"Blow your USB connector, then plug it back in"

[redbeacon]

Social Engineering skills 101

"Kindly blow your connector, then plug it in"

 

For those who work in Helpdesk line or Product Support, this Customer Service trick -- albeit awkward or funny -- might save you the hassle of being scolded "Duh, it is plugged in" by the end user.

 

------------------------

 

Sometimes you might encounter calls with somebody with an I.T. problem and you suspect that the problem is something as simple as forgetting to plug a device into the computer, or that the cable was plugged into the wrong port.

 

Here's the trick: Don't ask "Are you sure it's plugged in correctly?"

 

If you do this, they will get all insulted and say indignantly, "Of course it is! Do I look like an idiot?" without actually checking.

 

Instead, say this:

 

"Okay, sometimes the connection gets a little dusty and the connection gets weak. Could you unplug the connector, blow into it to get the dust out, then plug it back in?"

 

Statistics show that most users will probably then crawl under the desk, find that they forgot to plug it in (or plugged it into the wrong port), blow out the dust, plug it in, and reply, "Um, yeah, that fixed it, thanks."

 

Or if the problem was that it was plugged into the wrong port, then the act of unplugging it and blowing into the connector takes their eyes off the port. Then when they go to plug it in, they will look carefully and get it right the second time because they're paying attention.

 

1. Customer saves face,

2. You close a support case,

3. Everybody wins.

 

 

With helpdesk jobs, I'd say we should play the role of a Psychologist, and the customers...the Patients themselves.

 

IMO, We get paid to "lie" to pinpoint the source of the problem behind the scenes, and to sum it all up and fix it at the end.

 

--------------------

 

Another one: Instead of asking "Are you sure it's turned on?",

ask them to "turn it off and back on."

[WildCard]

*For those with horizontal USB ports*

If they can't insert their USB devices into the port coz they were sticking it in the wrong orientation, can advice them that they computer is upside down and to turn it over to correct it.

Same for floppy disk drives.

 

For those who can solve network problems due to some complicated problem but to complex to explain, just tell them their RJ45 (LAN) cable was kinked in several places. This will cause prevent the 1s from flowing through due to the sharp edges but allow the 0s to flow through due to their smooth edges.

Straightening the cables will help.

[kmax]

hahah.. good one!

[mutant_sheep]

OMG. like that also can??

im glad that i have "escape" from IT support & now become a chicken rice seller.

[biting_point]

blow??

 

sounds very like old school Nintendo cartridge.. where if the game cannot start, most will take out and blow it..

 

then miraculously the game started..

haha..

[cheowseng]

true! haha like nintendo

haha

super mario...kof...bla bla bla...

[redbeacon]

blow??

 

sounds very like old school Nintendo cartridge.. where if the game cannot start, most will take out and blow it..

 

then miraculously the game started..

haha..

Mine's worse...

 

There are (trying) times where my favourite game would not load properly, or cause the whole system to display gibberish on the screen.

 

As such, I have to insert in-n-out, wiggle and wiggle, and do all sorts of funny things to my game cartridge just to get the game to work.

 

Yah, ya can consider me a Nintendork as well. What to do when I really needed to play that aircraft shooting game? Bo pian loh

[apitBIOL]

SEGA 16bit console style haha

[gohjohan]

blow??

 

sounds very like old school Nintendo cartridge.. where if the game cannot start, most will take out and blow it..

 

then miraculously the game started..

haha..

 

Yeah, it worked for Gameboy too

[eedwinn]

There's always one. This has got to be one of the funniest things in a long time. I think this guy should have been promoted, not fired. This is a true story from the Word Perfect Helpline, which was transcribed from a recording monitoring the customer care department.

 

Needless to say the Help Desk employee was fired; however, he/she is currently suing the Word Perfect organization for "Termination without Cause".

 

Actual dialogue of a former WordPerfect Customer Support employee. (Now I know why they record these conversations!):

 

 

 

Operator: "Ridge Hall, computer assistance; may I help you?"

 

Caller: "Yes, well, I'm having trouble with WordPerfect."

 

Operator: "What sort of trouble??"

 

Caller: "Well, I was just typing along, and all of a sudden the words went away."

 

Operator: "Went away?"

 

Caller: "They disappeared."

 

Operator: "Hmm So what does your screen look like now?"

 

Caller: "Nothing."

 

Operator: "Nothing??"

 

Caller: "It's blank; it won't accept anything when I type."

 

Operator: "Are you still in WordPerfect, or did you get out??"

 

Caller: "How do I tell?"

 

Operator: "Can you see the C: prompt on the screen??"

 

Caller: "What's a sea-prompt?"

 

Operator: "Never mind, can you move your cursor around the screen? "

 

Caller: "There isn't any cursor: I told you, it won't accept anything I type."

 

Operator: "Does your monitor have a power indicator??"

 

Caller: "What's a monitor?"

 

Operator: "It's the thing with the screen on it that looks like a TV. Does it have a little light that tells you when it's on??"

 

Caller: "I don't know."

 

Operator: "Well, then look on the back of the monitor and find where the power cord goes into it. Can you see that??"

 

Caller: "Yes, I think so."

 

Operator: "Great. Follow the cord to the plug, and tell me if it's plugged into the wall.

 

Caller: "Yes, it is."

 

Operator: "When you were behind the monitor, did you notice that there were two cables plugged into the back of it, not just one??"

 

Caller: "No."

 

Operator: "Well, there are. I need you to look back there again and find the other cable."

 

Caller: "Okay, here it is."

 

Operator: "Follow it for me, and tell me if it's plugged securely into the back of your computer."

 

Caller: "I can't reach."

 

Operator: "Uh huh. Well, can you see if it is??"

 

Caller: "No."

 

Operator: "Even if you maybe put your knee on something and lean way over??"

 

Caller: "Oh, it's not because I don't have the right angle - it's because it's dark."

 

Operator: "Dark??"

 

Caller: "Yes - the office light is off, and the only light I have is coming in from the window.

 

Operator: "Well, turn on the office light then."

 

Caller: "I can't."

 

Operator: "No? Why not??"

 

Caller: "Because there's a power failure."

 

Operator: "A power......... A power failure? Aha, Okay, we've got it licked now.

 

Do you still have the boxes and manuals and packing stuff your computer came in??"

 

Caller: "Well, yes, I keep them in the closet."

 

Operator: "Good. Go get them, and unplug your system and pack it up just like it was when you got it. Then take it back to the store you bought it from."

 

Caller: "Really? Is it that bad?"

 

Operator: "Yes, I'm afraid it is."

 

Caller: "Well, all right then, I suppose. What do I tell them??"

 

Operator: "Tell them you're too f ---ing stupid to own a computer!!!!!"

 

AHahaha, Nice one. Probably the caller didn't know electricity is needed to start the computer. Or maybe he thought the computer is so high tech that only solar is needed.

[GuiNNeSS]

WAHWAHHWAHWA..... hilarious...