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Have a customer who comes in about once a year with some sort of goofy computer questions. Guy's a little annoying... tries to talk your ear off even though you're obviously working on something... and in the past he's had REALLY bad breath. But I digress.
This time around he comes in because he needs help with his printer. He doesn't know what "buttons" to push.
I should mention this guy is REALLY computer retarded. I'm sure you know someone who says they're dumb with computers - this guy is REALLY dumb with computers.
So we check out the printer and computer. No problems. He comes in and I inquire what he's having an issue with.
1. He can't make copies. (it's one of those all-in-ones)
Okay. I press the "color copy" button. It makes a copy. I stare at him.
2. He can't print from Internet Explorer
Okay. I print out Google's home page. (granted - some poorly-designed sites aren't always optimized for printing which is one of the reasons I like Firefox, but anyway)
3. He can't get onto the NJ Lottery web site.
I do a Google search and find the site. It works. Do the same with a couple of other sites. They work. He's just typing in the wrong URL's.
I recommend a book for beginner computer users. He says "I got Computers for Dummies but I couldn't understand it! I need a Computers for Dummies for Dummies!"
At least the guy has a sense of humor about it. But man... he just can't comprehend computer stuff and he's not a dumb guy. He's pretty bright in most other regards.
I wouldn't even mind him coming in (as long as we're getting paid for it) but after I have all his stuff packed up and ready to go he hangs out and he's blathering on about writing a great novel or some such thing... when I'm OBVIOUSLY turning my back to him to work on computers on the bench. I'm running back and forth between 4 systems and he just keeps going. I was about ready to tell him I couldn't talk because I was extremely busy but he finally left.
I know I come off like a raving lunatic on CS sometimes but in real life I'm way too polite and accommodating. It usually takes a customer doing something exceptionally obnoxious, or being rude towards my employees, for me to actually see red.
Although the guy called today saying he got an email from Facebook and he didn't know what to do because he didn't have a Facebook account. (I let one of the Sidekicks answer the phone - I wasn't in the mood) Basically the guy got a bogus Facebook email - probably phishing for his info. He didn't know that it was "okay" to just delete it and he didn't have to actually act on it. But then he kept the Sidekick on the phone for another 5 minutes with his rambling. When Sidekick finally got off the phone I told him it was okay for him to tell the guy he was busy and he couldn't talk. I flat out told him: This guy comes in once a year, wastes our time, won't shut up and whatever he needs only costs a half hour in service time. I don't care if we lose his business. He has no right to keep someone one the phone yammering on about whatever subject. To quote Cage the Elephant: "There ain't no rest for the wicked. Money don't grow on trees. We got bills to pay and mouths to feed, there ain't nothin' in this world for free."
This time around he comes in because he needs help with his printer. He doesn't know what "buttons" to push.
I should mention this guy is REALLY computer retarded. I'm sure you know someone who says they're dumb with computers - this guy is REALLY dumb with computers.
So we check out the printer and computer. No problems. He comes in and I inquire what he's having an issue with.
1. He can't make copies. (it's one of those all-in-ones)
Okay. I press the "color copy" button. It makes a copy. I stare at him.
2. He can't print from Internet Explorer
Okay. I print out Google's home page. (granted - some poorly-designed sites aren't always optimized for printing which is one of the reasons I like Firefox, but anyway)
3. He can't get onto the NJ Lottery web site.
I do a Google search and find the site. It works. Do the same with a couple of other sites. They work. He's just typing in the wrong URL's.
I recommend a book for beginner computer users. He says "I got Computers for Dummies but I couldn't understand it! I need a Computers for Dummies for Dummies!"
At least the guy has a sense of humor about it. But man... he just can't comprehend computer stuff and he's not a dumb guy. He's pretty bright in most other regards.
I wouldn't even mind him coming in (as long as we're getting paid for it) but after I have all his stuff packed up and ready to go he hangs out and he's blathering on about writing a great novel or some such thing... when I'm OBVIOUSLY turning my back to him to work on computers on the bench. I'm running back and forth between 4 systems and he just keeps going. I was about ready to tell him I couldn't talk because I was extremely busy but he finally left.
I know I come off like a raving lunatic on CS sometimes but in real life I'm way too polite and accommodating. It usually takes a customer doing something exceptionally obnoxious, or being rude towards my employees, for me to actually see red.
Although the guy called today saying he got an email from Facebook and he didn't know what to do because he didn't have a Facebook account. (I let one of the Sidekicks answer the phone - I wasn't in the mood) Basically the guy got a bogus Facebook email - probably phishing for his info. He didn't know that it was "okay" to just delete it and he didn't have to actually act on it. But then he kept the Sidekick on the phone for another 5 minutes with his rambling. When Sidekick finally got off the phone I told him it was okay for him to tell the guy he was busy and he couldn't talk. I flat out told him: This guy comes in once a year, wastes our time, won't shut up and whatever he needs only costs a half hour in service time. I don't care if we lose his business. He has no right to keep someone one the phone yammering on about whatever subject. To quote Cage the Elephant: "There ain't no rest for the wicked. Money don't grow on trees. We got bills to pay and mouths to feed, there ain't nothin' in this world for free."
Here at the library, we have computer classes. The volunteer who teaches the classes is great, but he gets the same people every class for the same topic for years. It's like these student purposefully turn on the stupid ray. And there are people like your customer, who brings up a topic and goes on. Like say the teacher mentions a flash drive; not counting all the questions of "isn't that also known as a thumb drive? and a USB? and a ...." a stupent will go on about where he got one, where he keeps it in (in an empty pill jar, since he had to take antibotics for an ulcer he had back in 2008, and it took 4 doctors visits for it to be diagnosed, and..."), how technology is great...
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