this is why the :headdesk: was invented... (lil' long)

[CorDarei]

It's kind of funny now, but it sucked at the time because it's frustrating how nice you have to be.

Setup: not to get into too much detail, but i do support for an entity that has customers, so every now and then, i will end up supporting my customer's customer. (if that makes sense) This was one of those times. Thankfully, most of it's done through email, so here it is without further ado, the latest customer experience i've had with email (innocents changed to <> for proection, but this is otherwise cut and paste)


From: <schmaht guys email> [mailto:<schmaht guys email>]
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 12:17 PM
To: <IT DL>
Subject: Online Form Submission

Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted by
(<schmaht guys email>) on Monday, June 02, 2008 at 13:16:46

Name: <schmaht guy>
Organization: <what he does>
Department: Website Support
Message: cannot log into <website> last name is <schmaht guys last name> (what started it all)
Submit: Submit

and my reply

Subject: RE: Online Form Submission
Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 13:05:12 -0500
From: <my email>
To: <schmaht guys email>

Mr. <schmaht guys last name>,

To search for a <what you're looking for> on the website, you do not need to login.
Please follow these steps:

1. Go to <my companies website>
2. Select <what you're looking for> from the <info> drop down menu.
3. In the "Owner Name:" field, type in your last name.

This will populate everyone that has <schmaht guys last name> in their last name. It shows your <search> as the first, just click on "View Details" and you will
see information about <what you're looking for>. If you have further questions,
please let me know.

Thanks,

<me>
<my company>
<my company address>
<my company city/state/zip>

his response

From: <schmaht guy> [mailto:<schmaht guys email>]
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 3:01 PM
To: <me>
Subject: RE: Online Form Submission

Thank you for your quick response. I am aware of those steps but unfortunately that did not help me. I am unable to access my account yhat had created which has my portfollio and other info in it as well. Thank you..........

<schmaht guys initials>

now, at this time. i'm thinking... WTF, you have NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER needed to login to this portion of the website to view what he wants to see.. so i try to play nice.

Subject: RE: Online Form Submission
Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 15:02:50 -0500
From: <my email>
To: <schmaht guys email>

Can you please give me more detail on the account that you have created, and where it was created?

Thanks,

<me>
<my company>
<my company address>
<my company city/state/zip>

his reply

From: <schmaht guy> [mailto:<schmaht guys email>]
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 6:56 AM
To: <me>
Subject: RE: Online Form Submission
<one of our customer's website>

At the above website go to the <specific link> link then at the top right hand corner is a log on.
<schmaht guys initials>

so i follow his steps... and there IS a login button... but when you click on it, there's no "create account" features. so i respond:

Subject: RE: Online Form Submission
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 09:07:28 -0500
From: <my email>
To: <schmaht guys email>

How was the account created? Normally, it is not necessary to login to that site, and it doesn’t appear that end users can create login accounts automatically.

Thanks,

<me>
<my company>
<my company address>
<my company city/state/zip>

his reply

From: <schmaht guy> [mailto:<schmaht guys email>]
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 11:11 AM
To: <me>
Subject: RE: Online Form Submission

when i first went to that site I was able to create an account by hitting the log on and creating a password and log on.

<schmaht guys initials>

ok, if i haven't lost you already, hopefully you guys are coming to the same conclusion i was about this time:

Perhaps you are trying to access this site: <different website>

It is found through the <a different link on our customers website>.

To the best of my knowledge, the search page that the <first link you clicked on> links to has never been able to have end users create logins. Please let me know if the above site is what you need in regards to accessing the portfolio and other data you had created.

Thanks,

<me>
<my company>
<my company address>
<my company city/state/zip>
-----------------------------------------------------
I wish i could have just said, "dude, you're an idiot, you're going to the wrong link" But thankfully he was nice about it (not all of them are) so i tried to ease his stupidity with a kind reminder that he's going the wrong direction... but seriously... how do you forget something like that? and you know what else? a simple thanks at the end would have been really nice...

[Geek King]

Oh yes, the fine art of telling people they are idiots without actually being allowed to say, "Because you're an idiot." It really should be a class included with any form of IT training.

[rvdammit]

Oh yes, the fine art of telling people they are idiots without actually being allowed to say, "Because you're an idiot." It really should be a class included with any form of IT training.

Why am I hearing Veronica Sawyer?

[Geek King]

Why am I hearing Veronica Sawyer?

Maybe you need to turn your headphones down?


Actually, I have no idea who that is.

[rvdammit]

Maybe you need to turn your headphones down?


Actually, I have no idea who that is.

Character in the movie Heathers. In a couple of scenes her father asks "Why do I do [dumb thing]?" to which she replies "Because you're an idiot."