welcome to [carrier]
SC: Hey, yea, I need your help with something.
ME: Whats that?
SC: Well, Im having trouble using [app], i need some help.
ME: Well sir, we here are your carrier, there are millions of apps, there is no way we can service them all -- more importantly, we provide the service, we do not troubleshoot third party apps as they have nothing to do with us.
SC: Yea well, you work here, so you should be able to help me
MEdidnt i just explain this?) Well, I may provide limited help, but ive never used [app] and dont know the first thing about it, you have, at this point, most likely used it for longer than i have, which would make you more qualified than i to remedy the issue.
SC: Yea well, I just cant get it to work.
ME: Well, sir, if it isnt a service issue, id recommend you get this taken care of with technical support, they are after all, the ones trained for technical issues.
SC: Yea well, id just rather get it taken care of here.

*break* WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?!?! Sure, I can figure it out. Sure, probably way faster than him. Is it part of my job description? No. Do I have to? No. Is it reasonable to come waste someone's time on some bullshit which OBVIOUSLY has nothing to do with their job? No. (Before I get any flak here, you would never call your ISP to ask them how to properly configure your PS1 emulator) Most importantly, AM I MAKING ANY MONEY? NO. Fuck off. If you have relevant questions, bring them to me, I will help you. Lay off the bullshit. The wireless industry is fucked.

ME: *sigh* fine, give it here.
SC: OK
ME: Well, this is simple, you just have to register
SC: I dont know how to do that.
ME: May I see your drivers license?
SC: Sure
ME: You registered for that.
SC: What do you mean?
ME: You registered your information in such a way that it could be captured in order to create an account, same thing here.
SC: Yea but I dont know how to do that
ME: You just provided me evidence that you do.
SC: Can you do it for me?
ME: I cant think of a reason why I would be better at inputting your own information than you would.
SC: Yea but I want you to do it.
ME: No, YOU will do it.
SC: *stares*
ME: You know what, fine. (at this point I just wanted him gone)
ME:*ask for info, inputs*

*There you go*

SC: Ok, great.

BYE BYE

SC: *comes back*
ME: *considering eating packing tape to make myself sick and not have to deal with it*
ME: Welcome back
SC: Yea, it says I cant make calls cause I dont have sufficient funds.
ME: Ok.
SC: How do I add funds?
ME: By adding funds (how the fuck else would you?)
SC: Yea but I havent done that before.
ME: Neither have I, as I said, Ive never used [app] before.
SC: Yea but you could do it for me.
ME: Id like to know how our mutual ignorance on this [app] makes me more qualified to add your funds, with your card, to your account than you are.
SC: You work here
ME: *brilliant* You are aware that the service, phone, apps and developers are not the same thing?
SC: Just help me do this.

BLAHBLAHBLAH

Turns out, dude was just too lazy to add his own funds. Hed rather get in his car and drive to the store than add the shit himself.

Wireless customers...if you can even call them that, are the worst.

[Orgaloth]

We actually charge customers for this. I'm an in store tech for a telco. If a customer was that lazy, they'd be out $60 for me doing the work.

[emax4]

My thoughts exactly. Let them pay for their laziness. Surely he wouldn't be double-checking for a surcharge since he expects you o do the work. The signs and papers don't show a fee, so why not make up your own and have him pay you in cash. It's YOUR time, YOUR education, YOUR efforts, and YOUR expertise.

[MoonCat]

Oh god, I would be so tempted to say "Just a moment," and then run out the back door and never come back. Dealing with that kind of stupidity has GOT to be way outside anybody's job description.

[strawbabies]

He hands over personal information and his billing info just because he's too lazy to do stuff on his own? I hope he gets his identity stolen.

[cindybubbles]

SC: Do it for me!
Me: That will be $6000, please.

[bankworking]

I'm surprised the stores don't have a way to charge for that. If you get customers in all the time asking for support, they should have a per-15 minute fee you can charge 'em for it.

[earl colby pottinger]

Charges

I know when I worked at the computer store that you better had been a very good customer (purchased thousands of dollars worth of goods) or it would had been chargeable at the standard hourly rate in 15 minute increments.

[Seshat]

An analogy that I have used that sometimes works:

- the connection (wireless or wired!) is like roads.

- the device (computer, phone, tablet, etc) is like cars.

- the apps are like aftermarket sound systems or whatever else you put in your car.


You don't ask the department of roads how to drive a car. You don't even ask the car salesman. You find a car driving teacher.

You don't ask the car salesman how to use the aftermarket parts you put in. You either find a general-car-stuff person (your mechanic) or you ask the people who sold you the aftermarket stuff.


Because the analogy does get a little bit confused, I only give whoever I'm talking to the parts they need. In this case, I would tell them that they're asking the person who sells roads how to use some complicated thing she bought for her car. Your responsibility ends with making sure the road is there.