The End User...

[joewee]

Part of my job is doing end user computer support mostly in the windows environment. I have supported jewlery store clerks, credit collections agents, DBA's, programers and developers all making me ask the same qustion, "what dont you understand by the simple straight forward request to LOG OFF, Restart or Shut down?" This request is one request of a possible three that is asked directly and could only have one meaning of the three none of which can be confused with the other. Yet it never ever fails to prompt the question now do you want me to log off, log off or restart restart or may be shut down shut down? There are those that would also ask, when asked to log off, "now do you want me to log off and shut down?" and so on. I could go on for hours with all possible permutations of these possible out comes. My question is WHY??? If I am lucky one in one hundered will understand the specified request just as it was made. Can any one of these requests possibley be confused with the other. Why Why Why???

I want to choke them, I have come close a couple of times. Does anyone know what I am talking about???

[fingal]

Lol ... yes I know what you mean! I've worked in roles where customer service was a large part of the job, and I didn't come out of it thinking people are especially bright. It comes as a surprise when I meet people who are extremely capable and astute ...

I used to be friendly with a woman called Carolyn who worked in a library. She told me about the following conversations she had with customers. Some of them might only be understandable if you come from the UK.

Customer: 'Do you have any books about Texas?'
Carolyn: 'Yes! Over there in the American literature section.'
Customer: 'No!! Texas, the high street DIY store.'

The other one (my personal favourite) is: 'Do you have a copy of "Pride and Pressure Juice" by Janet Bronte?'

Carolyn used to drink quite a lot of whiskey in her spare time. Wonder why.