100 things to do before calling Tech Support [Archive]

her0n

13th January 2005, 11:30

come on chicane not ALL users are that stupid!

i had an issue with excel earlier where i went to save a document and it was saying 'document not saved' error..
Tried renaming file.. no joy
tried saving the file to the desktop (not the network drive) .. no joy

Only then did i call the helpdesk. I didnt wanna try anything funny with the excel workbook as it had 41 weeks worth of visitor figures for tourist info centres (workbook had 52 tabs, 1 sheet per week in other words). The lowest techy couldnt fix it so he had to call the guy next up the 'ladder' to him. In the end he had a think and saved the day (no pun intended) by copying the INTIRE document (all 52 tabs too). Then creating a brand new document (with 52 tabs) and pasting it over.

There would have been serious issues had this document been lost :o

I have to agree though you do get people who ask (often stupid!) questions which to a techy, are easy to solve. However to the user who may not be familiar with pc's they have a problem which they genuinely don't understand (not everyone has the experience most people on these forums have). It also helps people if the techy explains briefly what happened and how to solve the problem in future (depends on the nature of the problem of course). A techy who fixes it super quick and then buggers off is no help to anyone. Most users are eternally grateful for hints and tips.

Of course if the user is downright rude then tbh, do whatever the hell you like :)

Mingtea

13th January 2005, 11:55

You forget most of us helpdesk people have calls that involve

"hello how can i help you"

"yeah ****ing hell thris ****ing piece of **** scanner **** you sold me isn't working you're all ****ing ******s"

"is it plugged in?"

"oh..... bye"

yes i had an actual call like that.

WhiteKnight

13th January 2005, 12:10

Originally posted by her0n
come on chicane not ALL users are that stupid!

"users" are stupid.

There are no ifs or buts about it.

If you are not stupid, you are not a user.... you are a "power user" or "admin".

Users dont care about how or why the systems do what they do.

As a result they have no idea how to fix them if / when the break.

So they phone support.

Its quick, and easy. Sitting there thinking "well what might be wrong" and then trying to correct it requires effort.

Users do not like "effort".

her0n

13th January 2005, 12:13

I meant more for like an internal office helpdesk....

But like i said, rude customers/callers can fo.

her0n

13th January 2005, 12:14

But who defines power users or admins?

If I am defined as a user in these offices, are you saying that by their definition, I am stupid? Just because i'm not working in the actual IT dept?

Gifted

13th January 2005, 12:19

im IT manager and i confirm that EVERYONE in my office is stupid..

including the 4 directors that are technically power users/admins

Tsung

13th January 2005, 12:29

I do worry about some people about their choice of work?.
I work on a helpdesk, and I don't have any problems with users phoning me up with silly/stupid questions/problems. I'd rather they ask than try their own fix and make things worse. If you do have a problem with silly/stupid questions, I suggest you go find another job. Of course, anyone being rude of abusive towards me ends up listening to the "the other caller has hung up" voice.
In an ideal world people would have proper training before even being allowed near a computer. Until this ideal world exist, there will always be "silly/stupid" problems to solve.

Optimus

13th January 2005, 12:35

Originally posted by *Tsunami*
I do worry about some people about their choice of work?.
I work on a helpdesk, and I don't have any problems with users phoning me up with silly/stupid questions/problems. I'd rather they ask than try their own fix and make things worse. If you do have a problem with silly/stupid questions, I suggest you go find another job. wow... sensible thinking...

Loads of people (not just on this board) complain that they work on a helpdesk and get calls from idiotic users...

well all I can say to them is 'be thankful you have stupid users, else you'd be on the dole... quit complaining and do your jobs' :)

MaddyPaulus

13th January 2005, 12:45

Originally posted by her0n
If I am defined as a user in these offices, are you saying that by their definition, I am stupid?

"the excel workbook as it had 41 weeks worth of visitor figures for tourist info centres.... There would have been serious issues had this document been lost"

Not having back-ups of valuable docs is stupid though! :rolleyes:

back to topic...

# ??. When did the application last work... have I installed any other applications since then?

My best ever job as a service engineer was to have a 2 weeks in Australia fixing a problem on a machine. After several extensive phone calls between me and the customer, the problem couldn't be idientified.. so off I went to Sydney, arrived 6am and was taken by the customer into his work to see the problem. 5 minutes later everything worked fine... someone had unplugged a ribbon cable on the DEC computer.

They couldn't believe I had solved it so quickly and insisted I stayed a couple of weeks (I was guaranteed 66 hours/week pay for overseas work + hire car +all hotel and meal expenses!!) while they checked everything out. I spent 2 weeks phoning in twice a day to check all was well. Don't ya just love 'users' :D

her0n

13th January 2005, 12:57

Originally posted by MaddyPaulus
"the excel workbook as it had 41 weeks worth of visitor figures for tourist info centres.... There would have been serious issues had this document been lost"

Not having back-ups of valuable docs is stupid though! :rolleyes:

I should have mentioned its not actually my document. It's another lady's but she gives me the figures sometimes to input them. The IT dept do take backups tho.

Pumpkin

13th January 2005, 13:46

Okay, I think an honest reflection on this is required. "Users" can be annoying, but at the end of the day, if you work in technical support, you are being paid to understand the technology so they don't have to.

The things that SHOULD irritate you about users aren't that they are "stupid", that they "don't understand the product" or anything like that. It should be when

- They lie to you. Often users will lie when they have failed to follow the instructions, because they don't want to admit to mistakes.

- They phone you without reading the manual/documentation/whatever. All too often you get calls from people that can be answered by "read page 7 of the manual and do what it says". This is annoying, because everyone can read the instructions.

- They phone you up, and seem to think the fact they have a problem is something you are responsible for PERSONALLY. They shout/scream/swear at you etc. This is out of order and they should realise it is also counterproductive to getting you to help them.

However, getting frustrated at users because they exist is foolish. Without the "user", you wouldn't have a job.

Er00

13th January 2005, 17:29

another thing you should find out before calling tech support is what SP you're using.

was it you mr_roll who had someone call up and you asked what SP and they said something like windows XP? I can't find the logs, but was something like that :p:

RocketKnight

13th January 2005, 19:32

But in all fairness, knowing the SP might be an issue for some users. For example, the PC is switched on in the morning so they don't see the boot screen. The admin have disabled the My Computer icon and access to the control panel. It's not like the SP version jumps out at the average user, they'd have to know something about the differences between SPs to comment.

I don't think I'm suited to help desk work. I get insanely frustrated with my family when I'm helping them do something and they take forever to do it or repeatedly do it wrong.

Me: "Click on the 'Search' button."
Sister: "OK."
...
</10 seconds>
...
...
</30 seconds>
...
Sister: "This one?"
</clicks the 'Return' button>

Arggh!

oxy

13th January 2005, 20:02

1. Punch Self In Face
2. See Step One

Towneh

13th January 2005, 21:36

1. read the website.
2. read the website.
3. read the website.

http://support.metronet.co.uk

phil

13th January 2005, 21:41

Not working in IT support, and never having had to call IT support, my contribution is:

- If you have any problems whatsoever, don't hesitate to call tech support

Qdos

13th January 2005, 22:54

Best bit of advice I can ever give:

Whatever you do, DO NOT call us with a problem at the end of the day - especially if it's been a problem since first thing this morning!

"Ok, I'll get back to you as soon as I've got the engineers to sort that out" (I'm a systems admin, not a filthy tech monkey)

Phone down, go home for the night.

Next day: "The engineer never got back to me, I'll chase that up for you RIGHT NOW"

Call engineer, get problem sorted. Another happy customer.

Elbonio

13th January 2005, 23:06

i can never understand why support people moan

you're support - people dont know how to use computers, you do that's why you're there!

just do your job!

her0n

13th January 2005, 23:26

BUT THEY NEED N00BS TO FEED THEIR HUGE EGOS.... RIGHT?

Qdos

14th January 2005, 17:40

Originally posted by Elbonio
i can never understand why support people moan

you're support - people dont know how to use computers, you do that's why you're there!

just do your job!

There's a difference though between not knowing how to use a computer and having no common sense.

I think the point where EVERYONE will have some computing knowledge, ie be able to turn a computer off and on, identify the different parts of a computer, know how to use basic functions like Word, Excel, etc.. is not far off.
Let's face it, if you don't know that the power switch and the monitor power switch are two different things, you're in trouble.
All it takes sometimes is a little common sense.... some people, who have an IT dept. at their beck and call, revel in appearing willfully ignorant of even the most basic functions of a computer - I actually had someone tell me they didn't know how to restart a computer (this is the "office manager", btw) It's scary that people get thousands of pounds worth of equipment bought for them and never know how to use it.....

her0n

14th January 2005, 18:15

Well if they don't know, and if it really pisses you off that much, arrange for them and the other less experienced pc users to go on a training course. If your company won't invest in their workers then that's the company's loss. They should make sure their employees are recruited with this knowledge already if it's such an issue.

Elbonio

14th January 2005, 18:26

I know nothing about my boiler but the plumber doesnt get pissed off when he comes round to fix it

it's his job.

People need computers, they dont want to have to understand them - that's what support people are paid for.

If everyone was a whizz on comupters you'd be out of a job - face it support staff need people to be dumb.

mr_roll

14th January 2005, 22:34

Originally posted by WhiteKnight
"users" are stupid.

There are no ifs or buts about it.

If you are not stupid, you are not a user.... you are a "power user" or "admin".

Users dont care about how or why the systems do what they do.

As a result they have no idea how to fix them if / when the break.

So they phone support.

Its quick, and easy. Sitting there thinking "well what might be wrong" and then trying to correct it requires effort.

Users do not like "effort".

I totally agree!

Steadders

14th January 2005, 23:52

Originally posted by Elbonio
I know nothing about my boiler but the plumber doesnt get pissed off when he comes round to fix it

it's his job.

People need computers, they dont want to have to understand them - that's what support people are paid for.

If everyone was a whizz on comupters you'd be out of a job - face it support staff need people to be dumb.

yea but i bet your not a total cvck about it when he comes over, and then you ask him to fix you mates boiler for free, and then call him out again because "theres no hot water" when really you just forgot to turn it on.

its a bit of both, quite often users are down right anoying, i spent the whole afternoon today fixing my bosses home computer, which was in a shocking state, literaly grinded to a hault just pressing the start button. But then i guess thats a bit different, after all, he's the one paying me ^_^

IT people can be arsy to at times but thats only because we like to laugh at people who dont know anything about computers.

I don't know why it is, but thats just the way it is.

Nes

15th January 2005, 00:07

Its SO handy when they know their ip address or have it written down somewhere :)

no faffing about with taking them through getting it before even getting access to the pc.

The single most annoying thing "users" do is turn the pc off even after you've specifically said you will continue to work on it after they leave. :/

mr_roll

15th January 2005, 00:23

Originally posted by Er00
another thing you should find out before calling tech support is what SP you're using.

was it you mr_roll who had someone call up and you asked what SP and they said something like windows XP? I can't find the logs, but was something like that :p:

I did, got a woman call up, I asked which service pack she had installed and said "Wanadoo"

Nes

15th January 2005, 00:28

Dont even THINK of mentioning AOL :p:

philbert_mcpleb

15th January 2005, 00:35

having worked for tech support for a hosting company i'd like to add to the list

read the terms and conditions.

Afty

15th January 2005, 00:57

Originally posted by mr_roll
1. Know which OS you have. What makes you think people desperate enough to call first line support will be able to find out what OS they have? Do you think they will even be aware of what an OS is?
Besides Outlook?

Afty

15th January 2005, 01:08

Originally posted by Qdos
There's a difference though between not knowing how to use a computer and having no common sense.
...
Let's face it, if you don't know that the power switch and the monitor power switch are two different things, you're in trouble. That's nothing to do with common sense. The computer is a tool to them. One tool - why the FECK would one tool have two on switches? That's antithetical to what your common sense would tell you.

And beyond all that, a user should never, or ALMOST never have to use a power switch - and when they do, it should be only on special instruction from a manager or member of the IT department.

Elbonio

15th January 2005, 01:37

Originally posted by Steadders
yea but i bet your not a total cvck about it when he comes over, and then you ask him to fix you mates boiler for free, and then call him out again because "theres no hot water" when really you just forgot to turn it on.

this is true but thats people for you - people are cocks in all areas of life.

You may find that you get a few more cocks ringing the IT helpdesk because they dont understand the machine, they get frustrated by it and a cocky, arrogant prick on the end of the line is making it worse by making him feel itty bitty teeny tiny.

I'm not saying all support people are like that, but I've spoken to a fair few who really do need a good toilet brush enema.

Afty

15th January 2005, 01:48

Originally posted by Steadders
yea but i bet your not a total cvck about it when he comes over, and then you ask him to fix you mates boiler for free, and then call him out again because "theres no hot water" when really you just forgot to turn it on. Lots of people are total cocks to skilled labourers, its just that they dont bitch about it as much as IT workers.

In addition, if someone asked a plumber to fix his mates boiler for free, the plumber would laugh and suggest a decent price, perhaps with a slight discount. Most IT people acquiesce. It's not the users fault that IT people are stupid and malleable, in the general case.

And stupid users are the GODSEND of any industry. Stupid users pay you more, and use you more. They are the BEST customers.

WhiteKnight

15th January 2005, 02:52

Originally posted by Elbonio
I know nothing about my boiler but the plumber doesnt get pissed off when he comes round to fix it

Yes, but you know how to "work" it tho dont you.

How to make it hot, or cold. Where the water comes out (Hint: the tap).

And if the pilot light goes out, whats your first instinct ? Read the manual to see if theres a simple way to restart it ? (like pushing a button on the front in most cases)

You dont call out a trained technician just to push a button on the front of it.

I`ve had first hand experience of all levels of "end user" computer literacy, and i truely dispise people who just refuse to learn even the basics or use even a dribble of common sense.

Questions like "where do i plug the power in" or "which hole does the mouse go in" should NEVER even need asking, everything on the back of a modern PC is labeled and colour coded. But i still get asked.

And then they have the gaul to bitch and moan about their crappy, slow and unstable computers (home users mainly on this one). You should treat it like a car. Service it every 6 to 12 months and give it an occasional oil change (defrag / spyware check / av etc)... OR PAY SOMEONE TO DO IT FOR YOU. If you do nothing for 5 years, dont expect ferrari performance, its just not gonna happen.

Afty`s comment about stupid users is a valid one, but I for one would welcome a world where there were more people who knew the difference between Office and Windows, where they knew where the cables went, even if its only a very vague understanding.
That small jump in user comprehension would reduce the stress levels of IT support staff world wide, and make for a much more approcable community as a whole.

WhiteKnight

15th January 2005, 02:55

Originally posted by afty
That's nothing to do with common sense. The computer is a tool to them. One tool - why the FECK would one tool have two on switches? That's antithetical to what your common sense would tell you.

Even the most BASIC of home TV setups now have at least 2 power switches.

1 for the TV (like the monitor) and 1 for the Set top box, video play, dvd player, or one of a miriad of add on units (like the computer).

For the most part you NEED to turn on at least 2 of them to use the TV if you want anything other than the basic 5 channels.

her0n

15th January 2005, 10:30

Seeing as we are tarring all users with the 'STUPID' brush i'd like like to tar all Tech Support workers with the 'arrogant c0cks' brush.

thanks.

sh0ckwave

15th January 2005, 10:40

Originally posted by WhiteKnight
Even the most BASIC of home TV setups now have at least 2 power switches.

1 for the TV (like the monitor) and 1 for the Set top box, video play, dvd player, or one of a miriad of add on units (like the computer).

For the most part you NEED to turn on at least 2 of them to use the TV if you want anything other than the basic 5 channels.
And how much do parents still struggle with that :)

Er00

15th January 2005, 11:15

Originally posted by mr_roll
I did, got a woman call up, I asked which service pack she had installed and said "Wanadoo"

ah, thought it was something more stupid than XP, just couldn't remember :p:

Elbonio

15th January 2005, 11:32

Originally posted by WhiteKnight
Yes, but you know how to "work" it tho dont you.

How to make it hot, or cold. Where the water comes out (Hint: the tap).

And if the pilot light goes out, whats your first instinct ? Read the manual to see if theres a simple way to restart it ? (like pushing a button on the front in most cases)

You dont call out a trained technician just to push a button on the front of it.

I`ve had first hand experience of all levels of "end user" computer literacy, and i truely dispise people who just refuse to learn even the basics or use even a dribble of common sense.

Questions like "where do i plug the power in" or "which hole does the mouse go in" should NEVER even need asking, everything on the back of a modern PC is labeled and colour coded. But i still get asked.

It's because people have a real fear of breaking them. Computers have an image problem that they're some kind of complex machine that one wrong keystroke and it's all broken.

Someone spends £1,500 on their Time computer they're obviously going to be a little nervous about doing something

so they call you guys (tech support) for reassurance before they do it

and in time they do get to understand them. My dad was a nervous wreck when he brought home our first 386 from Time (before they became the nasty big Time that we once knew) and it was like "ok DON'T BREATHE.... it's booting up.... DONT TOUCH THAT MOUSE!"

I know people like this today - just had a look at a friends PC, he bought it 6 months ago and said it wasnt switching on. There is in fact not a thing wrong with it but im not gonna get annoyed at him because he doesnt have a clue what he's doing.

If my car breaks down, beyond the real idiot stuff, i dont have a clue what to do, and i wouldnt dream of opening up the bonnet and doing anything more than staring at it going "uh huh i see..." twist a couple of caps and then calling the AA - for fear of breaking it more.

I think the problem lies with support staff unhappy in their jobs, long hours, tedious work (becuase yes i'll admit it is tedious dealing with computer n00bs) - i fail to see how it can be the end users fault. You're there to serve them, not the other way round.

Tsung

15th January 2005, 11:51

The computer use to be the third most expensive item a household would buy, IT IS a complicated piece of equipment lets compare it to the "car".

When I get into my car, I expect to be able to insert the key, turn it, and it starts. If it doesn't start, I dont suddenly pop the bonnet and start re-wiring it, or pull the engine apart to find a fault. I dont remove my key, get out, lock it, unlock it, get back in and try again. To be honest I wouldnt even try and diagonse the fault to more than "It wont go" as im not a trained mechanic. What I do is go indoors, phone up the lovely AA who send a mechanic around to get it started. If it is seriously broken, they will take it to a garage. My understanding of cars is this, so long as there is fuel, and I check oil and water occasionally it should work. I know there is a battery involved but there is no way of checking that easierly. It doesnt make me a stupid driver, it doesnt even make me a stupid mechanic, I know my limitations and I get an expert to look at it, someone who job it is to diagonse the problem and provide a solution.

Why shouldn't Computer Owners contact techincal support when their computer goes wrong?. It's fine saying there is a support webpage and they should visit that, but how do you visit a support webpage if your machine doesnt work?. It's like me phoning a garage up telling them my car wont start and they saying "Well bring it here and you can diagonse the problem yourself". How do I get my car there?

It must be really frustrating for these users if the computer which worked fine yesterday doesnt work today. Chance are when they phone you they are angry / frustrated at the computer it takes people skills (something it appears IT people lack!) to talk to the user and find out why it doesn't work anymore. They are not angry at you, they are angry at the machine or maybe themself.They might have a deadline to meet, of they might of wanted to do a 5 minute job which has turned into a 1hr nightmare. I dunno I think sometimes Support staff take their job to personally.

Just remember next time you get a "stupid" user on the phone, you were lucky, you were brought up with computers, you could learn about them in school. They were never forced on you, you have the chance to learn about them when you were young. A lot of older people don't have a choice, if they wanted to work they have to use a computer. You better hope that in 30 years time you are not forced to use a piece of technology that you really do not understand fully, and is so complicated that you wont fully understand it if you do try to learn it. You might end up being "the stupid user" for the younger generation.

Finally (major essay), all I can say is I'm glad your not Doctors. If doctors had the same unprofessional attitude as the majority of frustated I.T. staff here there would be a lot more dead people.

Afty

15th January 2005, 12:03

Originally posted by WhiteKnight
And if the pilot light goes out, whats your first instinct ? Read the manual to see if theres a simple way to restart it ? Many, MANY people call British gas in this case. Or their son. Or their neighbour.
Originally posted by WhiteKnight
You dont call out a trained technician just to push a button on the front of it.While I don't have stats from British Gas, I used to drink fairly regularly with a CORGI qualified gas install/maintenance bloke, and I can assure you people do. Alot.

Originally posted by WhiteKnight
Questions like "where do i plug the power in" or "which hole does the mouse go in" should NEVER even need asking, everything on the back of a modern PC is labeled and colour coded. But i still get asked.To be fair, this is something a user shouldn't have to do in the office - or should only ever (at home) have to do once... Considering how fragile PCs are perceived to be, I think it's reasonable that people worry about plugging 240v into it. How many people can't turn on or set the time on a video recorder? Millions.

Originally posted by WhiteKnight
You should treat it like a car. Service it every 6 to 12 months and give it an occasional oil change (defrag / spyware check / av etc)... OR PAY SOMEONE TO DO IT FOR YOU. If you do nothing for 5 years, dont expect ferrari performance, its just not gonna happen.Now here I couldn't agree more - this is a perception we in the computer industry need to encourage because it will bring more revenue to the industry, and overall significantly improve users experience, a win-win situation all round. PC World started doing this some time ago, and I pray that other retailers have to foresight to do so too.

WhiteKnight

15th January 2005, 18:35

Originally posted by afty
To be fair, this is something a user shouldn't have to do in the office - or should only ever (at home)
I was mainly talking about home users there, but i do still get it at work from time to time.

Originally posted by afty
How many people can't turn on or set the time on a video recorder? Millions.
This is my whole point.

As a general rule "users" of ANY product, be it a computer or a car, or a video recorder, ARE "lazy" and / or "uneducated", but that doesnt meant they EVERYONE is. Just that for the most part, people that "use" a product almost NEVER take the time to actually learn how to "use" that product properly.
This lazyness then produces uneducated users who then rely heavily on support for everything.

Thats what annoys me.

To use Tsunami`s example: I also know nothing about cars, but if my car stops working, i wouldnt call the AA as the first step. I`d grab the owners manual out of the glove box and see what it said under the trouble shooting section. If the fault isnt there, or its somthing i dont have the skills or equipment to fix, THEN i`ll call the AA or Toyota or whoever I need to fix it.

Freelance

15th January 2005, 20:03

you may have to read through this a few times before it becomes coherent

unlike a video recorder a PC is actually a complex thing like a car, with many components that can go wrong. you need training and licencing before you can use a car. untrained use of a car could lead to injury or death (yourself and others). an unserviced car could fail and harm people as well. because PCs are sold like video recorders, noone cares if the person using it can use it properly. if the PC goes off and collects a virus and spreads it onto 500 other people, you're just a victim of the latest virus attack. like a car, your training matters, just in a different way. because it's not safety critical, it's just ok.

PCs are sold as easy to use items just like any other electrical item, dixons would never want to ask for a standard of knowledge before selling. they just want to shift stock. in the ideal world, if companies want to sell a simple internet/home office box, thats what they should sell. just like a games console is for games.

(i do not work in tech support and don't really want to. family and friends are quite enough)

people have been saying for ages that cheap consumer boxes have been coming, and the PC will be an expensive non-mainstream product. i can't help thinking that would be better for everyone. whoops, that's elitist of me

Elbonio

15th January 2005, 22:21

The point is, support styaff get paid for what they do and if everyone was educated and fluent in Pc maintainence, there'd be nobody to support.

We dont all work in support, but i imagine we all have the burden of family/friends seeing us as the oracle for computer awareness.

We're that person who they mention to a friend when their PC is broke "oh i've got a friend who's 'good with computers'..."

So I do know how frustrating it can be sometimes. Just think though - you're getting paid for it during work hours, why do you care? Find it frustrating and tedious? get another job.

mr_roll

15th January 2005, 22:28

Originally posted by afty
What makes you think people desperate enough to call first line support will be able to find out what OS they have? Do you think they will even be aware of what an OS is?
Besides Outlook?

The site/page I will make will just build on each suggestions on how to find these things out, teaching people :)

mr_roll

15th January 2005, 22:33

Find it frustrating and tedious? get another job.

Oh how I try :p:

WhiteKnight

16th January 2005, 01:20

Originally posted by Elbonio
if everyone was educated and fluent in Pc maintainence, there'd be nobody to support.
I`m not saying everyone needs to know the difference between and ISA bus and DDR ram. Just that they are reasonably compitant to WORK the damn things. Like where the USB ports are, and if they have a laptop, which keys to press to make the image come out on the projector (which i get asked at EVERY meeting without fail)

There will always be a place for a qualified technician, but the user guides, manuals, and trouble shooting sections are there for a reason.

Originally posted by Elbonio
Find it frustrating and tedious? get another job.
Actually i find it quite the contrary. IT Tech support can be an immensely rewarding job, the amount of gratitude you get when you recover someones annual accounts they just deleted the day before the auditors arrive is great. But as i said... if they had actually had the common sense to actually read the message that said "Are you SURE you want to perminently delete the 'Sage Accounts' folder ?" they might not have had the proble in the first place.

Cabe

16th January 2005, 04:23

I'm not saying I want an easy life. But if I got payed without having to work......

Tsung

16th January 2005, 09:36

Whiteknight you seem to believe user manuals exist and they are understandable to the average person.
I suspect 95% of software does not come with a printed manual nowadays, the remainder is a either no manual at all or some 1/2 arsed pdf effort.
Now your not going to tell me all software is user friendly, or even functions in a logical way?. Just take a look at this site, no wonder users have difficulties using the damm computers. (http://digilander.libero.it/chiediloapippo/Engineering/iarchitect/shame.htm ) :rolleyes:
Oh as for harware, I doubt any pc you purchase from shop has a decent how to fix it manual. At best, it comes with how to plug the coloured plugs into the back, and turn it on.

Freelance

16th January 2005, 10:57

that's kind of the problem with software industry as a whole though. nobody needs to make a good human-machine interface to shift software. if you've got a big name and a product everyone wants you can sell whatever you want, it makes sense to have a vaguely sensible intuitive interface though. if i bought a £800 camera though, i would expect to have to read the manual before i could use it properly, which leads to the other problem, users expect to just install a peice of software and know how to work it.

Qdos

16th January 2005, 12:50

found this video this morning, thought it was quite appropriate to the topic:

Internet help desk (http://www.kontraband.com/show/show.asp?ID=1780&NEXTID=0&PREVID=1800&DISPLAYORDER=20041229164332&CAT=movies&NSFW=&page=1)

Elbonio

16th January 2005, 13:05

ROFL @ 12 o'clock flasher

Er00

16th January 2005, 13:57

Nice site tsu XD

Chicane

16th January 2005, 14:44

car exmaple is very good however...

i dont vent my frustration to the poor women (when i call the AA) on the phone that its NOT my fault but hers that my pc wont boot.

i also dont tell her that any problems i incur must be it supports fault as thats her job and whats shes paid for...

you see where its heading.

I like IT Support, i like designing and building tools that make users life that little bit easier, coz, **** me those little things make my life a WHOLE lot better... ;)

It would be nice to be thanked more than once a year (usually at xmas when they've had a drink and start confessing that the document you pulled out of hours of searching through 100's of backup tapes would have cost them their jobs...)

etc etc

mr_roll

16th January 2005, 16:05

Originally posted by Qdos
found this video this morning, thought it was quite appropriate to the topic:

Internet help desk (http://www.kontraband.com/show/show.asp?ID=1780&NEXTID=0&PREVID=1800&DISPLAYORDER=20041229164332&CAT=movies&NSFW=&page=1)

Thats EXACTLY how it is, and I have done the Hold bit too.

Noodleman

16th January 2005, 17:33

quite simply say to themselves 100 times, "DONT CALL SUPPORT"

mr_roll

22nd January 2005, 19:29

1. Know which OS you have. - mr_roll
2. Check the plugs. - TimmyNoShoes
3. Make sure your ringing the tech support for the product thats not working - Nivek
4. Try the operation again
5. Try and reboot the machine
6. Check the wiring
7. Check the helpdesk website for known outages.
8. When did the application last work?
9. have you installed any other applications since then?

That is all I have got.

I'm at work at the moment, and for a fact I get really pissed off at people lieing to me.
It wastes my time. Example:

Me: "Thank you for calling, which windows do you have?"
Cust: "XP"
Me: "ok do you have service pack 1 or 2 installed?"
Cust: "SP2"
Then from a process that I have developed on my own, Device manager is in a different place with SP2 opposed to SP1. So I ask them where the Dev Man option is, then I often say "ok so you were lieing to me then?"

If they say "I'm not sure" then Start > Run > winver will tell you.

So really in conclusion to this thread, people need to be educated if they are home users, although there will be never any let up of kids and their installs the exe files from hotmail/aol/general email.

My dad had a Laptop for less than 3 years, the whole family used it, almost, by the time he finished with it it was not useable.

oh, and I work on a famous software companies tech support line.
They recently released somthing called Service Pack 2, you may have heard of it ;)

<edit>
But I like my job, the thing that makes it bad is the procedures we get given, say some one phones through, they have the blaster and no SP's then we have to send them away to another number as its "not an sp2 related issue", thats one thing that pisses me off, the other is the people.

I had a woman phone me up the other day she said
"I was forced with this SERVICE PACK 2" "I WAS NOT ASKED TO INSTALL IT" (which is infact a lie, as many of you will know, ANY way of installing asks and goes througha license agreement)

"ok madam, whats the actual problem with the PC?"

"It Keeps SSSLLOOOWWWWINNNGGG DDDOOOOWWWWNNN and IT FORCED IT SELF ONTO MY COMPUTER WITHOUT ASKING!"

I paused for about 5 seconds and then in a calm voice said:
"ok madam, will you calm down?"

she paused for about 5 seconds and said:
"ok"

We then went on to do a normal call and she was pleased with the result.

see some people dont care and they keep shouting, then we just have our own little way of dealing with those but I remember on BT BB tech help desk I was a level 3 agent, which meant I did call backs. Now when I called a customer back and after 40 mins of trying to install the BT modem onto the computer we realised that we couldnt create any keys in the run key of the registry, at that moment I felt a great feeling as he had the solution, its a virus or a prtoection thing the manufacturers have put on there. He knew what to do, he was pleased as I had found a problem he could work with. Of course I did tell him what the Run key did and taught him a lot, those are the types of calls I like.

Buffy

24th January 2005, 05:37

Take the Car for a PC

People shount be allowed to use the car if:

1. They idea of a key is to hard (power switch)
2. If the idea of turning left is to hard (moving the mouse)
3. Moving forwarid is scary (clicking the mouse)

These three iteams are essentual to the movemnt of a car people have to be tested on these and many other thing before there allowed to driver freely.

If the computer breaks down and wont start when the power button is pushed in you "Check for petrol" or that the computer is plugged in. "Check the battery is connected propply" make sure the cable is firmly seated. These are two simple checks that even a you should be able to check and yes they are easy.

You shouldnt ever call the help desk and:

1. Say its my fault
2. Pretend you know what your doing and lie to me when I ask you questions that you dont know the answer to.

Mr roll hold the "windows" key and the "Pause / Break" key down together and watch the wonders of bill.

Steadders

24th January 2005, 12:25

Originally posted by mr_roll
6. Check the wiring

if i had left my own computer in the care of a standerd user, i wouldnt say "oh, just check the wiring"

After reading this thread, my thoughts have changed on the user. Lets face it. If i turn on my computer, and it gives me a beep, and it doesnt boot i'll take a good guess its a memory problem, thats what i would try. Followed by trying a different cpu etc etc.

Like hec anyone normal person would think of walking down to there local pc world "componant centre" to try so more ram.

But what about this, your outside your house, about to go inside when your new neighbour that you've talked to a few times comes up to you.

"oh hi, i heard your quite good with computers, my computers been running really slow recently, and the cd drive isnt reading disks, think you could have a look sometime?"

Slightly different situation to being an IT tech support guy, whats the right thing to do hear? would a mecanic do free work?