We do not support you...

[boogara.livejournal.com]

So, yesterday was quite the day...making it short and sweet...

Dear Dealers,
I understand you cannot access your e-mail, or your computer, or having some other non-company related computer issue. However, we do not help you with anything that does not relate to our company. Your own local support told you to call us? Oh well, still aren't going to help you. We really don't do much help for our own company's employees (thank you F for not giving us rights beyond clicking a mouse and typing */sarcasm*). Ma'am, why did you call here at least twice, and I got you those two times? I didn't help you the first time, I explained to you THEN why I can't. You call back and expect a different answer?

If we aren't even able to go beyond "best effort" for our own employees, what makes you think I'm going to bend over backwards for you, who doesn't work for us (directly) AND gets mad when I need information from you?

Comments

[mouse-from-marz.livejournal.com]

it's pretty Standard Op to call back when you get a negative answer - big companies (and sometimes we don't know whether that's what we're dealing with) do have a procedure, but sometimes calling back gets you somebody who knows the rules better or is just having a nicer day and is more willing to help.

[boogara.livejournal.com]

I understand that, but at the same time they asked to speak to someone who can help them the first time they called, and I told them that due to policy you'll be getting the same response.

But...meh, it was a slow night last night anyways so it made me chuckle. :D

[kcbnac.livejournal.com]

Yeah, going 'above-and-beyond' for me requires a couple of things.

A) it's an Easy Fix. (One setting - like how to show a status bar, button, etc)

B) It's a slow/dead period, AND I'm in the mood to walk you through it.

[boogara.livejournal.com]

Lol, I only have one...don't give me an attitude. That takes care of 99% of the calls anyone on the floor takes. :D

[barbituratecat.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's fair to assume that someone can't because they 'aren't having a nice day'. Support scopes exist for a reason, to save time and energy for both parties.

Example. My company does not support Incredimail, and that's our choice. We can provide the customer with mail server names, but we're not supposed to troubleshoot other issues aside from that. In the past, we've had technicians who 'went above and beyond' for customers, and did stuff like completely uninstalling/reinstalling the program, reworking all settings/options, etc, which is completely outside our support scope.

Now, that would be fine if it was just a one time thing. But because it set a precedent, we've had customers calling back and arguing with our techs for 20+ minutes because 'the LAST guy did it for me!!'. Some have even bullied techs in to sending out Remote Access requests for it [one guy I had personally asked me to ask each and every tech in the building to see if they were familiar with a program we did not support. Yeah, like I'm going to ask 100+ people who are all dealing with their own customers, when this guy could just as easily call the manufacturer].

I know it's frustrating for a customer to have to call different places, but if we can't help you? We can't help you, sorry.

[boogara.livejournal.com]

I love that whole "but the last tech did it!" line...it pisses them off more when I tell them, "well, I'm just following protocol, and by policy we don't do [x]..."

[mouse-from-marz.livejournal.com]

"I don't think it's fair to assume that someone can't because they 'aren't having a nice day'"

...or whatever reason... the point I'm making is, in my own life and from what I've had friends relate, getting a no from one guy then calling back and getting a yes from another happens often enough to make it worth peoples time to call back and try again at least once.

otoh, I've gotten bad information that I -liked- then found out later that information was wrong, so it's pretty reasonable to call twice regardless.

[mouse-from-marz.livejournal.com]

of course, if you call back and get the same guy, well that's your answer, isn't it?

[japester.livejournal.com]

My company does not support Incredimail

and there is good reason for that. It's crapware!

[spaz-own-joo.livejournal.com]

but sometimes calling back gets you somebody who knows the rules betteris more likely to acquiesce to their compulsion for helpfulness, despite not being required (by the rules) to help.

[vulpisfoxfire.livejournal.com]

Heh--bad thing is, there is no good solution to this. Here, the tech is presuming the customer is being a bonehead for calling twice despite being told something. Meanwhile, the customer is presuming the *tech* is being a bonehead, and basically tries to get a second opinion (now if you have two *different* people telling you the same thing, it's definitely time to give up..).

[boogara.livejournal.com]

The worst thing is, dealers never give up. Dealers, suppliers and non-English-first-tongue-speaking-countries will continue to call back in hopes of a different answer...