Still Can't Follow Instructions

[Ghel]

I had another encounter with the customer from this thread, and it was remarkably similar.

The Bank just updated our online banking platform and our mobile app to match. First thing this morning, she called to complain about the message she got when she opened our old app. (The new app is different enough that they did a whole new app instead of just updating the old one.) Most of her issues could have been avoided if she'd just followed the instructions on her screen.

Me: <opening spiel>
SC: Hi, Ghel. It's Lily. I got this message when I opened your mobile app that I have 14 days and then the app's not going to work any more.
Me: That's right. We have a new app now.
SC: Why did they have to change it? I don't know what I'm supposed to do now!
Me: The new app is MUCH nicer.
SC: Do I have to go to the App Store and get the new app?
Me: Sure. (Or follow the link given when you open the current app.)
SC: I don't know how to do that. Can you help me?
Me: <stifles a sigh> Sure. I can do that.

So I lead her through opening the App Store, searching for our bank name, finding the app (our bank name is fairly common), and tapping the right buttons to install it. Similar to the linked story, she didn't understand that the words in the search box wouldn't disappear until she started typing.

SC: It wants my password. I don't know my password!
Me: You need your Apple password to install apps. (It must be an older phone. Mine installs with my face.)
SC: <starts flipping through a notebook> I think I have it. <spells out password as she enters it>
Me: <rolls eyes>
SC: It says incorrect password! <getting agitated, starts repeating herself>
Me: Is there a Forgot Password button?
SC: Yeah! ... It says I can update my password if I enter my unlock code. I don't have one of those! <rambles>
Me: Lily... Lily! You know when your phone is dark, and you open your phone? Do you have to enter a code to get into your phone?
SC: Yes...
Me: That's the code it's looking for.
SC: Oh! I have that! <says each number as she enters it>
Me: <stifles a sigh>
SC: Now it wants me to enter a new password. What should I use?
Me: It doesn't really matter, as long as you can remember it.
SC: <enters password, reading it out letter by letter> It says they don't match.
Me: You probably miskeyed something. You can try again, or maybe you should wait until you have someone there to help you.
SC: There isn't really anyone. Maybe I could get someone from church to help me. I'm going to try again. <said all in one breath>
Me: Ok.

She goes through this about 6 more times, each time reading out the password she was entering. A couple times, I heard her typing the password differently the second time. She was obviously getting more frustrated each time it didn't work. I finally convinced her to get help from a friend or fellow church-goer.

At one point, she told me that she takes Klonopin for her anxiety. I'm not sure what to think about that.

I didn't really have to help her reset her Apple password. I was just trying to be helpful. What a waste of half an hour.

[skeptic53]

Our private practice clinic had to merge. We couldn't recruit replacement providers for people retiring etc. It was like "Come join our Mom and Pop hardware store, we're just down the street from Home Depot!" So we merged 4 years ago with a large hospital-based outfit that has 7 other clinics. Last year this entity merged with an even larger, 20-state chain of hospitals. Ever since the pandemic started the downtown bean counters have been really big on video visits with patients, and the idea that patients can download paperwork for physical exams and then upload it back in time for their physical. I'm in my late 60's and most of my patients are even older than I am, many in their late 80's and early 90's. Doing video visits with these folks is exactly like you dealing with Lily, only 10 times a day. It's particularly hard with people who use Apple products, as special software has to be downloaded and installed. Sometimes it is hard even with younger patients, as they try to do the visit on their phone in their car with very spotty signal. The call center very frequently schedules people for video visits for problems that have to be seen in person, like abdominal pain. We go through 20-25 minutes of tech support hell only to tell the patient they need to be seen in person. We aren't allowed to just call them and tell them to reschedule in person. We have strict and excellent protocol for infection control, no one has gotten sick from an in-person visit so far (knock on formica). So, it's do-able to be seen in person. But the call center promises them their problem can be dealt with by video and they are very upset about having to come in. You have high blood pressure, diabetes, congestive heart failure and haven't been seen in person since 2019? Yeah, we can't do that by video.

[dalesys]

... Yeah, we can't do that by video.

But our video visit poor-otocol is based on better than Pareto parameters 95/5 rather than 80/20. Maybe if you lost some of those drags-on-efficiency patients we could hit our numbers! [/SARCASM]

[Nunavut Pants]

Ouch, that sounds like the sarcasm of someone inside the system. I have one particular doctor friend who pretty regularly posts stuff like that on his personal FB. (Which isn't connected to his real name or identity, just his car-club pseudonym.)

[skeptic53]

But our video visit poor-otocol is based on better than Pareto parameters 95/5 rather than 80/20. Maybe if you lost some of those drags-on-efficiency patients we could hit our numbers! [/SARCASM]

Exactamundo!