"Oh noes! My computer won't work!"

[guitarguy1980.livejournal.com]

So, today, I get out of my monthly staff meeting, and I find that I have three emails, (apparently from another person's computer) a voice message on my work phone, and a message on my company cell phone from this woman, who we'll call Linda, complaining that her computer won't turn on.

She left the same message with everyone else on my Information Systems Team.  I was the first to respond.  Low and behold the machine won't turn on.  This woman is panicking, like you have no idea.  

In a very demanding tone, she yells, and when I say yells, I means SCREAMS at me: "I was in the middle of something when it just died! I need this back up now!"

So, keeping my cool, I press the power button.  Nothing. 

Ok, so let's check the cable. 

Low and behold, the damn thing was unplugged, and the battery died.

Plugged it in, and heard the thinkpad beep recognizing power flowing to the system.  I got up, hit the power button, and BAM!  The machine turned on.

The only thing she could say was:  "Ugh.....thanks." in that snooty condescending tone.

I need a drink.

Comments

[snoopyh42.livejournal.com]

These days, I have no problem confronting people on their attitude. If I do something that helps them out, the least they could do is express a little appreciation.

Of course, most of my customers think that I'm made of awesome if I can make the computer get their e-mail...

[jecook]

At my last placce, there would be emails sent to boss, and it would trickle to their boss within 24 hours. To his credit, he strongly disliked people who yelled at support staff.

At this place, there are a grand total of three people who are able to yell at me, and these people already have the "Giant inflatable mickey Mouse glove" tratment (namely because they are ultimately responsible for operations)

[lihan161051.livejournal.com]

I propose a law that people who resort to screaming panic when they call tech support must respond with an equal degree of thanks and praise when you fix what was wrong. Especially if it involves keeping conspiratorially quiet about how stupid the reason it went wrong was. :D

I have to say, the ones who tend to go the most hyperbolically thermonuclear with the panic, (because, like everyone else, they're "very special" and their problems are "top priority", because their machine, like everyone else's, is "business critical") are most often the ones who revert to treating you like a peon not worthy of their notice when the problem is solved. ("Begone, unwashed slave, and I'll let you live another day" seems to about sum it up.) They're bad enough about that on the phone, I can only imagine what they're like onsite. I tend to show up in jeans, T-shirt, long hair, and a ponytail, more often than not carrying a motorcycle helmet. I have to wonder what effect that would have in a corporate-bondage-and-discipline type office setting ..

[fuzzyr.livejournal.com]

most people who talk big on the phone wouldn't dare talk that way to the tech in person.

[lihan161051.livejournal.com]

Another thought: How is it that people don't realize how *ineffective* panic is as a strategy for getting things fixed? And where is it that people grow up and learn to survive by throwing screaming tantrums when things aren't working exactly the way they want? And how do they live to be more than about 30 without keeling over from high blood pressure complications or heart attacks? (Never mind the effects of dealing with these people on just about everyone they come in contact with during the course of a given day, being someone like that is hard on their *own* health.)

My take on it, when such things happen to me, is that it's going to take a certain amount of time to set things straight, and I can either panic about it or I can get started fixing it, or, in the rare cases when it's something I have to take to someone else to fix, I make a point of staying out of their hair while they work on it and being appreciative when they finish. How is it that that's not how most people seem to go about it? It only makes *sense* to me ..

[trayce.livejournal.com]

I think I would have politely (but icily) replied to the "thanks" with "that's ok, I forgive you". Watch her brain break.

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/lo+and+behold

[japester.livejournal.com]

I know if anyone ever screamed or shouted at me again[0], unless I got the opportunity to create some serious pain for that person involving HR and a public grovelling apology, I would walk out the door.
It is completely unacceptable.

[0] it has happened a grand total of once. Last time, it *was* my (acting) boss.