You fixed the issue, but I don't want to pay.

[sld72382]

Yesterday, I had a client that had typical PC issues: slowness, can't get emails, and a weird "screen flickering black at startup."

I log into her PC and upon clearing MSCONFIG and rebooting, I see the problem. Early builds of Spysweeper 5.5 had certain bugs that caused it to have issues with Vista - that weren't discovered 'til later. The screen problem was a driver issue.

SLD: Duh!
SC: Woman who doesn't get the meaning of "software updates."

SLD: *Downloads the latest build of Spysweeper*

SC: Why are you downloading Spysweeper again? I already have it!

SLD: Your version was discovered to have a couple of bugs that caused issues with Vista, me installing the latest build will fix the email and slowness issues...

SC: Hold up here. YOUR field agent installed Spysweeper when he came to my house knowing it was buggy?

SLD: The bugs weren't discovered until later.

SC: Doesn't matter, he still installed buggy software and if this is your idea of a fix, merely reinstalling it, then I want a discount!

SLD: Ma'am I'm sorry for the inconvenience but that's why companies release updates and patches, to fix things like this so they don't effect your system.

SC: Whatever just put it on!

SLD: *Installed it, reboots and disabled it's email shield (For some reason, if Spysweeper is installed alongside Trend Micro and it's email shield is enabled, it blocks mail clients). Afterwards, begins download of new display driver.*

SC: Why are you downloading that?

SLD: It's a newer version of the display driver, I'm installing it to fix the screen flickering at bootup issue....

SC: Why is it doing it in the first place?

SLD: The driver may have gotten corrupted or have bugs in it. It happens.

SC: Again, your field agent installed buggy software!

SLD: Ma'am, the agent didn't install the driver. It comes preloaded on the laptop.

SC: Then he agent should have checked it!

SLD: The update didn't exist yet when he came out.

SC: Whatever just put it on!

As the driver was going to take 10 minutes to download, I placed her on hold for a couple of minutes. When I came back, not only was she totally ignoring me, she was checking on some real estate sites, not even letting me use the mouse. I even tried to get her attention by minimizing the window - she just brought it back up and continued to ignore me. She lived in Los Angeles, BTW.

SC: Sorry, I had you on mute....

SLD: That's alright. *What I really wanted to say was: You're lucky I didn't hang up on your ass and document it that the client became unresponsive.*

So, I install the new video driver and reboot, that fixed the screen issue. I close the call as FIXED and read my closing lines, when she says....

SC: Wait, how much am I being charged?

SLD: $129, I did fix the problem.

SC: I don't agree with that, what you did was not a real fix, you just reloaded software that YOUR field agent installed that was buggy!

SLD: Ma'am, as I said before, no one knew the bugs existed, nor were the updates available at the time the agent came out. As the issue is fixed, there are no discounts or refunds available.

SC: You people never take responsibility for your actions!

At this time I read my closing lines again, and she hung up. If she was so upset that reinstalling software turned out to be the fix, then she shouldn't have called.
Oh, wait, she didn't know how to fix the problem herself, that's why she called and payed money! Some people....

[Bright_Star]

People like that shouldn't have access to computers.

[myswtghst]

I don't know that I'll ever understand that attitude. I mean, I understand thinking that "the tech didn't do much" or that type of nonsense - but if you can't do it yourself, that's why you're paying someone more adept to do it for you!

At least I'm lucky enough to have my brother do it for me - and he lets me pay him in cookies and the like.

[tropicsgoddess]

I don't get how somebody who is inept in computers can think they know more than the technician and that they shouldn't have to pay them for doing "only a little work". I've heard and seen some of those types of SC's since my fiancé is a technician. At least with me, I pay him with kisses and uh...."hugs".

[Kiwi]

buggy

ARGH I HATE it when people put "y" or "ie" on the ends of words!!!!!

cutie instead of cute

sweetie instead of sweet

buggy instead of bug

it is not CUTE its just freaking annoying!

[clowninasack]

buggy

ARGH I HATE it when people put "y" or "ie" on the ends of words!!!!!

cutie instead of cute

sweetie instead of sweet

buggy instead of bug

it is not CUTE its just freaking annoying!

AFAIK 'buggy' is a pretty common description of malfuntioning software (e.g. "Software X is really buggy so you should use Software Y instead."). Nothing cute about it the way it's used here. :P

[edible_hat]

"You refuse to pay? OK, then let me just remove the working driver and re-install the corrupted one..."

[trunks2k]

Depending on exactly what type of service contract you have, I can kinda understand her point with Spysweeper -- you guys installed something that caused the computer problems. However, the driver issue is not your fault.

[sld72382]

"You refuse to pay? OK, then let me just remove the working driver and re-install the corrupted one..."

The sales dept charges the client before they even get to us, so that wasn't an issue.

[sld72382]

Depending on exactly what type of service contract you have, I can kinda understand her point with Spysweeper -- you guys installed something that caused the computer problems. However, the driver issue is not your fault.

There is no "contract" involved. Clients pay a one-time flat fee to have the field agents perform any sort of work, and that work comes with a 30 day warranty. Anything after that warrants a new sale.

This woman had the field agent out 5 months prior to this.

[Andara Bledin]

buggy
ARGH I HATE it when people put "y" or "ie" on the ends of words!!!!!
cutie instead of cute
sweetie instead of sweet
buggy instead of bug
it is not CUTE its just freaking annoying!

Well, see, when you add that -y or -ie suffix, you are usually also changing the part of speech it is.

Cute is an adjective. Cutie is usually a noun, but sometimes a predicate adjective (not the same as a plain adjective).

Sweet vs Sweetie, see above.

Bug is a noun. Buggy is an adjective.

While cutie and sweetie can be rather irritating and are often used condescendingly, buggy is simply a description.

^-.-^

[earl colby pottinger]

That is enough time

There is no "contract" involved. Clients pay a one-time flat fee to have the field agents perform any sort of work, and that work comes with a 30 day warranty. Anything after that warrants a new sale.

This woman had the field agent out 5 months prior to this.

That is enough time for an AV that is not updated to come under a new attack that turns it buggy. In her case the code could have been 100% okay at the time of installation.

There is a reason modern software lets you update it over the Internet.

[Eric the Grey]

buggy

ARGH I HATE it when people put "y" or "ie" on the ends of words!!!!!

cutie instead of cute

sweetie instead of sweet

And what, praytell, is wrong with Sweetie?

*Picks up his kitten and cuddles her* There, there. . . The mean poster doesn't mean you. . .


Eric the Grey
[all done with tongue firmly in cheek]

[LambChop]

"Why sure, Maam, you don't have to pay money for this service. I get paid in boobie hugs and smiles, unlike other employees. So when should I stop by?"

[sld72382]

That is enough time for an AV that is not updated to come under a new attack that turns it buggy. In her case the code could have been 100% okay at the time of installation.

There is a reason modern software lets you update it over the Internet.

She actually had the definitions up-to-date, just not the actual program itself, which was the problem. I kinda have to blame Webroot, they said version 5.5 of Spysweeper was Vista ready when it wasn't ready for prime-time on that O/S when they said it was.