Did you buy it at my store? RTFM!!

[Mr. Rude]

A little story from the other day...

Yet again another rush as the customers stack up & the phones ring off the bloody hook. Yet again I'm helping out 2 people at the same time & foolishly reach over & answer the forsaken noise machine.

Me: Good afternoon *******, how can I help you?

SC: Uhh...Hi...I have this digital camera recorder thing & want to know if I can connect it to my palm.

(Great start. 2 unknown pieces of hardware & they want me to tell them if they are compatible. That & we don't sell digital cameras)

Me: Hard to tell. Have you checked the mfr's website at all?

SC: Uhh...no...The camera is a....(noise in background).... uuuhh....Samsung.

Me: Have you checked out samsungs' website at all...Or READ the manual / read me file on the install disk?

Sc: Uhh...Here talk to my boyfriend.

Me: *sigh*

Sc2: *repeat previous section & tries to get me to look up product info online*

...Of course I have a mess of customers in my shop.

Me: Sir, it's impossible for me to tell if they'll work together. You on the other hand have all the information before you. That & you can got online or even call the mfr. of the hardware. BTW, did you buy these item's at our store?

Sc2: Uhh....No

Me: Have you tried talking to the person that you purchased these items from?

Sc2: Uhh...No ( These ones love to say "Uhh" )

Me: Well, sadly I can only provide a modicum of support to the people that actually buy something from us. Anything else today?

Sc2: Uhh....No....I guess I'll read the manual.

Me: You do that....Have a nice day

I want that 10 minutes of my life back.

When will they learn that I'm not going to google up info for them & spoonfeed / read it to them when they can bloody well get off of their lazy asses' & do it themselves. I'm thinking...never

/endrant

Edit: Needless to say these types of calls happen AT LEAST on an hourly basis. This one just stood out a bit more than the others

[BusBus]

But aren't you suppose to be tech support? Everywhere else does it!

*ducks onslaught of dated manuals*

[TNT]

I've grown weary of customers who want me to support every product that has to do with television, computers or telephones.

Sorry, but even though I work for a cable company and I'm trained in TV, internet and telephony, I don't know:

1. how to get an ObscureBrand TV, model WhoCares 1000 out of "mute."

2. how to change an ink cartridge on your printer... even if you are "printing the internet."

3. how to save numbers from caller ID on the DrunkDialer 2500 UltraCordedCordless phone.

4. how to respond to the above customers when they say, "Well, what do you know?"

[Jet]

Yea I get this alot too working at a major electronics store.

SC: Hi, I'm having trouble with my dial up connection.
Me: I'm sorry sir, unfortunately I can't do any tech support over the phone.
SC: Its saying the network connection is unplugged, what does that mean?
Me: Sir, I really have to apologize but I am unable to provide any sort of technical support. You're more than welcome to call out 1-800 number and they can provide you with assistance on a pay basis.
SC: You mean you won't help me out?
Me: No I can't sir, you'll have to contact your ISP.
SC: I just want to know what is wrong with my connection.
Me: SIR, I am completely unable to in any way shape or form able to do any sort of tech support for your dial up issue.
SC: So thats it huh? You're not going to do a thing for me.
Me: No
SC: Well thanks for nothing. *click*

[HawaiianShirts]

I dream of a day when I can require this of my customers:

[Max]

2. how to change an ink cartridge on your printer... even if you are "printing the internet."

Whoa. That would take a lot of paper.

[BravoOrig]

Yes I tend to get atleast one call a day for some unsupported issue, and it gets sadder when they've held for 40 minutes on the weekend. And everything on their computer worked before they got the internet, even if that was 2 years ago! Well I know it worked yesterday, and it doesn't today, thus the reason you're calling me in the first place. The last call I had that took the cake, was a lady getting a boot failure message out of Windows, not sure what she expected her ISP to do, but she atleast took my answer to call her pc manufacturer, no questions asked. And if its TV related, I pass that onto Customer Service.

[BookstoreEscapee]

1. how to get an ObscureBrand TV, model WhoCares 1000 out of "mute."

uhh...find the mute button on the remote and press it? (make sure you're aiming it at the TV)

2. how to change an ink cartridge on your printer... even if you are "printing the internet."

uhh...hey, can you run me off a copy, too? this computer is just so unwieldy...

3. how to save numbers from caller ID on the DrunkDialer 2500 UltraCordedCordless phone.

uhh...hee, i got nuthin' - that's just funny

4. how to respond to the above customers when they say, "Well, what do you know?

uhh..."I don't know."

[XCashier]

4. how to respond to the above customers when they say, "Well, what do you know?"

"I know how to read the manual and follow the directions."