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Okay, I realize not everyone here is technically minded and that's fine. Hell, there's every possibility that, at least if you live in Ohio, I may have dealt with you as a customer. But what I do expect is for adults to understand basic deduction, thus the thread title. First a little algebraic problem...
If A = B and B = C, then A = C.
The point? In my line of work, as with most techs, you use a fairly decent amount of deduction to prove what the problem is, then determine how to fix it, then do so. The following call came to me (as a cold transfer, of course) shortly before I was supposed to go to lunch...
Me - Good...bad...I'm the one with the release button.
Cust - "Wazzat ye say? Double right click?"
Me: "X Company, Sage speaking."
Cust: "Uh, yeah man, I'm *Some Dumb Customer*, and I can't seem to get my new router (1) hooked up. You know? Cuz like, I'm trying to get this and an X Box and a-"
Me: "Yeah yeah, I've got one at home."
Cust: "A'ight, well anyway, I've got it all hooked up, but I put in the setup disc (2) and put in the provider and whatever and now it's saying put in the username and password as provided by your ISP (3)."
Me: "Uh...well...alrighty, but you're on a cable connection, so...you don't actually have a username and password to log in with."
Cust: "...Well, that's what it's asking for."
Me: "Yeah, I know, but...well look, have you tried to just connect without doing the setup software?"
Cust: "Yeah, and it won't work. All the lights are on and everything."
Me: *I check the diagnostics and lo and behold, the modem is awesome and there's no cpe (4)* "Uh, are you sure you have it connected correctly? I don't see the router." *I confirm with him that he has it set up correctly*
Cust: "Man, I just think it's the modem or something. There's never been a problem until I went to hook up this router (5)."
Me: "Um...well, let's try this. I'm going to reset the modem, then I should be able to see it." *Nope* "Alright, try resetting the router." *Still nope*
Cust: "Man, I think it's just the modem (6)."
Me: "...Well, just in case, let's try directly connecting the computer to the modem." *BAM, success, case solved, router is junk* "Alrighty, so it works directly connected. Well, sir-"
Cust: "Yeah, I know...something wrong with the modem (5)."
Me: "Err, not exactly..."
It took me TWO MINUTES to explain to him how I came to my conclusion and even then he didn't believe me. Look, this isn't hard stuff. Sure, it can be, but this example really doesn't take much brain power to "get." I mean, does it seem like maybe I could've proved it to him better? Like with sock puppet theatre or something?
(1) It wasn't our equipment. Or at least the router wasn't. I technically could've ended the call right there.
(2) I don't know about you guys, but I've never had to use the setup disc for a router. As in EVER. I'm sure they're useful if you have a lot of things you want to do with it but you're not technically minded (though those often don't go hand-in-hand), but still.
(3) We supply high speed data via cable. If you don't know, cable Internet is dynamic, meaning you don't use a username and password to authenticate, you're just on, period. I had to use a username and password for my DSL because it has to connect, but never for a cable connection.
(4) Customer premises equipment. Basically put, you have a computer connected to your modem, I see your computer. You have a toaster plugged to your modem, I see your toaster (4a).
(4a) Not really. Please don't try that.
(5) ...What.
(6) OBJECTION! Lack of evidence!
If A = B and B = C, then A = C.
The point? In my line of work, as with most techs, you use a fairly decent amount of deduction to prove what the problem is, then determine how to fix it, then do so. The following call came to me (as a cold transfer, of course) shortly before I was supposed to go to lunch...
Me - Good...bad...I'm the one with the release button.
Cust - "Wazzat ye say? Double right click?"
Me: "X Company, Sage speaking."
Cust: "Uh, yeah man, I'm *Some Dumb Customer*, and I can't seem to get my new router (1) hooked up. You know? Cuz like, I'm trying to get this and an X Box and a-"
Me: "Yeah yeah, I've got one at home."
Cust: "A'ight, well anyway, I've got it all hooked up, but I put in the setup disc (2) and put in the provider and whatever and now it's saying put in the username and password as provided by your ISP (3)."
Me: "Uh...well...alrighty, but you're on a cable connection, so...you don't actually have a username and password to log in with."
Cust: "...Well, that's what it's asking for."
Me: "Yeah, I know, but...well look, have you tried to just connect without doing the setup software?"
Cust: "Yeah, and it won't work. All the lights are on and everything."
Me: *I check the diagnostics and lo and behold, the modem is awesome and there's no cpe (4)* "Uh, are you sure you have it connected correctly? I don't see the router." *I confirm with him that he has it set up correctly*
Cust: "Man, I just think it's the modem or something. There's never been a problem until I went to hook up this router (5)."
Me: "Um...well, let's try this. I'm going to reset the modem, then I should be able to see it." *Nope* "Alright, try resetting the router." *Still nope*
Cust: "Man, I think it's just the modem (6)."
Me: "...Well, just in case, let's try directly connecting the computer to the modem." *BAM, success, case solved, router is junk* "Alrighty, so it works directly connected. Well, sir-"
Cust: "Yeah, I know...something wrong with the modem (5)."
Me: "Err, not exactly..."
It took me TWO MINUTES to explain to him how I came to my conclusion and even then he didn't believe me. Look, this isn't hard stuff. Sure, it can be, but this example really doesn't take much brain power to "get." I mean, does it seem like maybe I could've proved it to him better? Like with sock puppet theatre or something?
(1) It wasn't our equipment. Or at least the router wasn't. I technically could've ended the call right there.
(2) I don't know about you guys, but I've never had to use the setup disc for a router. As in EVER. I'm sure they're useful if you have a lot of things you want to do with it but you're not technically minded (though those often don't go hand-in-hand), but still.
(3) We supply high speed data via cable. If you don't know, cable Internet is dynamic, meaning you don't use a username and password to authenticate, you're just on, period. I had to use a username and password for my DSL because it has to connect, but never for a cable connection.
(4) Customer premises equipment. Basically put, you have a computer connected to your modem, I see your computer. You have a toaster plugged to your modem, I see your toaster (4a).
(4a) Not really. Please don't try that.
(5) ...What.
(6) OBJECTION! Lack of evidence!
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